Our 3 day mini-festival is back for a third year, with a thrilling line-up of
theatre, dance and cabaret, by artists and companies with and without disabilities.
ACCESS:
Step free access available
British Sign Language interpretation
Selected performances include supported access for visually impaired audiences
(See individual listings for details)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL FESTIVAL EVENTS
The festival’s opening night – a cabaret evening – will kick things off with sign-song and comedy from Caroline Parker, absurdist cabaret from Reach Theatre Company, Ted the Unisheep (from the weird and wonderful mind of Sasha Mulvey), stand-up from Don Biswas, surreal performance from DISCO DISCO and all-singing, all-dancing, lip-syncing cabaret from Ebony Rose Dark.
Other artists and companies performing across the weekend include Chris Campion / Extant, Stammermouth, Byron Vincent, Billy Read, Candoco and Lanre Malaolu.
There are performances in both British Sign Language and Spoken English (with interpretation in BSL and English), as well as enhanced performances providing supported access for visually impaired audiences.
A youth platform on Sunday 7 July includes new work by SLiDE and Magpie Dance, and there are free creative workshops with Extant and Sparks, as well as a Devoted & Disgruntled Open Space Event with Improbable.
We will once again be working with our amazing front of house team trained specially for the festival with our partners Willow Learning for Life and Croydon Mencap.
All events take place at Stanley Halls in South Norwood.
A Bit Of A Do is supported by Arts Council England, The National Lottery Community Fund, Croydon Council, Stanley Halls, Croydon Mencap and Willow Learning for Life.
PRESS: Please contact info@chloenelkinconsulting.com
ALL EVENTS ARE FREE. HOWEVER, WE WELCOME DONATIONS TO HELP US CONTINUE OUR WORK. We are a registered charity, creating live events, supporting emerging artists and empowering people with disabilities to create and access theatre and dance. All donations will be used to further this work – to help us make this year’s festival amazing, and to make sure we can do it again in 2019!
Donations can be made via Total Giving: https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/charity/drunken-chorus
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL EVENTS AND BOOK TICKETS
SCHEDULE
Friday 5 July, 11am-3pm
DEVOTED & DISGRUNTLED with Improbable
Open Space event for arts organisations and artists working in the disability arts sector. The session will address the question: What can we do to bring disability arts into the mainstream and support disabled artists, audiences and participants?
BSL / English interpreters available
AGE GUIDANCE: 18+ (This session is open to artists and arts professionals
FOR FULL INFO AND BOOKING CLICK HERE
Friday 5th July 2019, 3-6pm
FILM WORKSHOP with SPARKS
Join this special inclusive drop in workshop to make a film and learn about filmmaking techniques.
Free to attend, drop in at any time.
Sparks run fun film workshops across London over weekends, school holidays and with school and charity partners.
BSL / English interpreters available
AGE GUIDANCE: Open to all ages
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR FREE PLACE
Friday 5th July 2019, 7pm
CABARET NIGHT: A Bit Of A Knees Up
Join us for A Bit Of A Knees Up – to celebrate the opening night of A Bit Of A Do 2019!
Featuring sign song and comedy from Caroline Parker, absurdist cabaret from Reach Theatre Company, Ted the Unisheep (from the weird and wonderful mind of Sasha Mulvey), stand-up from Don Biswas, surreal performance from DISCO DISCO and all-singing, all-dancing, lip-syncing cabaret from Ebony Rose Dark. Compere: Andrew Pepper
BSL / English interpreted
Includes performances in British Sign Language
Supported access for visually impaired audiences.
AGE GUIDANCE: Evening events are recommended as 16+ due to some adult content
CLICK HERE TO BOOK A FREE TICKET
Saturday 6 July, 11am-1pm
THEATRE WORKSHOP with EXTANT
An accessible theatre workshop for artists and performers. Booking required.
BSL / English interpreters available
Supported access for visually impaired audiences.
AGE GUIDANCE: 18+
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR FREE PLACE
Saturday 6th July 2019, 2pm
THEATRE DOUBLE-BILL
StammerMouth | Chris Campion / Extant
A double-bill of new theatre pieces exploring mental health:
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CATCHING THE GHOST by Chris Campion / Extant
Catching the Ghost is the debut play from Chris Campion, a visually impaired actor and musician from London. Highlights from this production describe the complex journey of a young man (Chris) whose gradual loss of sight takes him through an uncompromising experience of depression and split identity. Packed with acute observations and sharp humour, the production also features original music, composed and performed by Chris.
“[a] beautiful piece of comedy/music/confessional theatre”
“the most honest, moving & open show I’ve ever seen”
Directed by Maria Oshodi and produced by Extant, the UK’s leading performing arts company of visually impaired artists www.extant.org.uk
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IT Hz by StammerMouth
Intrusive Thoughts SUCK. It’s time for revenge.
Currently under the working title IT Hz (formerly ‘Fluff’), StammerMouth’s newest production is a one-man immersive work-in-progress performance – we are going to capture an intrusive thought and kill it dead.
Funded by Unlimited’s R+D grant. In association with Wales Millennium Centre. Developed with Duncan Hallis and George Soave.
BSL / English interpreted
Supported access for visually impaired audiences.
AGE GUIDANCE: 16+
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR FREE TICKETS
Saturday 6th July 2019, 7pm
THEATRE DOUBLE-BILL:
Byron Vincent | Billy Read, Ariel Fung & Chris Fonseca
A double-bill of performance and dance, exploring dystopian societies…
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INSTAGRAMMING THE APOCALYPSE by Byron Vincent
Who do you trust when the news is fake, you’re partner is cheating on you and global politics is an exploding clown car? Byron Vincent is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, but with dying icons, impending climate catastrophe and that bloke from Home Alone Two in charge of worlds largest nuclear arsenal; isn’t abject panic the only sane response?
It’s a glib postmodern world in which cynicism is cool, modern life is rubbish and sincerity is for suckers; but as concepts like truth, peace and hope become risible anachronisms, maybe it’s time to re-evaluate our perspective. In a post-satire age, what’s so funny about peace love and understanding?
Byron Vincent is a multi-award winning writer, performer and broadcaster. He has written for the Guardian and Radio 4, and is a campaigner on issues around mental health and poverty.
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SIGN CRIMINAL by Billy Read, Ariel Fung and Chris Fonseca
Sign language is banned and deaf people are on the run. What happens to the Sign Criminal…
Billy Read is a profoundly deaf street dancer, collaborating with Ariel Fung from Hang Kong and Chris Fonseca. Together they create amazing street dance, using tutting, mime and sign language.
Includes performances in British Sign Language
BSL / English interpreted
AGE GUIDANCE: 16+
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR FREE TICKETS
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Sunday 7th July, 2pm
YOUTH PERFORMANCES
New performances by young theatre and dance companies, with and without disabilities.
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JOURNEY TO THE HIGHEST PEAK by SLiDE
South London Inclusive Dance Experience (SLiDE) is a Croydon based dance company working with disabled and non disabled people, professional and non-professional dancers. SLiDE have several programmes of dance classes and projects for people aged 14 to 95 alongside performance projects for local and national audiences.
Journey to The Highest Peak is the current piece by SLiDE’s youth dance company. Choreographed by Jodie Cole and Gemma Coldicott the piece explores the euphoria and despondency of taking on life’s challenges.
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MAGPIE DANCE
Magpie Dance is the UK’s leading dance charity for people with learning disabilities. Magpie believe that a learning disability should not be a barrier to personal and artistic success and their mission is to enable people with learning disabilities to reach their full personal, social and artistic potential through dance. The Magpie Youth Technique group is for young people who have shown an aptitude and commitment to dance.
More companies to be announced soon.
BSL / English interpreted
AGE GUIDANCE: Open to all ages
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR FREE TICKETS
Sunday 7th July 2019, 7pm:
DANCE TRIPLE-BILL:
Candoco Dance Company | Lanre Malaolu | Typhaine Delaup & Virginia Scudeletti
A triple-bill of new contemporary dance performances:
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Candoco Dance Company presents:
A GRACEFUL ACT OF STUPIDITY by Tom Roden
This is a big welcome aboard. We promise a flight like no other.
Join our two flight attendants as they take you on a journey that slips seamlessly between the everyday and the poetic. Brace yourself for a playful, yet poignant ride on this most unusual aeroplane, fast-propelling you towards the inevitable.
Danced with charm and cheek, the two performers interweave delicious full- bodied dancing with spoken word, gestural detail and British Sign Language. This masterful choreography is a microcosm of joy and pathos.
A Graceful Act of Stupidity is your entire life in a moment. It’s time to check-in.
Candoco Dance Company created a sensation last year when it became the first contemporary dance company to perform on Strictly Come Dancing. Candoco collaborates with the most exciting choreographers and artists of our time to present distinctive performances and meaningful learning experiences that expand perceptions of #whatdancecanbe.
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ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM (extract) by Lanre Malaolu
Fusing physical theatre, hip hop dance and spoken word, Elephant in the Room is an explosive solo that explores the mental health crisis and the phenomenon of toxic masculinity.
Lanre Malaolu is an award-winning director, choreographer and performance artist working across theatre and film. His work has been supported/commissioned by arts organisations such as, The Old Vic, The Place, The Royal Court, The British Film Institute, Sadler’s Wells and Talawa Theatre. His work has been performed and screened internationally in Italy, Barcelona, Toronto, NYC, Miami and Zanzibar.
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THIS IS IT by Typhaine Delaup & Virginia Scudeletti.
This is it unravels the relationship between two women: who they are and who they represent for each other constantly evolves.
Typhaine and Virginia are not trying to be anything more than themselves, however childish, immature, loving or destabilising they can be to themselves and each other.
This project synthesises their experiences in the improvisation field, breaking the traditional form of the Soundpainting language into a unique movement based improvised duo.
Since 2017 they have been developing their own practice: a research in performance and education under the name Conducting with the Body. The project has been supported by numerous dance houses in the UK and Europe (Edinburgh Dance Base, Teatro Carlo Felice, TripSpace Project, Yorkshire Dance, Pavilion Dance South West).
BSL / English interpreted
AGE GUIDANCE: 16+
PLUS: Performances by Nicole Victor and Akshay Sharma
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR FREE TICKETS
DIRECTIONS
Train: Norwood Junction Station (National Rail, London Overground)
Bus: 196, 410 (both immediately outside venue)
Accessibility:
The building is wheelchair accessible, with accessible toilets. Seating is cabaret style, with moveable chairs, and all on one level.
All performances and workshops will be British Sign Language / English interpreted, and interpreters will be available front of house to support with practical and ticket enquiries. Selected will be performed in BSL (see above).
Selected performances and workshops (see above) include supported access for visually impaired audiences.
We will have a specially trained festival front of house team, who will be on hand to support with access.
If you have questions about access please contact Chris Williams, who is our designated access officer for the event – email chris@drunkenchorus.co.uk.