EDINBURGH 2023: CREEKSHOW Q&A

BWW catches up with Jenny Witzel to chat about bringing Creekshow to the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about CREEKSHOW.

CREEKSHOW is a one-woman show about Deptford Creek, a wild creek at the heart of a southeast London neighbourhood teeming with life, history, and community. The beauty and culture of this area of London is being wilfully ignored as property developers see it as an “opportunity” without considering the consequences of their actions.

What was the inspiration behind writing it?

I lived on a houseboat on Deptford Creek for two years within an established community of boaters. This community, some of whom have lived here for several decades, have been defending their home from pushy developers. They’re an incredible group of people who know how to stand their ground, but the future of Deptford is uncertain. Similar fights are being fought all through the neighbourhood and a heartbreaking number of them have already been lost to property developers. With CREEKSHOW I wanted to speak about this issue and the threat it poses to so many communities in the UK and beyond.

How is the piece staged?

The piece was originally conceived as a 30-minute installation in a gallery in Deptford as an immersive journey into Deptford Creek. Translating the piece for theatre, we wanted to keep the same intimate atmosphere (immersive soundscapes, lightscapes, and live projection) while making it accessible to people unfamiliar with the area. The show is told through mudlarked artefacts found in Deptford Creek as a way of reflecting on the lives of people to whom Deptford has been “home” at one point or another (including me!).

What message would you like audiences to take away from it?

I would love for audiences to consider alternatives to gentrification and to feel empowered to challenge the prevailing narrative that we are being fed through the media that “change” is inevitable... This kind of change, the kind that leaves communities behind, should be called into question. I hope this show will contribute to raising awareness on this issue while celebrating a community and a place that is close to my heart.

Who would you like to come and see it?

Come and see CREEKSHOW if you want to see some unflinching political theatre! If you’re mad about gentrification or just angry about your rent going up, then this is the show for you! Alternatively, if you’re fascinated by urban history, the history of objects, or if you just want to experience something a little bit different, then this could be a pleasant way to while away your early afternoon.

Tickets are available here: CREEKSHOW | Theatre | Edinburgh Festival Fringe (edfringe.com)

Photo credit: Ellie Welford

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