Iris Theatre Announces A Programme Of One Night Only Performances In New Theatre Space 'The Pod'

Following the announcement of a new bespoke theatre space in the heart of the West End, Iris Theatre today announces a programme of one night only performances as part of THE POD's inaugural Winter Season. Alongside five week-long productions, Iris Theatre continues their support of early-career creatives with a series of one-off events throughout weekends in November and December. The programme will include poetry, spoken word, sketch comedy, short plays and two open mic nights, and will take place in Iris Theatre's new thrust space in the grounds of the Actor's Church, THE POD.

Following his one-off performance of BLUD. during Iris Theatre's Summer Festival, Yan Toby-Amisi returns to Iris Theatre to open THE POD on 13 November with Mansa Musa, a new solo performance mixing poetry and prose to explore the legacy of the Mali Empire. MonkeyMac will put a festive spin on their sketch show That Could be a Sketch! on 5 December, and Encompass Productions will bring a night full of short plays and new writing with Bare Essentials: Christmas Crackers on 20 December. Rhymes with Orange returns with their Big Christmas Comeback, a night of spoken word performances on 21 December with an open-mic, and there will also be a new musical theatre open-mic night for budding performers on 21 November from Musical Theatre Networks and Mercury Musical Developments.

The one-night events feature alongside the already announced HOLDING. by Nicole Botha and Dan Whitlam; Shuga Fixx Vs. The Illuminati by Poppy Pedder, Relish Theatre and Guttersnipe Theatre; Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by Charlotte Ellen; The Last Nativity by Eden Tredwell; and A Song For Christmas by Alice Croft, presented by Gartland Productions and Iris Theatre.

Paul Ryan Carberry, Artistic Director of the Iris Theatre's, "After finally sharing the news about our new theatre space THE POD last week, we are delighted to share with audiences this further programme of one-nighter festive events for THE POD'S inaugural Winter Season. There is so much here to enjoy and get involved in! At Iris, we love an active and involved audience and there will be plenty of opportunities with these events to do just that. We are proud to have programmed more work than ever before despite this difficult year and we are so grateful to those who are coming out to support the work of these exceptional artists."

Tickets for the Winter Season one-night only events are now on sale.

Mansa Musa

Saturday 13 November, 7:30pm

By Yan Toby-Amisi

With an empire worth $400B in its time, what did the richest black man in history do with his wealth?

On his epic and moving journey from the Mali Empire to the city of Mecca, Mansa Musa endeavours to find a route towards hope and belonging by any means necessary.

Yan Toby-Amisi is an actor and playwright, and a recent graduate of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. His theatre credits as an actor include BLUD. (Iris Theatre). He is also a hip-hop artist under the handle 'Talla'.

New Musical Theatre: Open Mic

Sunday 21 November, 6pm

Want to spend an evening enjoying material from new musicals, and maybe try out some of your own material? Ready to be supported by some of the most passionate new musical theatre organisations working across the UK?

Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network are delighted to present the New Musical Theatre Open Mic Night as part of Iris Theatre's Winter Season.

Come and test out new material, or just come along to listen, enjoy the work presented, socialise and network with fellow new musical theatre creatives, and catch up with the new musical community - either way, you'll enjoy the company of a friendly, supportive audience and a festive themed gathering.

Mercury Musical Developments is the UK's largest membership organisation dedicated to developing new musical theatre writing, and Musical Theatre Network brings people and resources together to improve infrastructure and opportunities for new musical theatre in the UK. Together they produce a wide variety of new musical theatre events UK wide, including BEAM, the UK's largest showcase of new musical theatre and MT Conference.

That Could Be A Sketch! Festive Edition

Sunday 5 December, 6pm

By MonkeyMac

You know what it's like, you're making a cup of tea in the office, you hear the insufferable banter of the finance team, then you hear it carry over the noise of numbers and boredom... THAT COULD BE A SKETCH!

That Could be a Sketch: Festive Edition is a new festively fantastic sketch show presented by MonkeyMac, featuring a special musical guest.

MonkeyMac is a performing arts company that produces and creates original work including film, theatre and radio. Created by George Coates and Sam Gibbons in 2013 at Brunel University, MonkeyMac continues to grow and make new, exciting work with talented creatives working in the film and theatre industry in Greater London and across the UK.

Bare Essentials: Christmas Crackers

Monday 20 December, 7.30pm

Presented by Encompass Productions

Santa's back with his sackful of festive plays in Bare Essentials: Christmas Crackers. Feel merry and bright with this new collection of unique yuletide tales staged by award-winning Encompass Productions.

Encompass Productions are an award-winning new writing company. Creating bold, visually arresting new theatre since 2010, they explore the psychological and emotional, drawing from cinematic influences to tell stories through heightened reality and stunning minimalism. Their mission: to challenge, move and entertain.

Rhymes With Orange: Spoken Word Open Mic

Tuesday 21 December, 7.30pm

Witness the fantastically festive return of London's favourite stand up poetry night. Seasoned poets from the Rhymes With Orange poetry collective will bring a fast-paced, spectacularly varied show for people who love words, laughing and feeling big feelings.

Feeling brave? Buy an Open Mic Performer ticket in advance to take to the stage for the Orange Crussssh open mic. Smash your 3 minutes and you could win a full 10-minute slot at our next show. Audiences can also step into the limelight in the Limerick Challenge.

Described by the Evening Standard as one of the 'best poetry and spoken word literary nights in London', Rhymes with Orange has been running to sell-out crowds in London for nine years. They have performed at Edinburgh Festival, Latitude, Standon Calling, Vault Festival, and to surprised crowds at several local literary festivals.

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