TANGLE CAFÉ
Our annual Tangle Café has always been a space for creatives to come together to share stories and chat over drinks and food. While we can’t be together in person at the moment, we are proud to present TANGLE CAFÉ: THE UBUNTU HOUR, our new series of online events aimed at creating a new platform and opportunity to keeping our community connected.
At each event, special guests will be sharing their ‘Recipes for Survival’ based on a theme set by our artistic team.
OUR APRIL 2021 CAFÉ
Our latest Café was
on 22 April
April’s theme was Recipes for Survival: Self-care strategies to cope and thrive in times of crisis.
It was chaired by our own Associate Artist John Pfumojena and featured guests speakers Lucian Msamati & Cathy Tyson.
Bring and Share guests included Michelle Inniss, Ashley Joseph and Chipo Kureya.
“Tangle Cafe is always a replenishing for the soul" Mogali Masuku -
“I am because you are”
UBUNTU is a Nguni Bantu term sometimes translated as "I am because we are’. The principle of ‘ubuntu’ is ‘how can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad?’ Ubuntu for Tangle implies that we are interdependent, that we are stronger together, that we are all equal, and that we work as a strong team to generate success.
The Ubuntu Hour builds on this by showing that no matter what stage you are in your career, what role or background, you have an important voice and place as part of our community.
BRING AND SHARE
Bring and share is a safe and supportive space for artists to bring an idea or share a performance during the event.
We encourage people from all artforms to join us: musicians, poets, playwrights, actors, visual artists, dancers, filmmakers, to bring a performance, an idea, or a piece of work in progress they would like to share, discuss or get supportive feedback on.
Everyone is welcome and can sign up to bring and share by contacting us directly on admin@tangletheatre.co.uk.
“UBUNTU!”
OUR PREVIOUS CAFÉS
Our first Tangle Café in October 2020 saw our own Tangle patron Yinka Shonibare MBE (RA), award-winning writer, director, composer, choreographer, designer, producer and performer Rikki Beadle-Blair MBE and award-winning writer and actor Yolanda Mercy as our guest speakers, all of them oozing with positivity about the present and the future.
Kicking off the evening, Yinka told us about his time in self-isolation with his partner, and the streaming they got through while in isolation. These include Roma by Alfonso Cuarón, the Oscar-winning film Parasite by Bong Joon-ho, Chiwetel Ejiofor’s The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind and the series The Eddy by Jack Thorne.
He also talked about the artwork he’s donated to support many charities supporting artists affected by the pandemic, as well as his exciting plans for the future.
Yolanda then tasked us to write a Rejection Survival Toolkit together for the moments when you need to deal with setbacks. Here’s a list of tools and tactics we put together:
Say ‘thank you’ for the rejection, this experience is something you’re going to learn from for the future
It’s not a no, it’s a ‘not right now’
Always pledge to learn something positive and constructive from a rejection… always learning!
Dance. Dance. And dance again (or put together a playlist)
Adopt for yourself what you would have done for them
Remind yourself how far you’ve come
Ask yourself what can you learn from the experience; ask yourself if was it REALLY for you; and remind yourself that you did your best
Remembering that ‘What’s for you won’t go by you’
It wasn’t meant to be this time
Let yourself feel disappointed… then visualise what you’ve been saved from
What is for you won’t go by you... if you were looking back on your life you will know
It’s just someone’s judgement and that’s okay
Remember why you are an artist, why you are doing what you do, and why you need to share your art with the world
Remember this too shall pass
Talk to friends
Onwards and upwards!
Yolanda also introduced us to her ‘Accomplishment files’: somewhere you can add everything you have done so far, everything you feel you’ve accomplished, and everything you’re proud about yourself.
She also shared her ‘letter to yourself’ - something you can go to in times of doubt and rejection to remind yourself that you are good and special.
Next, Rikki gave an inspirational talk about the momentous time in history we find ourselves in and how, despite what we may think at first, uncertainty is the mother of creativity. He reminded us that the role of artists is to harness that creativity and create a beautiful and hopeful world for people, both in our immediate community and, thanks to the magic of technology, to people across the world.
"We're going through a moment of hope, unity & opportunity. It's not a moment of despair. People love & have always loved the arts & creativity. Artists exist to remind us that we live in a great beautiful world. Our role is to give people back the power of empathy"
We also had some lovely guests in our Bring and Share section, including Mogali Masuku, Liz Mytton, Joshua Liburd, Tonderai Munyevu & Mark 'Mr T' Thompson
Some quotes from our audience:
“The whole evening was amazing - all the sharing was uplifting and thought provoking. Thank you.”
“I am filled with joy and inspiration and really look forward to the next one… such a panel of inspiring artists in one hour that takes some organisation so, well done… and your bring and share artists - just pure joy”
“Love the friendly and warm atmosphere and meeting likeminded creatives”
“It was all over in a flash... so more... MORE... M O R E!”
OUR
DECEMBER CAFÉ
For our December Tangle Café we had the singer, bassist and songwriter Shingai as our special guest speaker, talking about her ‘Recipe for Survival: Looking after your mental health and well-being in unprecedented and uncertain times’ and talked to us about the single Too Bold single from her new album of the same title. She talked about growing up in London, her family, and everything that made ‘little Shing’ who she is now.
Our Bring and Share guests were Dionne Draper, Karin Potts Heslop & Chipo Kureya and it was an evening of new ventures.
Dionne is a writer, actor, singer and producer currently producing her first UK tour, DAWTA (DAR-ta), a 70-minute one woman musical in which she plays 7 characters and sings 10 original songs. DAWTA is Dionne’s debut semi-autobiographical musical in which she plays multiple roles. DAWTA began touring in October 2019 and Dionne is currently responding to COVID-19 by producing a 2020 digital version for online audiences.
Best known for her theatre work including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and her portrayal of Winnie Mandela in a touring production of Free Mandela, Chipo was celebrating Bantu Creatives’ one month anniversary. The company is an amalgamation of agency, consultancy and production, supporting artists in realising their vision whether that is from a simple phone call, to managing an event or making a script idea a full-length feature.
Producer, acting coach and director Karin recently launched new company Nirak Films, created out of lockdown to produce high-quality theatre plays filmed on tape, while offering work to actors, writers and wider filming crew. Shows are available to watch on Nirak Films website or on open platform Scenesaver.