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Charity number: 1077161
Company number: 3724349
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Past programme
Showcases an eclectic range of fresh and interesting contemporary work, largely by emerging artists
Facilitators Network's First Meeting
At Blue Elephant Theatre we are creating a Facilitators Network, and we want to invite you to join us.
The journey of freelance Theatre & Performance facilitation is incredibly rewarding but also challenging. Co-Artistic and Participation Director, Jo Sadler-Lovett has worked as a drama facilitator for 15 years, it is from this experience that the idea for this network is born.
Professional stress and isolation can play a damaging part in our lives, especially when compounded by the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. We want to build support amongst peers locally so that everyone feels they have colleagues in the industry that they can relate to.
We want to invite facilitators with all kinds of experience to join us in creating this space. We particularly encourage facilitators who work or live in South London.
Our first meeting will be via Zoom on the 28th of January from 10:30 am to 12 pm.
If you can't join us this time, just drop us an email at mariana@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk so we can keep you in the loop for the following meetups.
We will meet bi-monthly, in a mix-mode (virtual and in-person meetings when possible), share some tea, coffee and/or biscuits, and explore new approaches, test ideas, find creative solutions to problems, but most important of all, create meaningful connections with other humans!
Where Are You From? (Community Arts)
Since September we have been working with an incredible group on our Community Play project and we would like to present their hard work in Where Are You From?
The starting point was to create a play that reflects the communities in our area, which has been so shaped by migration, and to bring different generations together.
Over four months, with our facilitators Jess Alade and Ore Olowokere, the Community Play actors have been sharing stories, exchanging ideas and collaborating to create Where Are You From?
Dates and Times: Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd at 8pm, and Sunday 23rd at 5pm
Tickets are free but you are required to book a ticket for entry
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.
Supported by
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The Search for Santa
Join a quest to prove Santa exists!
It’s Christmas Eve in the North Pole and a pair of unlikely companions are on a scientific mission. They will prove to all the doubting grown-ups that Santa exists and then he can enjoy a celebrity lifestyle! After all, who doesn’t want fame and fortune?
Dr. S and Pringle the Penguin are setting off on the adventure of a lifetime but they have a lot more to learn than they realise….
All weekday performances are currently booked out by groups. Weekend performances are at 2pm & 4.30pm. There is currently good availability on Sunday 12th & 19th December but Saturday 11th & 18th are very busy, with some performances fully booked.
Suitable for ages 3+, best suited to 5 - 10 year olds.
Running time: 1 hour approx
Please note: All performances will be relaxed to encourage children to feel comfortable and welcome. If anyone in your party has access needs, please contact us on 02077010100 or info@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk so we can ensure your visit is as smooth as possible. Blue Elephant’s theatre space is on the ground floor and wheelchair accessible but our café space upstairs is not.
Blue Elephant is operating covid secure measures. We ask adults to wear masks and have a new ventilation system in place. We are also reducing capacity.
Elephantology Monologue Showcase Night
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Elephantology is Blue Elephant Theatre’s Festival for recent graduates and those who are just entering the performing arts industry.
We're hosting two evenings on Thursday 11th and Friday 26th November showcasing monologues that were created during training that didn't get to be performed because of the lockdown, or which have a life beyond their final performance.
On November 26th, Alex Alderton, Edward Wheatley, Jonny Brace, Valia Katsi, Claudia Jones, Mark Yeates, Georgina Tack, Chelsea Bondzanga, Charlotte Steward & Antonia White will all be performing.
Expect a variety of performances from exciting new performers and writers entering the performing arts industry. Tickets are Pay What You Can. Capacity is limited so book early!
Supported by
Loud
Loud is a product of experience, a comedy musical about growing up as a female in our current society. It’s like our diaries being put on stage for all to hear! The show works on breaking down the so-called ‘ladylike’ boundaries, and nothing is off limits. Milestone by milestone, the audience revisits various stages of life, as told through relatable and funny songs.
With all-original music, SEEDS Productions uses the female voice to talk about growing up and everything a woman isn’t meant to talk about…The stories are told in a fun and interactive way, for all to enjoy!
SEEDS Productions is formed of two best friends, Lillie Seeds and Angharad Griffiths. They met at Rose Bruford Drama School where three years of singing, creating, and clowning around together culminated in this, their debut show Loud. In the last year they have also begun development on a musical/stand-up show Don’t Overyract.
Loud is approximately 30 minutes long.
Special thanks for all involvement, help & support:
Imogen Khan
Dr Pheobe Patey- Ferguson
Amy Seymour
Eddie Stocker
Dr Luis Campos
Catherine Birmingham
Supported by
Swedish
Man makes a plan and God laughs.
One more heist to set them up for retirement - it all seems too easy or does it? With the payout of a lifetime at stake, Butlins Bill and Frenchie risk everything in the hope of a peaceful future. But will they be thwarted by dodgy prawns, nosey neighbours and rival crime gangs?
Brian Beaton’s new black comedy Swedish tells a story of friendship, money and unfulfilled dreams. South London actor Billy Colvill and poet John Smallshaw team up as the hapless crime duo Butlins Bill and French Face Frenchie to provide a tour de force in character comedy.
Swedish is the second play from writer/director Brian Beaton, a long-time member of Blue Elephant’s Writers’ Group. This absurd comedy will tickle your funny bone and touch your heart.
“Swedish entertains from the get go, tapping into the absurd...a surrealist, imaginative evening” Theatre Full Stop
Earlybird tickets available until 30th October.
Pursuit of Happiness
“How selfish is Happiness? Extremely. That’s why you should pursue it” - India Smith.
Pursuit of Happiness is a patchwork journey into the ‘feminine’, on a quest to achieve personal happiness.
Through mixed media and physical theatre, 3/hers explores the feminine pursuit of happiness as seen in classical texts, contrasting this with what this quest means for women from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
3/hers is a female/nonbinary performance collective focused on the stories and experiences of those who identify with womanhood and the feminine. The residency at Blue Elephant allowed the collective to further develop this piece of work, researching what the pursuit of happiness means to them personally and how other women/people who identify with the female experience have pursued their own happiness. The collective developed a show that evolved from existing material to achieve a more worldly understanding of what happiness means to women, and to reclaim female knowledge and the history of sacrifices that some women have made on the journey to happiness.
Pursuit of Happiness is approximately 30 minutes long and there will be a Q&A afterwards.
Pursuit of Happiness was originally created as a dissertation piece at Rose Bruford College.
Supported by
Harmony in Diversity: Black History Month Celebration
Join Blue Elephant as we come together to celebrate Black History Month 2021. This month we have been celebrating the diverse cultures that come together to make Black British culture, by thinking about the history of places in the UK that have become celebrated and well-known due to diverse Black cultures.
Our celebratory event features a new performance, created in response to our workshops throughout the month, as well as screenings of some of the short monologues created during Black History Month 2020, inspired by powerful figures like Serena Williams and Madam CJ Walker. Join us at 3pm for an especially family-friendly event or at 7.30pm.
We also want to hear from you and there will be an open mic session as part of each event, giving you the opportunity to share anything important to you about this wonderful month. Whether it be poems, songs or spoken word, we want to see it all!
The events are free but spaces are limited so please book in advance. These events are supported by Southwark Council’s Black History Month Fund.
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Black History Month Harmony in diversity: Writing & Drama Workshops
This Black History Month, Blue Elephant is running workshops for children and young people to celebrate the diverse cultures that come together to make Black British culture.
The workshops will explore the history of areas that have become celebrated and well-known due to diverse Black cultures forming communities there. With many of these places going through changes, especially in London, it is important for these histories to be remembered and shared. Our workshops will explore the journeys local places took to become cultural hubs through drama and writing activities, ultimately encouraging young people to write their own pieces inspired by the workshop.
The workshops are free but spaces are limited so please book in advance. They are most suitable for ages 8 - 12. These events are supported by Southwark Council’s Black History Month Fund
Details:
Wednesday 27th - 10.30am - 12pm
Thursday 28th October - 2.30pm - 4pm
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Bluebeard
A key. A cellar. A secret.
All is not what it seems in this devised adaptation of the story popularized by Charles Perrault. Halfpace Theatre uses the chilling folktale as a launching point to explore intersectional, gendered violence and the all-too-real monsters that hide in our society.
This is Halfpace Theatre's showcase as part of their Elephantology residency.
Tickets are free to book but Pay What You Can donations (cash or card) are very welcome on the night
Supported by
Community Play
Blue Elephant Theatre is delighted to be running a Community Play project and we want YOU to join us!
Our starting point is the idea of London child/migrant parents (or grandparents...or great-grandparents...). We are looking to create a community play that reflects the communities in our area, which has been so shaped by migration, and brings different generations together.
We hope to bring adults and teenagers together to take part in drama activities, share stories and create your own play which will be performed publicly at the Blue Elephant in January. If you have ever wanted to try performing and creating in fun, supportive and collaborative workshops, this is a perfect opportunity. It is a chance to build confidence, meet new people and get on stage!
We are looking to bring together members of the community from all walks of life, everyone over the age of 16 is welcome. Our theatre space is wheelchair accessible with an accessible toilet.
Starting on 27th September 2021, the group will meet on Monday evenings from 7pm - 9pm until January 2022 when the performances will be held from the 14th - 16th.
Please sign up by calling 02077010100 or emailing info@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk
Supported by
Blue Elephant Theatre Street Party
Join us on Saturday September 18th for a street party on the Wyndham Road side of the Jessie Duffett Hall!
Planned with our Youth Board and made possible by a grant from Southwark Council's Cultural Celebrations Fund, the day will feature 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):
12pm-6pm: All day games and art activities. Food stalls open. Free cake for early arrivals.
12.15pm – 12.45pm: Drama workshop for 4 – 7 year olds
12:30pm-1:30pm: Art Workshop – Creating Elephant Decorations
1.30pm-2pm: Daisy’s Story: It’s Good to be Me (performance for children)
2pm – 3.30pm-Art Workshop – Creating a mural
2:15pm-2.45pm: Drama Workshop for Young People
3pm-3.30pm: Daisy’s Story: It’s Good to be Me (performance for children)
4pm-4:30pm: Live Music
4:45pm-5.15pm: Drama Workshop for All Ages
5.30-6: Salsa workshop
6:15: Live Music
6:30: Comedy
Blue Elephant Theatre will be open for bathroom facilities, just a few minutes walk away.
Supported by
Playing Up!
Come and discover new ways to play together, and activities you and your child can take away for even more fun at home!
There are three different workshops with a choice of times to join them: 9.00am - 10.00am, 10.15am - 11.30am & 3.30pm - 4.45pm.
Workshop 1 - Hide and Speak (7th September)
This workshop encourages both adults and children to act, sing and dance whilst going on a journey together through a forest. Children will be learning about their bodies and discovering their voices with their favourite teacher... you!
Workshop 2 - Feelings Friend (10th September)
A workshop encouraging children and adults to think about emotions and how they are expressed.
Workshop 3 - Listen and Dance (11th September)
This workshop encourages both adults and children to use music and sound to inspire actions and movements.
One of the facilitators is a Spanish-speaker and will provide translations if needed. For ages 18 months - 3 years.
These workshops will take place at St Matthew's Church, Meadow Row, SE1 6RG.
Playing Up! is supported by Elephant & Castle Community Fund and is specially intended for people living near Elephant & Castle.
Supported by
Elephantology Workshops & Talks
Blue Elephant Theatre has received support from the Idlewild Trust to offer online workshops and talks to those starting their careers in the performing arts.
Spaces on these events are free but limited and are intended for those who are just entering the industry, especially if you’ve just completed training or graduated from a course in the last eighteen months.
Introduction to Self-Taping –Thursday June 17th at 2pm
Bryony Tebbutt of Self-Tape Solutions offers a thorough introduction to self-taping for actors. Book here.
How to be an Arts Freelancer – Wednesday July 21st at 7pm
Invoicing and getting paid for your work?! Expenses and Tax Returns! – starting out as a freelancer in the arts can all be a bit much. Join Sam and Dean from Jozara for a session designed to challenge what you think you know about being self-employed in the arts, and answer your questions, so you can live your best freelance life.
After booking feel free to email dean@jozara.co.uk with anything specific you would like covered.
Book here.
Making Work with and for Young People – Wednesday August 4th at 2pm
A workshop with Blue Elephant Theatre’s Participation Director Jo Sadler-Lovett. Book here.
Writing an ACE Project Grant Application – Monday August 23rd at 2pm
A practical workshop with the Blue Elephant team to kickstart your first – or next – application for funding. Book here.
Elephantology Talk – Wednesday August 25th at 7.15pm
We talk to a range of artists about entering the theatre industry, their work and what advice they would give to their younger selves. These talks seek to offer new theatre artists a welcoming and inclusive space to learn and reflect and *virtually* meet inspiring artists. On August 25th, we will be talking to Matt Woodhead from LUNG Theatre and writer/director Tyrell Williams. Book here.
Elephantology Talk – Wednesday September 1st at 7pm
We talk to a range of artists about entering the theatre industry, their work and what advice they would give to their younger selves. These talks seek to offer new theatre artists a welcoming and inclusive space to learn and reflect and *virtually* meet inspiring artists. On September 1st, we will be talking to directors Sepy Baghaei and Mingyu Lin. Book here.
All talks and workshops will be between 90 minutes and two hours long and we aim to have opportunities for networking. These opportunities are not limited to graduates only but to anyone who has just started a career in the performing arts.
Please note that we are rescheduling the Elephantology Talk originally scheduled for June 30th.
Supported by
Daisy's Story: It's good to be me
Daisy thinks her job is rubbish. Nobody seems to understand her and she feels like she’s unimportant, so she seeks her own adventure.
A play for families about discovering self-worth and self-acceptance.
Tickets are FREE, but booking is advised to guarantee availability.
Suitable for ages 2+
Please note these performances take place at Elephant Park, SE17 1UB.
