Blue Elephant Theatre, Camberwell

We are programming shows in our 50 seat, black box venue and would love to hear from you!

We are programming shows from January to March 2025, for one, two or three week runs. We are interested in all performing arts shows but are particularly interested in any which connect to GCSE or A-Level texts and/or which resonate with our diverse urban London location and the communities here.

We will aim to programme as we receive applications but would ideally like to receive expressions of interest by November 20th so we can programme before Christmas.

We offer:
- Access to the space from 10am on the day of the performance with min 4 hours support from a technician (Shows will need their own operator)
- Marketing support including listing on our website, in our e-newsletters and on our social media. We can read and offer feedback on funding applications too.
- A 50/50 box office split BUT the first £100 of ticket sales for each night goes to the Blue Elephant towards staff costs, eg if £170 is taken, £100 goes to Blue Elephant and £70 goes to the company but so long as at least £200 is taken each night, both Blue Elephant and the company get the same split. We regret the need to introduce this practice but are trying to be sustainable in the wake of funding cuts.
- Full ticket price should be at least £14
- Some free rehearsal space (based on availability and length of run) and discounted rehearsal space

Please get in touch at submissions@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk if you would like to propose a show. We'd like to:
- Hear about the show and those involved
- See some past footage if available (or footage of work by the team)
- Read a script (even if it’s still a draft)
- Find out what dates you would like
- Hear what marketing plans you have for the show

You can see more about the theatre on the Info for Companies page. We are open to discussing programming shows beyond March 2025 but would not be in a position to confirm any shows until the new year.

Supported by Southwark Council’s Culture Together Fund, Blue Elephant Theatre’s Youth Board is programming three shows in March 2025.

These performances should be works of performing arts which platform or represent disabled artist(s) in some way. By disabled, we mean somebody who considers themselves to have a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and this may include impairments, long-term health conditions and neurodiversity.

At least one person involved in each application should live, work or study in Southwark, or have close ties to the borough, eg grew up there.

A payment of £600 will be made to each show programmed, with the expectation of one performance only. The show could be a finished, touring production or a work-in-progress showing using the fee as seed money to begin exploring a topic or anything inbetween! We will also split any box office takings equally between the Blue Elephant and the show.

Blue Elephant Theatre is a 50-seat black box theatre on the Wyndham & Comber Estate in Camberwell. The theatre space is at street level and accessible to wheelchair users and there is an accessible bathroom opposite the entrance to the space. There is a small dressing room of approximately 3.25m x 1.78m. Audiences do not enter the space until the show is ready to begin, however, so the dressing room does not necessarily need to be used. Our tech box is also very small but our technical equipment can be set up and operated from the theatre space if necessary. There is a slight lip at the edge of the stage and the floor has a dip in one corner.

There is a bar/café area upstairs where audience members usually wait before shows begin. While we are working with Southwark Council to make the building more accessible, currently the only way to go upstairs is to use the stairs.

Our Youth Board will choose the shows to be programmed and artists from shortlisted applications will be invited to meet the Youth Board members at an event on the afternoon of Friday, November 1st. Your application will still be considered, however, even if you are unable to attend on November 1st.

You will find more information and an Expression of Interest form here or the Large Print Information & Expression of Interest form is here and the Easy Read version is here. Please complete the form and email it, ideally as a word document, to submissions@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk. We are also happy to receive video or voice recorded applications. We don’t need long answers and will contact you if we need more information.

Applications close at 10am on October 23rd. We aim to be in touch about whether you’ll be invited to meet the Youth Board on November 1st as soon as possible after applications close.

We sat down with Anna, writer of new musical Windson High, and she shared some insights into the journey of writing her first stage play.

What inspired you to write Windson High? Was there a particular moment or experience that motivated you to start writing?
My inspiration mainly came from my love for musical theatre and the regret of my final school production being cancelled in high school. Studying abroad in London immersed me in the West End Theatre, which was one of the reasons I chose to study there. Over the last three years, watching different musicals has strengthened my desire to write one of my own, and I felt anything was possible in London! This is my final year here, and I want to write a short piece and bring it to the stage. I've loved musical theatre since childhood. I always wanted to be part of it but didn’t join because I didn’t think it would be a good fit, even though my friends encouraged me to do so. In my final year, when I finally decided to join by becoming part of the ensemble, it got cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. That disappointment stayed with me. Many of my secondary school friends (half of the cast) and I grew up together, and after this year, we will be even further apart. I wanted to create a memory we could all share, and thus, Windson High was created.

How did you begin the writing process for your first musical? What were the initial steps you took to bring your idea to life?
I started with the first monologue our main character Lin says at the beginning. It was last summer during sleepless nights when I typed everything out. The songs followed the monologue naturally. I’m the type of songwriter who waits for the melody to come to me, which can take a while. For instance, the opening song was written over a period of three months. I had the first verse in summer, but the rest came in December when I was having a night walk in Singapore. A few other melodies came from songs I wrote in my teenage years. After writing the songs, I worked on the stories. Many characters are inspired by my school life, combined with some of my favourite characters from musical theatre, such as Glinda from Wicked and Blanche Barrow from Bonnie & Clyde. Since I don’t read scores, Libby Yunqian Lyu helped me compose the songs, and I've also incorporated ideas from our cast and crew.

As this is your first-time writing a stage musical, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced? How did you navigate through them?
The biggest challenge was developing strong character motivations. As a film student, story writing is not my strength; I always find script writing difficult, even though I have many stories to tell. I think I am more visual than verbal. I navigated this by chatting with my cast and crew. Usually, I would ask my friends for ideas, but I wanted to keep Windson High a surprise, so I didn't ask many friends this time. Qianhan, Sophie, Paulina, and Xinglin helped me with proofreading and gave ideas, which I incorporated into the story! Another challenge was that the character Mr. Stanley, who is very complicated. As a 21-year-old, I have not yet become a parent nor reached middle age, so it was difficult to fully understand an older character and his experiences. However, there are many things I want to convey through this character, so I considered a lot of aspects while writing about him.

Who were your biggest supporters or mentors during the writing process? How did they influence your work?
Angela, a friend who encouraged me to pursue musical theatre back in high school and is also part of the producing team, has always been incredibly supportive. I can never thank her enough. Qianhan, who has been on this journey with me the longest, her optimism and positivity has influenced me a lot throughout the way. Kassandra and Isabella, who have supported me virtually from afar. Yanshi and Irene for always providing emotional support. Each member of the cast, Sophie, Billie, and Andrew, for always turning my impossibles into possibles. Rui, Paulina, and Theo for being lifesavers with their fantastic performing skills. I'm grateful to all of our crew for making this show happen, and to my family and friends who have supported my dream every step of the way!

How did you handle feedback and revisions for your first project? Can you share any significant changes that were made based on feedback?
I handled feedback and revisions for Windson High through a collaborative approach, regularly discussing ideas with my cast and crew and incorporating their suggestions. After each rehearsal, we would have an open dialogue session where cast and crew could provide crucial input in refining the story and characters. This process helped us uncover more details as we rehearsed, making the final piece stronger and more dynamic. For instance, some characters initially had unclear motivations, but after feedback from Qianhan & Paulina, I reworked their backstories and motivations, adding depth and complexity. Moreover, the musical numbers underwent several revisions. I collaborated with Libby Yunqian Lyu who arranged my melodies into songs, as I don’t read scores. My approach to songwriting is intuitive, waiting for melodies to come to me, and Libby helped bring those ideas to life. With Libby’s composing and my incorporation of ideas and suggestions received from performers to adjust the arrangements, ensuring the songs fit them well. Receiving feedback and being open to revisions allowed the project to evolve significantly, resulting in a polished and well-received final production.

Writing your first piece can be emotionally taxing. How did you balance the emotional highs and lows throughout the process?
I was actually happy most of the time while writing this piece. I think it's because I genuinely love musical theatre to the point where I don’t feel any negativity. Throughout the writing process, I found balance through my deep connection to music. Singing musical theatre songs has always been a part of my daily routine, but it became even more prominent during this writing period. Singing those songs has always been my way of relieving emotions, whether they were high or low. When I was emotionally high, I would belt out joyful or powerful songs, which allowed me to channel my excitement and joy into my work. Conversely, during low moments, I would sing sad songs, which not only helped me process my feelings but also served as a practice in emotional acting control, allowing me to train my genuine emotions through my performances.

What was it like seeing Windson High performed for the first time in rehearsals? How did it feel to see your work come to life on stage?
It reminded me of my high school days! Having not been involved in theatre productions since Year 10, I was filled with excitement to witness my work take shape on stage. Reflecting on my IGCSE history teacher's words about how we will only remember the happiest memories of school life, I found a similar sentiment resonating within me when Windson High was brought to life on stage. Upon entering the theatre for rehearsals, all the challenges and hardships I faced during the writing and rehearsal process seemed to vanish as if by magic. As the stage lights illuminated, the melodies I had sung were played by instruments, and my solo songs were transformed into harmonious ensembles. It was a magical moment that brought me immense joy and fulfilment!

What advice would you give to other aspiring writers who are looking to create their first musical or theatrical work?
Dream big and don’t be afraid! Every story deserves to be told. Remember, if you have a goal, you’re already halfway there!

Blue Elephant Theatre is taking part in the Big Give’s Arts for Impact campaign to raise £5,000 in just one week!

The small but mighty theatre is raising funds for some of its core work, delivering Creative Minds drama workshops in local schools. It is vital for the Blue Elephant to raise money for this important work, having recently lost regular core funding from Arts Council England as part of arts funding cuts to London, a decision described as ‘cultural vandalism’ by local MP Harriet Harman.

Blue Elephant Theatre has worked with Southwark schools for more than twenty years. These workshops have improved outcomes for vulnerable young people by supporting academic achievement and language development, and addressing social, behavioural and emotional challenges.

Donations to the campaign will be generously matched by Big Give’s Champions during the campaign to make double the difference in supporting local young people.

Jo Sadler-Lovett, Head of Participation at Blue Elephant Theatre, says:

“Creative Minds is truly an example of arts having impact. I’ve seen selectively mute young people speak for the first time in school for years and school refusers say they let go of stresses in workshops. One of the leaders of our Young People’s Theatre first encountered Blue Elephant through school workshops, before joining youth theatre and remaining part of the theatre ever since.

We hope we can raise enough funds this year to allow our work to continue. With this campaign, we’re looking to raise a total of £5000. In order to access the £2500 we have in the matching pot, we need to raise £2500 in online donations. We’d be very grateful for any support.”

The Big Give’s Arts for Impact Campaign will be live from 12 noon on Tuesday 19th March to 12 noon on Tuesday 26th March. Blue Elephant Theatre’s campaign page is here: https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a056900002SEVHwAAP

Denmark Hill man cycling gruelling route across France to raise money for The Blue Elephant Theatre

Matt has a 'nagging feeling' he hasn't trained enough but is still looking forward to the challenge.

A Denmark Hill man is cycling 627 miles across France in just eight days to raise money for the Blue Elephant Theatre, Camberwell.
The theatre, based on the Wyndham and Comber Estate complex, supports over 150 vulnerable young people through theatre, dance and writing.

But avid cyclist and Blue Elephant trustee Matt Craig, 59, says the theatre is vulnerable after losing funding from the Arts Council and Southwark Council.

So, on May 5, he will leave Ouistreham on the Channel coast, arriving in Sète, on the Mediterranean, on May 13, as part of a fundraising effort with a £2,500 target.

He has a “nagging feeling” he hasn’t done enough training but is still looking forward to the challenge.

“There’s a big attraction of going through the French countryside,” he said. “There will be nice green hills, orchards and lush meadows… then you go from lush northern Europe to the dryer, rockier, more arid area of Languedoc.”

In the north, he will go past Pegasus Bridge, one of the first bridges to be liberated during the D-Day landings.

In the south, he will go through Montauban, one of southern France’s most ancient fortified towns.

But it won’t be easy and some days will see him cycle 99 miles and climb over 5,000 feet.

Fortunately, on his way around he will stay at one and two-star hotels, offering respite from days of relentless pedalling.

Having spent his career as a financial journalist, Matt is now a trustee on The Blue Elephant’s board.

The community hub and theatre group does outreach work with local schools and communities, and also hosts live theatre.

It’s been the recipient of numerous awards, and supported the careers of successful theatre-makers like Offie Award-winning costume designer Emily Stuart and director David Mercatali.

Read the article on Southwark News here

En Blue Elephant Theatre iniciaremos nuevamente nuestro taller de teatro para adultos Latinxs residentes en SOUTHWARK.

El taller empezará el LUNES 16 DE ENERO, y se realizará por diez sesiones, los lunes de 6:30 a 8:30pm en Blue Elephant Theatre (59 Bethwin Road, SE5 0XT) de manera gratuita y culminará con una pequeña muestra en el Teatro.

CREANDO ESCENARIOS es una oportunidad completamente gratuita, gracias al apoyo de United St Saviour's Charity.

Si eres residente de Southwark, mayor de 18 años y hablas español.. ¡acompáñanos!

Para inscribirte por favor llena este formulario https://forms.office.com/e/p5pcsCy5Mb