A celebration of storytelling, theatre and the power of words. Fall into spaces that intrigue, excite and inspire. Turn pages, hear storytellers and lose yourself in language.
MEMORIES OF FICTION: THE LIVING LIBRARY
Wed 9 May, 7.30pm | Thu 10 & Fri 11 May, 2.30pm & 7.30pm | Sat 12 May, 8.30pm | Sun 13 May, 1pm
Omnibus Theatre transforms into a ‘living’ library. Interactive installations, immersive spaces and short performances celebrating the power of books.
Part of Roehampton University’s Arts and Humanities research council-funded project Memories of Fiction: An Oral History of Readers’ Lives.
PAY WHAT YOU CAN
CLAPHAM BOOK FESTIVAL
Sat 12 May, 11am onwards
Six events across the day including workshops from leading industry experts, panel discussions and author Q&As.
A SUBSTITUTE FOR LIFE
Tue 15 – Thu 17 May, 7.30pm
Born to affluence in the middle of the 19th century, Francis has always used his love of books as a means of insulating himself, but they can’t protect him from reality forever.
£12 | £10
THE NON PARENT TRAP
Fri 18 May, 7.30pm
This funny and poignant show from Nina Davis explores our modern obsession with other people’s procreation.
£12 | £10
BICYCLES AND FISH
Fri 18 May, 9pm
How I became a woman. A period piece. With songs.
★★★★★ “This is what the world needs now.” Fringe Guru
£12 | £10
THE POWER BEHIND THE CRONE
Sun 20 May, 5pm
This one-woman show sets out to disprove that “there are no good parts in Shakespeare for older women”.
£12 | £10 | £5 for under 25’s
[WORKING TITLE]
Tue 22 May, 7.30pm
A evening of writing in development from distinctive new voices.
£6
THE MAN ON THE MOOR
Wed 23 – Thu 24 May, 7.30pm
In December 2015, an elderly man was found dead on Saddleworth Moor. Train tickets in his pockets showed he’d travelled 200 miles, apparently just to die.
★★★★ “A great mystery, expertly told.” The Times
£12 | £10
THE FATE WE BRING OURSELVES
Tue 29 May, 7.30pm
Three remixed, extended and explicit Greek myths. This is world-class storytelling: dark, magical and provocative.
“Bloody brilliant.” Time Out
£12 | £10
ENGINE ROOM
Wed 30 May, Wed 27 Jun | 7.30pm
Talented theatre-makers perform new work in front of an audience. This month hosted by Associate Artist Sally Pomme Clayton.
£6
SO, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED...
Thu 31 May, Thu 28 Jun, Thu 26 July | 7.30pm
Ordinary people tell their extraordinary stories. They’re poignant, funny, life-affirming, cathartic and true.
£6
LA MANCHE: THE SLEEVE
Fri 1 – Sat 2 Jun, 7.30pm
Flashback to a golden age of bathing when Channel fever gripped the nation. Expect one woman, witty physical theatre and a gloriously absurd tribute to The Channel.
£12 | £10
A LIFE ON THE WIND: TELLING A STORY FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS
Sat 23 Jun, 10am – 4pm
Discover the creative process of liberating a story and bringing it back to ‘a life on the wind’. With Sally Pomme Clayton.
£25 for adults
THE YELLOW WALLPAPER
Tue 5 Jun – Sun 24 Jun | Sundays 4pm
(no performances 19 – 21 Jun)
Alice has not formed the correct bond with her baby. That’s what her doctor and husband say. Isolated from her child and banished to the country for ‘rest’, Alice falls further down the rabbit hole of her own mind. The wallpaper haunts her. But is she really sick, or are there more sinister forces at play?
★★★★★ “If you don’t see anything else this year, then make sure to get to this.” – London Theatre 1, The Soul of Wittgenstein
£15 | £12
For Families
PERFECT
Sun 20 May, 11am & 2pm
The story of a boy meeting his disabled sister for the first time and the power of nature in all our lives.
£9 | £7
PENGUINPIG
Sun 3 Jun, 11am & 2pm
A play about the dangers of the Internet for 3-8 year olds, based on the best-selling picture book by Stuart Spendlow.
£9 | £7
THE KING WITH DIRTY FEET
Sat 2 Jun, 10.30am
Come and explore how shoes are represented in fairytales and myths around the world. Every shoe tells a story!
£5
Sunday Music
ROBERT AND ELIZABETH: LET ME COUNT THE WAYS
Sun 13 May, 7.30pm
The story of Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett, portrayed in words and music from their letters and poems.
£12 | £10 | £5 under 25s
INTO THE MELTING POT
Sun 20 May, 8pm
Music and storytelling inspired by the women of medieval Spain.
“A multimedia experience of light, song, music and storytelling.” The Argus
£12 | £10 | £5 under 25s
SHAKESPEAREAN SUMMERS
Sun 3 Jun, 7.30pm
From film scores to opera, musicals to song, Debut will be sharing enchanting pieces based on themes from Shakespeare, Broadway favourites and operatic greats.
£12 | £10 | £5 for under 25s
NATIONAL YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA QUINTET
Sun 10 Jun, 7.30pm
The NYJO quintet is a bijou showcase for some of the hottest up-and-coming musicians in the industry, stepping out of NYJO’s big-band setting for one night only.
£10 | £5 for under 25s
EMMA STANNARD AND KEVAL SHAH
Sun 17 Jun, 7.30pm
Inspired by Brahms’ Ophelia Liefer, award-winning duo Emma and Keval will go on a journey from innocence to experience with female characters in song.
£12 | £10 | £5 under 25s
XOGA
Sun 24 Jun, 7.30pm
An evening of opera, song and dance based on Shakespearean couples. Turbulent love stories of jealousy, ambition, fate and madness that with death come to an end.
£12 | £10 | £5 under 25s
