VAULT is back for 2020, with the best of LGBTQI performance
BY SOPHIE GRIFFITHS, IMAGE BY TOM SHANNON
The fastest growing arts festival in the UK, VAULT Festival, is back for another run. 2020 is the biggest ever edition across eight packed weeks with more than 500 shows now on sale!
VAULT’s bold and innovative programme will feature shows from more than 2,700 artists, with 64% of work being female-led, 33% and 35% of work from LGBTQI and BAME artists respectively.
Head to a show (or many) from Tuesday 28 January – Sunday 22 March 2020 for eight weeks of creativity, innovation and fun. Here’s eight shows DIVA think you won’t want to miss this year!
butterfly
DATES: 26 – 28 February
“An Elizabethan woman stitches a beard from her pubic hair to marry the woman she loves. A Punjabi-speaking Muslim girl tries to make her parents understand who she is by translating the untranslatable. A drag queen fighting in World War II must literally lip sync for her life. In a subterranean network of tunnels deep beneath London, a band of real-life queer misfits from across time have gathered. These are people you’ve never heard of, with extraordinary stories they’ve never shared. But now – through monologue, dance, music, glitter and lots and lots of noise – they’re raising the roof. They’re creating vibrations which they hope will reverberate up through the thick, muddy layers of time, into the right-here-right-now.”
Chloe Petts: Alpha
DATES: 29 January – 12 March
“Rising star Chloe Petts presents a work-in-progress of her stand-up show, Alpha. She explores gender and sexuality and considers why she’s so violent during non-contact sports… and contact sports to be honest. Expect introspection, outrospection and big laughs. Chloe is an alumna of the prestigious Pleasance Comedy Reserve, has been shortlisted for the BBC Comedy Award, was a finalist of Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year Awards 2017 and came runner-up in the Funny Women Awards 2017.”
The LOL Word: Coming Out Special
DATES: 31 January – 13 March
“After their award-nominated, sell-out run at VAULT Festival 2019, The LOL Word returns with a Coming Out Special! Join Chloe Green, Chloe Petts, Jodie Mitchell and double act Shelf as they present an hour of stand-up about that ancient queer ritual: coming out. This gang of best buds and rising comedy stars will have you hooting with laughter at VAULT, with a brand new show about all things queer. Get ready for a raucous, inclusive, relatable and joyful celebration of being a lesbian, queer, non-binary or bisexual (while we collectively process our trauma, of course).”
Oddball
DATES: 14 – 16 February
“About eating disorders. But funny. And informative? Mainly funny. Take a look inside the brain of someone with an eating disorder and get to know Oddball on her own terms, as she tries to behave like a normal person on a date. Easy. It is in a restaurant though. Restaurants have food. And other people. Food and people. She might pull her skin off with pliers. That’s normal, right? This one woman show show uses sound-design, silliness, and zero respect for the 4th wall. All Oddball has to do is deconstruct every toxic preconception society has about eating disorders – in 60 mins. Piece of cake… Wait.”
This Queer House
DATES: 27 February – 1 March
“A young queer couple inherits a home. A joint renovation project begins. A restless house gathers strength. Time passes. A missing dog – A magic mirror – A dream acquired. As the wedge between them widens, Leah and Oli are forced to take direct action against their legacy. An exploration of home-making, the seduction of normalcy and the cost our dreams can come at. Award-winning poet’s Oakley Flanagan’s debut play is told in collaboration with OPIA Collective’s multi-disciplinary style.”
Sound Cistem
DATES: 29 January – 6 February
“Set in nightclubs, Sound Cistem is an exuberant verbatim show about the cisgender gaze on the transgender body. Featuring recorded interviews from trans and non-binary people, a self-love manifesto is made through riotous, glittering disco. This duo keep moving to reject conformity and shame, despite the current transgender debate.”
Twin Peaks
DATES: 29 February – 1 March
“Twin Peaks is a thought provoking and inspiring insight into the experiences of a 30yr old upon discovering she has breast cancer. As educational as it is funny, we learn about the importance of relationships and a toilet with a good flush. In a story that is both heartwarming and empowering Mandy uses a fusion of storytelling, comedy, burlesque and song parodies to break down barriers and help remove some of the fear we have about cancer.”
This Bitch Can Heal
DATES: 28 – 30 January
“It’s the hottest summer on record. Jack is pedalling fast to join Extinction Rebellion protests that have taken over the city and captured the world’s imagination. This is the movement they have been waiting for and they’re going to give it everything they’ve got. But at home Jack’s girlfriend is furious. She supported Jack when they lost their job, when they came out as trans and now she’s expected to support Jack as they disappear into their latest obsession with Extinction Rebellion.”
If any of these shows have caught you eye, make sure you get your tickets here! There’s something for everyone and plenty of queer treats this year. ✨
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