The Scene

ARiot Theatre is a bold, queer-led theatre company dedicated to creating work that is psychologically driven, narrative-based, and unapologetically chaotic. Exploring modern queer neuroses, social friction, and the messy realities of human connection, it challenges safe and predictable storytelling through a blend of cerebral dialogue, bittersweet humour, and visceral performance.

Earworm is an anti-rom-com about loneliness, commitment, and the songs we use to endure it all. It follows Guy, an alternative cabaret artist searching for the perfect song to make sense of the breakdown of his relationship with John, a scholar of queer relationships. As heartbreak takes hold, Guy’s soundtrack-obsessed mind turns pop songs into emotional lifelines, compulsions, and loops he cannot escape.

Through a disastrous dinner party, awkward hookups, and a relentless search for the perfect breakup anthem, Earworm explores the contradictions of modern intimacy: our craving for freedom and excitement alongside our need for stability, compromise, and connection.

Echoing Abigail’s Party with a distinctly queer twist, the play asks what happens when our desire for freedom collides with our need to belong.

As one line in the play suggests:
“We need to remind ourselves what made us love that song in the beginning. Otherwise, it’s an earworm.”

Written and directed by Gur Arie Piepskovitz, with dramaturgy by Avihud Tidhar, Earworm features Avihud Tidhar, Brodie Bass, Waylon Jacobs, and Reece Lewis.

Stewart Nutting is a London-based stand-up comedian whose work blends anecdotal, observational and philosophical comedy with dry humour, awkward honesty and quietly absurd reflections on modern life.

His debut solo hour, Nutting Really Matters, is a story-led stand-up show about nihilism, burnout, depression and the strange things we choose to care about anyway. Moving from overthinking childhood anxieties into the awkwardness of adult life, the show explores what happens when you try to find meaning in a world that often feels fairly pointless - and how purpose can sometimes come from the smallest, stupidest and most unexpected places.

Thoughtful, slightly bleak and unexpectedly warm, Nutting Really Matters combines personal storytelling with absurd observations about social awkwardness, relationships, questionable coping mechanisms and the ongoing human need to keep participating, even when you are not entirely sure why.

Written and performed by Stewart Nutting.

John Callaghan's Cabaret Electro is a showcase of John's thoughtful electronic songs, illustrated with costumes, surreal visuals, lighting effects and live electronics. The songs are autobiographical and involve topics such as neurodivergence, asexuality and timewasting. They're always optimistic and positive, and humour is as an important a part of the show as it is of John's life.

Born in Birmingham and living in London, John has directed videos for Professor Elemental as well as Antigen Records. He's had releases on Warp Records and has performed in France, Germany and Austria. His day job is as a nude model for artists.

He can hold a note for 29 seconds, has no particular eye colour, and can tear an apple in half. He's 173cm tall, weighs 82.8kg and has a blood pressure of 121/77. 

Not that that's remarkable. 

He just never knows what to write for these things.

Showings:

16th August at 8pm
Aces and Eights, London, NW5 2HP

Step into the dazzling yet dangerous world of "THIEVES IN SATIN", the electrifying new production from Moving Stories Dance Company. Inspired by the infamous all-female UK crime syndicate, The Forty Elephants, this breathtaking dance spectacle unravels the story of Diamond Alice, The Bobbed Hair Bandit, and Baby-Faced Maggie—women who stole more than just riches; they stole the spotlight.

Born in the shadows of a Lambeth workhouse, Alice Diamond had no choice but to fight for survival. A master thief by her teens, she rose to power as the formidable Queen of the Forty Elephants, leading a gang of fearless women who lived by their own rules. By the 1920s, they had reached legendary status—draped in satin, dripping in stolen jewels, and dancing the night away with the very aristocrats they deceived.

Now in its 6th triumphant year, Moving Stories Dance Company has captivated audiences with its bold, narrative-driven productions. The company makes it’s exciting debut at the Camden Fringe.. Featuring an ensemble of ballet, contemporary, and West End performers, the company is known for blending gripping storytelling with dynamic choreography.

THIEVES IN SATIN is a thrilling fusion of elegance and danger, a celebration of rebellion and resilience. Join us for an unforgettable journey through the hidden underworld of 1920s London—where crime was an art, and these women were the masters.

Production & Cast

Director & Choreographer - Lucy Potter

Assistant Choreographer - Kate Finegan

Scriptwriter - Stuart Pallant

Cast - Kate Finegan, Lucy Potter, Heather Craig, Faye Barker, Susan Wardlow, Stella Grace, Tommi Sliiden, Ben Garner & Louise Dalton

Voiceover - Janet South

Lighting Design & Operation - Sebastian Petit

Sound & Projection - Matthew Powell

Stage Management & Props - Stuart Pallant

Marketing - Ben Garner

Poster & Programme Design - Ben Garner

Admin & Social Media - Heather Craig

Wardrobe - Moving Stories Company

Showings: 

16th August at 5pm
The Cockpit Theatre, NW8 8EH

We all know the names Gershwin, Porter, Berlin, and other male songwriters who shaped the growth of American popular song in the early 1900’s. But where are the women’s names? 

Here’s to the Ladies! pays tribute to the talent, wit, and vision of the women who helped shape what has become known as The Great American Songbook. Kay Swift, Dorothy Fields and Ann Ronell are some of the most influential. These women brought a unique vision and heart to their music and helped an entire nation to endure years of war, depression, upheaval and change with music that is still loved around the world. With persistence, talent, and sheer love of the art, these women broke down countless barriers, opening doors for future women in the music industry.

Conceived & Created by
Joanne Schmoll

Performed by
Chyna-Rose Frederick
Miles Timmis
Emma Houlahan

Music Director
Falk Meier

Choreographer/ A.D
Halle Utterback

Showings:
14th and 15th August - 7:30pm
16th August - 4:00pm

Upstirs at the Gatehouse, London, N6 4BD

The good folks at Make My Show bring you interactive, lip-sync, musical comedy pastiche of reality TV called, ‘I’m a Philosopher! Why the Fuck am I Here?’. 

The show is an anarchic, funny and frivolous reimagining of a certain, well-known, jungle-based reality gameshow; but instead of being populated by a bunch of D-List ‘celebrities’ ours features some of the worlds greatest intellectuals (and Jordan Perterson). Think of swapping Danny Dyer and Katie Price for Jean Jacques Rousseau and Judith Butler.

And it’s fully interactive, so where they get to sing, dance and squabble; you get to vote on who gets evicted and who has to eat the ostrich eyeballs. It’s like a cross between the irreverent humour ‘Oh, Mary!’ and the wordplay of Tom Stoppard’s Travesties, but with you deciding what happens – this show is never the same twice.You might even get a bit-part as one of the watching philosophers (if you’ve ever fancied playing Plato, Simone de Beauvoir or Karl Marx - here's your chance.) 

It’s directed by Maddie Hurley, who infuses it with their experience of lip-sync cabaret and stars Senne Lambrechts (as ‘JJ’ Rousseau), Oscar Nicholson (as ‘Tommy’ Hobbes), Laura Shipler Chico (as Ayn ‘Randy’ Rand, ‘Judy’ Butler and the Bear!) and Will Robertson (as ‘Pete’ Singer and ‘Jordo’ Peterson). 

Movement and choreography are directed by Angela Botha and our assistant director, Jess Beith, also takes a cameo role. The play was written by Roger Francis and is being performed at The Cockpit in Marylebone on the 13th, 14th and 15th of August at 9pm

Wilder! is a fast-paced, absurd dark comedy; think Desperate Housewives meets The Play That Goes Wrong meets Bonnie and Clyde.

“Set in a town fiercely ruled by its housewives, the story follows Gloria and Gregory Wilder, a glamorous young couple who seem to have it all. But beneath their picture-perfect life lies a deadly secret, one that could cost them everything. As they navigate the highs and lows of marriage, the Wilders must outwit nosy neighbours, gossip-fuelled streets, and an endless barrage of garden club invitations. In a community where appearances are everything, staying unnoticed may be their greatest challenge of all.”

Wilder! is written and produced by Thomas Billiouw & Dany Van Brabant who also play the leads of Gregory and Gloria Wilder. The rest of the cast includes Evie Weldon as Martha Hoover, Jess-Vince Moin as Phyllis Amberhide, and Kgalalelo Thakadu as Sheryl-Anne Bowman. The production is directed by Jillian Osborne, with fight choreography by Becca Watkin, Amy Marsden as set designer, Ella Shaw as cultural consultant. 

We're a very international cast & crew with members from Wales, Ireland, Belgium, Botswana, the U.S., and Australia. That mix is reflected in the play itself, since it’s set in a town that isn’t tied to any one physical place. It’s an idyllic suburb that could exist anywhere, reflecting our natural mix of accents. 

This piece focuses on giving audiences a genuinely good time, combining playful staging with juicy, character-driven chaos, and plenty of twists and turns along the way. With Wilder!, we aim to create a show that surprises, entertains, and leaves audiences giggling, gasping, and gossiping all the way home.

The show follows Stevie (Ryley Pennycard) and River (Billie Billington) , two best friends living in London. Stevie is an aspiring writer and River an aspiring actor. We follow them as they navigate the first lesbian heartbreak, social media’s views on love and their own personal emotional chaos all while trying to cook the perfect steak dinner. 

Amity as a company aims to offer real representation on stage, we believe in listening to others experiences and offering a space for it to be seen. We want people to have the chance to share their stories and have theatre that accurately portrays them and their experiences. 

Steaks and Lesbians aims to show the beauty in queerness, both relationships and friendships. The writing plays on the use of stereotypes, but taking away from the stereotypes placed upon queer communities by heterosexual people, and using instead ones that we ourselves joke and play with. Written by a lesbian about lesbians, aiming to give representation in an authentic way, representing the queer community in the way we see around us, not what people think it is.

We started writing this show at 2AM in our student flat, two years ago and we have worked on it ever since, blending in new experiences, new emotions and new friendships and now we are ready to share it. Inspired by the friendships we made as we navigated our adulthood and identities, the friendships we had shaped us and gave us days of laughter we will never forget. We wanted to share this and turn it into something everyone can enjoy with us. 

Editor/Director/Producer: Amelia C Owens

Head of Technical: Charlotte Philpot

Sound: Kaci Johnson

Stage Manager: Izzie Stevens

Costume: Cara Marie Harrison

SO CATCHY IT’S CONTAGIOUS.

Hamilton. Six. Cats. All musicals based on historical events.

Four struggling ‘Theatre In Education’ actors decide to cash in on this trend and stage a musical retelling of histories weirdest phenomenon-

“The Dance Plague of 1518”.

The only catch: they know nothing about “The Dance Plague of 1518”. 

Their ‘educational’ show tells the story of Princess Frau, who escapes the confines of her castle to Strasbourg- a depressing little village in need of a bath. She takes it upon herself to ignite a spark within the community, but unknowingly ignites the infamous ‘Dance Fever’- a deadly disco disease beyond anyone’s control.

Is a higher power at play?

Will her father, King Francis, track her down?

Is the Pope catholic?

All will be revealed in the first disastrous musical from Tickel & Trotman.

'THE DANCE PLAGUE OF 1518' received stellar reviews from it's sellout preview in February:

"COMPLETELY STUPID, IN THE MOST CHARMING SENSE."- A Youngish Perspective- 4/5

"TICKEL AND TROTMAN HAVE CREATED A HILARIOUS MUSICAL."- Everything Theatre- 4/5

CAST:

Finn Tickel

Sam Trotman

Harrison Macdonald-Taylor

Caoimhe De Brun

Creatives: 

Book, Music and Lyrics: Finn Tickel & Sam Trotman

Associate Producer: Teresa Morrison

Set Designer: Noga Gilboa

Costume Designer: Sirry Johannsdottir

Choreographer: Aniella Charalambous

Lighting Designer: Harry Heslop

Sevrin Fay presents a rare performance "Your faith is written - now hear it sung" that transforms Eastern-European dream-folk tradition into original English-language dark fairy tales of magic, forbidden love and loss.

Of particular interest is fortune telling. At the entrance to the hall, each visitor will draw a rune—a magical Scandinavian symbol—that is intended exclusively for them. During the concert, each rune will be deciphered. What will it mean? A vision of the future? Good advice? A revealed secret? Only you will know. This is how the world speaks to us in a quiet and secret voice.

Every song is a self-contained story, evoking misty forests, forgotten kingdoms and the bittersweet edge of wonder. The poetic lyrics explore the fragility of beauty and the redemptive power of unconditional love.

With ethereal vocals, acoustic guitar, subtle percussion and accordion, the Sevrin Fay creates deeply cinematic and immersive soundscapes where shadowy Celtic knots intertwine with introspective indie-folk.

Sevrin Fay is not a covers band or a generic folk project. It is the first English-language incarnation of a distinctive dream-folk universe that Ekaterina Gopenko has been developing for 18 years across Europe. An authentic Eastern-European narrative tradition, performed in English for the first time in the UK.

Ekaterina Gopenko - voice, guitar, author of idea, texts, songs

Daniel Kniazev - back vocals, guitar, accordion