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Change Makers

Barking Nuns & A Change is Gonna Come

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illustration depicting young people taking photos and dancing in Barking

A two-day mashup of spoken word poetry, theatre, film and hip hop

Two days of high energy performance, poetry, dance, film and activities at the Broadway in Barking, brought to you by the Barbican in collaboration with Sydney Russell School, The White House, Company Drinks, Complicité, Boy Blue and local creatives.

Saturday afternoon will feature free workshops and activities from hip-hop dance, to spoken word that will fill up the foyers from 2pm. Drop in and share your poetry with Sofa Slam or try your hand at mocktail mixology with Company Drinks. Boy Blue are offering a dance workshop while you can get stuck into poetry workshops, film screenings and a photography exhibition from young photographers  before the show. 

More details announced soon. You can explore the evening programme below.

This project is generously support by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund, Barking and Dagenham Council, Arts Council England and the City of London Corporation.

Friday evening

illustration depicting young people taking photos and dancing in Barking

Barking Nuns + Futurist Women of Barking and Dagenham

7.30pm Friday 29 June, the Broadway

The students of Sydney Russell School work with theatre company Complicité to explore the role of women in religion throughout the history of Barking in a performance of theatricalised research.

The performance will be preceded by a short film, made by year 9 students at Sydney Russell with artist Eelyn Lee, inspired by local and family stories of female activists. 

Book your free tickets

Saturday day

Sofa Slam
2–5pm
The Sofa Slam is Barking & Dagenham's first and only poetry slam! Hosted at The White House, the night follows slam poetry tradition, bringing poetry to the people, into the home. Join the Sofa Slammers at the Broadway Theatre on 30th June for poetry performances, rallying calls and your chance to exercise or discover your spoken word skills.

A Change is Gonna Come
5–6.15pm
The beauty and power of spoken word poetry runs head first into the electrifying energy of hip-hop dance as the Barbican Young Poets collaborate with dance company Boy Blue. Barbican Young Poets, past and present, come together for an electrifying collaboration with hip-hop dancers from Boy Blue to share their personal experiences of the nation in which they find themselves living through spoken word and dance.
 

Saturday evening

Group of young people standing on a stage

A Change is Gonna Come

5pm Saturday 30 June, the Broadway

Come celebrate the spirit of experimentation at the Broadway Theatre as the Barbican Young Poets, past and present, come together with dancers from Boy Blue to share their personal experiences of the nation in which they find themselves living. 

Book your free tickets

Discover

mikey and george on a couch

In conversation: Michael 'Mikey J' Asante and George the Poet

 

Michael 'Mikey J' Asante (co-founder and co-artistic director of Boy Blue) and George the Poet share their thoughts on their creative process, the idea of community, and how art can transform lives.

The Broadway

Location
The Broadway
Broadway
Barking
IG11 7LS

Nearby public transport
The nearest train and tube station is Barking which is a five minute walk away and there is parking within short walking distance.