Bulletin

You’d think that Idris Elba would be content with his successes having starred in renowned TV series The Wire and of course Luther, he even owns a London bar and has an album under his belt; is there anything this man can’t do?! It would appear not, as he has now ventured into the world of theatre and has created a new play that is due to showcase at The Young Vic in the summer of 2019.

His production, entitled Tree, will be a poignant piece exploring the spirit and soul of contemporary South Africa, which he has created alongside the Artistic Director at The Young Vic, Kwame Kwei-Armah. Tree will follow the journey of a man and his contact with current cultural tensions, conflict and prospects through a combination of powerful words, music and dance. Some of the music in this play has been taken from the soundtrack of the film he starred in in 2013 ‘Long Walk to Freedom.’

Elba has spoken about why the meaning and concept behind this play is so important to him and why at has been such an emotive experience for him to embark on together with Kwame Kwei-Armah: “We’ve both experienced personal moments of healing connected with the country and we’re starting to explore the together. For me, an interesting part of the process is looking at the next part of the story; the new universe that sprung up after Mandela. To be able to investigate that with Kwame, a writer with such a tremendous vision for whom I have great respect and love, is something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time.’

Even though Elba himself won’t be in the cast (I know, we’re sad too) we expect it to be a great success nonetheless and are prepared to be at the front of the waiting list for tickets as it will, without a doubt, be a sell-out performance.

Photo Credit: Capital FM

Parasol Unit, a not-for-profit foundation for contemporary art in east London, is showcasing something seriously captivating this winter. Until 9th December, Memories Are Made of This, an exhibition by Swiss artist Heidi Bucher (who dies in 1993) will be at the forefront of everyone’s attention with her extraordinary exhibition which depicts her memories in a way that you have never seen before.

The Guardian have said: ‘Sculptor, performer and plaster caster extraordinaire, the late Swiss artist Heidi Bucher conjures the past in literal feats of reincarnation.’ Memories Are Made of This, will show depictions of childhood memories of houses and rooms, however not how you would expect because they have all been made from latex casts, making them appear to look like skin!'

‘Even if you had no idea where these pieces were made, or how they carry a palpably solemn and poignant history. Doors to buildings that can never be re-entered; disabled shutters; sightless windows through which lights passes as through a veil. The size of life and very like, these objects are captivating instantly conjuring specific places that clearly mean something particular to the artist, but to us too – sliding into the mind as if they were our own memories.’ This insightful review by The Guardian sums up this exposition perfectly and implicates how it’s not the person, place or thing that matters, but about the history behind them and what they mean to you, which is exactly how Bucher intended for us to feel.

Photo Credit: Art Rabbit

As our first charity project to support a disadvantaged migrant community in Myanmar is fast-approaching, with your help we are getting closer and closer to reaching our target. We'd like to thank everybody who has donated so far and make a special mention to DP9 Limited for their extremely generous donation of £5,000.

With all of your combined efforts, we will be able to give this community the basic facilities that they need, every contribution will make a huge difference no matter how big or small and we'd really love and appreciate seeing more donations coming in.

Other honourable mentions go to:
Francis Architects
Mrs Berg
Telford Homes
Kay Scarisbrick
KGJ & TJ Birch
Scarborough
Hawkins Brown
JLT
GVA
Pilcher Hershmann
Heyne Tillett Steel

If you haven't seen it already, please take a look at our document explaining everything you need to know about the Londonewcastle Charitable Foundation and how you can make your donation. https://bit.ly/2yEhGJV