Sydenham Arts 2018
Sydenham Arts are proud to have played a significant part in the rise of arts and culture in SE26 over the last 10 years. This year our festival theme is Heroes & Heroines and we bring you another 10 day multi-arts programme with some great talent.
Opening the festival is Exploding Whale’s compelling theatre production Heroes; a story of friendship, growing up and loneliness. Set to Bowie’s The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders from Mars, the humdrum lives of Joe and Billie are changed forever after witnessing Bowie performing Starman for the first time on Top of the Pops. Determined to go to Bowie’s upcoming London gig, the friends leave home on what becomes a journey of self discovery, where the lines between hero worship and friendship become blurred. Written by Bebe Barry and Tony Barry, and directed by Max Harrison, this exciting piece of theatre (performed at Edinburgh Festival in 2017) hits Brighton Fringe, and then opens here at Upstairs at the Sydenham Centre on 27 June and runs for 5 nights.
(Edinburgh Living **** “If you are a fan of new writing or the music of David Bowie you will not be disappointed with Heroes.”)
There’s more – we are hugely excited to be joining forces with local comedy newcomers, The Poodle Club, who have been bringing some exceptional talent to audiences in their fabulous home on Sydenham Road. It really is London’s Happiest Little Comedy Club! For one night only they will bring us 6 comedy greats Upstairs at the Sydenham Centre; true elder statesman of British Comedy, Arthur Smith, joined
by Sydenham’s own Ben Norris and razor-sharp clawed David Mills, South London diva Arielle Souman and another local lad, Toussaint Douglas, and finally the loveable Irish comedian Gráinne Maguire.
Did someone mention films? We also have collaborations with TNG and Sydenham Film Club and will be screening Matilda, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Hop on over to Mayow Park for some live music on the bowling green with Perry Vale’s annual Lark in the Park, and the return of locals, Rosie & Ben Fox with their live band and family fun with Foxtots Bops. Plus we have our regular commitment of dance and music for our Plus 60s event with local dancer Amanda Botterill and guitarist Alex Hart. As well as all this, at St Bartholomew’s Church there are performances by Bristol City Poet 2018, Vanessa Kisuule and singer/songwriter, Jill Jackson, following in the footsteps of Boo Hewerdine and Kathryn Williams last year.
Don’t miss award-winning duo, Witt ‘n Camp’s musical theatre, comedy and cabaret show on our final night. Lastly, and never to be forgotten, we have the Artists Trail bringing you a multitude of visual arts over both weekends (see page 3 for further details). What’s not to love? Dive on in, book your time off and see you there!
Box Office opens on Friday 18 May 2018 sydenhamarts.co.uk @sydartsfest www.facebook.com/SydenhamArtsFestival Rachel D’Cruze (Managing Director, Sydenham Arts)