Announcing Fuel’s programme of work for autumn 2023

Fuel’s Director & CEO Kate McGrath has today announced a programme of work for autumn 2023. Fuel favourite Inua Ellams has three projects including a special edition of his much loved night-time cultural walking tour through an urban space The Midnight Run, this time celebrating the revival of the City of London’s famous ancient Batholomew Fair. Ellams will also present his signature show An Evening with an Immigrant as part of Bloomsbury Festival as a fundraising event for Choose Love. And finally a new production of Ellams’ very first play The 14th Tale will tour to secondary schools.

The programme also features the world premiere of a new play by Racheal Ofori, directed by Emily Aboud. FLIP! examines the relationship between two young black women and their obsession with social media. The play will open in Newcastle at Alphabetti, before runs in Edinburgh at Summerhall and London at Soho Theatre.

Inspired by groundbreaking new research, The Last Taboo of Motherhood? sees Courtney Conrad, Bryony Kimmings and Sara Sharaawi create audio plays that address postnatal mental illness.

Fuel also continues its commitment to helping young people in schools across the UK to take part in high quality live performances. 

Fuelling Change is a podcast series created by Fuel Director & CEO Kate McGrath about producers and producing

In the autumn, Fuel will also share two new productions with schools across the country:

• a newly developed, digital version of The Day I Fell Into A Book by Lewis Gibson will tour into primary school classrooms for 8-11 year olds;
• Inua Ellams’ first play The 14th Tale will tour to secondary schools in a production directed by Thierry Lawson, who directed the original Fringe First Award-winning production for Fuel.

Fuel will also continue to develop new projects with artists across the UK and internationally, through residencies with partners including Hawkwood College and Coombe Farm Studios, and through research and development workshops with artists and communities.

Kate McGrath said: “Hot on the heels of the successes of Hannah Lavery’s Protest and Russell Tovey and Neil Bartlett’s BLUE NOW, we are thrilled to be premiering Racheal Ofori’s sparklingly fresh and brilliantly funny new play FLIP!, as well as new commissions by Courtney Conrad, Bryony Kimmings and Sara Sharaawi, in response to fascinating new research into attitudes to post-natal depression and psychosis in the UK: The Last Taboo of Motherhood?

We’re equally proud to be producing work with and for young people in schools across the UK as well as creating a fresh version of The Midnight Run for the City of London, and supporting Choose Love with a special performance of An Evening with an Immigrant.”