Riverside Studios Announces Spring 2023 Season Featuring DAVID COPPERFIELD, SPY FOR SPY & More

2023 marks the 45th Anniversary of Riverside Studios being established as an arts centre, and its 40th Anniversary as a charity. The West London venue has announced final details for the full spring season, including theatre, cinema, exhibitions and spoken word, alongside a full programme of community events.

The previously announced shows kick off with cult South African hit WE DIDN'T COME TO HELL FOR THE CROISSANTS (Tuesday 17 January - Sunday 5 February), followed by the tenth anniversary season of Britain's biggest theatre-circus spectacular CIRQUE BERSERK! (Thursday 9 February - Sunday 11 March), HOW TO BREAK OUT OF A DETENTION CENTRE (SWEAT / NĂDUȘEALĂ) , a female, migrant-led Bulgarian and UK co-production exploring the hardships of the near-invisible female experience in British immigration detention in the UK, (Tuesday 28 February - Wednesday 8 March), TRAUMA KINK (Friday 10 - Saturday 11 March) a show about how early life and adult traumas define our perception of intimacy and pleasure, then the hit musical WINNIE THE POOH takes centre stage (Friday 17 March - Sunday 21 May).

The shows completing the season are as follows:

David Copperfield

(Tuesday 7 - Saturday 25 February) is an adaptation by Simon Reade, with songs by the inimitable Chris Larner, is performed by just three actors and a musician, bringing over thirty characters bursting to life between them. Set in a music hall atmosphere, by turns hilarious and moving, they tell the tale of The Personal History, Adventures and Observations of David Copperfield, in a whirlwind tour de force presentation of this most delightful, insightful and extraordinary book.

KILLING THE CAT

(Friday 17 March - Saturday 22 April) is the world premiere of a new musical, directed by Jenny Eastop, with book and lyrics by 'Walking With Dinosaurs' writer Warner Brown and music by radical American composer Joshua Schmidt. What happens when you're falling for someone but don't share their beliefs? What happens when you're so sure you're right you won't move an inch? Does love stand a chance? In the heady world of the romantic poets, scientific theories and certainties, can lust and love keep two polar opposites together beyond the first night?

SPY FOR SPY

(15 June - 2 July) is the world premiere of a romantic comedy by Kieron Barry (Stockwell, Numbers) with a difference; a drama performed like a playlist with the scenes shuffled in a random order. Love, Shuffled. Sarah and Molly are two Californians who love each other - and that's all they have in common. As the uptight lawyer and the free-spirited dreamer strive to make their improbable relationship work, we see them break up, meet the parents, move in together and fall in love - all in a completely random sequence. Spy for Spy asks if our lives make more sense in the wrong order, and if there is any logic to love as it zigzags from moving drama to laugh-out-loud comedy. Can we have love without grief? Is honesty nothing more than cruelty? Is intimacy just spying?

SPY FOR SPY is presented by Feather Productions (Tim Whitnall and Anna Murphy) and TeamAkers (Laurence Akers and Suranne Jones).

Riverside Studios also presents a rich programme of independent cinema, Q&As and related events this spring, including : 'Made at Riverside' events TIME & RIVERSIDE: IN CELEBRATION OF DOCTOR WHO (11 March) and HANCOCK'S HALF HOUR TRIPLE BILL (25 Feb); HAUNTING MEMORIES (5 Feb - 20 Feb) a festival celebrating the work of Nicholas Roeg; the return of IRISH FILM LONDON (3-4 Feb); live music event, with Minima, THE CABINET OF DR CALIGARI (4 March); and an eclectic selection of new releases, classics and unique cinema events.

A new exhibition, GINA SOUTHGATE FROM LIVE MUSIC will show in the Atrium (Tuesday 31 January - Friday 10 March). Gina Southgate is a live painter, best known on the UK's international jazz scene where she produces spectacular, qualitative, real time paintings. For over three decades she's painted at gigs and festivals capturing the vitality and nuance in her unique portraits of world class musicians. Her original paintings and limited edition prints hang in public and private collections worldwide.

Finally, the new Riverside Studios River Room space will host AN EVENING WITH Roger McGough (Friday 10 February), with the celebrated poet, broadcaster and performer, taking to the floor with a funny, sad and moving show featuring new poems as well as old favourites.

Alongside these theatrical and cinematic highlights are a series of events and initiatives aimed at the local West London community, including Pay What You Can screenings, Yoga Classes, Over 50s Drama Workshops, Italian Culture Club, and Parent and Toddler Creative Classes - all under the banner of the Dive In Membership scheme, which is available to any resident of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham living in Council Tax Bands A-D, living on Universal Credit or who has a child on Pupil Premium. New for 2023 is a monthly film discussion group, SCREEN TIME.

Riverside Studios is also the home of its own Bar & Kitchen, serving all day affordable hospitality, as well as Sam's Riverside, the renowned West London home of Modern British cuisine.

Full listings and booking links can be found here.

Creative Director Rachel Tackley said, "Happy Birthday Riverside, life begins at 45! This is going to be a thrilling year for us, one of celebration and expansion - opening our gorgeous new cabaret venue and working with leading and emerging artists from all over the world. This is the first of many announcements so watch this space...."

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