As part of the annual ‘Week 53’ festival at The Lowry, Manchester, Girl Gang are offering the latest in their series of immersive theatre experiences: enter the world of Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion.
Who or what are the classics for?: RashDash present Three Sisters
“Fuck you and your excellent words.” Questioning how actors and audience ought to interact with the canon, RashDash explode onto the stage to fight for an artist’s right against the dictatorial bonds of the script.
Review: Tessa Coates, Primates
Tessa Coates - sketch comic extraordinaire, trio-of-podcasts host and now stand up - unveiled Primates, her debut solo show, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017. Part-autobiography, part-anthropology lecture (and a whole lot hilarious) Primates has just finished a sell-out run at the Soho Theatre. Harpy was lucky enough to snatch half an hour with Tessa to talk about her experience creating the show.
Vote! Local Elections 2018
Voting is important. It is empowering. Cast your vote, have your say, and take strength – may it only get better.
Directing: Can Diversity Change the Film Industry?
It is easy to justify the need for more inclusion from a political point of view: discrimination is wrong, period. Yet, I have often been asked if I thought that inclusion would actually bring anything positive to the film industry. After all, do we need an nth chick flick or another Dr Dolittle?
Review: The Tiger Lillies present Corrido de la Sangre
Three men, eleven instruments, one psychedelic puppet show projection. Billed as "The Godfathers of Alternative Cabaret", The Tiger Lillies take to the stage to tell the story of Maria: a Mexican woman who escaped the clutches of the cartels and of the devil himself.
The Cherry Orchard: the Slow Surroundings of an Eccentric Matriarch
The entrance of a small, ghostly child, before the house lights go down, marks the opening of this latest production of The Cherry Orchard and suggests that this may not be Chekhov as we know.
You, Join the Femmeniste Revolution!
The Femmeniste exhibition will tackle female experiences and issues such as sexual harassment, women's mental health, cat-calling, girl hate and much more, by bringing together spoken word artists, female rappers and dancers, as well as art and photography... Whether you’re an artist, a writer, or just want to spread the word, your input is what will power the revolution!
The Instagram Diet: is Social Media Force-Feeding us Unhealthy Values?
Take out your phone and open a social media app. I’ll bet it only takes a few swipes before you come across a post related to clean eating, the newest celebrity diet or a gorgeous fitness model, primed to infuse you with #fitspo. It’s the new, healthy way to live, and we just can’t get enough of it.
Therein lies the problem.
Minefield: the Unsung Stories of the Malvinas
Minefield marked the opening night of the ¡Viva! Festival! an annual celebration of Spanish and Latino culture, from HOME and Instituto Cervantes. Described as the festival that celebrates coming together in a world of division, this opening production exemplifies the spirit of cultural collaboration and provides a platform for unheard voices.
Women's Equality Party: Harpy meets Dr Louise Jennings
I spoke to Dr Louise Jennings, WEP candidate for Headingley and Hyde Park in the May 2018 local elections. We discussed broadly her personal and political reflections on the role and importance of the Women’s Equality Party and feminism more generally.
The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk: a colourful explosion of theatre
A staged biography of Marc Chagall, The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk is the story of an iconic artist and the woman both blessed and cursed to be his muse...
You Were Never Really Here: Trauma, Violence and Society
You were never really here. From the little the synopsis and trailer offered, I had imagined the film to be your typical conspiracy thriller centered on a hammer wielding anti-hero (Jo) responsible for the saving of a teenage girl (Nina) from an organised group of pedophiles. Apparently not the type of film I would have spontaneously chosen to see, especially when the gruesome violence of Red Sparrow was still very fresh in my mind...
Wonder Women: Looking back at the Winter Olympics
As Brits, we complain about the cold weather at every opportunity but, let’s face it, our little island comes to a standstill when faced with snow or ice. As such, we’re not much cop when it comes to the Winter Olympic and Paralympic games. But, perhaps things aren’t so bleak as they first appear…
Is 'Always' Trying to Cash-in on Period Poverty?
We’ve heard a lot about period poverty over the last year. The fight to support people who are unable to afford sanitary products is being led by grass-roots organisations supplying refugees, food banks and schoolgirls with tampons, pads and menstrual cups. Now, one of the UK’s leading sanitary towel brands, Always, is running a campaign that wants to #EndPeriodPoverty. But activists in the field have accused the company of trying to cash-in on the back of a worthy cause.
There should be a medical term for injuries sustained by men who do that exaggerated craning of the neck when anyone vaguely female is walking past him. Surely there’s some sort of long-term physical risk to this move?
Red Sparrow, Sexism and Casual Discrimination: How can YOU change this?
I went to see Red Sparrow... I did not want to see this film, at all, but there were some disturbing issues, mentioned in critiques, that I felt the need to address. So, I went to see it, with an open mind, eager to reach my own conclusions.
Frankenstein @ Royal Exchange: an innovative tribute to a literary great
Plunged into darkness, with a crash and a flash, we are on Captain Walton’s ship, trapped amidst the ice. 200 years after Mary Shelley’s iconic novel was published, April de Angelis and the Royal Exchange Theatre reignite life into the pages of Frankenstein.
Ear Hustle: The Prison Podcast Leaving its Mark
Ear Hustle reaches you from San Quentin State Prison, California. Episode by episode, the voices of the men incarcerated there provide very real insights into prison life; this podcast is no Orange is the New Black or Prison Break.
4 Women's Protests You Probably Haven't Heard Of
In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’ve put together a list of protests which have been somewhat overlooked by the man-centric, whitewashed historical focus of our Western education. Although they didn’t ‘go viral’ or inspire a range of feminist merchandise, these protests remain crucial in their contribution to the fight for the liberation of women worldwide.