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Company number: 3724349

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Past programme

Showcases an eclectic range of fresh and interesting contemporary work, largely by emerging artistslondondance.com
Theatre

Give Me The Sun

Written by Mamet Leigh
Directed by Majid Mehdizadeh

Dates
Wednesday 20 July 2022 - Saturday 30 July 2022

Please note that the performance on Tuesday 19 July is cancelled due to the extreme heatwave, for the safety and comfort of all. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Why did we come here? To the UK?

Bashir and Baba live in a council house in London.
Baba, once a doctor in Egypt, works in Tesco.
Bashir plays basketball with his friends and wonders what his home country was like.
What has happened since the Arab Spring?

Give Me the Sun is a beautiful and compelling new play, exploring what happens when too much is left unsaid for too long. A seemingly perfect father-son relationship unravels to reveal grief, loss and loneliness.

Written by Mamet Leigh, a pioneer of the Tehran Underground Theatre Movement, Give Me the Sun addresses the complexity of finding your place in a new country and how different that can be for each person.

Wednesday 27 July: Relaxed Performance
Thursday 28 July: Captioned by Stagetext


Writer
Mamet Leigh
Director
Majid Mehdizadeh
Designer
Jida Akil
Lighting Designer
Laura Howard
Sound Designer
Ali Taie
Production Manager
Eva Collins Alonso

Supported by

  • Arts Council England
Theatre

The Blue House

Dates
Tuesday 7 June 2022 - Saturday 25 June 2022

"Have you ever felt so sad you thought you’d never be happy again?”

Charles, Billie and Alex live in the same house but they never see each other. Charles’ wife of 50 years has passed away. Billie is reeling from heartbreak. Alex’s dad recently took his own life, and now he’s facing his own depression.

Gaia Fay Lambert’s moving debut play is a series of interweaving monologues. It blends poetry with theatre as its three characters attempt to articulate universal experiences of loneliness, loss and longing. The Blue House looks to provide the audience with hope, healing and solidarity after some of the most turbulent and lonely years in living memory.

With previous work described as “spectacular” and “boundlessly imaginative”, Helikon Theatre Company bring their bold and innovative style to the intimate space at the Blue Elephant, in an intense evening of theatre crafted by a collective of exciting new artists.

Past praise for Helikon Theatre Company

“Helikon’s modernisation is spectacular”
Mark Aspen Reviews

“This radical portrayal of A Winter’s Tale was refreshing, dynamic and most of all well performed.”
Theatrebox

“beautifully presented, addictive and compelling to watch, it strips the theatre to a cavernous space and offers it a place to breathe [...] I urge you to go and see this production, I leave the theatre rebounding and reeling with ideas, an inspiring undertaking.”
TheatreFullStop

“Boundlessly imaginative, visually poetic, joyfully queer, anarchically playful with the text, somebody give this team space”
Naomi Kuyck-Cohen, Theatre & Performance Designer

CAPTIONED PERFORMANCE: 25 June, 8pm
Captioned by Stagetext


Director
Myles O'Gorman
Writer
Gaia Fay Lambert
Designer
Hazel Low
Producer
Jake Curran-Pipe
Sound Designer
Jamie Lu
Lighting Designer
Kevin Murphy
Stage Manager
Amy Hales
Publicity Designer
Andy Thornton

Supported by

  • Arts Council England
Family

Cow's Rainy Day / Ana & Silly

 

Dates
Friday 20 May 2022 - Wednesday 22 June 2022

Your favourite cow and squirrels are back for FREE performances in libraries and community centres all around South London!

Suitable for ages 2+
Running Time: 30 minutes approx.
Tickets are FREE but should be booked in advance to avoid disappointment.

_______________________________
COW’S RAINY DAY

Cow is very excited about celebrating his best friend Amy's birthday. He's planning to make her the most amazing card she's ever seen.
But things don't go quite to plan and Cow feels down.
Luckily Amy is there to help Cow feel better - but she needs some helpers. Can you join her and cheer Cow up?

Cow's Rainy Day is a short play for children, about learning new things, accepting mistakes, trying hard and being friends.

Dates:
• 20 May, 11am and 12pm at Mercato Metropolitano, 42 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6DR
• 26 May, 4pm at John Harvard Library, 211 Borough High St, London SE1 1JA
• 22 June, 2pm & 4pm at Peckham Library, 122 Peckham Hill St, London SE15 5JR

_______________________________
ANA & SILLY

Ana the Squirrel enjoys a simple life collecting and counting acorns. Ana's not prepared for the arrival of cousin Silly who announces that soon all will change and they will both go to school!

A short children’s show about transitions and making friends.

Dates:
• 30 May, 11am at Walworth Library, 147 Walworth Rd, London SE17 1RW
• 30 May, 2pm at Camberwell Library, 48 Camberwell Green, London SE5 7AL
• 5 June, 1pm, 2pm & 3pm, Elephant Park, Elephant Rd, London SE17 1UB
• 21 June, 2pm & 4pm at Dulwich Library, 368 Lordship Ln, London SE22 8NB


Supported by

  • Team London Bridge
Comedy

BLUE ELEPHANT COMEDY NIGHT

 

Date
Wednesday 1 June 2022

THE BIG RETURN OF COMEDY AT BLUE ELEPHANT!

A terrific line-up of up-and-coming comedians is taking over our theatre space for one night - grab a drink and witness some of the most exciting acts the UK comedy circuit has to offer!

Including:

MICAH HALL
BRONWYN SWEENEY
BRANDON PALMER
KATE LOVELOCK

More TBA!
Compered by FITZGERALD HONGER

MICAH HALL

Micah has recently been a finalist for the Southend On Sea Best New Comer award, runner-up for the Brighton Grin New Comedian competition, and Comedy Store’s King Gong Winner (August 2021)
“Definitely one to watch!” – Russell Kane

BRONWYN SWEENEY

Bronwyn is an advertising creative by day and draws on her experiences of making ads that no one wants to watch to inspire her comedy. She was the runner-up in the Funny Women Awards show in 2021 and hopes that one day, her side hustle may become her full-time hustle.

BRANDON PALMER

Born in Baltimore, Maryland. Brandon started comedy in London and has a very diverse comedy background. Performing in Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Brighton and numerous venues in London such as Dulwich Hamlet, Caverndish Arms, and Comedy Cafe Theatre. Outside of London Brandon has performed in Scotland and Norway. Also survived King Gong twice at the Comedy Store.

KATE LOVELOCK

Kate started stand up because Glamour magazine told her it was a good thing to improve confidence. That was two years before she actually tried it because they hadn’t done an article on how to stop procrastinating yet.
She was the runner up in the National "Joke For Scope" competition in 2018, semi-finalist of the “So You Think You’re Funny?” in 2019. Kate is one of "Leicester Comedy Festival's Circuit Breakers 2022", with sets streamed to Next Up Comedy and broadcast on Union Jack Radio.

FITZGERALD HONGER

A regular on the London comedy circuit, Fitzgerald Honger is a dynamic comedian who has performed in top comedy clubs across London and the UK including Up the Creek and the comedy store. When not doing comedy, Fitz is a producer. He’s worked for international companies spanning PR and broadcast television including MTV and Discovery, and has developed a wealth of contacts within the TV and entertainment industries.


Facilitators Network Meet Up

 

Date
Friday 29 April 2022

Join us for Facilitators Network Meetup!

Are you looking for a community to share, connect and learn with?

At Blue Elephant we are holding Online meet ups to explore topics around drama facilitation. We are interested in building bridges, create a community and learn with others!

Facilitators with all levels of experience are welcome.


Theatre

Open House at BET

 

Dates
Thursday 21 April 2022 - Friday 22 April 2022

Join us on Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd to meet our incoming programming team for this coming year and say goodbye for now to co-Artistic Directors, Niamh and Jo!

Blue Elephant’s ethos of supporting bold new work and early career artists remains at the heart of our programming, which will soon be looked after by Guillaume and Alice.

After a quiet few months, we can’t wait to be looking to the future more and invite you to come meet us and see if working at the Blue Elephant is for you. Our usual agreements include a 50/50 box office split, bespoke marketing, fundraising and creative support and some free rehearsal space. We champion early career and independent artists, particularly from under-represented backgrounds, and new work. We will rarely programme productions of established scripts or work that has already had significant runs in London.

If you’d like to find out more about us, join us on Zoom on Thursday 21st April from 10.30am – 11.30am or come along to the Blue Elephant from 6.15pm on Friday 22nd April.


Family

Cow's Rainy Day

 

Date
Wednesday 20 April 2022

South London's favourite cow is back, with a special performance of Cow's Rainy Day at Walworth Library!

Cow is very excited about celebrating his best friend Amy's birthday. He's planning to make her the most amazing card she's ever seen.

But things don't go quite to plan and Cow feels down.

Luckily Amy is there to help Cow feel better - but she needs some helpers. Can you join her and cheer Cow up?

Cow's Rainy Day is a short play for children, about learning new things, accepting mistakes, trying hard and being friends.

Suitable for ages 2+

Running Time: 30 minutes approx. Tickets are FREE but should be booked in advance to avoid disappointment.

Please note that this performance will take place at Walworth Library (147 Walworth Rd, London SE17 1RW) and not at Blue Elephant Theatre


Community arts

Drama Workshops for Wellbeing

 

Dates
Tuesday 15 March 2022 - Tuesday 12 April 2022

We are offering three different drama workshops as part of a project supported by Southwark Council that aim to improve the physical and mental well-being of our community aimed at those most affected by COVID.

The workshops are free, every Tuesday till the 12th of April at Jack Hobbs Club (Maddock Way, London SE17 3JD), in the Brandon Estate.

Our three offerings are:

10am - Drama and dance workshops for parents/primary caregivers and children aged 1-3.

11.15am - Social dance for older adults, adults living with dementia, and carers are welcome.

12.30pm - Drama workshops for adults of all ages, providing a space for creative expression and exploration.

To register your interest or to ask any questions please feel free to call us on 020 7701 0100 or email info@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk.

The venue is wheelchair accessible, please feel free to contact us for any accessibility questions.


Supported by

  • Southwark Council
Theatre

Under Pressure!

 

Date
Saturday 2 April 2022

Under Pressure! is an evening of 10-minute scratch performances brought to you by the MA Collaborative Theatre students of Fourth Monkey.

This scratch night is a platform for new, dynamic work and a chance for audiences to get a glimpse of what these emerging theatre-makers are currently exploring. For the artists, it’s the chance to experiment in a supportive environment in front of a live audience.

As the title suggests, all the characters depicted in the performances feel neck-deep, in the thick of it, and like it’s all pressing down on them... Under Pressure! is set to be an eclectic menu of drama, clowning, spoken word, comedy, and performance art.

Created and performed by the MA Collaborative Theatre Students of Fourth Monkey, who make boundary-pushing, exciting, contemporary art that shakes up the status quo. Formed of eight artists with varying backgrounds; they are made up of a dancer, a comedian, a hairdresser, and everything in between. One thing they have in common is that they like to make bold work together. Later in the year, they are touring to the Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol and the Garden Theatre Festival in Bath.

Suitable for ages 14+, with some strong language.


Community arts

Community Street Party

 

Date
Saturday 26 March 2022

After the success of our first Community Street Party, we are back!

Join us on Saturday March 26th from 12pm - 5pm for a street party on the Wyndham Road side of the Jessie Duffett Hall!

Supported by Southwark Council's Cultural Celebrations Fund, it will be a family focused day with workshops and performances and be open to all.

It's a day of celebration and a chance to get to know Blue Elephant and its activities better!

Schedule (subject to change)
12.15pm: Performance of What If? (for ages 2+)
12.45pm: Performance of The Quest (best for ages 4 - 10))
1.45 – 2.15: Drama workshop
2.30pm: Tell Me a Story by After Hours (community drama group)
3.15pm-3.45pm: Drama Workshop
4:15pm-4:45pm: Live Music

Blue Elephant Theatre will be open for bathroom facilities, just a few minutes walk away.


Supported by

  • Southwark Council
Family

The Girl and the Dragon

 

Date
Sunday 6 March 2022

Get ready for a fantastical show to warm the heart and bring joy to people young and old alike. Join our hero Toral on the adventure of a lifetime as she swims uncrossable rivers, braves impassable forests and scales unclimbable mountains, all to fight a great and terrible dragon.

Performed by the delightfully talented Niall Moorjani and Minnie Wilkinson, this story proves that heroes can come from anywhere and villains aren’t always what they seem.

The Suitcase Storytelling Company is a new theatre company creating work that blends found object theatre with oral tradition storytelling for family audiences. They aim to bring joy and excitement to their audiences through original folk tale-style stories with diverse characters and progressive narratives.

This children's show is for ages 5 and up.

Special thanks to: Arts Council England

Additional Information:
If you have any access requirements, please contact us on 020 7701 0100 or info@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk. Our theatre space is on the ground floor and is wheelchair accessible but our bar is upstairs and unfortunately is not.

Our bar and our box office open 45 minutes before each show starts.

Please do not be late as we may be unable to admit latecomers.

Covid-safety: We are operating at reduced capacity so there can be more space between audience members and we have recently installed a new ventilation system. It is now necessary by law to wear a mask in the theatre, unless you are exempt. We clean down and disinfect high touch points regularly and hand sanitiser/hand washing facilities are available as soon as you arrive at the theatre.


Reviews

“Not only was The Girl and the Dragon entirely heart warming, but it filled us with hope.”

The Norwich Radical

Writer
Niall Moorjani
Artwork
Robyn Nisbet
Fight Choreographer
Valentine Hanson
Design
Arkem Walton
Music
Tom Birch
Cast
Niall Moorjani and Minnie Wilkinson

Supported by

Family

Jack Frost

 

Date
Sunday 20 February 2022

A magical, wintery production brings Jack Frost to life through puppetry, music and enchanting storytelling. Meet our mischievous sprite as he takes us on a snowy adventure and spreads winter wherever he goes. But wrap up warm or you’ll catch him nipping at your fingers and toes! A story of friendship and bravery to warm our hearts this winter.

Moon On A Stick transform the stage once more using their unique combination of light play, song and visual theatre to reimagine this well-known Nordic legend. A playful production perfect for children 3+

This performance is free as it will be filmed.

Additional Information:

If you have any access requirements, please contact us on 020 7701 0100 or info@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk. Our theatre space is on the ground floor and is wheelchair accessible but our bar is upstairs and unfortunately is not. Our bar and our box office open 45 minutes before each show starts.

Covid-safety: We are operating at reduced capacity so there can be more space between audience members and we have recently installed a new ventilation system. We encourage adults to wear a mask in the theatre, unless you are exempt. We clean down and disinfect high touch points regularly and hand sanitiser/hand washing facilities are available as soon as you arrive at the theatre.


Reviews

"The children were totally absorbed."

Everything Theatre on The Little Match Girl

Family

Ana and Silly

 

Dates
Thursday 17 February 2022 - Friday 18 February 2022

Ana the Squirrel enjoys a simple life collecting and counting acorns. Ana's not prepared for the arrival of cousin Silly who announces that soon all will change and they will both go to school.

A short children’s show about transitions and making friends, Ana and Silly was first shown as ‘The Next Step’ at Elephant Park in summer 2021.

Performed by Amanda Vilanova and Mariana Aristizabal Pardo.

Thursday 17th February:

11am

12.30pm

2.30pm (in Spanish as Ana y Silly)

Friday 18th February:

10.30am

11.45am

Additional Information

Tickets are free but need to be booked

Best suited to ages 2 - 5

Running time: Approx 25 minutes

Additional Information:

If you have any access requirements, please contact us on 020 7701 0100 or info@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk. Our theatre space is on the ground floor and is wheelchair accessible but our bar is upstairs and unfortunately is not. Our bar and our box office open 45 minutes before each show starts.

Covid-safety: We are operating at reduced capacity so there can be more space between audience members and we have recently installed a new ventilation system. We encourage adults to wear a mask in the theatre, unless you are exempt. We clean down and disinfect high touch points regularly and hand sanitiser/hand washing facilities are available as soon as you arrive at the theatre.


Cast
Amanda Vilanova and Mariana Aristizabal Pardo.

Supported by

  • Team London Bridge
Community arts

Taster Workshops

 

Date
Tuesday 8 February 2022

The Blue Elephant is working with Southwark Public Health to offer workshops for wellbeing to Southwark residents! We have groups for different ages and we want to give you the opportunity to try the workshops before signing up for more!

10am -11am - Parents and Child Group

A workshop for adults and children aged 1-3 using drama and dance to encourage healthy movement, whilst opening up about issues such as stress and anxiety in parenting. Each ticket is for one child and one adult.

11.15am - 12.15pm - Dance with Dementia Group

Delivered by a Green Candle-trained dance facilitator, these sessions for people living with dementia will focus on movement and contemporary dance, providing gentle physical activity, stimulation and interaction. Each ticket is for an adult and a carer.

12.30-1.30 - Adults Well-being Group

These drama workshops will offer a creative and active outlet for adults who are seeking positive activities to improve their mental health and well-being.

All of the sessions are free. if you have any questions regarding the sessions please feel free to email us at info@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk or call us at 020 7701 0100.

These workshops are supported by Southwark Council.


Community arts

After Hours - Theatre Project for 18-25 year olds

 

Date
Monday 7 February 2022

Join After Hours - an eight week project for 18 - 25 year olds who want an opportunity to create and perform!

Over the eight weeks, with facilitator and actor Oliver Yellop, you will become an ensemble and create short shows for young audiences to be performed locally (on March 26th and another date around then TBC).

There are only eight spaces available so please get in touch quickly!

Details:

When: Mondays from 7pm-9pm from February 7th

Where: Blue Elephant Theatre

Expenses: Members will be given £5 expenses per session attended but receipts are needed

Eligibility: Must live in these Southwark Wards: Camberwell Green, Faraday, Newington, North Walworth or St Giles and be 18 - 25

We are looking for passionate young people who want to collaborate. Please note our theatre space is wheelchair accessible with an accessible toilet.

Please sign up by calling 02077010100 or emailing info@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk


Supported by

  • Southwark Council's Neighbourhoods Fund