Earlier this year, the Bridge House Theatre in leafy SE20 on the edge of Crystal Palace, marked three years under the artistic direction of Joseph Lindoe and Luke Adamson (formerly of The Hope). As Autumn starts to make its presence felt, with the promise of hot toddies round the corner, what could be better than hunkering down with some heart-warming, innovative and diverse theatre?
SE Fest, South London’s newest theatre festival, is a collaboration between two award-winning pub theatres: The Bridge House Theatre in Penge and Jack Studio Theatre in neighbouring Brockley (SE4) formerly known as Brockley Jack (that’s how the bus routes still refer to it) Across 10 days (Sept 03 – 13) selected plays will perform across both venues with one or two nights in each, so you’ll need to be quick if there’s something you fancy.
SE Fest kicks off with eco-disaster comedy Dani’s Inferno, the first musical from Charlotte Eyres which extracts climate change from Dante’s epic poem to hell and navigates the uncomfortable bedfellows of desire and doom. Scissor Sisters promises edge-of-the-seat stuff with a nail-biting, Dublin-based true story based on events from 2005 which at the time caused a media sensation.
History gets a full thespian makeover with That Witch Helen which retells Helen of Troy with a feminist perspective while I Victor, a dark, fantasy goth romance is inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. I Love Sex/ You Love Sex, an avant-garde, queer meditation, explores the meaning of love in all forms while Dian Cathal’s Dead Named described as “a funeral meets queer circus” examines identity and the grieving/rebirthing process of one trans journey.
With a tagline of Community and Creativity, this venue champions new writing and supports playwrights at all stages of their careers. In the interests of full disclosure, The Bridge House Theatre gave my debut play, Nine Moons its first week’s run in April which was a fantastically positive experience. Off The Page is their dedicated bi-monthly table read by local emerging writers and professional actors with the aim of encouraging and cultivating new work.
Outside of SE Fest, this autumn has plenty to entice audiences to Penge (only twenty minutes from Victoria by train). The 100-Year-Old Letter devised by a local theatre group returns to the venue after a sell-out in Edinburgh which was picked up by the BBC. Lucky Dog from award-winning playwright, Tim Connery bravely explores gambling addiction while Christmas will be crowned with their award-winning, mad-cap, camp panto for all the family Sleeping Beauty.
In terms of theatre, South London is certainly growing in stature and presence, standing tall and squaring up to the traditional heartlands of fringe theatre in the North and mainstream offer in the West. Camden Fringe may be over but there’s plenty to see South of the river.
Alongside SE Festival, Lambeth Fringe (formerly Clapham Fringe) is a four-week performing arts festival (Sept 18 – Oct 20) brought to audiences by the energetic team at the Bread & Roses Theatre which promises a similarly rich offer of theatrical delights and temptations.
From the Southwark Playhouse at Borough and the Elephant, Brixton House in Brixton (formerly the Oval Theatre), Peckham Theatre, The White Bear in Kennington, Golden Goose in Camberwell and Theatre503 in Battersea, when it comes to quality, original theatre, South London is no longer a hinterland but a destination.
