31st October – 24th November
Croydonites is a festival of theatre and performance. Our mission is to showcase local theatre makers, and bring some of the best contemporary performance work from around the UK to Croydon doorsteps.
Here’s what we have planned over the coming weeks, hosted right here in unit 55 in Centrale. Book your space here:https://www.croydonites.com/whats-on
Events in Unit 55 (or Studio 55 as we are calling it)
DOUBLE BILL (70 mins)
THU 31 OCT 6.00pm
FRI 1 NOV 7.30pm
SAT 2 NOV 1.00pm
£10/£8 Recommended for 16+
Chardine Makaveli-Singh / A Cronx Tale – Stefans Story (Film)
A Cronx Tale is a short, animated film about the dangers of getting involved in gangs, street crime and county lines. Through animation it looks at how actions have consequences, and using a mixture of reality and fiction, its aim is to leave an impact and create positive change. Followed by a Q&A.
Stefans Story is the first part of a trilogy, the second film is centred around the theme of robbery; the consequences for the perpetrator and the impact on the victim. The film aims to educate young people, steering them away from street crime and offering guidance to potential victims on how to stay safe. The third film will focus on the issue of violence against women and girls, and how they can spot the signs of grooming and exploitation. All three films will be touring in schools.
Nathan Brown-Bennett and Marisa Olusemo / Again, Again and Again (Aka. Cancelled x2)
A deep dive into the human psyche through spoken word, music, and theatre. How do our emotions have an impact on our relationships and mental health? Embark on a journey of dark and light moments that are sure to have an impact. Covering topics of sexual assault, bereavement, and anxiety.
Again, again & again is a collaborative project featuring spoken word, rap and singing; written and produced Nathan Brown-Bennett & Marisa Olusemo.
FRI 1 NOV
Na-Keisha Pebody / LEI-LDN
17.30 (50 mins)
£10/£8 Recommended for 16+
One girl, two cities, on a journey of self-discovery. “Step into the raw and relatable world of LEI-LDN”, a compelling play following Chardaye, a young mixed-race woman, as she relocates from Leicester to South London. Blending spoken word, comedy, and movement, LEI-LDN offers a vibrant exploration of identity and belonging.
SAT 2 NOV
Artopia / ART FOR ART’S SAKE- A CELEBRATION OF CROYDON
16.00 (60 mins)
£10/£8 Recommended for 18+
Artopia presents Art For Art’s Sake, a multi-media event produced, written and performed by those with lived experience of homelessness using drama, live music, dance, song, spoken word, stand up comedy and animation.
SUN 3 NOV
Jessie Wren-Jacobs / This Porno does not pass the Bechdel Test
13.00 (55 mins)
£10/£8 Recommended for 16+
The chance to win the night of your dreams with semi-famous porn star Lance Hardwood.’ Sienna’s won the competition and now it’s time to reap the reward. Sex. Ethics. Jason Derulo. This hilarious feminist tragicomedy will give you a night you won’t forget.
Surrey Harmony Chorus / Happy Together
15.30 (45 mins)
£10/£8 Suitable for all
Surrey Harmony is a group of friendly, fun-loving women who meet each week to enjoy the pleasure of singing four-part A Cappella together. Using just the blend of our voices to create great music, we sing for fun, to entertain and in competition. Why not come and join us?
Dick Denham / Tricky (Work-In-Progress)
18.30 (55 mins)
£10/£8 Suitable for 18+
Surreal, Croydon-based comedian Dick Denham (LGBTQ+ New Act of the Year Runner-up 2022) returns with this 45-minute work-in-progress stand-up show Tricky, to share his myriad observations on British culture, living in Croydon, mental health, being queer, getting older, and the absurd moments that life often throws at us. Supported by Chipo Kureya.
Dance Double Bill
WED 6 NOV
£15/£10 Recommended for 12+
Elise Antonia and Marlon Matenhese / Paradigm
7.30pm Studio 55
Paradigm unfolds as a miraculous story based on the true events of a young woman’s experience maturing into her womanhood. Venturing away from everything she thought she knew, she is faced with unimaginable choices to make and profusely battles with her moral compass in search for an opportunity to reset the timeline.
Elise ‘Hummingbird’ Antonia and Marlon ‘Cosmic’ Matenhese are FLOCK members of award-winning Hip Hop Architects BirdGang. Paradigm was developed during BirdGang’s Arts Council England funded HATCHWORK24 programme and first performed at Stanley Arts.
Sarah Baltzinger & Isaiah Wilson / MEGASTRUCTURE
8.30pm The Braithwaite Hall
MEGASTRUCTURE is a puzzle, a dance duet whose pieces are constantly being dismantled, tested and reinvented. Co-creators and performers Sarah Baltzinger and Isaiah Wilson draw on their bodies to deconstruct the traditional format of dance pieces.
What does the audience expect in a performance? What is necessary to create? Without music or other distractions, MEGASTRUCTURE is both an immersive experience and a captivating performance.
“a vast vocabulary of unique-looking movements, create a mesmerizing performance: often violent, at times whimsical, but always inventive.” Marina Srnka, Springback Magazine
CroydonBites
Fri 8 Nov 7pm
£15/£10 Recommended for 16+
CroydonBites is a programme for local artists with short works, some of them making their debut performance.
Molly-Rose Curran / Bug & Beetle
Bug & Beetle follows the disappearance of a young man from his childhood home in Thornton Heath and the days following as family members and friends come together to solve the mystery of his whereabouts. A new play in development by Molly-Rose Curran, this scratch performance is directed by Kay Michael. Made thanks to Croydon Council’s London Borough of Culture Legacy Fund.
Catherine Pestano / The Menopause & Me (and Us!)
We are hearing more about the menopause but it leaves so much out. Join Catherine for a quirky dive into some of the diverse aspects of our many collective menopause journeys. Help her shape this creative work in progress. Open to all genders and ages. (Explicit conversational content).
Grand Gesture / Rite of Autumn
Grand Gesture is a company of geri-anarchists creatively staging ageing through dance theatre. Rite of Autumn, their latest work, shows how ageing is not an end, but an ongoing cycle. Inspired by the structure of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, playful games lead to the selection of a sacrifice.
Jasmin Cherrelle Skeete (playsbyjcs) / Broken Heels
Cherrelle and Jess’ friendship unravels after a lighthearted moment leads to deeper conversations about insecurities and life. After Cherrelle fails at a job Jess helped her secure, Jess ends their friendship, feeling held back. Both women reflect, realising their paths must diverge for personal growth.
CroydonBites
Sat 9 Nov 7pm
£15/£10 Recommended for 16+
CroydonBites is a programme for local artists with short works, some of them making their debut performance.
Maria Beadell / We Can’t All Be Field Mice
We Can’t All Be Field Mice is a one woman performance across eras, centred around a single bed. This piece explores empathy, understanding and tolerance within the context of historical witch hunts and modern feminism.
Rustamski
Discover the captivating spoken word poetry that blends sci-fi, the charm of Labradors, and the energy of ParkRuns in Croydon. Rustamski engages audiences with imaginative tales and relatable themes, making each performance a unique exploration of life, community, and creativity. Join the journey and be inspired!
Adeola Yemitan / Good News
Ade has intel that the end of the world is nigh, for real this time. And the instruction is clear: to make disciples of all nations. One such former disciple is Ade’s estranged friend, Joni. Rumour is, she’s running from God and has lost her way. Ade knows he must do whatever he can to save her from the jaws of Death before time runs out… so what’s a little bit of kidnap in the grand scheme of eternal damnation? Good News is a playful work-in-progress extract asking, how far is too far to go for the Truth?
Peace of MIND / Transported
Transported is a collection of short scenes exploring the impact of public transport on mental health. Inspired by personal experience Peace of MIND show how even small journeys across town can have a devastating impact on mental wellbeing. Peace of MIND are a community drama group based at MIND Croydon.
TUE 12 NOV 7.30pm
£15 / £10 Recommended for 14+
James Rowland Dies at the End of the Show
What would you do with an hour? What if it was your last hour ever? For James the answer is easy: he wants to tell you a story. A story full of laughter and music and joy. A story about living. The third and final part of a trilogy that began with Learning to Fly.
If you’ve never seen Fringe stalwart James Rowland, stop reading and immediately book tickets: you can thank me later ★★★★★ Three Weeks
A master storyteller ★★★★ The Scotsman
Breathtakingly funny ★★★★ Binge Fringe
Joyful★★★★ Theatre Review
THU 14 & FRI 15 NOV 7.30pm
£15 / £10 Recommended for 16+
Wendy Houstoun / Watch It!
‘A brilliant renaissance woman of performance art.’ New York Times (please put this at the top of the page)
In quite possibly her last ever show Wendy Houstoun teams up with Kate Champion (Australia) and Hannes Langolf (UK, Germany) to create a personal and irreverent solo.
More stand up than dance around, WATCH IT! asks questions about identity, personal truth and political ideology in a ridiculous Game Show for One.
What happens to the individual in the midst of ideological regulation?
Is it possible to ask questions without being cast as a reactionary?
Is self-censorship driving thought underground?
Secrecy, privacy and the public domain are all on the table in a show that combines projection, spoken word and idiosyncratic movement.
Made with financial support as part of DV8 Physical Theatre’s Legacy Commissions.
SAT 16 – SUN 24 NOV
1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm (not MON 18th)
£100 / £75 / £50 Suitable for 16+
Deadweight / The Manikins: a work in progress
Have you ever wanted a story which is more than just about something, but is that something?
The Manikins: a work in progress is a ninety-minute performance by two actors for you, its single audience member and protagonist.
It is a labyrinthine conspiracy, a cold war between dream and reality, a constantly transforming psychedelic world that slips like sand between your fingers.
Winner of the GEST Best in Fest award at the 2024 Gothenburg Fringe and one of The Stage’s top 50 shows of 2023, Broadway World calls The Manikins: a work in Progress “a dark, mystery-laden masterpiece.”
★★★★★ “This is the best immersive show of 2024, and it may take many more years for anything else to come close to it.” – Immersive Rumours
★★★★★ “An adventure into the avant garde… It really does leave a surreal, indelible mark like a vivid dream.” – London Theatre Reviews
★★★★ “(A) dark, mystery-laden masterpiece” – Broadway World