Fuel announces further 20th anniversary season plans

Fuel has announced further details for its 20th anniversary season.

The audio project Ten Years From Then by sound designer Gareth Fry will return as part of the season. Originally created during Fuel’s tenth anniversary, the project collected reflections from children about their hopes for the future. Ten years later, the work has been revisited and remixed to explore how those hopes align with the present. It will be available digitally from November 2024 on Fuel Digital, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

The first stage adaptation of Ross Collins’ There’s a Bear on My Chair, directed by Toby Olié, will expand its run. Initially primed to be presented as part of the Imagine Festival at Queen Elizabeth Hall in the Southbank Centre from 18 to 23 February 2025, the production will also appear at the Egg, Theatre Royal Bath, from 27 February to 2 March 2025. Aimed at children aged 2 to 7 and their families, the production includes accessible performances with BSL, captioning, and audio description available throughout its run.

Fuel will also present FuelFest, a two-week takeover of The Pit at the Barbican running from 10 to 22 March 2025. The festival features four new works in progress by artists Racheal Ofori, Will Adamsdale, Jay Bernard, and Melanie Wilson. Each piece engages with contemporary themes, including societal beauty standards, the integration of AI in creative processes, the implications of the Joint Enterprise legal doctrine, and the relationship between humans and animals in the context of environmental concerns. Tickets for FuelFest will operate on a “Pay What You Can” basis, encouraging audiences to engage with the creative process.

Another digital project, Osoyegbon, created by Gloria Patrick and performed by Akiya Henry, will be released in April 2025. Drawing on Patrick’s experiences as a survivor of human trafficking, the audio work seeks to raise awareness about modern slavery and sexual exploitation. It will be accompanied by educational resources designed for young audiences and educators and will be available on Fuel Engage, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Fuel continues to support the development of the performing arts sector through training initiatives. The Global Majority Puppetry Intensive, run in collaboration with Little Angel Theatre, offers participants the opportunity to work with experienced professionals, including Fred Davis and Olié.