Press room

Today, the Barbican announces two cross-arts performance events programmed by Creative Collaboration - the Barbican department working to strengthen our connection with communities and young people and helping to develop artistic practices to produce daring, inclusive and joyful programming.

• Thursday 21 – Saturday 23 September: singer and producer Chagall presents Unlocked, an immersive light-art installation and music performance across three days in The Pit.

• Wednesday 11 October: theatre actor and director Josette Bushel-Mingo OBE presents Nina Simone – Legacy, a celebration, examination and discussion of the work, impact, and legacy of the legendary Nina Simone through cinema, talk and music including the London premiere screening of Lamin Daniel Jadama’s film CALL NINA!

More detailed information about each performance can be found below.

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Chagall: Unlocked

Chagall: Unlocked Masterclass

Singer, electronic music producer, performer and self-proclaimed computer nerd Chagall presents the UK premiere of Unlocked, a physical and vocal performance blending light, music, technology and movement in The Pit from Thursday 21 to Saturday 23 September as well as an exclusive masterclass.

Unlocked is an immersive music experience and performance in which Chagall controls her light-art installation B.A.B.Y. (Bionic Assistant for Becoming Yourself) and her music through body and hand movements using motion capture technology. Across three days at the Barbican, Chagall will bring captivating physicality and human intimacy to electronic music, blending movement and live vocal performance with entrancing light-art. The performance will combine 80s synth-pop, alt-R&B and swelling basslines into a digital yet nonetheless poetic dreamworld.

Following Chagall’s sell-out performance of her show Advaita at the Young Barbican Festival in April 2023, Unlocked sees her return to the Barbican to perform the project to coincide with the release of her new album of the same name (independent release, 22 September 2023). The first single Dunes will be released on 7 Sept on all platforms.

On Saturday 23 September at 2pm, audiences will also have the opportunity to join Chagall for a free ticketed masterclass to delve into the world of her interactive light installation, B. A. B. Y. Chagall will provide live demonstrations of the technology, with the various motion sensors and audio reactivity that will be on display in the Unlocked performances. Audiences will be invited to ask questions, share insights and try out the cutting-edge technology for themselves. The session will be livestreamed by Music Hackspace.

Produced by the Barbican

On sale now

Find out more

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Nina Simone – Legacy

with Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE

Olivier award-nominated performer and activist Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE revisits her acclaimed 2017 international theatre production about her relationship with Nina Simone, with a night combining a film premiere, musical performance and panel discussion at Milton Court.

Josette Bushell-Mingo’s 2017 production, Nina: A Story about Me and Nina Simone, enjoyed international acclaim when it premiered. Counterpointing Nina Simone’s brave, daring legacy and the fight against racism with persisting societal inequalities, Bushell-Mingo’s timely piece questioned how far we had really come since then.

Rehearsals and performances of Nina were filmed by Swedish director Lamin Daniel Jadama culminating in his documentary CALL NINA! which will receive its London premiere during this event. The film follows Bushell-Mingo behind the scenes to show how art can provide space for debate and change as well as exploring her ongoing relationship with Simone and the continued and urgent need for anti-racism and resistance.

The evening at Milton Court will also include a panel discussion with Karena Johnson – Head of Creative Collaboration at the Barbican with additional panellists to be announced. The discussion will examine the film and Bushell-Mingo’s experiences, as well as the life and activism of Nina Simone in the context of modern anti-racism, before the evening is brought to a close with a special performance of Nina Simone’s music led by music director Shapor Batansiar and quartet.

Produced by the Barbican

On sale to Barbican members 23 August, on sale to general public 25 August

Find out more