Dash Arts Podcast

“In many ways, I owe everything to the band.”It’s been over 25 years since two students ran into each other on a street corner in Oxford and decided to set up a band. Oi Va Voi, rooted in Jewish and Eastern European musical traditions, would eventually reach hundreds and thousands of people across the world. Dash’s Artistic Director Josephine Burton and Jonathan Walton, also known as Lemez Lovas, knew they needed more people and more instruments. Soon after Sophie Solomon, Steve Levi, Leo Bryant, Nik Ammar and Josh Breslaw joined the band and they began fusing together klezmer, jazz, funk and drum and bass.Last summer, their breakout album, Laughter Through Tears, turned 20 and the band marked it with a celebratory reunion gig at EartH in Hackney. In this episode we hear from the original members of the band and moments from last summer’s reunion.As with all enduring families - there have been many moments when both life inside and outside the band got really tough, but Oi Va Voi lives on and this podcast celebrates these stories, the music and the people who made it. Josephine also shares why Dash Arts delayed releasing this episode back in October 2023.In the podcast, we hear from:Josephine Burton - Artistic Director, Dash Arts and former Singer, Oi Va VoiJonathan Walton/Lemez Lovas - former Trumpeter, Oi Va VoiJosh Breslaw - Drummer, Oi Va VoiLeo Bryant - former Bassist, Oi Va VoiSophie Solomon - former Violinist, Oi Va VoiNik Ammar - former Guitarist, Oi Va VoiSteve Levi - Clarinetist, Oi Va VoiKT Tunstall - former Singer, Oi Va VoiMusic:Recorded live at EartH, Hackney on 22nd July 2023. Used with permission of Oi Va Voi.Intro: Fakiiritanssi by Marouf MajidiArtwork:Album Cover taken from an early ep, Odessa, recorded in early 2000. Photo credit lost in the mists of time! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this second episode on the journey towards our production, The Reckoning, we hear from journalist and author, Peter Pomerantsev who co-founded The Reckoning Project and who first shared with Dash the hundreds of witness testimonies from survivors of the Russian war in Ukraine. Dash’s Artistic Director, Josephine Burton and Podcast Producer, Marie Horner hear about Peter’s motivations for starting the project and why he asked Dash to bring these stories to the stage. The Reckoning Project trains journalists to work with lawyers and analysts to collect stories of the horrors of war, detentions, torture and shelling that can be submitted as evidence in court. Peter and Josephine explore the relationship between the lawyers, journalists and witnesses, and how this has influenced Dash’s production. We also hear from Peter’s colleagues at The Reckoning Project, Nataliya Gumenyuk and Kostiantyn Korobov, on what has changed since the war began two years ago and what justice could look like for the people they speak to.Peter joined us while he was in London to promote his new book, How to Win an Information War: The Propagandist Who Outwitted Hitler. To find out more visit Faber’s website.Josephine will be sharing more about the production in Cambridge on Wednesday 20th March alongside Rory Finnin, Professor of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Cambridge. Get your tickets here.In the podcast, we hear from:Josephine Burton - Artistic Director, Dash Arts Peter Pomerantsev - Journalist and AuthorNataliya Gumenyuk - JournalistKostiantyn Korobov - ArchivistMarie Horner - Podcast ProducerMusic by Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re in the pub for the next stage of Our Public House, a state-of-the-nation theatre production. Hear the show take shape in the studio and how Artistic Director Josephine Burton and playwright Barney Norris are being led by the speeches and writing of extraordinary individuals and communities from across the country. How do you pull together over 120 voices, ideas and stories to lock in a play that will resonate with our audiences?Our Public House is funded by the National Theatre's Generate Programme, Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Arts Council England, Three Monkies Trust, and individual giving.In the podcast we’re grateful to hear from:Josephine Burton - Artistic Director, Dash ArtsMarie Horner - Podcast Producer, Dash ArtsBarney Norris - Writer, Our Public HouseActors Alex Austin, Ed Gaughan, Syreeta Kumar, Mark Quartley, Saroja-Lily Ratnavel, and Sophie Stone Musician - Nick PynnAnd the participants from the speech-making workshops around the country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Finding a way to keep the darkness but continue to keep the joy so that there’s moments of relief in the theatre, that the actors feel it, that the audience feel it too. That’s really the challenge for me - how to make powerful theatre.” Josephine Burton, Artistic Director, Dash ArtsThis year Dash Arts is developing a new theatre production, The Reckoning; based on personal accounts of survivors of the Russian war in Ukraine from the vast testimony archive shared by The Reckoning Project, who has been gathering testimony from survivors of detentions, torture and shelling. Journalists are working with lawyers and analysts to collect these stories that can be submitted as evidence in court. Josephine will be in Cambridge on Wednesday 20th March to share excerpts from the latest version of the production and will be speaking with Rory Finnin, Professor of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Cambridge, about our research on the war in Ukraine for The Reckoning. Get your tickets here.In the podcast, we hear from:Josephine Burton - Artistic Director, Dash Arts Anastasiia Kosodii - Playwright Lou Platt - Psychotherapist and Artist Wellbeing practitioner Cristina Catalina - Senior Producer, Dash Arts Cristina Catalina, Vadym Golovko, Sam Kyslyi, Yulia Litvinenko, Mark Quartley and Olga Safronova - Cast of The Reckoning Research and Development Week (December 2023)Music from The Reckoning by Anton BaibakovOutro music : Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As 2024 arrives we look back on a year of new beginnings for Dash Arts. Join Artistic Director Josephine Burton and Dash’s Podcast Producer Marie Horner as they explore what we’ve learnt and what we haven’t learnt…yet. From the persecution of the Crimean Tatars in Crimea 5am, touring England to support the writing and delivery of over 120 speeches with communities in Our Public House and our first steps to create The Reckoning, a theatre show based on personal accounts of the Ukrainian war.  In the podcast we hear from:Josephine Burton - Artistic Director, Dash ArtsMarie Horner - Podcast Producer, Dash ArtsMaria Romanenko - Journalist and Performer in Crimea 5amBoris Dralyuk - Poet and TranslatorAnastasiia Kosodii - Playwright and DirectorProfessor Alan Finlayson - Professor of Political and Social Theory at the University of East AngliaHenriette van der Blom - Reader in Ancient History at the University of BirminghamCristina Catalina - Senior Producer, Dash ArtsKayley - Participant and Speech WriterMichael - Participant and Speech WriterIntro music : Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Grasp the subject, the words will follow.” Attributed to Cato The Elder Artistic Director, Josephine Burton and Podcast Producer, Marie Horner regroup in the studio to reflect on a series of live events in Manchester and London that were the 2023 culmination of this year’s Public House project. We heard from speechwriters, activists and academics as we explored the ingredients of a great speech, the power of activism and words, and their ability to change people’s minds and lives, along with passionate speeches given directly by some of our extraordinary cohort of individuals from communities across England.Coming in 2024, we’ll be creating Our Public House, a state-of-the-nation theatre production, inspired by the speeches and writing of participants from across the country.Our HUGE thanks to all the participants from Underground Lights, Coventry; St Hilda’s Community Centre, Tower Hamlets; HMP Styal; The Writers' Block, Redruth; Citizens UK, Brighton; Arbourthorne Men’s Social Club, Sheffield; Manchester Deaf Centre and Deaf Explorer; Banbury and Bicester College, Bicester; individuals through Theatre Royal Stratford East, Newham, St Hilda’s Community Centre in Tower Hamlets, and residents of Mile Cross, through The Common Lot, Norwich.Our Public House is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Arts Council England, Three Monkies Trust, and individual giving.In the podcast we’re grateful to hear from:Kayleigh Roach - Participant and Speech WriterMaral Mamaghanizadeh - Participant and Speech WriterCharlie Caine- Participant and Speech WriterEdith Hall - Professor of Classics, University of DurhamRinkoo Barpaga - Artist and Stand-up comedian Zara Manoehoetoe - Youth worker and community activistJosephine Burton - Artistic Director, Dash ArtsMarie Horner - Podcast Producer, Dash ArtsAlan Finlayson - Professor of Political and Social Theory at the University of East AngliaCristina Catalina - Senior Producer. Dash Arts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Take a deep breath in, now think about the future you want” Heidi in Cornwall. What do you want to change? What do you want politicians to understand?We’ve travelled over 3000 miles and asked these questions to over 120 people during speech writing workshops across the country. The creative team at Dash Arts and our academic partners gather to reflect on what we’ve learnt and what’s surprised us, and to listen back to some of the incredible speeches from participants who took part in Our Public House.To hear more, book your tickets for Speak Out! - a series of live evening events in Manchester; on Tuesday 21 November we discuss the ingredients of great speech with classicist and cultural historian Edith Hall, and former speechwriter to David Cameron, Jessica Cunniffe. Plus academic Henriette van der Blom and Artistic Director of Dash Arts, Josephine Burton. On Wednesday 22 November we’ll explore activism and how we speak out, with artist and stand-up comedian Rinkoo Barpaga, alongside journalist and academic Alan Finalyson and Josephine Burton. This event will be BSL interpreted by Winston Denerley and Samantha Vanterpool. Then we travel to London on Thursday 23 November where you can hear behind-the-scenes insights into the world of politics and speechwriting with Philip Collins, former chief speechwriter to Tony Blair, and Shareefa Energy, poet and activist. They will be joined by journalist and academic Alan Finlayson, and Josephine Burton.Coming in 2024, writer Jude Christian and director Josephine Burton will create Our Public House, a state-of-the-nation theatre production, inspired by the speeches and writing of our national participants.Our Public House is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Arts Council England, Three Monkies Trust, and individual giving.In the podcast we’re grateful to hear from:Participants from Underground Lights, Coventry; St Hilda’s Community Centre, Tower Hamlets; HMP Styal; The Writers' Block, Redruth; Citizens UK, Brighton; Arbourthorne Men’s Social Club, Sheffield; Manchester Deaf Centre and Deaf Explorer; Banbury and Bicester College, Bicester; individuals through Theatre Royal Stratford East, Newham and residents of Mile Cross, through The Common Lot, Norwich. Josephine Burton - Artistic Director of Dash ArtsProfessor Alan Finlayson - Professor of Political and Social Theory at the University of East AngliaHenriette van der Blom - Reader in Ancient History at the University of BirminghamCristina Catalina - Senior Producer of Dash Arts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us on the road as we travel the length and breadth of England to hear what people want to change. In communities across Cornwall, Yorkshire, Norfolk, the North West, South East and the Midlands, we’re supporting people to write and deliver speeches on what difference they want to see.Robust public debate and the freedom to make arguments and counterarguments are essential to democracy. Today, however, political dispute is ever more sectarian and angry, fears of misinformation are widespread and political discussion is often confined to groups of the like-minded talking to each other online.Together with our partners at the Universities of Birmingham and East Anglia, we’ve been exploring this 'crisis of rhetoric' throughout the year with a series of workshops exploring persuasive speaking across diverse communities in England. Our research will eventually lead to Our Public House, a state-of-the-nation theatre production, inspired by the speeches and writing of our national participants, from writer Jude Christian and director Josephine Burton.Book your tickets for Speak Out! - a series of live events in Manchester (21 & 22 November) and London (23 November), where we’re bringing together participants from our workshops, speechwriters, activists, politicians and academics to explore speech making's ability to provoke, persuade and empower.  In the podcast we’re grateful to hear from:Participants from Underground Lights, Coventry, St Hilda’s Community Centre, Tower Hamlets, HMP Styal, The Writers' Block, Redruth, Arbourthorne Men’s Social Club, Sheffield, Manchester Deaf Centre and Citizens UK, Brighton. Josephine Burton - Artistic Director of Dash ArtsProfessor Alan Finlayson - Professor of Political and Social Theory at the University of East AngliaHenriette van der Blom - Reader in Ancient History at the University of BirminghamCristina Catalina - Senior ProducerMarie Horner - Podcast ProducerJude Christian - Writer and Director Our Public House is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Arts Council England, Three Monkies Trust, and individual giving. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How might the stories of a Jewish man, writing in Russian, based in Odesa 100 years ago help us understand what’s happening in Ukraine today? Join Dash Arts’ Artistic Director Josephine Burton at the very start of an exploration into bringing to the stage the life and work of Isaac Babel.This episode catches up with Josephine as she gathers together artists, writers, composers and translators to venture into Babel’s turbulent life and rich writings. We uncover how having a coffee with the artist and performer, Golda Amirova, sparked the beginnings of a music theatre production about this prolific writer Babel, born in today’s Ukraine. Translator of Babel’s Odessa Stories, Boris Dralyuk, shares Babel’s brutal and beautiful Odesa as well as the contemporary resonance of a violent era of early Soviet history through his translation of Red Cavalry. Plus we eavesdrop on the rehearsal room as Josephine pulls apart the imagery and possibilities that can be found in  Babel’s work with composer Jonathan Walton and playwright Mark Rosenblatt. We don’t know exactly how this will end, but this episode uncovers how we’ve begun.In the podcast we’re grateful to hear from:Boris Dralyuk - Poet and TranslatorGolda Amirova - ArtistJonathan Walton - ComposerMark Rosenblatt - Director, Playwright and ScreenwriterMusic : Леонид Утесов – Ты одессит, Мишка // Leonid Utyosov - You are from Odessa, Mishka Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crimea 5am brings together the voices of extraordinary women, bound together by the Russian persecution of Crimean Tatars in 2014. In this episode, Artistic Director Josephine Burton looks back on how Dash Arts brought together a cast of actors, activists and journalists to stage this unique piece of verbatim theatre in London during January 2023.Through personal stories and testimonies of love and struggle in Crimea today, and combining victim and activist interviews, Crimea 5am highlights the stories of 10 political prisoners and their families. The piece celebrates the sheer determination and activism within this oppressed community, the bravery of the prisoners in documenting abuses, and its defiant women holding the ravaged community together.Since  2014, civil activists and in particular representatives of the indigenous people of the Crimean peninsula, Crimean Tatars, have been persecuted by Russian occupying forces. Obscured by a news blackout, we know little of these events, little of the prisoners themselves, their families  and life in Crimea under occupation. In this episode, our Artistic Director Josephine Burton and Podcast Producer Marie Horner listen to archive clips of the performance as well as journalists, academics, activists and the cast. We hear from:Dr Rory Finnin, Associate Professor of Ukrainian Studies, University of CambridgeMaria Romanenko, Ukrainian journalist and Crimea 5am cast memberAnastasiia Kosodii, playwright and co-writer of Crimea 5amNatalya Gumenyuk, Ukrainian journalist and filmmaker Alexandra Hall Hall, former British Ambassador to Georgia and Crimea 5am cast member Music: Ey, Güzel Qırım sung by the cast from Crimea 5amCrimea 5am was produced at The Kiln in January 2023 as part of the British Council and the  Ukrainian Institute UK/Ukraine Season of Culture. The original production of Crimea 5аm was initiated by the Ukrainian Institute and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine as part of the Crimea Platform. The original performance was directed by Dmytro Kostiumynskyi and produced by Dollmen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Albion. A world with a legendary past, fallen present and hope-filled future. This podcast marks a new season of work for Dash Arts. We’re exploring what it means to be English today, searching through workshops, performances, events and podcasts for a way to talk about who we are as a people and as a country, and who we want to be. In this episode, our Artistic Director Josephine Burton and Podcast Producer Rachael Head discover the myths of Albion with guests:Carrolyne Larrington, an author and professor of Medieval English Language and Literature who has featured on the BBC Sounds series ‘The Lore of the Land’ about British Folklore. Stephe Harrop, an academic writer and performer who loves telling “English and Scottish fairytales, the fiery folklore of the Anglo-Scottish Borders, and salvaged stories from England’s historic and mythic pasts.”Professor Jason Whittaker, who has written extensively on William Blake. His most recent book published in 2022 is titled Jerusalem: Blake, Parry, and the Fight for Englishness.Intro music: Fakiiritanssi by Marouf MajidiImage: William Blake Milton poem Plate 33 copy B 1811 Huntington Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We take a look back on a crazily packed year at Dash Arts, reflecting on the highs and lows of our three productions, Songs for Babyn Yar, The Great Middlemarch Mystery and Dido's Bar and all our podcasts, and look forwards to what 2023 holds, with Dash Arts Artistic Director Josephine Burton and Podcast Producer Rachael Head.Music Credit:Intro music: Fakiiritanssi by Marouf MajidiImage Credit:Ali Wright Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dash Arts' production of Dido's Bar was developed and made in Newham. As part of our year-long programme, we were privileged to work with Community Links, an amazing hub which offers young people advice, employment skills, and the chance to develop their audio skills in their top-notch production studio. We've brought some of these young people into the world of Dido's Bar through our podcast. Dash Producer Cristina Catalina and Podcast Producer Rachael Head worked in the studio with our participants, talking through the universal themes of Dido's Bar and exploring how those themes have affected their lives.Music Credits:Intro music: Fakiiritanssi by Marouf MajidiArtwork and music made by Community Links participants Script excerpts read out are from Hattie Naylor's Dido's Bar.Hosted by Rachael Head, featuring a short conversation with producer Cristina Catalina.With thanks to Amanda Brown, the whole Community Links team and the Royal Docks TeamDido’s Bar is produced by Dash Arts with imPOSSIBLE Producing.Dido's Bar is co-produced with the Royal Docks Team, OCM (Oxford Contemporary Music), and Journeys Festival International and co-commissioned by OCM, with additional support from Arts Council England, Backstage Trust, The Foyle Foundation, Projekt, Cockayne – Grants for the Arts, The London Community Foundation, Genesis Foundation, Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland, The Marchus Trust, TINFO – Theatre Info Finland, Austin and Hope Pilkington, Royal Victoria Hall Foundation, The Leche Trust and individual donors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our latest episode: 'Dido's Bar: What Makes a Good Story?' we chat with the Director and Writer of Dido’s Bar about the ingredients of a good story. Listen to hear how they tackled telling the story of a refugee and how music has been weaved into the fabric of the performance. Featuring interviews with Dido’s Bar Director and Dash Arts Artistic Director Josephine Burton, and Playwright Hattie Naylor. Music Credits: Intro music: Fakiiritanssi by Marouf MajidiMusic from the Dido’s Bar Rehearsal room: Rivers and Tides, Panic Boats Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our latest episode, 'New Mythology: Reclaiming the Story', we chat with artists about how their work makes space for underrepresented gender identities in ancient myths. Listen to explore how storytelling can reclaim lost stories within our mythological canon and how we’re rebalancing the gender dynamics in our next production, Dido's Bar.Featuring interviews with Dash Arts Artistic director Josephine Burton; stand up storyteller Alys Torrance; drag artist Len Blanco and Dido’s Bar cast member Lola May and some sneaky preview of some of the music from the rehearsal room! Music CreditsIntro music: Fakiiritanssi by Marouf MajidiMusic from the Dido’s Bar Rehearsal room: Smokey Nights, 100 Moons, I Know This HeartPlease note this episode is explicit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we explore the epic poems, The Aeneid, The Shanameh and The Odyssey, and their relevance today. Delve into the narrative of these epics as we investigate why and how these stories are compelling in their contemporary renditions, as well as how oral storytelling traditions have shaped how we interpret them. Featuring interviews with Dash Arts artistic director Josephine Burton; Kurdish Iranian musician Marouf Majidi; director and former Dash Arts co-artistic director Tim Supple; writer and lecturer Tajinder Hayer; writer and performer Tristan Bernays; and storyteller Clare Murphy. Music CreditsIntro music: Fakiiritanssi by Marouf MajidiMusic from Dido’s Bar Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Protest Songs: Bella Ciao In the final episode of our Protest Songs mini-series, we discuss the history and ongoing significance of the Italian protest song ‘Bella Ciao’.Josephine Burton speaks to Professor Philip Cooke about the origins of the song and how its history has been gendered throughout time. Italian singer and songwriter, Virginia Sirolli, speaks of her personal connection to the song and its adaptations, and Composer Orlando Gough discusses how he used it in a recent production at The Globe and its powerful adaptability across multiple cultures and countries. Music CreditsIntro music: Fakiiritanssi by Marouf MajidiBella Ciao Acoustic, Virginia SirolliBella Ciao - Royalty Free Italian Music, Casa De Papel GemafBella Ciao, Grégoire Lourme/abr Título de Música: Bella Ciao (Epic Cover)Bella Ciao in Punjabi, written, performed and produced by Poojan Sahil Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the third and final episode of Making Middlemarch, the cast and crew reflect on their experience of The Great Middlemarch Mystery.Listen to director Josephine Burton chat to actors Aimee Powell and Ryan Van Champion and podcast producer Rachael Head about the realities of modernising Middlemarch, Otherness and much more.   Music CreditsIntro music: Fakiiritanssi by Marouf MajidiWes Finch: https://wesfinch.bandcamp.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The second episode of Making Middlemarch brings you conversations straight from the rehearsal room. Listen to cast members Tom Gordon, Amanda Hurwitz and Ryan Van Champion discussing their characters’ fears of change, and how those opinions are realised in the show. Featuring clips of some of the actors reading lines in the rehearsal room and snippets of the show’s sound design. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this first episode of Making Middlemarch, discover how the idea of The Great Middlemarch Mystery was conceived and why the source text’s author, George Eliot, continues to enchant us today.Delve into the inspirations behind this adaptation and the creator’s theatrical visions. Uncover the real life stories from Coventry locals and how they will be woven into the show.Featuring a conversation between creator and director Josephine Burton and co-writer and researcher Ruth Livesey, interspersed with clips from our community workshops in Coventry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.