COMBUSTION, LABELS, OCTOPUS and More Set for Summer 2017 at Tara Arts

As Tara Arts celebrates its 40th anniversary throughout 2017, the company continues to put the experiences of the UK's diverse communities centre stage.

Leading the summer season at Tara Theatre and presented as a co-production with AIK Productions is Combustion (17th - 27th May), the debut play from writer/performer Asif Khan. Set in a Bradford car mechanic shop during the month of Ramadan, this combustible new comic drama is written by Asif Khan, widely tipped as one-to-watch following his inclusion on the 2017 BBC New Talent Hotlist, chosen by Idris Elba and Tony Hall. Following the Tara Theatre run, Combustion will transfer to the Arcola Theatre Tues 30 May - Sat 24 June before a UK tour.

Award-winning Edinburgh Fringe hit Labels (27th - 29th April) which tackles mixed heritage and immigration, and new comedy about Britishness Octopus (12th - 15th July) are among several visiting shows that explore the experiences of millennials in multicultural Britain. Ahead of a run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the theatre will present An Arrangement of Shoes, (20-22 July) a solo show by young actress Radhika Aggarwal set in an Indian railway colony during the Gulf War. Written by Award-winning Indian playwright Abhishek Majumdar - whose play The Djinns of Eidgah was seen at the Royal Court in 2016 - the production considers globalisation and identity in the Age of Faith.

The music programme boasts performances spanning genres from Indian classical to Qawwali, performed by a host of internationally recognised musicians, plus a rare chance to hear the Dhrupad style of Indian vocal music performed at Women in Music (3rd June). Through the art of live storytelling, UK music producer PKCtheFirst and international performer Peter Chand allow audiences to experience two distinctive artists bringing a fresh UK twist on traditional tales collected from South Asian elders with Tongue Tied & Twisted (1st - 2nd June).

Events aimed at families include The Tales of Birbal (2nd - 3rd June) which draws on tales treasured for generations on the Indian subcontinent, interactive workshops with Binglish Garden Boxes (27th May) and art project A New Union Flag (19th - 20th May), where participants create a new flag to celebrate diversity. Tara Theatre will also play host to several performances in the Wandsworth Arts Fringe, including Lobster Quadrille's anarchic clowning show Carabet (6th May).

#Tara7070 events will continue to celebrate the 70th anniversary of India and Pakistan's independence from the British Empire. Covering music, theatre, dance and spoken work, 70 events over the course of the year will look at how the Indian sub-continent has shaped Britain's destiny, as much as Britain shaped modern India and Pakistan's and illuminate the connections between the three countries. These events are marked in listings using the #Tara7070.

Speaking about the season, Artistic Director Jatinder Verma said "The 70th anniversary of India and Pakistan's independence provides a fitting opportunity to enjoy and explore the rich diversity of contemporary Britain. Britain's relationship with the Indian sub-continent spanned centuries and its enduring value is in the extraordinary range of artistic talent that finds its fitting home in our unique Tara Theatre."

Tara Arts are established as one of the UK's foremost creators of cross-cultural theatre. Their work, which consists of both new writing and reimagined classics, seeks to make imaginative connections across communities, to help foster a global sensibility from their own locality. The company was founded in 1977 by Artistic Director Jatinder Verma, along with Sunil Saggar, Ovais Kadri, Praveen Bahl & Vijay Shaunak. Tara Theatre, opened in September 2016 by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, has been awarded Project Design of the Year at the London Construction Awards 2016 and The Stage Sustainability Award for 2017.

Visit www.tara-arts.com for more information.

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Tara Theatre's Summer 2017 Season:

Arnab Chakrabarty in concert
22nd April, 7.30pm | £20 / £17.50
With Gurdain Rayatt on tabla

Arnab Chakrabarty is an outstanding exponent of Hindustani classical music, and is arguably among the top handful of currently active sarode players. A relentlessly self-improving student of music, a teacher of extraordinary ability, an instrument designer and restorer of considerable skill, Arnab Chakrabarty is the complete sarode musician of his generation.

Running time: 120 minutes | Suitable for ages: 12+

Labels by Joe Sellman Leava
27th - 29th April, 7.30pm | £16.50 - £11

Worklight Theatre's multi-award winning show is a funny, moving and honest story about mixed heritage and immigration. Charting a childhood in 90's Devon, shifting political landscapes and global refugee crisis, the show uses comedy, storytelling and spoken word. Using humour and honesty, Labels offers a human story from multicultural Britain, and is touring internationally after an award-winning Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Australian tour, London transfer. Expect paper planes, racist romances and lots of sticky labels!

Running time: 70 minutes | Suitable for ages: 12+

Dare Devil Rides to Jarama
2nd - 5th May, 7.30pm | £16.50 - £11

SPAIN 1936: When Fascism clutched at the throat of the Spanish people threatening a foul tyranny and the menace of war in Europe, Clem "Dare Devil" Beckett felt at once that his place was in freedom's rank and joined many other volunteers that formed the International Brigades. Not for nothing did he earn the name, "Dare Devil". He was loved by the masses for his great daring, courage and skill on the Speedway track. He was a man of the people, and the same fight he used against money-sharks and corruption in his sport, he used to defend democracy against Franco's rising fascist army. In Spain Clem developed an unlikely friendship with literary critic, writer and poet Christopher Caudwell; but a common cause had brought them together and they died at their machine gun post covering their battalion's retreat at the Battle of Jarama in February 1937.

Following the success of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, We Will Be Free! and United We Stand, Townsend Productions' new play, commissioned by the International Brigades Memorial Trust, commemorates and celebrates the contribution and sacrifice of the volunteer International Brigades on the 80th anniversary of their creation with stirring contemporaneous songs, live music and poetry.

Running time: 120 minutes | Suitable for ages: 11+

Cabaret
6th May, 8pm | £12.50 - £8
Part of Wandsworth Arts Fringe 2017

Lobster Quadrille are coming to the Wandsworth fringe fresh from gigs in Italy, Switzerland, Paris and London to perform their new show Cabaret. This trio of Gaulier trained performers use clown, physical comedy, improvisation and music to create an anarchic cabaret night for their plethora of characters. With characters ranging from a pregnant gardener, a square lady, a grand opera singer and a half-bird-half-woman, to a forgotten bag searching for its owner; this trio sing, dance, shout, hide and sneeze their way across the stage with sidesplitting precision. Using their array of intricate and beautiful costumes and props, live music and their unique comic voice these three take the audience on a journey into a fantastical world where shoes turn into a clocks, musicians into squares, and stern women into mischievous children. Lobster Quadrille are Firdaws Fourcroy, Paulina Lenoir and Alasdair Saksena, who met playing gigs on the London comedy and theatre circuits

Running Time: 60 mins | Suitable for ages: 15+

Haji Ameer Khan & Group - Sufi Qawwali
7th May, 7.30pm | £20 / £17.50

Ustad Haji Ameer Khan Qawwal, is a member of Khan Brothers Qawwali group which is one of the leading performers of this genre from the UK. Ustad Haji Ameer Khan has been following in the footsteps of his ancestors from 10 generations. He is the son of the late legendary Ustad Latafat Hussain Khan who was the musical mentor of many iconic artists such as the Sabri Brothers Qawwal, Humaira Channa, Yawar Ali, Wajid Ali Matkewale qawwal. His younger brother Ustad Mushtaq Hussain Khan was a famous music director of Bollywood films which included - Baaghi Siphai, Pati Patni, Milaap, Aurat ka pyar, Khoobsurat bala and many more. Haji Ameer Khan and his group have performed extensively in the UK and other parts of the world.

Running Time: 120 mins | Suitable for ages: 12+

Tara's Binglish Garden Box
27th May, 11am & 1pm | FREE

Get creative in our patio garden with actor and gardener Ralph Birtwell. Family activity to create your own pocket garden with echoes of an Indian summer.

Combustion by Asif Khan
17th - 27th May, 7.30pm | £16.50 - £11

Bradford, in the month of Ramadan. Latching on to the latest grooming scandal, racists plan to march through the city, while Shaz, a local garage mechanic, desperately tries to keep his business running smoothly so he can marry well. In this combustible atmosphere, his sister Samina is determined to make her voice heard. Bradford-born Asif Khan's debut play is a fabulously comic take on the combustion surrounding young British Muslim lives in the North today.

Also playing: Arcola Theatre, London (30th May to 24th June), Norwich Arts Centre (27th June), RADA Festival (29th to 30th June), Theatre Margate (2nd July), Queen's Hall Arts (4th July), The Customs House (6th July), Bradford Literature Festival (7th July)

Running Time: 120 minutes | Suitable for ages: 14+

A New Union Flag by Gil Mualem-Doron
19th - 20th May, 12pm - 8pm | £4 per workshop
Part of Wandsworth Arts Fringe 2017

The New Union Flag Project, by the artist Gil Mualem-Doron, re-imagines the Union Jack, challenging imagined fixed identities and celebrating diversity. It reflects the UK's colonial past and contemporary multicultural society. Since 2015, thousands have participated in the New Union Flag events, including at Tate Modern and the Turner Contemporary. Now you can too. As part of Wandsworth Arts Fringe at TARA the project will include an installation, workshops, a free photo-shoot sessions and a photography competition.

Tongue Tied & Twisted
1st - 2nd June, 7,30pm | £16 - £10

Tongue Tied & Twisted blasts Indian storytelling into the 21st century combining the talents of UK music producer PKCtheFirst on stage with international performer Peter Chand. Experience two distinctive artists bringing a fresh UK twist on traditional tales collected from South Asian elders. This show celebrates the art of live storytelling fusing a unique blend of Urban Hip Hop and classical South Asian sounds. Together, Peter and PKCtheFirst present a unique audience experience which bridges cultures and generations. A co-production with Black Country Touring and Peter Chand in partnership with Creative Black Country supported by Heritage Lottery Fund. #Tara7070

Running Time: 105 mins | Suitable for ages: 14+

Tales of Birbal
2nd - 3rd June, 11am & 1pm | £10.50 - £8

How many crows are there in Earlsfield? Which came first, the chicken of the egg? Only Birbal knows...

Mashi bring their travelling storytellers on a rickshaw to Tara, sharing the enchanting Tales of Birbal - stories treasured by generations across the Indian Subcontinent. #Tara7070

Running Time: 50 mins | Suitable for ages: 6+

Women in Music - a concert of classical Indian vocal music
3rd June, 7.30pm | £20 - £17.50

A rare treat to hear the oldest form of Indian vocal music performed by exceptional women singers from India and Pakistan. Anita Sinha & Aliya Rasheed, accompanied by Anuja Borude on the Pakhawaj (drum) present the sublime music of the Dhrupad style of singing.

Running Time: 120 mins | Suitable for ages: 12+

Urban Zikr
9th June, 7.30pm | From £15.50

A scintillating evening of Kathak dance and music. Classical Kathak dancer Natalia Hildner accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Milad Yousofi on the Afghani Rubab evoke the Sublime (Zikr) and Devotion (Bhakti) with an exciting evening of fusion dance. #Tara7070

Running time: 90 minutes | Suitable for ages: 11+

Strictly Balti by Saikat Ahamed
15th - 17th June, 7.30pm | Prices £16.50 - £11

Ballroom dancing is not the only humiliation heaped on Saikat by his ambitious parents. There's catechism and Latin too. And no-one gets his name right, ever. An enchanting story written and performed by Saikat Ahamed. #Tara7070

Running time: 60 minutes | Suitable for ages: TBC

Flying Solo
22nd - 24th June, 7.30pm | £16.50 - £11

Join Amber as she races against the clock, herself, and a man with a fridge on his back. But the past is slippery, and no matter how fast you run - your memories are always lying in wait, ready to trip you up. This heart-warming, heart-rending, extraordinary one-woman show from writer-performer Manjeet Mann asks the question of how easy it really is to leave home. An urgent and exhilarating story about family, survival, guilt and self-delusion. Flying Solo features a ferociously honest script and a dynamic urgent performance. #Tara7070

Running Time: 60 mins | Suitable for ages: 14+

Emidy Project - Tunde Jegede in Concert
1st July, 7.30pm | Prices £16.50 - £11

Tunde Jegede, Anglo-Nigerian composer and multi-instrumentalist, mixes video, music and dance to plunge us into the heart of an exceptional story of a slave who became a virtuoso violinist and conductor. Born in 1775, Joseph Antonio Emidy was captured by Portuguese traders and sent to Brazil where he worked in coffee plantations, before being sold to the Portuguese Court. He played at the Lisbon Opera before being abducted by British sailors during the Napoleonic wars.

Running Time: 90 mins plus interval | Suitable for ages: 11+

Call Mr Robeson
6th - 8th July, 7.30pm | £16 - £10

Paul Robeson is a world-famous actor, singer and civil rights campaigner. When over the years he gets progressively too radical and outspoken for the establishment's liking, he is branded a traitor to his country, harassed, and denied opportunities to perform or travel. Just as physical, emotional and mental stress threaten to push him over the fine line between genius and madness, he is summoned to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee, to give the most difficult and important performance of his career. This roller-coaster journey through Robeson's remarkable and eventful life highlights how his pioneering and heroic (but largely forgotten) political activism led many to describe him as the forerunner of the civil rights movement. It features much fiery oratory and some of his famous songs, including a dramatic rendition of Ol' Man River.

Tayo Aluko revives one of the 20th Century's most impressive but overlooked figures in this powerful, compelling tour-de-force performance, which was seen at New York's Carnegie Hall in February 2012, and in London's West End in October 2013.

Octopus
12th - 15th July, 7.30pm | £16.50 - £11

Octopus is a post-Brexit satire set in a world of bureaucratic box ticking and absurd interviews that feels disturbingly close to present day reality. It takes an unflinching look at identity politics, what it's like to be treated as a foreigner in your own land... and the power of punk. Octopus is directed by Fringe First winner Pia Furtado, written by Royal Court Studio Group writer Afsaneh Gray, and features music by Serafina Steer (whose critically acclaimed album The Moths Are Real was produced by Jarvis Cocker).

Running Time: 65 mins | Suitable for ages: 14+

An Arrangement of Shoes
20th-22nd July, 7.30pm | £16.50 - £11

Set in an Indian railway colony during the Gulf War, An Arrangement of Shoes is a solo show by young actress Radhika Aggarwal, taking audiences on a journey through the childhood memories of spirited narrator Rukhsar. Written by Award-winning Indian playwright Abhishek Majumdar - whose play The Djinns of Eidgah was seen at the Royal Court in 2016 - this is a captivating solo tour-de-force about globalisation and identity in the Age of Faith. Presented in association with Tara Arts, before touring Edinburgh Fringe and Vancouver in Canada.

Running Time: 75 mins | Suitable for ages: TBC

Also playing: Edinburgh Festival Fringe (3rd -12th August,) Free Fringe @ Counting House Ballroom, 13.45 www.edfringe.com.

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