Drunken Chorus’s pioneering annual festival of theatre, dance and cabaret returns this October, for a series of unique events and performances in the centre of Croydon by disabled and non-disabled artists.
With inclusivity and access at the heart of the festival, all events include British Sign Language, and most will have step-free access, accessible facilities and audio description.
With ten live events and six digital works at this year’s festival, lovers of live performance will no doubt be spoilt for choice once again.
Feauted artists for 2022 …
– George the Dragon’s Cabaret of Curiosities.
– A digital sign language performance by Deaf Japanese artist Chisato Minamimura.
– A dance showcase, featuring work by Clare and Lesley, Kitsch n Sync, and the award-winning Thick and Tight.
– Other artists include Not Your Circus Dog, Frankie Thompson and Chortle Student Comedy Award Winner Joe Kent-Walters.
Everyone should be able to access local arts and cultural events, we’re introducing a tiered-ticketing system which includes free tickets for anyone who needs them.
HIGHLIGHTS
FRIDAY 21st OCTOBER, 8PM
George the Dragon’s Cabaret of Curiosities.
Hosted by the lip-syncing, cock-wielding George the Dragon, Cabaret of Curiosities features king-with-the-violin Frankie Heartless, Rick Dove, Queer as an Arro, the Wheel Elvis, CJ Hopkins, Rhys Thorne, Beary Poppins, and Linda Wicker, as well as some choice numbers from a very queer and disabled panto! Each performer has some kind of disability – visible or not – and we can’t wait to show you what we can do.
SATURDAY 22nd OCTOBER, 5:30PM
SPUN – Dance Showcase.
Performances include:
SLiDE: Cross-wor(l)ds – A new piece commissioned for A Bit Of A Do 2022. Two performers on a quest for solutions in an ever-changing world.
Thick and Tight: Prima – A work about the extraordinary and much-loved ballerina Margot Fonteyn, brought to life by dancer, drag performer, filmmaker and artist Danny Smith.
Clare and Lesley: It’s A Must and Anonymity – Clare Adam, a Deaf Dance Artist, and Lesley Howard, an Autistic Dance Artist, present two short performances, exploring the pressures disabled people face to keep up and fit in, and the power of friendship and hard work to overcome life’s challenges..
Kitsch n Sync: The Teddy Girls – A contemporary dance theatre performance drawing inspiration from the 1950s gangs and their rebellious attitude of Rock and Roll.
SATURDAY 22nd OCTOBER, 8PM
Not Your Circus Dog – Not F**kin’ Sorry
Join the Not Your Circus Dog collective for an evening of shameless sexy punk crip cabaret. With luscious lip syncs, sweaty dances and verbatim stories, have your preconceptions rattled as we take you to the edge.
WEDNESDAY 26th OCTOBER, 3PM
Benny Shakes – The Blue Badge Bunch (FAMILY SHOW)
A hilarious rip-roaring game show with humour for all ages, where kids join in the games and learn about disability! Hosted by Benny Shakes, with co-host Mark Nicholas, plus star guests. The panel get to experience how it feels to have a disability by playing interactive games including The Big Draw, where panellists (and audiences) draw with their bare feet, Audio Destructive, working out sentences from a speaking aid, and The Price is Wrong where the panel guess the price and purpose of disability equipment.
THURSDAY 27th OCTOBER. 8pm
Climate Grief Karaoke + An Attempt to Lose Time
A double-bill of new performances by Katy Dye and Miranda Prag.
Climate Grief Karaoke by Katy Dye
Katy Dye invites you to express Ecological Grief through song. Whether it’s Reef Grief, Glacial Depression, Heatwave Angst or North Pole Numbness, join her for a pop fuelled event in which your favourite power ballads or heartbreak anthems can help us release grief enormous enough to shake tectonic plates.
An Attempt to Lose Time (work-in-progress) by Miranda Prag
Is it possible to live without time? Featuring inexpert musings on quantum physics, climate change, ancient rituals and the legacy of Britain’s industrial past, this solo show sees Miranda leave the city, turn feral, rediscover the sun, fix an obsolete diesel engine and form questionable relationships with moorhens in her quest to escape time.
SATURDAY 29th OCTOBER. 7PM
A Bit Of A Knees Up – Closing Night Cabaret
The fabulous Dolly Trolley returns to Croydon to guide you through the evening’s entertainment, including:
Joe Kent-Walters – winner of the Chortle Student Comedy Award 2021
Frankie Thompson – with an extract of her hit Edinburgh Fringe show Catts
White Rabbit – The Aunties (AKA: Rock n Roll Therapists and Fairy Dogmother’s)
Drunken Chorus – With their new pub quiz Who Knows?
DISCO DISCO – Drunken Chorus’s Learning Disabled and Neurodivergent theatre group
PM – Poetry and spoken word
Gen Doy – Spoken Word and song
Plus more events between the 21st and 29th October.
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/1358676-0?pid=4231
Prices:
Glitter Ticket: GBP 0.00,
Sequin Ticket: GBP 5.00,
Disco Ball Ticket: GBP 10.00
Artists: George the Dragon’s Cabaret of Curiosities, Chisato Minamimura, Clare and Lesley, Kitsch n Sync, Thick and Tight, Frankie Thompson, Club Soda, Not Your Circus Dog, Jameisha Prescod, Dolly Trolley Drag, Drunken Chorus
