From our Artistic Director: Summer Preview 2022

Exciting, world-class outdoor performance landed in Hounslow in 2014. The brand new Bell Square was the first of its kind in London, hosting extraordinary artists and performers from across the globe, every other weekend. Hounslow came together to watch amazing shows – spectacles, entertainment, theatre, circus and dance.

The last 2 years, we’ve brought you as many shows as we could, but Covid has meant that the events have been lower key than they would normally be. Well this year, we’re back! 

We’ve got fabulous international shows for you, daytime and night-time, tango, hip-hop and Bharatnatyam, festivals and parades, superb theatre and spectacular fire.

Hounslow this year will have an amazing Summer of Culture, a 3-month festival of arts and culture all over the borough – and Bell Square will host the opening and closing events. 

For me, the most wonderful thing about Bell Square is that it brings everyone together. And after the last 2 years we’ve all had, we can’t wait to be back with you!

Come and join us! We start on Saturday 4 June and will be there every other Saturday through to December. Here’s a taste of what’s to come during the summer.

June

We start the season – and launch Hounslow’s Summer of Culture – with Compagnie Bilbobasso from France. This was the company, back in 2014, that performed the very first show in Bell Square. You all loved them – so they’re coming back with another show, Amor. It’s a couple’s relationship told through feisty tango, quite a few sparks and a lot of fire!

Next up is Seeta Patel Dance with Rite of Spring. This is a vibrant, contemporary interpretation of a classical dance piece which shocked the world at its premiere in 1913. Not so shocking now probably but a powerfully energetic dance show nevertheless!

July

In July, we welcome 3 companies to Bell Square performing with us for the first time. 

London-based Alleyne Dance are twin sisters, Kristina and Sade Alleyne, who bring us an athletic show about the changing connections between siblings – all performed on a giant, rotating glass house.

Then we have Just Us Dance Theatre with Born to Protest. Their choreographer, Joseph Toonga, is an up and coming star of the dance world, creating powerful hip-hop theatre with a strong political message.

At the end of the month, one of Poland’s legendary outdoor theatre companies, Teatr Ad Spectatores, bring their show, Aliens from Mons. This is funny, clever, physical theatre, all projected on a big screen, telling the story of how Europe came together at the end of World War Two. 

August

In August, the events go large - not just at Bell Square but all over the town centre!

We launch a brand new festival of South Asian Outdoor Arts, showcasing music, theatre, dance, poetry and more in a celebratory atmosphere all along the High Street. It’s called Anhad – which means ‘limitless’. The High Street will come alive with the sights and sounds of local and national artists throughout the afternoon and evening.

Then on the last weekend of August, on the bank holiday, Rara Woulib come from Marseilles. Providing the closing event of the Summer of Culture festival, they will take the town centre by storm with their show, Deblozay. It’s a celebration of our town, of our residents past and present, in a grand Caribbean tradition. In Haitian-Creole, Deblozay means ‘bedlam’. Hounslow, let’s party!

Come and see us at Bell Square on Saturday 4 June – we can’t wait to be back with you!