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Southwark Playhouse

@swkplay.bsky.social

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An exciting programme of theatre productions across two venues: Southwark Playhouse Borough and Southwark Playhouse Elephant🐘+🏰. No booking fees! Contact us: [email protected] Visit our website: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

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Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 8d

Coming up this October

Lifers
Can dignity survive a life sentence?

The Soon Life
A lockdown labour thrown into chaos

Hot Mess
A pop musical about the ultimate break up

Wyld Woman
Shy Girl's ambitious attempt to open up

Gwenda's Garage
A new musical inspired by a repair workshop in 80s Sheffield

Text: Coming Up in October. Show artwork for Lifers, The Soon Life, Hot Mess, Wyld Woman and Gwenda's Garage

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 1d

Get under the hood of Gwenda's Garage, a raucous new musical about a group of lesbian mechanics in 1980s Sheffield.

The company took a break from rehearsals to share more about what to expect from the show.

@gwendasgarage.bsky.social | Southwark Playhouse Borough | 30 Oct - 29 Nov

📽️ Pip Films

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 1d

★★★★ "Poignant, honest and affecting" The Stage
★★★★ ‘Beautifully written and acted’ Broadway World

Congratulations to the company of Lifers who celebrated their official opening night last night.

Lifers | Southwark Playhouse Borough | Must end 25 October

📸 Rich Southgate

Lifers production photo. Lenny (Peter Wight) sits with his arms folded and a slight smile on his face, he is lit by a warm white light

Lifers production photo. Baxter (Ricky Fearon), Lenny (Peter Wight), and Norton (Sam Cox), sit around a small table playing poker. Next to Lenny is a Zimmer frame.

Lifers production photo. Mark (James Backway) stands dimly lit, his eyes shut and head tilted upwards in frustrations and exhaustion

Lifers production photo. Dr Wells (Mona Goodwin) sits wearing a blue staff lanyard.

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 2d

Pink goes good with green 🩷💚

A flyer rack with pink coloured flyers for The Soon Life, Gwenda's Garage, Wyld Woman: The Legend of Shy Girl, and Beautiful Little Fool and a green coloured flyer for The Grim. Also pictured are flyers for Cockfosters and Lifers.

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 2d

"Like one born every minute with ten times the drama and ten times the stakes" (The Live Review)

It's a... production photo drop for The Soon Life 🍼

The Soon Life | Southwark Playhouse Borough | Must end 18 October

📸 Suzi Corker

The Soon Life production photo. Bec (Phoebe McIntosh) rests a hand on her pregnant belly looking down as Alex (Joe Boylan) looks on

The Soon Life production photo. Bec (Phoebe McIntosh) sits in a birthing pool looking frighten as Alex (Joe Boylan) stands behind her supportively.

The Soon Life production photo. Alex (Joe Boylan) sits shirtless on the floor as Bec (Phoebe McIntosh) perches on the arm of a sofa watching him.

The Soon Life production photo. Bec (Phoebe McIntosh) cradles a swaddled baby close to her chest.

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 6d

Did someone say 'concrete jungle wet dream tomato'? 🗽

Wyld Woman: The Legend of Shy Girl has been rehearsing in New York ahead of its London Premiere this month. Follow Shy Girl's attempt to overcome her painful shyness and make her first ever friends.

Southwark Playhouse Borough | 23 Oct - 15 Nov

The company of Wyld Woman laughing together outside the doors to 32 Avenue of The Americas

The company of Wyld Woman stood together laughing, behind them is a step and repeat for Drama League.

The company of Wyld Woman sit around a table. Writer, Isabel Renner, laughs with a hand covering her mouth

Isabel Renner sat at a table for a script read

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Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 6d

★★★★★ “One of the best plays of the year” WhatsOnStage

The Code offers a golden glimpse into the silver screen, charming audiences for just twelve more performances!

The Code | Southwark Playhouse Elephant | Must end 11 October

📽️ Studio Twenty

The Code Official Trailer | Must end 11 October

YouTube video by Southwark Playhouse

www.youtube.com

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Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 8d

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 9d

They might be getting better with time, but we can hardly wait the 16 days until their first performance!

Take a listen to Danielle Steers and Tobias Turley performing 'Better with Time' from new original musical, Hot Mess.

Southwark Playhouse Elephant | 16 October - 8 November

📽️ Crosscut Media

Danielle Steers and Tobias Turley perform 'Better With Time' | Hot Mess | 16 October - 8 November

YouTube video by Southwark Playhouse

youtu.be

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 9d

Celebrating ten years of the Elders Company.

Last Tuesday, participants from our Elders Company shared a series of extracts from the shows they’ve performed over the last ten years.

Here's to another ten years of learning new skills and forging new friendships.

📸 Grant Barker

The Elders Company stand in a line looking at a man who stands front and centre, a crown on his head and his hands raised aloft.

Elders Company performance. A person weating a dark beret, yellow goggles and yellow gloves slumps in an office chair. A woman wearing a striped sun hat and floral scarf standing behind them, hands resting on their shoulders.

Elders Company performance. A man in a flat cap and tweed jacket holds on to a piece of rope, a hand resting on his hip.

The full Elders Company stand in lines gesturing their arms out to applaud the pianist

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 10d

Are you joining us for any of our upcoming BSL Interpreted, Captioned, or Relaxed performances this Autumn and Winter?

Find more details here: southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/access-infor...

A photograph of a captioning unit on the side of a small proscenium arch. Text: Upcoming access performances

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 13d

Sure it's 90 days until Christmas, but how long is it until your next theatre trip?

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Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 13d

Only three weeks until the best first date you'll ever go on arrives at Southwark Playhouse Elephant ❤️‍🔥

From the creative duo behind ’42 Balloons’, Hot Mess follows a passionate love affair between the universe’s most iconic couple: Earth and Humanity.

📽️ Crosscut Media

Reposted by Southwark Playhouse

Ardent Theatre Company @ardenttheatre.bsky.social · 13d

We are very excited and honoured to announce that Johnny Harris will be joining some of the ARDENT8 actors as our special guest for the post-show Q&A following their performance of Drifting on Thursday 20th November @swkplay.bsky.social
Early booking advised! ➡️ tinyurl.com/A8-drifting

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Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 14d

Thanks for visiting. Glad you enjoyed the show!

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 14d

Next stop: Elephant and Cast Announcement

Introducing the commuters who will be bringing back the most enter-train-ing tube ride of your life.

Tickets for previous departures in May sold out, so don’t miss out this time!

@cockfostersplay.bsky.social | Southwark Playhouse Borough | 4 Dec - 3 Jan

Headshots for Sam Rees-Baylis, Liam Horrigan, Beth Lilly, Verity Bajoria, Princess Donnough, Charlie Keable, and Emily Waters

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Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 16d

@ardenttheatre.bsky.social return to Southwark Playhouse Borough with new play, Drifting 🌊

By Andrew Muir in collaboration with the Ardent8 Ensemble, this poetic and darkly funny show follows a man grappling with the weight of expectation, the pull of home and the dream of escape.

18 - 22 Nov

Drifting Main Artwork. Image features 8 young people in casual green, red and blue clothing facing forward on rocks on a dark sandy beach. Behind them, a broken stage mirror reflecting their faces, storm clouds and sea. A broken laptop on the sand. A Golden Eagle in the sky.

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 16d

Eight performances left until we must bid the company of A Midsummer Night's Dream a fond farewell 🥹

A Midsummer Night's Dream | Southwark Playhouse Borough | Must end 27 September

📸 Charlie Lyne

Titania (Daisy Ann Fletcher) leans on a rocking horse, looking out dreamily

Pyramus (Fintan Hayeck) and Thisbe (Martin Bassindale) are separated by a wall (Andy Umerah, wearing a large wicker basket over his head)

Joan (Lara Grace Ilori) smiles and claps bouncily

Puck (Dewi Wykes) appears out of a wooden box

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Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 17d

Are we "met by moonlight"? Cause that's a lot of stars we're seeing 🤩

A Midsummer Night's Dream | Southwark Playhouse Borough | Must end 27 September

📸 Charlie Lyne

A production image for A Midsummer Night's Dream. Puck (Dewi Wykes) blows petals off a book. The image is overlaid with various 4 and 5 star reviews. Test Reads: "A joy to watch" West End Wilma

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Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 20d

Meet Shy Girl.

She's undertaking an ambitious attempt to open up (emotionally, spiritually… physically) and to extend her social life beyond the feeble realm of her imaginary friends.

But she needs you there.

Wyld Woman | Southwark Playhouse Borough | 23 October - 15 November

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 21d

"He's confused, he's guilty, and he's desperately trying to make sense of his crime"

Take a look behind the scenes at rehearsals for new play, Lifers.

This darkly funny and unflinchingly honest look at ageing, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive, opens in just two weeks!

Lifers In Rehearsals | 1 - 25 October

YouTube video by Southwark Playhouse

www.youtube.com

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 21d

"Everything that theatre should be"

Audience members little and large are loving A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Have you joined us for this sensationally silly show yet?

A Midsummer Night's Dream | Southwark Playhouse Borough | Must end 27 September

📽️ Grant Barker Photography

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 22d

We're so excited to welcome you. Hope you enjoy the show (all three times!) ❤️

Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 23d

Two undertakers. A dead murderer. What could possibly go wrong?

Hit dark comedy thriller (fresh from a sold-out transfer at the Old Red Lion and a critically acclaimed run at Edinburgh Fringe) The Grim, comes to Southwark Playhouse Borough.

26 Nov - 6 Dec | On sale now!

The Grim main artwork, features a menacing looking man on a newspaper with the headline 'murderer dead'. The newspaper is splattered with blood and a lollipop sits on top of it.

Reposted by Southwark Playhouse

The Peg Review @thepegreview.bsky.social · 26d

★★★★A Sepia-Tinged Dream
thepegreview.com/2025/09/12/%...
@swkplay.bsky.social

★★★★A Sepia-Tinged Dream

Simon Ward reviews A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Southwark Playhouse Borough Since the turn of the millennium, Southwark Playhouse has been re-imagining the great works of the Shakespearea…

thepegreview.com

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Southwark Playhouse @swkplay.bsky.social · 27d

Wishing the company of A Midsummer Night's Dream a perfectly preposterous (or should that just be perfect?!) press night.

Check out the brand-new trailer for this seriously silly re-imagining of the much-loved classic comedy.

Southwark Playhouse Borough | Must end 27 September

📽️ Borne Motion