The Repercussions.

Catherine Hall talks to her about her fascination with writing about times of war, and how queer life is represented in contemporary fiction.

“When I was young, I’d have loved to have been able to look at someone in the public eye and know they were gay, and they’d achieved something. I think it’s important to stand up and be counted. “

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70 min • The Paper Birds • October 6 – November 15 (various venues), 2014

Blind is a powerful exploration of how women are represented that hinges on an innovative use of sound – and beatboxing.

“In Blind, Savage investigates her relationship with the art form and uses it to demonstrate how sound can have a profound effect, not just on those growing up and how they think about themselves, but also relationships between the sexes and between generations.”

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75 min • Summerhall • August 1-2, 2014

Sister is a brutally honest, confrontational and intelligent piece that challenges us to think about how women are perceived by society.

“Amy and Rosana share with each other, and with the audience, some very personal stories of growing up in a world in which children are exposed to sex from an early age and yet sex and sexuality are still often seen as shameful or taboo – particularly where women are concerned.”

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60 min • Etcetera Theatre, London • From September 18-20, 2014

Odd Shaped Balls is a one-man play which is based on Gareth Thomas’ coming out experience. An intelligent and dynamic performance.

“Odd Shaped Balls examines what it might be like for a professional sportsman, married , conventionally ‘masculine’ (in the Daily Mail’s sense of the word) to come out in the 21st Century, in the media spotlight, instant news and the ravenous hunger of social media.”

Same-Sex Parenting Drama.

Ben Ockrent’s talks about his play Breeders, which explores what it means for same-sex couples to become parents.

“Are we the first generation to question the assumption that we should have kids and start families? It’s not true of everybody, but certainly this generation is questioning whether that’s right for them.”

Queer laughs.

Laura Macdougall celebrates the great amount of queer content at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2014, from comedy to drama and spoken word.

“This year I’m particularly excited that there are so many brilliant female comedians performing at the festival, and that so many of them are queer women. “

Queer Revolution.

Walter Beck about how performance poetry is an electric force that is returning the art form “to the bars and the gutters”.

“Everybody has something to say and a story to tell, we all have passions, dreams, heartbreaks. Poetry is the tool that allows everybody to speak.<"

Queer Spaces.

In the third of a series on queer performance poets, Keith Jarrett talks about performance poetry as social commentary and the importance of safe queer spaces.

“There are places I feel less comfortable, where I feel less represented. Queer spaces redress that balance a little.”

Genderqueer.

CN Lester talks about activism, what it’s like to be openly genderqueer in the music industry, and the issues facing the trans population today.

“Any industry where the goal is to shift product – ticket sales, album sales, product placement – struggles when the ‘brand’ you’re selling goes against cultural norms..”

Speaking Queer.

In the first of a series on queer performance poets, Laura Macdougall talks to Nick Field about blending physical theatre, music and spoken word.

“Think of all the parts of the world where we couldn’t do something like Queer’Say; why would we not make use of that opportunity when we’re lucky enough to live in a society that allows us to? Out of politeness?.”