Tea Time with Ali Monjack

My next guest actress Nicole Evans is Going The Distance in the world premiere of a digital production of a new comedy by Henry Filloux-Bennett and Yasmeen Khan from 4th - 17th October. Nicole has a starring role in a star-studded cast along with Stephen Fry as narrator and other household names such as Matthew Kelly, Shobna Gulati and Sarah Hadland. Nicole has had roles in Captain America, Teddy and lots of other TV and theatre productions. But her part in 'Going The Distance' with Director Felicity Montagu who is best known for her role as Lynn in Alan Partridge, has been one that has resonated with her as an actress and as someone who loves theatre.

If you hear the steel pans in Reading you always know that my next guest Mary Genis is behind them. Founder and Artistic Director of CultureMix Arts  Mary is well known for her musical entertainment & education in the African Caribbean arts! She knows how to get the carnival started! Mary founded CultureMix Arts in the late 80’s which is a steel pan specialist organisation with award winning band Reading All Steel Percussion Orchestra.  Let’s find out more about exciting times ahead….. #podcast #chatshow #CultureMixArts

The Interrogation is a clever audio production about being misunderstood and is the creation of my next guest artist Charlene Salter and Director Patrick Collier. Both are from Access All Areas a company that makes disruptive theatre and performance by learning disabled and autistic artists. The Interrogation is in response to the treatment that Charlene herself has received as someone with a learning disability and how other people have been criminalised for their differences.

The System is a new Psychological thriller play written and performed by my next guests Emily Head and Directed by Guy Unsworth.  The production is being live-streamed next week 27th August and is an Original Theatre Company production who are pioneers in the new hybrid artform of film and theatre.  Emily and Guy met whilst working on a theatre production in 2019 and the chemistry between them promises a brilliant performance.

Exciting news, the first returning guest on the Tea Time sofa is none other than award-winning director Dwight Steven-Boniecki who has won 15 awards for Searching for Skylab! Because of the success of Searching for Skylab the award-winning documentary on NASA's first International Space Station Dwight and team are holding a watch party on the 28th August so people from all across the world can see it and chat with the astronauts and scientists who were part of it Let’s find out more..

Do you have a positive mindset?! Well, my next guest Marcus Thomlinson started the process to give up his negative mindset at 30 and now his Mindset Revolution has helped people across the globe reset to positivity! We talk about mindsets and why we behave the way we do from fear to joy from doing something positive to being involved in gang crime! Marcus is also a speaker on mindset and before the pandemic was at a peace conference in Pakistan.  So let’s find out more💜💛💚#podcast #chatshow #mindsetrevolution

Extreme sports and learning to endure is what put my next guest on the path of musical stardom. Sofia Evangelina is nearly 18 and has already competed in Canada’s extreme skiing team and is now pursuing a music career with an amazing R&B voice. She is not just a singer but also an inspirational songwriter who has already penned some great hits such as Endure. Let’s find out more...🤩#podcast #chatshow #Singer

Try and turn a lemon into a melon is my next guest's motto. On the Tea Time sofa this week Annabel Simons founded an award winning lifestyle magazine for the over 50’s 11 years ago with her dear friend Grace. They recently changed the brand name to Annabel & Grace and have been running the online magazine to help older women to feel included, find their unique style and way forward as life changes.. The 50's is a time for menopause and that can be an unnerving change in itself. Let's find out more about beginning to put yourself first.

Pink Pants are my next guest's favourite thing at the moment. Sarah Jordan is a Social Entrepreneur who started Y.O.U to make sustainable, vegan and organic underwear that now donates pants to women across Africa and the UK. She also supports Breast Cancer charity Future Dreams. Period poverty is still a big issue and that is what inspired Sarah to start Y.O.U and make a social impact with underwear globally. Lets find out more!

Musicals are my next guest’s favourite thing and Charlie Kristensen has certainly been cheered up by West end stars after enduring 18 months of bullying. #CheerUpCharlie has completely grown in awareness over the last 2 years and now Charlie has received the highest accolade for a young person The Diana Award for his outstanding work as anti-bullying mentor and campaigner. He now has his own youtube chat show Musical Chairs with #CheerUpCharlie and let's find out more... #podcast #chat show #CheerUPCharlie #Antibullying #TheDianaAward