Shoreditch Town Hall Announces the Premiere of FLIES

Shoreditch Town Hall reveals an autumn-winter programme that celebrates the venue's commitment to collaboration, inclusivity and entertainment with premieres, co-productions, events and activity for all ages.

The programme features world-class theatre including the long-awaited world premiere of Charlie Josephine's Flies, co-produced and co-commissioned by Boundless Theatre and Shoreditch Town Hall, London International Mime Festival productions, and a festive family show for audiences aged 5+, alongside comedy, cabaret, music and events.

Highlights include:

• Getting festive throughout December with brand new family show from Malborough Productions Prancer the Dancer; a cabaret special from the acclaimed Cocoa Butter Club; comedy from Femmes of Colour Comedy Club; and winter warmer dance events Swing into Winter and much loved regular tea dance (with baubles on!)

• Hosting, as a regular partner venue, London International Mime Festival shows: Shoreditch Town Hall resident company Theatre Re's acclaimed The Nature of Forgetting, and returning favourite Thick & Tight with their 'best of' show Tits & Teeth

• The world premiere of Charlie Josephine (I, Joan)'s Flies - co-produced and co-commissioned by Boundless Theatre and Shoreditch Town Hall - an explosive take on the male gaze and how it continues to impact young women, performed by a cast of female identifying students and alumni from The BRIT School

• Performances by celebrated local orchestras The Grand Union Orchestra and Shoreditch and Hoxton Community Orchestra

• Podcast, comedy and conversation from prominent personalities including Louis Theroux, Beth Mead, and Craig David

Ellie Browning, Head of Cultural Programme, says: "As we head towards 2023, we continue to make Shoreditch Town Hall a welcoming, lively venue in the heart of our community and to forge exciting partnerships to share diverse work that delights and surprises. We're building on existing relationships whilst collaborating with and hosting shows from a number of companies for the very first time. There's something for everyone - from the youngest theatregoers, to cabaret and comedy lovers, mime and new writing audiences, and the unswerving energies of our Swing and tea dancers.

Platforming bold female stories and perspectives at Shoreditch Town Hall, we are thrilled to be co-producing with Boundless Theatre to present Flies by Charlie Josephine, which sees a young cast of girls taking up space in our Council Chamber, and to welcome Femmes of Colour Comedy Club - celebrating comedians of colour.

Partnering again with London Mime Festival, we present a worldwide hit show from Shoreditch Town Hall regulars Theatre Re, whilst Thick &Tight join us for the first time with a 'best of' their acclaimed dance, mime, theatre and drag in our stunning Assembly Hall. The ideal space for enjoying cabaret and performance, the Assembly Hall also sees the return of Cocoa Butter Club, showcasing performers of colour, with a festive-themed night of performance. Whilst for everyone aged 5+ we've the brand new feel-good family show Prancer the Dancer from Marlborough Productions with us for the festive season."

THE PROGRAMME IS:

5 - 8 October 2022, 7.30pm (6.30pm doors)
EVENT: How to Fail with Elizabeth Day

Podcaster, journalist and bestselling author, Elizabeth Day, records four special live recordings of her hugely popular podcast with special guests Mo Gawdat (5 October), Caitlin Moran (6 October), Sophie Ellis-Bextor (7 October), and Craig David (8 October).

17 October, 14 November, 19 December 2022, 12pm (Beginners' Dance Class); 1pm (dancing)
EVENT: Town Hall Tea Dance

A Town Hall staple, the ever popular Tea Dances continue this winter, inviting the community to dance the afternoon away in the magnificent surrounding of the Assembly Hall.

21 November 2022, 7pm (6pm doors)

EVENT: Lioness: My Journey to Glory with Beth Mead

An inspirational evening with one of the world's most talented footballers, England Lioness Beth Mead, as she shares her remarkable journey from Hinderwell, North Yorkshire to historic glory at the Women's Euros in summer 2022 in this one-off live event to celebrate the publication of her book Lioness: My Journey to Glory.

25 November 2022, 7.30pm (doors); 7.45pm (beginners & intermediate Lindy Hop Dance classes); 8.30pm (dancing)
EVENT: Swing into Winter

SwingDanceUK returns to Shoreditch Town Hall for another season to teach beginners and intermediates moves before an evening of dancing to the sounds of live big band King Groovy and the Hornstars.

27 November 2022, 7pm (6pm doors)
EVENT: Giddy Aunt Comedy present: TWOuis Theroux
Beloved documentarian Louis Theroux, and comedian Josh Berry, share an evening of comedy and conversation. Josh interviews Louis about his book, life and distinctive style.

3 December 2022, 7.30pm
PERFORMANCE: Grand Union Orchestra: 40th Anniversary Celebration.

An evening featuring all the Grand Union's much-loved star performers - extraordinary singers and musicians from every major global musical tradition will take the stage alongside promising new artists from the next generation.

4 December 2022, 6pm (5.15pm doors)

PERFORMANCE: Shoreditch and Hoxton Community Orchestra

Grand Union Orchestra's community orchestra showcases the global music flourishing in the local neighbourhood. A unique blend of music as diverse as the local population, ranging from China and South Asia, through Turkey and the Middle East, to Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America (as well as the East End).

This event is 'pay what you can' and is accompanied by workshops taking place in November.

7 December 2022, 8pm (7.30pm doors)
PERFORMANCE: Femmes of Colour Comedy Club: FOC It Up!
Femmes of Color Comedy Club presents the fiercest mixed bills celebrating the perspectives of comedians of colour who aren't cis-men. Hosted by creator and curator, the hilarious Kemah Bob with a line-up featuring silly, sexy, savage stand-up from Taskmaster titan Sophie Duker, with more to be announced, the Shoreditch Town Hall shows will be recorded for their podcast.

10 December 2022, 9pm (8.30 doors)

PERFORMANCE: A Cocoa Butter Club Christmas Show

After pandemic postponement in 2021, Cocoa Butter Club finally present their Christmas show. A winter wonderland, where the melanated are celebrated, filled with festive song, dance, drag and burlesque, plus a sprinkle of circus and sideshow. This generous serving of The Cocoa Butter Club is a joyful, joyful celebration in the perfect package, adding decadence to December.

Cocoa Butter Club is an award-winning performance company showcasing and celebrating performers of colour. The first of its kind, TCBC gives a voice to Black, Asian and other racially othered performers with showcases, classes, and professional productions including cabaret.

20 - 24 December 2022, 11am + 2pm
PERFORMANCE: Marlborough Productions: Prancer The Dancer

Prancer is painfully shy, but desperate to dance. It's their biggest wish in the world. Building a time machine in their bedroom, Prancer journeys to the future where they become a world famous star, Prancer the Dancer, and tear up the Blackpool Tower Ballroom with futuristic dance power. Come on the journey to find that confidence and in the process, revolutionise the world... through the power of dance!

Prancer the Dancer is a joyous new piece of dance theatre for families and young audiences aged 5+

It celebrates movement, what dance moves are like in the future, how getting our bodies going could translate into renewable energy and seeing time travel as a useful exercise in confidence building. This is fun for all the family theatre, complete with next level dance moves and a smash hit disco party soundtrack.

18 - 22 January 2023, 7.30pm, Sunday 5pm (press performance 18 January)
PERFORMANCE: London Mime Festival: Theatre Re - The Nature of Forgetting
Leading visual theatre company Theatre Re returns with its LIMF co-commission The Nature of Forgetting, which has been performed to acclaim around the world since its 2017 premiere. Developed with neuroscientist Professor Kate Jeffery and the Alzheimer's Society, the show is a life-affirming journey into a weakening mind, whre broken does not have to mean defeated.

Theatre Re combines original live music with striking imagery and action to create productions about universal human challenges and the fragility of life. Booking opens 10 Oct

25 - 28 January 2023, 7.30pm, Sunday 5pm
PERFORMANCE: London Mime Festival: Thick & Tight - Tits & Teeth

Thick & Tight return to London International Mime Festival for the fifth year in a row with a collection of best bits from their back catalogue. Some all-time favourites return to the stage: Miss Havisham & Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill, Marlene Dietrich, Edith Sitwell, Rasputin and, of course, John Cage, and Elaine Paige. Combining mime, dance, drag and lip syncing, artistic directors Daniel Hay-Gordon and Eleanor Perry celebrate high and low art in all its variety, splendour and stupidity. Booking opens 10 Oct

22 Feb - 11 March 2023, 7.30pm (press performance 24 February)
PERFORMANCE: Flies by Charlie Josephine, directed by Julia Head.
Co-produced by Boundless Theatre and Shoreditch Town Hall. Co-commissioned by Boundless Theatre and Shoreditch Town Hall

Boundless Theatre and Shoreditch Town Hall present the world premiere of Charlie Josephine's play Flies, originally planned for October 2020 - an explosive take on the male gaze and how it continues to impact young women. Flies is about girls being looked at by boys. It's about hitting puberty and being smacked by the male gaze. The power and the shame, the pleasure and the fear that flies around your body when you're constantly being looked at. It is performed by a cast of female identifying students and alumni from The BRIT School.

Charlie Josephine is an award-winning actor and a writer. They're passionate about making honest, visceral theatre, particularly stories that centre working class women and queer people. Charlie's work includes 'I, Joan' (Shakespeare's Globe), 'Bitch Boxer' (Soho Theatre), and 'Massive' (Audible). Charlie is this year's resident writer at Headlong Theatre and is also an associate artist at the NSDF. They're currently under commission at The RSC, Headlong Theatre, and NT Connections.
Flies was originally commissioned by Boundless Theatre.
Flies is supported by Cockayne - Grants for the Arts and The London Community Foundation.

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