A festival of new work to celebrate the stories that independent artists and freelancers have created over the past few years. We hand over the keys to our housemates for two weeks to play and reimagine the theatre as a world of their own.
The festival’s multi-artform line-up will be an explosion of experimental live theatre, comedy, spoken word and dance exploring themes including self-discovery as seen in Shakira Newton’s Things I Can Laugh About Now; nostalgia and partying hard in the shape of British Comedy Guide Pro Performance Awards runner-up 2021, Suchandrika Chakrabarti’s I Miss Amy Winehouse and closing the festival will be Corey Bovell’s Chicken Burger N Chips. More than just an ode to Morely’s, Bovell’s fast-paced witty story is about gentrification and its impact on the lives of its youths in South London. Directed by Almeida Theatre Resident Director T.D Moyo.
“Housemates festival was born out of our open Housecall. Many artists had made work prior to or during the pandemic and very much wanted to find a home for their efforts and stories to be seen and appreciated. A number of these artists have been chosen and curated for this inaugural event in celebration of our wider artistic communities sharing distinctive experiences that we believe will speak to Brixton House audiences.
GBOLAHAN OBISESAN, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & JOINT CEO
Saturn Returns
by Sonny Nwachukwu, A Gateway Arts Production
Saturn Returns is a choreopoem that explores the psychospiritual clashes produced in Black people by the weight of history.
21-24 April 2022: 7.30pm
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Brixton House and Caitlin Barnett Company presents
Comrades in the Dark
Emerging choreographer Caitlin Barnett presents Comrades in the Dark, a highly physical contemporary dance exploring the brutality and humanity within Sands’ poetry and prose, written in secret behind bars.
26-29 April 2022: 9.00pm
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Big Girl Words
by Winnie Arhin
Ama, a young writer-performer, is trying to navigate the theatre world and finds herself facing a dilemma infused with microaggressions and family obligations.
21-23 Apr 2022: 8.00pm
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City Lighthouse Theatre Company presents
Concha
by Carly Fernandez
Concha is a semi-autobiographical show that explores the queer experience and all of the glorious and messy things that comes with it.
26-29 Apr 2022: 9.00pm
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Piece of Cake Theatre Company presents
Things I Can Laugh About Now
by Sharika Newton
In this coming-of-age, uplifting story of self-discovery and hope, we get an insight into what it means to tick every minority box on the application form and this can affect one’s mental health and in turn life choices.
26-29 Apr 2022: 7.00pm
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I Miss Amy Winehouse
by Suchandrika Chakrabarti
Join Suchandrika Chakrabarti in missing Amy Winehouse in a show about nostalgia, the death of print media and partying hard. There will be quizzes too!
3-4 May 2022: 9.00pm
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For the Love of a Primary Caregiver
by Cheryl Ndione
A revealing one-woman show that explores a toxic bond between a mother and daughter and deals with themes of belonging, self-esteem, and learned behaviour.
3-5 May 2022: 7.30pm
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Oisel Productions presents
Chicken Burger N Chips
by Corel Bovell
Summer holidays in South London, Corey dreams of nothing but hanging around with his friends while ordering as much Morley’s as possible. Until Jodie comes along and makes him realise things are changing.
3-6 May 2022: 8.00pm
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