FEB #8: New York, New York!

EVERYBODY STREET, FEB 7 2014, ICA@THE MALL
https://www.ica.org.uk/whats-on/everybody-street-qa

Still haven't been to the Big Apple which remains top on my list, but I do love learning about places through documentary and this street documentary by street photographers I certainly got to see!

The director joins for a Q&A too.

FEB #7: An Oversimplification of Her Beauty

AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION OF HER BEAUTY, FEB 7 2014, RITZY PIC HOUSE
http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Ritzy_Picturehouse/film/An_Oversimplification_Of_Her_Beauty/

Ok, it is the month of looove, but this ain't no ordinary love story.
It feels real and raw, lists Jay-Z in its credits and has Sundance directors all hot and bothered.

Care to see what the fuss is about? I probably do!

FEB #6: Zara McFarlane...Again!

ZARA MCFARLANE, FEB 12 2014, X-O-Y-O
http://www.xoyo.co.uk/events/ZARA-MCFARLANE-S/index.html

Wow, Zara is popping up all over the London scene...and support comes from Diggs Duke making this all the more worthwhile!



Slow, jazzy and smooth, maybe take the significant other and celebrate this month of luuurrrve!

FEB #5: Sizwe Banzi is Back

SIZWE BANZI IS DEAD, FEB 6 - MARCH 8, 2014 THE YOUNG VIC
http://www.youngvic.org/whats-on/sizwe-banzi-is-dead

It sold out last year even before I had a chance to grab a ticket so be quick if this you want to see!

See
http://dual-citizen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/sep-13sizwe-banzi-is-dead.html

FEB # 4: Refugee Boy

REFUGEE BOY, FEB 11 & 13 2014 QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL
http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/refugee-boy-79659?dt=2014-02-11

As one in three of 'Londoners' born abroad, you know by now I am a huge fan of migration stories...

From West Yorkshire Playhouse (which I say with great pride having spent some time in that part of the country), a teenage boy is left behind to somehow make this 'home' while his parents leave to grapple with civil unrest in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

FEB # 3: Get Your Jazz on at Pizza Express!

PIZZA EXPRESS LIVE, ALL THROUGH FEBRUARY

JAZZ CLUB (SOHO) & THE PHEASANTRY

http://www.pizzaexpresslive.co.uk/default.aspx

This month's listings include Jumoke Fashola, Mike Aremu and Soweto Kinch!

FEB # 2: Leave to Remain

LEAVE TO REMAIN, FEB 24 2014, RUSSELL SQ COLLEGE BUILDINGS ROOM KLT (SOAS)
http://www.soas.ac.uk/migrationdiaspora/seminarsevents/24feb2014-leave2remain.html

Three all too familiar words to many a migrant!

Yet another migration story based on real life events, depicting the asylum system hidden from our everyday view.







This is one of a series if films brought to us by SOAS's Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies so stay tuned!

FEB # 1 : Continuing From January

Dark Days, Until Feb 5, 2014 ICA

See
http://dual-citizen.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/jan-1-and-other-random-things.html

The Merchants of Bollywood, Until Feb 15, Sadlers Wells Theatre

See
http://dual-citizen.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/jan-2-its-bollywood-takeover.html

JAN #5 It's a Party at the Pictures!

MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM, FROM 3 JAN 2014, AT A CINEMA NEAR YOU
http://www.timeout.com/london/film/preview-screening-mandela-long-walk-to-freedom

Having watched as many of the Mandela bios/docs I could come across, it will be interesting to see what Director Justin Chadwick has picked to tell Mandela's story to the world.

Stay tuned for my review.

12 YEARS A SLAVE, FROM 10 JAN 2014, AT A CINEMA NEAR YOU

http://www.timeout.com/london/film/12-years-a-slave

Finally!

See my post and review from the premiere last Oct:
http://dual-citizen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/oct1-bfi-festival-is-here-again.html

JAN #4 Still Going: Luisa Omeilan

WHAT WOULD BEYONCE DO? UNTIL JAN 11, 2014 SOHO THEATRE
http://www.sohotheatre.com/whats-on/luisa-omielan-what-would-beyonce-do/

See blog post Dec #6
http://dual-citizen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/dec-6-back-again-luisa-omielan.html

JAN #3 Try Something New: Trevor Noah

TREVOR NOAH - THE RACIST, 22/24 JAN 2014, THE O2 ACADEMY SHEPHERD'S BUSH
http://www.o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk/event/61902/trevor-noah-the-racist-tickets/ArtistsDetails#trevor-noah


Not seen many a comedian from South Africa in London, but his sketch
on 'Live at the Apollo' may just convince me to give this a try.

JAN #2 It's a Bollywood Takeover!

THE MERCHANTS OF BOLLYWOOD 28 JAN - 15 FEB 2014 SADLERS WELLS THEATRE
http://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/2014/The-Merchants-of-Bollywood/#

Now, how often really do you see Indian theatre?

Live bollywood belly-shaking and bhangra at its best!

JAN #1 And Other Random Things...

DARK DAYS, 24 JAN 2014, ICA@THE MALL
https://www.ica.org.uk/whats-on/dark-days-qa

Back to 1900s New York.

Imagine living in the tunnel of an underground train... This portrait tells just how they got there.

DEC #7 On the box: 28 UP

28 UP, UNTIL 2 JAN 2014, ITV PLAYER
https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/7-28-up-south-africa/series-4/episode-1-28-up-south-africa

This is one of the best documentaries I have seen in a while. It charts the environmental changes in South Africa through the eyes of kids, both black and white, in different regions of the country as they develop from the age of 7 to 28. 
Fantastic! 
Catch it if you can!

DEC #6 Back Again: Luisa Omielan!

WHAT WOULD BEYONCE DO? DEC 27, 2013 - JAN 11, 2014 SOHO THEATRE
http://www.sohotheatre.com/whats-on/luisa-omielan-what-would-beyonce-do/

This was my birthday gift from my dear friend V and what a gift it was! It is very funny and very cleverly put together and by the end of it I was a reborn live comedy fan. I even have my 'what would beyonce do?' pin badge to show for it.
Take a girlfriend and catch it if you can!

DEC #5 He, She or It?

ZHE UNTIL DEC 8, 2013 SOHO THEATRE

http://www.sohotheatre.com/whats-on/zhe-noun-undefined/

Lately Zimbabwean artists seem to be on the spotlight (go Zimbabwe!) and these two tell of their migration story, leaving behind their childhood in Harare and suddenly flung into into adolescence in inner London.

DEC #4: Cafe Society Swing

CAFE SOCIETY SWING, DEC 21 - 22, 2013 LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE
http://leicestersquaretheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873504569/events?TSLVq=796efe29-a4dc-497e-b280-d5e096b7f721&TSLVp=94b9ad09-9094-46c4-995b-1690ea9393bd&TSLVts=1386014393&TSLVc=ticketsolve&TSLVe=leicestersquare&TSLVrt=Safetynet&TSLVh=8afa2f0f26b5b98b93b4960c9df48091

Back to New York and the Swing era of the 1930s, this tells the story of Cafe Society a nightclub that promoted racial equality.
Only two shows, so grab that ticket asap!

DEC #3: Discovering in December

BEN L'ONCLE SOUL + FAADA FREDDY, DEC 4, 2013 LONDON SCALA KINGS CROSS
http://www.serious.org.uk/events/info/ben-loncle-soul1

If like me you like discovering new artistes, this is one awesome school night treat!
Bluesy, jazzy, souly and full of energy, Ben l'oncle Soul is guaranteed to have you on your feet. 

And Faada Freddy! What a surprising voice all the way from Senegal!

DEC #2: This One is for Winners!

SONGLINES MUSIC AWARDS 2013 WINNERS CONCERT, DEC 13, 2013 THE BARBICAN
http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=15025

Angélique Kidjo. Lo'Jo. Dub Colossus. Dub Band.
And Mokoomba, who I cannot wait to see!
I hear they blew the roof of the place at the Rift Valley Festival in Kenya earlier this year and I look forward to hearing more of what they are about!

DEC #1 Dirty Wars

DIRTY WARS, UNTIL 4 DEC, 2013 ICA, THE MALL
http://www.ica.org.uk/whats-on/dirty-wars

This has been screened extensively and maybe it's time I went to see why. Not that I am fan of war films but I do use film to develop some kind of insight of far away places.
This is modern day conflict told through the eyes of a journalist among the Taliban in Afghanistan.