STUDIO BOKEHGO is an artisan film and photography storytelling studio focused on shining a spotlight on the inspirational, spectacular and talented people, places and moments around the world

Developed in 2019, Creative Wakefield brings together Wakefield’s cultural and creative sector, providing a forum for connectivity as well as improved networking and collaboration across the district.

Penguin Be proud. Be who you are. Be more Penguin. A Curious Monkey production by Hamzeh Al Hussien Supported by D6: CULTURE IN TRANSIT Developed by Hamzeh Al Hussien and Amy Golding | Directed by Amy Golding Here's what you need to know... I am Hamzeh. My favourite shisha flavour is double apple. I love dancing. Here's what's going to happen... There will be loud music. A wedding. My first time on a plane. A lot of moonlight. This is the story of my life (so far). People have a lot of questions. The answer is, "Yes. I can do anything." Full of humour and beauty, Hamzeh Al-Hussien’s extraordinary story takes you on a personal tour of the places he knows best: his village in the Syrian mountains, the Za’atari camp in Jordan, Gateshead and inside his mind, a place full of music, dancing, fantasies and marbles. Hamzeh invites the audience to be his childhood friends, to hold up the moon to light his way into his dreams, brushing the dust from his clothes...and taking the stage. Check out the trailer for Penguin below. Tour Dates Live Theatre, Newcastle, 20th - 23rd September 2023. Omnibus Theatre, Clapham 30 September - 1 October HOME, Manchester, 10-12 October Leeds Playhouse, 20-21 October The Playhouse, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield 9-10 November Arts Centre, Washington 30 November Credits Performed and co-created by HAMZEH AL HUSSIEN Directed by AMY GOLDING Assistant Director OLIVIA FURBER Movement Director NADIA IFTKHAR Dramaturg LINDSAY RODDEN Set and costume design JIDA AKIL Costume Supervisor LOU DUFFY Sound design HAMZA ARNAOUT Lighting and AV design SIMON COLE Trailer JOHN SLEMENSEK-THORNE / STUDIO BOKEHGO

Embark on an adventure into the world of natural dyeing and colour dye gardens in Growing Colour Together. Connect with nature and community in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, and discover how natural dyes can impact our world and help us live more sustainably. A project by WOVEN in Kirklees, supported by The Space. Get involved: https://www.woveninkirklees.co.uk About WOVEN WOVEN in Kirklees is a biennial arts and crafts festival that takes place across Kirklees in West Yorkshire. The festival is a celebration of innovation in textiles funded by Kirklees Council. WOVEN’s theme is generations of innovators, connecting a strong heritage with current innovative developments in industry, university research, a vibrant arts and crafts scene and the creative expression of the district’s rich and diverse communities.

Elsa has an octopus inside her head, she tells us, at the start of this sweet, affecting play about one woman’s experience of autism, from schoolyard bullying and ostracism to uncaring therapists, romantic rejections and contending with an often uncomprehending adult world. Inspired by writer Allison Davies’s own diagnosis of autism and directed by Karen Traynor, the story explores that experience from the inside. We learn that Elsa has comfort words as a child (“onions”), a great mind for detail, but that she also struggles with acutely difficult moments (when she feels the octopus stirring dangerously) and embarrassments at school (“I love your earlobes” she tells a girl, on whom she has a crush, who shows only contempt back, sneering “What even are you?”). Produced by Alphabetti Theatre as an immersive, interactive show and also as an online drama, there is a spare, no-frills quality to it; the story is enacted with a cast of just three playing an array of characters. It takes a while to really take off, and seems both puzzling and awkward at first, but Davies’s funny and heartfelt writing sweeps us into Elsa’s mind and shows us the alienation felt by someone with undiagnosed autism – therapists think it could be anything from ADHD to bipolarity or psychopathy. But importantly, its wondrousness, too, with quietly distilled moments when the octopus brings inner enrichment. Elsa has a guileless voice and Hannah Genesius plays her in quirky and winning ways while Yemisi Oyinloye and Zoe Lambert do a fine job of juggling the other parts. The set, designed by Verity Quinn, is minimal with a flat outline of a house in its backdrop that lights up or fizzes according to Elsa’s mood. As a production it loses its immersive and interactive elements online but retains its emotional heart nonetheless. It is not only a story of neuro-divergence and self-acceptance but also one of love. Elsa’s single mother (Lambert) emerges as a quietly heroic figure, full of love and loyalty, while Elsa’s romance with Carmen (Oyinloye) becomes more and more moving. “Give me your worst days, your most difficult days,” declares Carmen, to bring the story to its lovely happy ending. Description from an article from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/feb/13/tiny-fragments-of-beautiful-light-review-allison-davies-neurodiverse-story

Especially at times like these, cultural and artistic collaborations are of so much importance to inspire, engage and motivate people. I had the great honour of being invited by Majestic Leeds to create a film to celebrate their ambitious and caring redevelopment of a much loved building in Leeds - the Majestic. The Majestic throughout it's history since the early 1920's has been home to many performances as a cinema and music venue. To showcase this new exciting step for the building, we decided to create a new performance, bringing together the wonderful talents of choreographer Jamaal Burkmar and dancers Christopher Radford & Queenie Fleur Maidmont-Otlet. I hope you enjoy this film as we share in the excitement of what the new Majestic brings to Leeds.

PLEDGE is a new film about the impact of racism created by and about young people seeking to address hate crime in West Yorkshire. This original piece of work is a celebration of how much our young people are open to questioning their own experiences and understanding of racism. This second film under the title of ‘Pledge’ is a continuation of a project which began during the first national lockdown and aims to inspire 12-16year-olds to confidently have conversations which can feel uncomfortable to initiate.

Life is not always easy. But with determination you can overcome any challenges. This is the story of Fidelis Ayuk Oben. He has one leg. But he refused to let this stop him in doing what he wanted to do. And with the support of Dominion Training, he was able to break the barrier. "The first time I met Fidelis and he told me of his challenges and how it has been difficult for him to secure employment, I decided that I will do my best possible to enable him to help him to overcome them." - Julius Olutokun, Dominion Training This film has been commissioned by Dominion Training as part of Hopeful Families. Hopeful Families is a community programme designed to help individuals who are out of work to develop their confidence, skills and build a career. It is part of the Building Better Opportunities programme. It is jointly funded by the Big Lottery Fund, and the European Social Fund.