The company tours vibrant adaptations of European and Asian classics and new work, brings the great stories of the world to children in junior schools and develops emerging artists and new audiences. Tara have produced work at the National Theatre and a host of other theatres across Britain, Europe, and Asia, as well as in the British Library, National Maritime Museum, Trafalgar Square and Temple Church. December 2011the Christmas production Bollywood Cinderella written by Hardeep Singh Kohli for Tara Theatre will be the first Pantomime produced by the company as it embarks on the transformation of it’s venue into the only Asian-led producing house in the country.
"The most culturally open-minded troupe in Britain" Independent on Sunday.
Autumn 2011
September/ October
Thursday 15th September
UK Touring in association with Tara Arts Presents Brian Patten in
Growing Up Before your very Eyes
From first to second childhood and back again, with a little chaos and much humour on the way! Liverpool poet Brian Patten takes us on a hilarious, sometimes heart-rending and always fascinating journey through a chaotic boyhood, a love-struck adolescence, a disrespectful middle-age and skirmishes with the grim reaper, to leave us teetering on the brink of yet another childhood. A very special journey.
'lots of jokey energy, pace & punch' T.E.S.
‘one of our best loved poets’ The Times
Brian Patten is one of the most accessible and popular poets working today,
Join him at his book-signing after the show.
Time 7.30pm
Price £12.50
Tuesday 20th September
A Tiger's Wedding
Written by Isla Blair
The actress Isla Blair’s extraordinary, moving and uplifting story of her childhood in India and her separation from her parents.
Born in Bangalore India, during the fading days of the Raj, Isla grew up on a tea plantation managed by her father. She spent her early years in the lush, verdant hills of Kerala
This warm, spice-scented idyll was abruptly ended when, obliged by tradition and entirely believing they were doing the best for their daughters, her parents sent Isla and her sister ‘home’ to boarding school, but ‘home’ was cold, gloomy, post-war austerity Scotland.
Isla is known for her long list of appearances both on stage and screen spanning over 40 years, having starred with the RSC & National Theatre.
“This is a wonderful book, reminiscent of Rumer Godden; I couldn’t put it down. Isla Blair paints pictures with words and her scenes spring off the page like a film script.” Joanna Lumley
Time 7.30pm
Price £10.00
Book Signing after the show
Direct from the Almeida, fuel presents Inua Elams in
The 14th Tale
The 14th Tale is a free flowing mellifluous narrative that tells the hilarious exploits of a natural born mischief growing from the clay streets of Nigeria to the roof tops of Dublin, and finally to London. Inua vividly recreates the characters that punctuate his upbringing in deft and beautiful poetry, while challenging the audience’s expectations of what it is to be a young, black male in London today.
The 14th Tale won a Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival 2009, toured and ran at the National Theatre in spring 2010.
“Ellams’ poetry is smooth enough to melt in the ear, yet packed full of snap, crackle and pop.” Time Out
Time 7.30pm
Price £11.50/ £7.50 concs
Black History Month
Tuesday 4th -Wednesday 5th October
Tara Arts with Arcadia Books presents Alex Wheatle MBE UK Tour of
UPRISING
written and performed by Alex Wheatle MBE
Directed By Jatinder Verma
Marking the 30th anniversary of the Brixton riots, award winning author Alex Wheatle MBE presents his moving autobiograpical story of how he became a writer.
Alex takes audiences on a journey through Britain in the 1980s: from the brutality of children's homes to life on the 'frontline' in riot-torn Brixton and sharing a prison cell with a fierce Rasta -man. A journey punctuated by the musclar singing of lyrics that made Alex the famous 'yard-man Irie' of the Brixton Club scene.
Inspired by his best-selling novel, Brixton Rock and East of Acre Lane Alex Wheatle’s performance is a gem. Alex’s latest novel Brenton Brown, the eagerly awaited follow up to Brixton Rock, was published in 2011.
written and performed by Alex Wheatle MBE
Directed By Jatinder Verma
Marking the 30th anniversary of the Brixton riots, award winning author Alex Wheatle MBE presents his moving autobiograpical story of how he became a writer.
Alex takes audiences on a journey through Britain in the 1980s: from the brutality of children's homes to life on the 'frontline' in riot-torn Brixton and sharing a prison cell with a fierce Rasta -man. A journey punctuated by the musclar singing of lyrics that made Alex the famous 'yard-man Irie' of the Brixton Club scene.
Inspired by his best-selling novel, Brixton Rock and East of Acre Lane Alex Wheatle’s performance is a gem. Alex’s latest novel Brenton Brown, the eagerly awaited follow up to Brixton Rock, was published in 2011.
“A triumph. Bears a striking resemblance to Graham Greene’s Brighton Rock’, (but) this is funny. Brixton Rock is a debut which confirms its author as a pro in prose"
The Times on Brixton Rock.
"This is a vibrant book pulsing with the reggae beats of the era. The dialogue has rhythm and inventiveness. And the violent climax is a cathartic one, the logical and positive first stage of a revolution."
Independent on Sunday on East of Acre Lane.
Independent on Sunday on East of Acre Lane.
Time 7.30pm
Price £11.50/£7.50 concs
Book signing after show
Black History Month
Saturday 15th October
Half Moon young people's Theatre presents
Look To The Sky
By Courttia Newland
In an abandoned warehouse, a search along dark corridors and winding stairs, will lead to a discovery, which will change lives...
A group of young people are forced to confront the very thing that scares them most. Themselves. The mysterious and complicated culture of inner-city youth is exploded in this gripping new play, which breathes with a raw poetic language and a contemporary soundtrack.
Following Half Moon’s previous hits – Locked In and Begin/End, Look To The Sky is a vibrant piece of new writing, which has already been nominated for an award.
Time 7:30pm
Price £11.50/£7.50 concs
Black History Month
November
Tuesday 1st-Sat 5th November
Tara Arts presents Meshaun Labrone in
The Right To Remain The Life and Mind of Tupac Shakur
Direct from the US
An explosive exploration of one of the world's most compelling yet misunderstood musicians or rap and hip-hop.
Locked alone in solitary confinement with nothing but his thoughts, his words, his angels and demons, Tupac has time to reflect on the defining moment that sent his world spinning out of control and into chaotic trajectory towards certain self-destruction.
This is a raw, intimate and lyrical performance.
Time 7:30pm
Price £11.50/£7.50 concs
Black History Month
Friday 11th November
Tara Arts presents a play reading with Yasmine Rana
The War Zone Is My Bed
Yasmine Rana's The War Zone is My Bed follows the journeys of spiritual destruction and redemption from the banks of the Mississippi River and fallen levees of New Orleans to the conflict-ravaged streets of Sarajevo and Kabul. The characters in Rana's politically charged and moving plays attempt to seek and substain love in violent circumstances.
The War Zone is my Bed presents the topical and intense plays of one of the most interesting new voices in American theatre.
Time 7:30pm
Price £3.50
Wednesday 16th November
Spare Tyre Theatre Presents
I'm An Artist Let Me In!
Conceived and performed by Spare Tyre's company of artists with learning disabilities.
Prepare to be confronted by an exhilarating showcase of honest, moving performances by inspirational artists with learning disabilities. view energising movement, hilarious comedy and intimate theatre.
With guests from the Big White Light Theatre in Croydon.
'All the performances brought an honesty and an integrity that is so often missed in theatre'. Executive Director, High Tide Time 7:30pm
Price £6
Christmas Shows
1st-24th December
Bollywood Cinderella
Written by Hardeep Singh Kohli Hardeep Singh
Kohli cooks up his own inimitable brand of fun for all the family – spicing the much loved Christmas classic with Indian colours, smells and sounds.
Cinderella slaves night and day making shoes for ugly stepsisters – Wang, Choo, Blahnik, whatever style they want – little does she know her luck is about to change…
The local Raja, desperate for his handsome but painfully shy son to find a wife, summons the finest shoemaker in the kingdom to craft “the perfect” slipper to fit a Princess.
What size will Cinders choose to make the perfect slipper? Will the Prince fall in love with the cobbler? Will their love be shoe-horned? Find out in Hardeep’s Bollywood Panto for Tara Theatre!
Evenings £15/ £12.50 concs
Matinees £12.50/£10 concs
Please view Tara Theatre website for times and schedule below:
http://www.tara-arts.com/ Bollywood Cinderella
Written by Hardeep Singh Kohli Hardeep Singh
Kohli cooks up his own inimitable brand of fun for all the family – spicing the much loved Christmas classic with Indian colours, smells and sounds.
Cinderella slaves night and day making shoes for ugly stepsisters – Wang, Choo, Blahnik, whatever style they want – little does she know her luck is about to change…
The local Raja, desperate for his handsome but painfully shy son to find a wife, summons the finest shoemaker in the kingdom to craft “the perfect” slipper to fit a Princess.
What size will Cinders choose to make the perfect slipper? Will the Prince fall in love with the cobbler? Will their love be shoe-horned? Find out in Hardeep’s Bollywood Panto for Tara Theatre!
Evenings £15/ £12.50 concs
Matinees £12.50/£10 concs
Please view Tara Theatre website for times and schedule below:
TARA THEATRE
356 GARRATT LANE
LONDON
SW18 4ES
020 8333 4457
Trains every 5 mins from Waterloo, Vauxhall and Wimbledon
Buses 44, 77 and 270 to Earlsfield Station
Free locally parking from 4:30pm
These are our Tara Theatre highlights for full listings and events please visit the Tara Arts website above.
