Chai with Rai

raimuitfum

Cuppa filled moments hosted by Writer, Director and Actor Raimu Itfum. Chai with Rai is a weekly Life & Culture podcast diving into mindset and business of being a creative whilst sipping and spilling some Hot (Garam) Chai. read less
ArtsArts

Episodes

“Sisters not Twins” w/ Bethany Gemmell
22-05-2024
“Sisters not Twins” w/ Bethany Gemmell
I have to say and say it I will! If you are a writer! You must and you must listen to structure and how just telling this conversation is especially if you are an emerging writer. So many great antidotes to take and implement into your world.  Sitting down with the stunning Bethany Gemmell to discuss writing and how a world is created and how "Catherine" was made for Symphonies of Beaded Threads .  About Bethany:  Bethany Henry Gemmell LLM (he/him) is a Northern non-binary artist in London, working as Production Coordinator for a multi-award-winning company. In 2022, he quit working as a teacher and dove into theatre and television full-time. Career highlights so far include: producing, directing and writing for Neurospace Theatre's showcase presenting autistic work at Barons Court in February 2022; stage-managing for Black British Theatre-nominated Saturn Returns at Brixton House/Southbank Centre/Northern School of Contemporary Dance; and being assistant director for the LGBT+ play Welcome Home at Soho Theatre in January 2023. His biggest creative passion is writing. Currently, he is a part of Young Vic's selective Creators Program and he has a television show in development that is based on his play M. E. Trout, which is about an autistic woman dealing with grief and broken relationships. When he is not working, he is building a trans theatre company (Twitter: @transgrtheatre) and reading about sociopolitical issues, so much so that he has recently graduated with a Masters in Human Rights Law - as such, he gets quite nerdy about that sort of thing. His staged short play Wolf (2023), which was his first ever submission to Theatre503's Rapid Write Response scheme, is the latest achievement in Bethany's emerging writing career. To Listen to Bethany's audio short story CLICK HERE.  To subscribe to Patreon and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai.  Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/hgemmellian/ & https://twitter.com/hengemmell  Links: Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_  Guest: https://creatorsprogram.youngvic.org/member/11946 Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.
“YouTube Rabbit Holes” w/ Yasmine Dankwah
15-05-2024
“YouTube Rabbit Holes” w/ Yasmine Dankwah
The incredible soul that is Yasmine Dankwah sat down and discussed her process of storytelling, YouTube rabbit holes and of course Spoken word vs poetry.  Here is the link to Yasmine's short story titled "An Epic: as told by my grandma’s photo album " for Symphonies of Beaded Threads  About Yasmine:  Yasmine Dankwah is a British-Ghanaian spoken word artist and writer based in South London. She is interested in exploring how resistance in the form of identity-based discrimination can act as a springboard for joy in live performance by using music, spoken word poetry and lyricism. She is currently an artist on Boundless Theatre’s Accelerator programme and part of the Emerging Writer’s Group at the Bush Theatre. Last year, she became a recipient of the Francis Chagrin award and was featured on BBC Radio London for her audio play I Used To Know H.I.M, which was commissioned by Chronic Insanity Theatre. To subscribe to Patreon  and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai.  Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/yasminedankwah/ & https://twitter.com/yasmined77?lang=en  Links: Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_  Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.
“Lease on Life” w/ Afriya- Jasmine Nylander
01-05-2024
“Lease on Life” w/ Afriya- Jasmine Nylander
Carrying on with the interview series with the writers from "Symphonies of Beaded Threads" diving into the mind of Afriya- Jasmine Nylander. who wrote the short story titled "Professional Daydreamer".   About Afriya: Afriya-Jasmine Nylander is a Writer, Actor and Producer based in West London. She studied Theatre at the Brit School where she performed Shakespeare at Stratford-Upon-Avon, was chosen for the NSDF Festival 2021, and was a part of the Bridge Company.  In 2023, she had her professional Debut in Charli Josephine’s play “Flies”and was involved in The Lyric Hammersmith stage response project of “The African Mean Girls”. She has worked with the National Theatre as an assistant producer of “Death of England: Closing Time” written by the award-winning Clint Dyer and Roy Williams. She is also a part of the National Theatre alumni Writers group. She currently works at the Kiln Theatre and is writing her debut play “Everyone’s Invited”.  To subscribe to Patreon and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai.  Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/afriya.j/ Links: Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_  Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.
“Risky Theatre” w/ Soria Hamidi
21-04-2024
“Risky Theatre” w/ Soria Hamidi
Excited to be releasing an interview series with the the writers from the short audio storytelling series on Chai with Rai "Symphonies of Beaded Threads". Let's warm up that delicious cuppa and dive into it with Soria Hamidi who wrote "Take my Picture"  About Soria: Soria Hamidi is an Afghan playwright, prose fiction writer and dramaturg. Her work focuses on silenced histories, communities and people by exploring the stories through a class-based, racial and feminist perspective.  She has completed the Kiln Theatre’s Listen Local Writers Programme where she developed and staged her short play on Afghan feminism. She has been selected for the London Library’s Emerging Writers Programme to research and write a play on the commercialisation of war and trauma. She completed the Writerz and Scribez and the Vineyard Theatre Literary Programme.  To subscribe to Patreon  (listen to the audio version of without ads or intro/outro ) and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai.  To Listen to Soria's short "Take My Picture"  Click HERE.  Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/soriahh/  Links: Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_  Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.
“Decision Making” w/ Vidya Patel
25-02-2024
“Decision Making” w/ Vidya Patel
This is going to be a two-parted episode BECAUSE I just had to dive into this brilliant human's mind. Got to speak with the incredible Choreographer, Movement artist and wonderful human that is Vidya Patel. From connecting on Gujarati sayings to discussing decoding Classical Indian dance, it's access, Uday Shankar and so much more! This is a jam packed one.  In the episode we discuss: Creation exploration? What is it you look for? The room to feel like ?What does the world of your creativity feel and sound like ? Do you separate the lineage/ history of what you have been taught of all artistic vocabulary such as kathak and chow when facilitating and how you manoeuvre that if so?The balance of artistic expression and storytelling you have? What inspires you/ drives you to create still?How do you balance the room when comissioned with everything and what have you found a tip on in getting consistent work?What you have learnt about yourself through the craft and about your craft through the years? To subscribe to Patreon  (watch the full unedited video version of this) and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai.  Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/_vidyapatel/ & https://twitter.com/vidyapatel96    Links: Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_  Guest: https://www.vidyapatel.com/  Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.
Chemo in the Summer by Gayathiri Kamalakanthan
20-12-2023
Chemo in the Summer by Gayathiri Kamalakanthan
This is the last story from our storytelling series Symphonies of beaded threads. I have loved working on this project, bringing you something more than just an interview or a chat on the podcast and also just flexing that producing/ directing skill in the audio world. I have also appreciated your messages, you sharing each episode, tagging chai with rai and the artists involved. Now If you haven’t done so make sure to check out the previous 7 stories- comment, share and subscribe.  P.s this is also the 99th episode of Chai with Rai and I am going to be celebrating the 100th episode on IG LIVe on 28th Dec,23 7PM UK TIME co-hosted by some special guests. Make sure to check that out and you can also send through a question you would like myself or the guests to answer.  But without further adieu, lets warm up that delicious cuppa and let’s dive into today’s story titled "Chemo in the Summer" written and voiced by Gayathiri Kamalakanthan.  The Transcript of the piece can be found HERE.   If you would like to Donate to this project and a live event which I will be holding soon for the public in a very well known space in Central London CLICK HERE.  About Gayathiri: Gayathiri is a Tamil poet and sex education facilitator. They’re interested in how language shapes childhood and how we use it to queer the future. Gayathiri won the Faber & Andlyn Publisher’s Prize 2022, the Primadonna Fiction Prize 2021 and they were shortlisted for the Bridport Poetry Prize 2022. Gayathiri runs the poetry workshop series WORD-BENDERS at The Common Press bookshop in East London. Gayathiri is currently a member of the Southbank New Poets Collective. Their debut novel in verse is forthcoming with Faber. To subscribe to Patreon  (listen to the audio version of without ads or intro/outro ) and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai.  Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/unembarrassable/  Links: Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_  Guest: https://linktr.ee/gayathirikamalakanthan  Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.
Take my Picture by Soria Hamidi
17-12-2023
Take my Picture by Soria Hamidi
We are in the second half of the storytelling series Symphonies of Beaded Threads and today's story is called "Take My Picture" by Soria Hamidi and voiced by Leila McQuaid . The Transcript of the piece can be found HERE.   If you would like to Donate to this project and a live event which I will be holding soon for the public in a very well known space in Central London CLICK HERE.  About Soria: Soria Hamidi is an Afghan playwright, prose fiction writer and dramaturg. Her work focuses on silenced histories, communities and people by exploring the stories through a class-based, racial and feminist perspective.  She has completed the Kiln Theatre’s Listen Local Writers Programme where she developed and staged her short play on Afghan feminism. She has been selected for the London Library’s Emerging Writers Programme to research and write a play on the commercialisation of war and trauma. She completed the Writerz and Scribez and the Vineyard Theatre Literary Programme.  To subscribe to Patreon  (listen to the audio version of without ads or intro/outro ) and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai.  Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/soriahh/ & https://twitter.com/leilamcquaid  Links: Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_  Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.
38% by Ra’eesah
16-12-2023
38% by Ra’eesah
Halfway there and today’s story from the series Symphonies of Beaded of Threads is titled "38%" by Ra’eesah. The Transcript of the piece can be found HERE.   If you would like to Donate to this project and a live event which I will be holding soon for the public in a very well known space in Central London CLICK HERE.  About Ra'eesah:  Ra’eesah is a multifaceted creative using the mediums of theatre, film, music and spoken word to tell stories, bring people together and effect positive change. She has performed on stage as an actor and singer at the Bush Theatre as well as with The Old Vic/Neon Arts.  She has produced projects such as The Self-Expression Sessions, a series of spoken word poetry workshops open to people of all ages and abilities, to increase accessibility to the arts and build community through creativity and culture. Further projects Ra’eesah has produced on include Licence to DV8 at the Royal Albert Hall and arts festivals at Almeida Theatre and London Bubble, focusing on outreach. She is a trustee of the Roundhouse and WEST Youth Zone and has contributed to several other organisations including Old Vic Theatre and A New Direction through youth advisory. To subscribe to Patreon  (listen to the audio version of without ads or intro/outro ) and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai.  Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/ra.eesahh/ , https://twitter.com/Ra_eesahh & https://app.spotlight.com/3812-7862-7993 Links: Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_  Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.
Catherine by Bethany Gemmell
15-12-2023
Catherine by Bethany Gemmell
Happy Third Day! Today's story from the series Symphonies of Beaded Threads is by Bethany Gemmell and is called "Catherine". Fun fact: it actually features Bethany's mum Catherine.  The Transcript of the piece can be found HERE.  If you would like to Donate to this project and a live event which I will be holding soon for the public in a very well known space in Central London CLICK HERE.  About Bethany:  Bethany Henry Gemmell LLM (he/him) is a Northern non-binary artist in London, working as Production Coordinator for a multi-award-winning company. In 2022, he quit working as a teacher and dove into theatre and television full-time. Career highlights so far include: producing, directing and writing for Neurospace Theatre's showcase presenting autistic work at Barons Court in February 2022; stage-managing for Black British Theatre-nominated Saturn Returns at Brixton House/Southbank Centre/Northern School of Contemporary Dance; and being assistant director for the LGBT+ play Welcome Home at Soho Theatre in January 2023. His biggest creative passion is writing. Currently, he is a part of Young Vic's selective Creators Program and he has a television show in development that is based on his play M. E. Trout, which is about an autistic woman dealing with grief and broken relationships. When he is not working, he is building a trans theatre company (Twitter: @transgrtheatre) and reading about sociopolitical issues, so much so that he has recently graduated with a Masters in Human Rights Law - as such, he gets quite nerdy about that sort of thing. His staged short play Wolf (2023), which was his first ever submission to Theatre503's Rapid Write Response scheme, is the latest achievement in Bethany's emerging writing career. To subscribe to Patreon  (listen to the audio version of without ads or intro/outro ) and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai.  Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/hgemmellian/ & https://twitter.com/hengemmell  Links: Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_  Guest: https://creatorsprogram.youngvic.org/member/11946 Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.
An Epic: as told by my grandma’s photo album by Yasmine Dankwah
14-12-2023
An Epic: as told by my grandma’s photo album by Yasmine Dankwah
Continuing on with the series Symphonies of Beaded Threads and releasing an episode daily. This is the second episode titled "An Epic: as told by my grandma’s photo album" written and performed by Yasmine Dankwah.  About Yasmine:  Yasmine Dankwah is a British-Ghanaian spoken word artist and writer based in South London. She is interested in exploring how resistance in the form of identity-based discrimination can act as a springboard for joy in live performance by using music, spoken word poetry and lyricism. She is currently an artist on Boundless Theatre’s Accelerator programme and is working with Chronic Insanity Theatre to develop new writing for theatre. She is an alumnus of the Soho Writers’ Lab 2021/2, VAULT New Writers Programme in 2020, a Roundhouse Poetry Slam Finalist '22 and was a recent recipient of the Francis Chagrin Award this year. The Transcript of the piece can be found HERE.  If you would like to Donate to this project and a live event which I will be holding soon for the public in a very well known space in Central London CLICK HERE.  To subscribe to Patreon  (listen to the audio version of without ads or intro/outro ) and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai.  Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/yasminedankwah/ & https://twitter.com/yasmined77?lang=en  Links: Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_  Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.