Mayfest 2022

A young Jehovah's Witness comes to terms with his sexuality and finds his feet (and high heels...) in a world he once believed would be destroyed at Armageddon. Developed in association with MAYK.

A mesmerising immersive audio installation composed from the weaving and splicing of conversations with people across the country.

A powerful reckoning on the impact of Covid-19 on 47 of Newham’s health workers, told through film intimate portraits.

Zimbabwean writer and performer mandla rae scrambles to piece together a life mostly forgotten in the name of survival.

An emotional, cartographic resistance piece by Ramzi Maqdisi & Olivia Furber. Who has the right to claim the history of places and objects?

A candid intellectual portrait of Donna Haraway; prominent scholar in the field of science and technology, feminist, and sci-fi enthusiast.

An intimate audio journey exploring the depths of human connection and the subversive act of lying down. Produced by MAYK

The story of Manhattan Plaza - a utopian affordable housing complex in New York City for people working in the performing arts.

An explorative theatre performance led by Monika Truong asking whose voices are heard and represented in our society.

Over two days, six artists from across disciplines will come together to explore what is possible to do and say between them, to experience what happens when different bodies, minds and hearts pay attention to the moment.

Presented as part of Communion – a collaboration between IMPERMANENCE and Mayfest at The Mount Without.

A site-specific sound piece consisting of vocals and live recording of the space through daily objects and instruments.

Presented as part of Communion – a collaboration between IMPERMANENCE and Mayfest at The Mount Without.

This show examines the fundamental guts of two of Britain’s best loved stage animals, Maggie Smith and Kenneth Williams, both on a journey together to master their craft. The show explores the actor’s craft and how the pair went about ‘colouring in the words’.

Taking inspirations from music videos, advertising and comedy sketch shows, ELEFANTIN looks at female image and expectation, heteronormative and male gaze, female empowerment and aggressive sexuality in pop culture and asks the iconic 1959 Barbie how she is and what she really wants for herself.

Presented as part of Communion – a collaboration between IMPERMANENCE and Mayfest at The Mount Without.

"The Dream of all religious parents is to see their children devoted to God. You grow up with the fear of being yourself, embracing your sexuality openly, because you’re constantly reminded by them and the bible that homosexuals will all go to hell. So you live their ideal life being afraid; to keep up appearances.”

Presented as part of Communion – a collaboration between IMPERMANENCE and Mayfest at The Mount Without.

A collaboration that explores themes of anxiety, ecology, sexuality, gender, freedom and love through the magic of The Major Arcana tarot cards.

A shared dialogue amongst the collaborators about queerness, inclusion and playfulness in a political climate of adversity, austerity and commercialism.

Presented as part of Communion – a collaboration between IMPERMANENCE and Mayfest at The Mount Without.

A symphonic love letter to Earth by Terra Collective. Exploring hope and connection through the lens of the climate crisis and grief.

Led by acclaimed Bristol-based composer Benji Bower, Terra Coda marks the launch of a multi-dimensional new orchestral and electronic work that will take you on a soaring sonic journey exploring our planet and reflecting on our relationship to it.

A North-South edition of Demostage, in collaboration with GIFT festival in Gateshead.

Demostage is our informal, temporary space for those working on creative projects to share their ideas and receive helpful feedback. Open to people who make all kinds of creative projects (be it theatre, music, games, sound, or beyond), we want to encourage discussion, collaboration, and critical discourse.

An evening dedicated to celebrating some of the beautiful new adventures that performance-makers have taken into film-making.

A hymn to the naked body beyond cultural inscriptions and conventional ideals of beauty by renowned artist Doris Uhlich. Produced for Mayfest by MAYK. Funded by Perform Europe.