The Bush Theatre has announced its season for 2019.

In the main theatre, the season begins with BABYLON, a two week-festival curated by Tobi Kyeremateng and Ruthie Osterman. BABYLON celebrates the influence of Black and Brown people through a series of gigs, music, cabaret, live podcasts and more. The festival runs from 4th to 16th February.

Next in the theatre, Outbox Theatre present AND THE REST OF ME FLOATS. Directed by Ben Buratta, the show explores gender expression and identity. AND THE REST OF ME FLOATS incorporates performance, movement, pop songs, stand up and more. The cast includes Josh-Susan Enright, Barry Fitzgerald, Elijah W Harris, Emily Joh Miller, Tamir Amar Pettet and Yasmin Zadeh. The piece runs from 20th February to 16th March.

From 28th March, the Bush collaborates with the Institut Français du Royaume Uni to present Estelle Savasta’s GOING THROUGH, in a translation by Kirsten Hazel Smith. Directed by Omar Elerian (whose smash hit Bush export MISTY is currently running in the West End), the play mixes English and British Sign Language to tell the story of a girl crossing borders. GOING THROUGH runs until 27th April.

Iseult Golden and David Horan’s CLASS has its London premiere at the Bush from 7th May to 1st June. In a collaboration with the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, CLASS is an exploratory piece about a parent’s reaction to their child’s learning difficulties. CLASS premieres in London following runs in both Dublin and the Fringe festival in Edinburgh. The cast features Stephen Jones, Sarah Morris and Will O’Connell.

Rounding out the season in the main theatre, Caryl Phillip’s 1980 play STRANGE FRUIT is revived at the Bush from 12th June to 20th July. STRANGE FRUIT is the story of a young, educated black family in 1980s England. The piece tells the story of two brothers trying to make a future for themselves, caught in a cross divide by two cultures. This new production is directed by 2018 RTST Peter Hall Director Award winner Nancy Medina.

In the studio, the season begins with Eve Leigh’s new play THE TRICK, which plays at the Bush prior to a national tour. Directed by Roy Alexander Weise (NINE NIGHT at the National), the show looks at grief through the lens of onstage magic. Presented in collaboration with HighTide and Loose Tongue, THE TRICK runs at the Bush between 19th February and 23rd March.

YVETTE, a play performed and written by Urielle Klein-Mekongo, plays the Bush’s studio space. Commissioned by the Bernie Grant Arts Centre and directed by Gbolahan Obisesan, the play is a one-woman show, based on a true story about growing up with a secret. Featuring original music and spoken word, YVETTE runs at the Bush between 14th May and 1st June.

Finally, the Bush collaborates with HighTide for the second time in 2019 to present RUST by Kenneth Emson. The play explores the drudgery of married life. Directed by Eleanor Rhode, RUST runs from 26th June to 27th July.

Speaking on the season, Bush AD Madani Younis says: ‘With its global outlook and homegrown talent, I feel this season shows the best of who we are and stands for the values that we have attempted to build over the past seven years. It’s a season of creatives who have inspired me, continue to inspire me and I hope will inspire our audiences.’

Booking for the 2019 season opens today.