Together with

Continuing our collaboration highlighting some of the phenomenal work going on at Sadler’s Wells East this season, we caught up with Portuguese choreographer Marco Da Silva Ferreira about F*cking Future.

A highly anticipated new work, F*cking Future tackles the heavy dynamics of toxic masculinity and over-militarisation, directly challenging the modern systems that shape how we move and behave. The show runs this week Thurs 4th - Sat 6th June, with tickets from £25.

The title Fcking Future* sounds like some raw frustration coming through. Where does that come from?

It's a deliberately unpolished way of provoking action. It comes from a somewhat youthful place, where transformation is fuelled by frustration, but also by an abundance of energy and a determination to make things happen.

How does the piece look at patriarchal systems and toxic masculinity in today's society?

The control of bodies is deeply choreographic. The tension of discipline can exist alongside desire, vulnerability and personal history. In that sense, choreography is fascinating: a unison can feel restrictive, but it can also become a tool for collective liberation. The aim was to use oppressive codes in order to subvert them. Gradually, the structure begins to give way to the individual - gesture, eroticism, sensitivity and self-expression emerge through the performers, the movement, the music and the light.

Like many of my works, F*cking Future begins with personal conflicts and expands them into something collective. The conflict is never fully resolved; the tensions remain present and are shared with the audience. Through rhythm, fatigue and repetition, the piece slowly dismantles its own structures, creating space for something more intimate and human to surface.

How do you find tenderness in a piece that feels so rigid and policed?

The use of voice brings a new sensitivity to the surface. Words echo back to us, and the presence of freedom within the structure creates a collective voice that softens the rigidity. From the inside, we don't experience the piece as rigid. We experience pulse, collectivity and an energy that feels larger than ourselves.

The overall tone of the work is one of warmth, eroticism and sensitivity. Coldness and oppression are mostly projected by the gaze of the viewer. The piece unfolds gradually. Certain tensions need to exist long enough for tenderness to arrive with its full weight and meaning. When it finally appears, it can be felt not as a contrast, but as something that was always present beneath the surface.

Looking back at the whole process, what have been the challenges and joys of conceiving and choreographing this piece?

The greatest challenge was allowing the choreographic structure enough time to reveal its own direction. It required patience- resisting the urge to finish too quickly and trusting the natural maturation of the material.

The greatest joy was the energy of the team: tireless, generous and deeply committed to the work. Having the opportunity to record in the studio and develop the music alongside the choreography was also one of the most rewarding aspects of the process.

What are you looking forward to about coming to Sadler's Wells East?

Presenting the work in what seems to be an incredible venue, with an audience that I've heard is both curious and highly engaged. And, of course, it will be wonderful to perform for many friends.

F*cking Future is at Sadler’s Wells East from Thurs 4th - Sat 6th June Tickets & info here.

🎨 Hackney Art Week lands across the borough from Wed 3rd - Sun 14th June, scattering a trail of installations and creative workshops across our fave hangouts. The action kicks off tonight at The Rose Lipman Building with a showcase opener, before heading to The Old Bath House on Sat 6th and Sun 7th June for some Asian art exhibitions, film screenings and a dumpling pop-up. On Thurs 4th there’s a borough-wide Collagism Art Hunt - a self-guided treasure hunt that plants hidden artworks inside local bakeries and secret corners to get you exploring by foot. Check the programme here to view everything else happening this week.

⚓ The London Festival of Architecture has landed with a month-long programme of activities - Explore the Royal Docks: Tours and Trails. Running through to Tue 30th June, the schedule shifts into gear this weekend with two guided events. On Sat 6th Jun why not walk the We Flow: Royal Victoria Art Trail, where youth guides will introduce artworks from their own perspectives, exploring how art, place and community intersect. Or join the Connecting to Culture: Iron Works Tour also on Sat 6th, taking a peek inside the dockland site that has previously been inaccessible to the public.

📐🪴 Head over to unit.d in Haggerston tonight Wed 3rd June at 6pm for the opening of new exhibition Plants and Elevation, showcasing the work of design studio Mentsen and plant curator Masaaki Kawai - exploring the relationship between indoor greenery, minimalist furniture design, and spatial architecture.

🎙️ Timber Lodge Café in Olympic Park is hosting a Comedy Night tomorrow Thurs 4th June, headlined by Tiff Stevenson (as seen on Mock The Week, Russell Howard’s Good News, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and more). Tiff will be joined by three other comedians, oh and did we mention there’s happy hour from 6.30 before the show!

📖 An evening of subcultural reflection lifts off at the UCL Urban Laboratory, based at UCL East, on Tue 9th Jun, celebrating the official public launch of Urban Pamphleteer #12: Radical Types - drawing on the history of radical pamphleteering as a tool for instigating change. Attendees will get a free copy of the new issue.

🚶 The Royal Ramble will start and finish at Olympic Park this Fri 5th June, as participants walk a 20-mile loop of the city. Coordinated by Gladiator Events to raise funds for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Charity, 750 walkers will be taking part. Alfred’s Meadow will be the place to hangout if you want to support, with some food trucks and a canalside bar opening at 2:30pm to cheer finishers across the line.

🥂 The chance to grab a free drink in the sunshine every Wednesday kicks off next Wed 10th Jun at The Lord Napier Star brings back a summer season of 100 on the roof. Check this newsletter each week for info on the drink in question plus giveaways and £6 pints and cocktails, too.

Check out new local culture reviews every week on thisisthewick.com

🏳️‍🌈 Queer Edge Late is at Hackney Bridge on Fri 5th June, providing an inclusive space somewhere between a bar and a club for the local queer community to meet. Attendees are encouraged to come down early, catch the sunset and support the local scene. If arriving solo and looking to make friends, you can head to the Sunflower Table to meet the hosts and hang out🌻

🎧 At No. 90 also on Fri 5th June is Twinspinsz, bringing an unpredictable collab to the canal edge. Lineup includes Berlin’s Narciss along with a talented group of support acts - pairing heavy b2b hardgroove from Reformist and Rua DJ with versatile tech house and UKG blends from Body Clinic. Rounding out the session, resident Fits Me Funny sets the pace with a hybrid digital-vinyl mix alongside driving house and trance selectors Garnele, Livvy Loo, and DJ Valentine.

🌏 5 global frequencies unite this Sat 6th Jun at Colour Factory celebrating the 10-year anniversary of independent Korean broadcaster Seoul Community Radio, supported by new wave East Asian artists Foreign Body, Hong Kong’s Yeti Out and tippin.world.

🎷This Sun 7th June sees the continuation of Canalside Sessions at Grow. Lead by master conga player Williams Cumberbache - who has collabed with Goldie and Bjork - he is joined this week by special guest live band Harlesden Jazz Serenades. "If you like your jazz to be explorative and dripping with creativity, this is definitely for you" (Jazz Journal).

🖼️ Entries are now open for the 9th John Ruskin Prize, a multidisciplinary art prize open to all artists, designers and craftspeople, of all nationalities, aged 18 and over. Run by The big Draw, and supported by the Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust, this year’s theme invites you to question the role of the maker today - what does it mean to create with an awareness of consequence, while also posing the challenge: must art serve a purpose beyond itself? Selected works will be exhibited at Trinity Buoy Wharf in 2027, and four winners will receive prizes totalling £9,500. Apply before 17th Nov.

👩🏼‍🎓 UCL School of Management has 6 full scholarships available for applicants from East London who want to pursue a postgraduate programme, including the MSc Creativity, Innovation and Leadership. Applicants need to be resident of East London since 2020 and have a household income of less than £42k. The full-time course starts in Sept 2026 and is at their Canary Wharf campus. Apply by 26th June.

🌏 Hackney Council's Climate Team has launched the second year of the Repair Cafe Grants Programme 2026/27, offering up to £1,500 to help local community groups set up repair events for electronics, bikes, and clothing. Applications are open to Hackney-based not-for-profit organisations, unregistered community groups, and schools with an annual turnover of no more than £15,000. The funding is designed to cover essential costs like venue hire, fixer fees, and equipment for at least two community events. Apply by 5th July. For more info/to submit your application, email [email protected].

🛩️ London City Airport Community Fund has open funding application for projects that build stronger, greener communities or create pathways into employment. Get funding for up to £3000. Deadline 26th June.

📕 The Wick Book is a limited edition 160-page hardback historic record, looking at 15 years of culture, community and change in the neighbourhood through the pages of The Wick. We’re now down to the last 100 copies.

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