Esen (meaning autumn in Bulgarian) is a performance project rooted in traditional food practices, seasonal change, and intergenerational memory. Inspired by the rituals of winter preparation like preserving food, slowing down and gathering with family to do this, it invites the audience to consider a deeper connection with land, heritage, and practices of rest.

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Drawing on my Balkan background and my interest in food as cultural archive, Esen blends cooking, conversation, and folk-inspired storytelling into a gentle encounter. The project creates space for reflection, sharing, and reclaiming practices often overlooked or undervalued in fast-paced Western life.

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Esen (working title) is still in development. The project’s  first outing was appeared as an intimate workshop at The People’s Palace of Possibilities in Rotherham, offering a taste of what’s to come: warm dishes prepared together, stories passed down, and moments of quiet joy in community. Future development will explore durational elements, site-responsive performance, and solo devising with the landscape as a collaborator.

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Part recipe, part memory, Esen is a soft act of resistance—an invitation to slow down, remember, and root.

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To enquire about Esen please contact producer Claire Gilbert at producer@lorarkrasteva.com