SUMMER SEASON 2024 | OMNIBUS THEATRE

WELCOME TO OUR 2024 SUMMER SEASON

Following an energetic Spring Season at Omnibus Theatre, I’m delighted to reframe the landscape and refocus the world through a different lens this Summer: traversing personal and global stories from the past, present and future. Bringing together new partnerships and translations from across the world, stories exploring the intersection of technology and humanity, queer culture and the power of the mind, as well as artist development, music and festivals.

Up first, Foreign Affairs Theatre presents the UK premiere of award-winning play Black Swans, in a new English translation, following two sisters who employ an AI care robot to look after their elderly mother.

Diving into magic realism, Surfacing is a neurodivergent thriller which uses new motion sensor technology to create responsive light and sound, written by Papatango Prize Winner Tom Powell and presented by ASYLUM Arts. Continuing exploration of the complexities of the mind, the world premiere of Bruntwood Longlisted, Wormholes is a darkly compelling tale of survival and coercive control starring Victoria Yeates, from writer Emily Jupp.

Headlining the 96 Festival is Joe Carstairs, a new biopic fusing physicality, words and music, offering a fresh look at one of the 20th century’s boldest queer figures, and George, the story of French writer George Sand, who daringly defied all rules of living and writing in 19th century France.

Time travelling into Europe’s history, Viva Portugal explores two playwrights’ historical re-telling of the time of Salazar through very different lenses in the 1960’s. Live Fado, panel discussions and arts exhibitions accompany this production.

It wouldn’t be Summer without festivals; this year we welcome back the 96 Festival, our annual celebration of queerness and theatre which has doubled in size and features the return of Monica Gaga in Hell Yeah! and Queer Diary; then Out of the Wings returns for its 8th festival of Spanish and Portuguese language playwriting in UK premiere English translations, and Edinburgh Fringe Previews where we’ll once again showcase some of the most exciting talent headed to the fringe this year.

Running alongside the season, our artist development programmes Engine Room and Omni-wright continue to expand and champion new voices and bold new stories. Live music also grows in popularity with monthly events Jazz in the Present Tense and Out of the Shadows.

Join us in celebrating Summer at Omnibus Theatre, I look forward to seeing you there.

Artistic Director Marie McCarthy

HOW TO BOOK

PRESENTED BY FOREIGN AFFAIRS

BLACK SWANS

Two sisters face a difficult decision: how to best care for their elderly mother as her health declines. Rosie, a humanoid care robot, seems like the perfect solution. But soon they have to reckon with the unforeseen consequences of bringing an artificial intelligence into their lives.

Black Swans explores the ethical and moral dilemmas of introducing AI into human caregiving, offering a poignant (and often humorous) look at family dynamics, societal norms and the pervasive influence of technology on our lives.

Christina Kettering‘s award-winning play examines the intersection of AI, healthcare and the challenges of caregiving through a female lens. It prompts questions about the boundaries of AI and the essence of compassion in our increasingly digital world.

Black Swans (Schwarze Schwäne) achieved notable recognition when it was first produced in Germany in 2019, winning first prize at the Heilbronn Drama Competition as part of the Science & Theater festival. It gained further prominence by securing a spot in the 2020 EURODRAM Selection, and has been translated into five different languages.

Black Swans was translated into English by Pauline Wick as part of the Foreign Affairs Theatre Translator Mentorship programme in 2020/21.

Black Swans and its engagement programme are funded by Arts Council England and Unity Trust. The production is presented in arrangement with DREI MASKEN VERLAG GmbH München.

Written by Translated by Directed by

PAULINE WICK

RIA SAMARTZI

23 APR - 11 MAY, 7.30PM (TUE- SAT) 4PM (SUN)

TICKETS: £18 STANDARD, £16 CONCESSION, £10 PREVIEWS

CHRISTINA KETTERING

ASYLUM ARTS

SURFACING

NHS therapist Luc is fine. Honest. She’s definitely not overwhelmed by meeting Owen, a new client, definitely not freaked out by what she’s started seeing, definitely doesn’t think her reality has been punctured and something else is leaking in. Luc goes for a swim and feels a hand dragging her down to the bottom of the lake…

When she surfaces, her reality is different. She’s haunted by tormented mice, shapeshifting shadows and secrets she thought she’d buried. As she hunts for Owen through this upside down world she comes closer to her past and the truth she’s desperately hidden.

With innovative creative captioning and haunting music, Papatango Winner Tom Powell's breath-taking new two-hander examines neurodivergence, hallucinations,

and the state of mental health care. Directed by Stephen Bailey (Royal Theatrical Support Trust Sir Peter Hall Award Winner 2022), Surfacing uses new motion sensor technology to create responsive light and sound, evoking the lived experience of disassociation. Presented by ASYLUM Arts.

All performances are presented in a relaxed environment, captioned and have integrated audio description. Supported by Arts Council England, Pentabus, Unlimited and The Barbican Centre.

'A modest masterpiece' The Stage, 'An almost epic quality' The Guardian

Papatango Prize - Tom Powell

Royal Theatrical Support Trust, Sir Peter Hall Director’s Award - Stephen Bailey

Shortlisted for Untapped Nominated for VAULT Origins

Written by

TOM POWELL

Directed by

STEPHEN BAILEY

14 MAY-1 JUN, 7:30PM (TUES-SAT) 4PM (SUN)

TICKETS: £18 STANDARD, £16 CONCESSION

96 FESTIVAL

96 festival is back by popular demand! A glittering line up of artists will set up camp at Omnibus Theatre for a spectacular celebration of queerness and theatre.

An extravaganza of theatre, comedy, cabaret, music, arts and activism; now in its 9th year, 96 festival has been conceived in remembrance and celebration of the iconic Pride party at Clapham Common in 1996.

Headlining the 96 Festival is Joe Carstairs, a new biopic fusing physicality, words and music, offering a fresh look at one of the 20th century’s boldest queer figures, and George, the story of French writer George Sand, who daringly defied all rules of living and writing in 19th century France.

PROGRAMME

3 JUN LAUNCH

JOE CARSTAIRS

FUNNY THOUGH

JUST A MINUTE

ROSA GARLAND

HELL YEAH!

QUEER DIARY

OUT OF THE SHADOWS

OMNI-WRIGHT

STANDING

HASBIAN

MODERN CULTURE

VIVA PORTUGAL-

TWO STORIES FROM THE TIME OF SALAZAR

Two playwrights re-tell history through a different lens. One imagines the preoccupations of the dictator in his hours of insomnia. The other sees a real event from the point of view of its unacknowledged heroine.

In A Reputation we are in Lisbon, 1966. The ageing dictator Antonio Oliveira Salazar has governed this small European country with an iron hand for nearly 40 years. A devout and intensely private man, he contemplates his legacy of a secure and solvent nation with pride. But time passes, and there is the different matter of how history will treat him – of his reputation. And today he has a visitor, the one person he can trust.

A Reputation is written by Susannah Finzi and translated into Portuguese (for the Lisbon production in 2024) by Armando Nascimento Rosa.

Departure–The Woman Without

Fear tells the real-life story of Humberto Delgado, diplomat and politician, and leader of an ill-fated attempt to overthrow the Portuguese dictator Salazar. The story is told through the eyes of Arajaryr Campos, his secretary and lover. Leaving her small daughter behind in Brazil, Arajaryr was assassinated together with Delgado in 1965 in Villanueva del Fresno, Spain by the secret police of Prime Minister Salazar. Departure is written by Armando Nascimento Rosa and translated into English by Susannah Finzi. Departure will be performed script in hand as a rehearsed reading.

Certain performances are followed by a fado concert by Armando Nascimento Rosa or a panel discussion with both writers.

2 – 14 JUL

TICKETS: £18 STANDARD, £16 CONCESSION

OUT OF THE WINGS

Out of the Wings (OOTW) returns for its eighth annual festival of theatre in translation from the worlds of Spanish and Portuguese-language playwriting. Over five nights, we present readings of plays from five different countries, all in English translation and in the UK for the first time. Discover with us the best of Ibero-American playwriting, in a celebration of international collaboration and theatre in translation.

16 – 20 JUL, 7:30PM

TICKETS: £12 STANDARD, £8 CONCESSION

TICKETS: £6

EDINBURGH PREVIEWS

Get one jump ahead of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer at Omnibus Theare.

A dynamic mix of emerging and established theatre-makers preview their work in Clapham before heading to the worlds largest theatre festival, giving Londoners the chance to experience the best of the Fringe before anyone else.

13-28 JUL

PRESENTED BY VISCEM

WORMHOLES

“No one looking at you would spot a thing out of place. You’re complacent. You and the worm coexist. Even though it’s eating you from the inside, you’ve got no idea.”

A domestic abuse survivor examines the jagged pieces of her past to understand why she's being questioned by police. She is in a mental facility, but apart from some memory loss, she can't understand why she's there. So why won’t they let her out? And why do all the other women around here remind her of forks in the pathway of her life that she didn't walk down…. Wormholes to other possible futures and pasts?

But she’s stuck in this life and she thinks she did something terrible... and she needs to remember it, before her actions have dangerous consequences.

The world premiere of this darkly compelling tale about coercive control, domestic abuse and how the mind finds a way to escape, brings together a powerhouse team.

Written by Emily Jupp (Liverpool Hope Prize 2019, Bruntwood longlist 2022), starring Victoria Yeates (Call the Midwife, Fantastic Beasts, Ben and Imo) and directed by Scott Le Crass (Rose, Ambassador’s Theatre).

“As intense as a thriller, searing as a tragedy. I read Emily Jupp’s grimly funny, sensitive but shocking Wormholes; it’s a text that leaps off the page at you then haunts. Extraordinary.” Critic, Alun Hood

Bruntwood Longlist 2020

EMILY JUPP

SCOTT LE CRASS

Written by Directed by Starring

VICTORIA YEATS

TICKETS: £18 STANDARD, £16 CONCESSION 23 JUL – 10 AUG, 7.30PM (TUE- SAT) 4PM (SUN)

TERRA INVISUS: VISIONS

Rising name on London’s contemporary music scene, Terra Invisus embarks on a tour across England with Visions—their audacious new album. It’s a collection of exhilarating collaborations with the UK’s emerging composition talents.

Terra Invisus translates new music, a fusion of free improvisation, written text and traditional scores, into narratives and soundscapes that push boundaries of the classical genre. The contemporary music trio, featuring Milda Vitartaitė (piano), Alex Lyon (clarinets), and Rebecca Burden (cello),is known for their forward-thinking live performances and numerous collaborations with both young and established composers. Combining their individual musical influences, which include contemporary classical, experimental and folk, the trio has joined forces to continuously present new works to the UK audiences

5 MAY, 7PM

TICKETS: £15 STANDARD, £13 CONCESSION

JAZZ IN THE PRESENT TENSE

Established musicians and rising stars from UK’s vibrant Jazz scene, perform live Jazz right here on Clapham Common on the third Friday of each month. Showcasing original music and well loved material, each date features a fresh line up renowned musicians - guaranteed to make your heart sing.

Recent performers include:

The award winning pianist/poet Robert Mitchell.

James Wade-Sired a young and gifted trombonist, making a name for himself in the Jazz landscape.

TICKETS: £6

TICKETS: £10

MATERIAL GIRLS

A mixed bill comedy show starring some of the biggest and brattiest up-and-coming comedians on the UK circuit. Expect a night of laughs from four brilliant comedians who were spoilt as children and a famous headliner who still uses their daddy’s Uber account.

18 MAY, 9PM

TICKETS: £7

MOONGATE MIX

Moongate Mix returns in May with The British Chinese Takeaway: Then, Now, Tomorrow, a fascinating evening of rich social history in the form of books, drama, art and panel discussion. Panelists include Bec Boey, Angela Hui and Donald Shek. In June it’s Asian Poets Corner II’ with poets Jennifer Wong, Nina Mingya Powles and Eric Yip and finding out what inspires their work. As always, Moongate Mix will be accompanied by an Asian pop-up kitchen and pop-up retail HAG.

13 MAY, 10 JUN, 8 JUL 7PM

TICKETS: £5

ENGINE ROOM

Our regular scratch programme, where dynamic and talented theatre makers present daring, new work in the first stages of development.

Engine Room puts you, the audience, at the heart of the creative process. Following the sharing you will be asked to complete a feedback form, with your comments directly influencing the next development of the pieces. Give feedback, offer ideas and discover the next generation of theatre before anyone else.

Artists that have previously presented work include; Nouveau Riché, Vera Chok, The Queer House, Opia Collective, Cocoa Butter Club and Playing On.

TICKETS: £6

27 MAY, 17 JUN, 8 JUL 7:30PM

TICKETS: £6

Make friends and learn new skills as a member of Omnibus Theatre's Young Company. Through fun drama games and workshops, members are encouraged to grow in confidence, express creativity and build teamwork in a supportive space. Classes for 8-10s,11-18s, and 14-18 year olds.

For more information visit: www.omnibus-clapham.org/young-company/

CAFE BAR

Everyday before and after the show, we serve a menu of hot drinks, craft beers, wine and seasonal cocktails. From Friday - Sunday, we provide a full menu of home-made food including freshly baked pastries, delicious cakes and savoury light bites.

EXHIBITIONS

We host free exhibitions, ranging from cartoons, photography and paintings.

Enjoy a cup of tea and indulge in new art forms in our Cafe Bar! Check out our website for more information.

MUSIC

ROUGE 92

Every 2nd Friday

SCHOOL OF DESIRE

Every 1st Sunday

BATTERSEA JAZZ

COLLECTIVE

Every 3rd Sunday

ROB MILLER

Every 4th Sunday

SUPPORT OUR WORK

Omnibus Theatre is a registered charity but we do not recieve any regular funding. We rely on your donations to keep our ticket prices affordable, bolster emerging artistic talent and provide innovative programmes for young people in our local communities. Our members receive fantastic benefits including free tickets, parties and the latest Omnibus Theatre news for as little as £25 a year.

BECOME A MEMBER

MAKE A DONATION

Donations are essential in helping us to stage excellent theatre and provide creative opportunities for the whole community.

JOIN THE 1889 CIRCLE

Help us raise capital investment to secure the future of Omnibus Theatre. 1889 Circle members gain exclusive access to special events with notable guests from stage and film.

To find out more visit omnibus-clapham.org/support-us or call 0207 622 4105

THANK YOU

We are incredibly grateful to all of our donors and members for their generous contributions to Omnibus Theatre, including the following individuals:

Christopher & Caroline Clarke, Renuka Cheema, Dame Judi Dench, Gena Gilbert, Tim Gosling, Jeanette Miller, Lucy Macdonald, Angela Owen MBE, Jenny Sheridan, Fiona Mactaggart, Susan & Barry Keegan, Carol Rahn & David Baxter, Ronald Paterson & Grette Elliott, Kitty & Bruce Richardson, Euan & Rosmary Knnedy, John O'Farrell, Sally O'Neill, Alexandra Mclean-Williams, Michael Spitzer, Tony & Win Solway, Pam Alexander & Roger Booker, Robert Edwards, Daniel Dovar & Nina Murdoch, Ian Calder, Micheal & Christine Green, Simon Millson, Clare Gore Langton, Diana Ross and Mark Bayley CBE.

In addition, our work would not be possible without charitable trusts, foundations and businesses who support us with project funding. Including:

Arts Council England, Handelsbanken, Jack Petchey Foundation, The Arts Society Clapham & The Patricia Fay Memorial Fund, Mayor's Fund For London, George Wood, Cockayne Foundation, London Active Londoners, Sheraton Law , Foyle Foundation, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The Sisters Trust.

VISITOR INFORMATION

HOW TO FIND US

TUBE

We are a 5 minute walk from Clapham Common underground station.

BUS

88, 137, 249, 417 buses stop directly outside Omnibus Theatre and many others close by at Clapham Common.

CAR

Limited on street parking available after 6.30pm. Before 6.30pm these spaces are pay and display. Visit our site for more access info.

ACCESSIBILITY

All performance spaces and facilities are fully wheelchairaccessible. Due to the variability of seating arrangements in our performance spaces, it is useful for us to know at the time of booking if a wheelchair space is required. However, it is possible that this can be arranged on arrival. If you have access requirements, please arrive at least 20 minutes before the start of the show and make yourself known to box office staff on arrival.

TICKET COLLECTION

We run a paperless box office system. You will be emailed a PDF ticket when you book in advance. Pick up your entry pass to the theatre from our box office on arrival.

VISIT OUR CAFE BAR

CONCESSIONS

Concessions apply to over-65s, children under 18 years, students in full time education, Equity & SDUK and individuals who work for the NHS. Concessions also apply to anyone that identifies as disabled, carers and access support workers and anyone who is in receipt of an income based benefit, or an unwaged dependant of someone who is claiming (proof of status may be required).

GROUP BOOKINGS

Some events carry a group offer of 10% off for groups of 6 or more people. Please check online, as details vary depending on the event, or phone us for more details.

Our brand new Café Bar is the perfect relaxed spot to unwind before or after a show, to hang out with friends, have meetings or to just sit and watch the world go by. By night a buzzing hive of audiences and artists enjoying pre or post show meals as well as the fully stocked bar of craft beers, wine and seasonal cocktails. Visit omnibus-clapham.org/ cafe-bar for seasonal menu's and opening hours.

@OMNIBUSTHEATRE

www.omnibus-clapham.org