Cover: Dusk & Blackdown, Page 4
thealbany.org.uk
The Albany
Douglas Way, Deptford. London SE8
Box Office 020 8692 4446
PlayList Issue 7 Spring/Summer 2010 FREE
“A beacon for creativity in south east London” The Voice
“The Albany is reaching out to local as well as wider audiences with its bold experimental programme” Time Out
Welcome to another bold and brilliant season at the Albany, with an eclectic and exciting mix of theatre, comedy, music, dance, film and spoken word. Theatrical season highlights include the Royal Court Theatre’s production of debbie tucker green’s spellbinding play random and the first stage adaptation of Richard Milward’s astonishing debut novel Apples. Musical gems come in the shape of funky rumba mega band The Congo Allstars, and Dusk & Blackdown’s sensory recreation of their Margins Music album. Albany Associate, Polarbear goes back to back in June, with his pioneering show RETURN and the reprise of Bear’s House, a special night of music and spoken word. Here at the Albany, we’re all very excited about the world premiere of Desert Boy, and if you haven’t yet booked your tickets, don’t miss out. Gavin Barlow Chief Executive/Artistic Director
may
7.30pm (+mats) 8pm 7pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 8pm 8pm 3.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm
02 02 10 09 02 03 03 03 04 04
Desert Boy Isy Suttie. And Some Poets. Harry Brown Pattie Shop Diaries Our Lives in Dance Chris Difford LOL @ SE8 Arun Ghosh’s Sunday Sessions Pure Gold StorySLAM live at the Albany
june
Friday 4 June Saturday 5 June Wednesday 9 June Wednesday 9 & Thursday 10 June Friday 11 June Saturday 12 June Wednesday 16 & Thursday 17 June Friday 18 June Tuesday 22 - Saturday 26 June Tuesday 29 June
7.30pm 8pm 7pm 7.30pm 8pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 7pm 7.30pm (+mat) 7.30pm
09 04 10 05 05 06 06 06 07 07
Knight Watch Dusk & Blackdown A Prophet RETURN Bear’s House World Cup 2010 and Football Stories Apples RAR! random Insanity Isn’t
july
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Wednesday 28 April - Saturday 15 May Friday 7 May Wednesday 12 May Wednesday 19 May Thursday 20 May Friday 21 May Saturday 22 May Sunday 23 May Wednesday 26 May - Thursday 3 June Thursday 27 May
Saturday 3 July Friday 9 July Wednesday 21 July Friday 23 July Friday 30 & Saturday 31 July
7.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm & 7pm 7pm 8pm
08 04 09 08 08
The Congo Allstars StorySLAM live at the Albany Afrocindy The Beautiful Octopus Club Mat Ricardo: Three Balls & Good Suit
theatre
Wednesday 28 April – Saturday 15 May, 7.30pm Nitro and the Albany present the world premiere of
Desert Boy
premiere
By Mojisola Adebayo They say your life flashes in front of you just before you die. But supposing it’s not just your life. What if it’s someone else’s… Soldier Boy’s in a deep situation. Minding his own on the streets of South London, he collides with the wrong crowd and meets trouble. Just one more hoody with a knife in his belly, he lies crying for his mother on a riverbank. Instead, his cries are heard by the long-dead Desert Man, from Mali 300 years ago... This is the start of an amazing trip, from the chaos and crime of London streets to the stench of slave ships on the open seas and the chains of cotton plantations in America’s Deep South. Man and boy share the absurdity and brutality of their history in order to shape their future. Shot with killer voices, singing across the ages from Mali to hip hop, from slave songs to rap, Desert Boy is a funny, fantastic and provoking new musical epic. Direction and Music Felix Cross, Music Allyson Devenish, Design Nicolai Hart-Hansen.Cast includes Emmanuel Idowu (Elina’s Kitchen, National Theatre), Femi Ogunbanjo (Blue/Orange, Courtyard Theatre).
Extras
Post Show Talk Backs Thursdays 6 & 13 May
With the creative team and guests
Tickets £12, £8 concs (plus previews 28 & 29 April). £6 schools Matinees Tues 4 May, 2pm and Sat 15 May, 3pm BSL interpreted performance Thurs 13 May
After Party with DJs
Fridays 30 April & 14 May Friday 7 May, 8pm
spoken word
Thursday 20 May, 7.30pm
dance
Apples & Snakes in association with the Albany present
Raj Pardesi and the Albany present
With two sell-out Edinburgh shows behind her, plus TV cultdom as Dobby from Peep Show, Isy Suttie performs her greatest hits and new material, with support from some of the circuit’s quirkiest comic poets.
An evening of cutting edge dance with six short pieces from six talented dancers - each exploring a highly personal aspect of their lives. From comedy to heartache, from success to failure, six stories expressed through dance. Featuring Natalie James, Gary Lambert, Bonnie Oddie, Frank Wilson, Ella Mesma and Miriam Faura.
Isy Suttie. And Some Poets.
Tickets £8, £5 concs
Our Lives in Dance
Tickets £10, £7 concs, £5 schools
02
south london’s finest Friday 21 May, 8pm
music
Chris Difford + support
Headlined by Albany favourite, Chris Difford from Squeeze, this is a main house showcase for the best singer songwriters to come out of our Saturday afternoon Unplugged Sessions. Double Ivor Novello Award-winning Chris Difford has been writing lyrics for over 25 years, and is responsible for 15 albums and many top 20 hits including Tempted, Up the Junction and Cool for Cats.
Saturday 22 May, 8pm
comedy
LOL @ SE8
Top comedian & Choice FM presenter Wayne ‘Dibbi’ Rollins hosts a night of hilarious stand up comedy featuring some of the best in the business including triple award-winning comedian Glenda Jaxson, Tony Hendricks and A Dot plus spots for the winners of the open mic talent quest. For entry details contact estelle.buckridge@thealbany.org.uk Tickets £10, £8 each for groups of 6 or more
Tickets £10 advance
Sunday 23 May, 3.30pm
The Albany in association with camoci records presents
Arun Ghosh’s Sunday Sessions
music
free
Magical Musical Merry-Go-Round: Part III Afrocoustics and Indo-vations Special guest, Senegalese kora maestro, Kadialy Kouyate performs his original music inspired by the Mandinka griot repertoire and new collaborative material with clarinetist Arun Ghosh. Plus an exclusive ‘Primal Odyssey’ as Arun showcases his second album with a stellar lineup featuring vibraphonist Corey Mwamba on mbira. A world of music for FREE with DJ set by Arun Ghosh & visuals by camoci
03
music
Wednesday 26 May – Thursday 3 June
Pure Gold
Seven nights of exciting new music created and performed by final year students from the Popular Music course at Goldsmiths, University of London. Each night the individual acts bring their fresh, eclectic mix of rock, pop, jazz, R n B and live visuals to SE8. One of the most innovative and cutting edge student festivals in London. Tickets £10, £4 concs (£15 GoldPass with access to all shows, available at Goldsmiths Music Department) Thursdays 27 May & 9 July, 7.30pm
literature
hosted by Charlie Dark & special guests
StorySLAM live at the Albany Get up on stage, tell your five minute story, win £100! May’s theme “Summer in the City”. StorySLAM Live provides a showcase for writers to present their work, share experiences, network and find out about the creative writing community in London. See www.storyslamlive.net for more details. Tickets £7
music
Saturday 5 June, 8pm
Dusk & Blackdown
one-off special
Root Music will be working alongside producers Dusk & Blackdown to recreate their cult dubstep album, Margins Music live on stage – bringing together a band of British Asian musicians and singers, grime MCs, and the live production skills of Dan Dusk and Martin ‘Blackdown’ Clarke. Music, film and spoken word will create a visual and aural journey through the capital at night. Featuring stand out tracks from the album alongside newly created work. Tickets £12 advance
04
ormances in and Pssst…Look out for unexpected perf w Don’t Tell Sho the by d ente pres around RETURN rs who have been Collective, a group of young write ch. Mar e sinc r rbea Pola mentored by
Wednesday 9 & Thursday 10 June, 7.30pm
spoken word
Polarbear, BAC & mac in association with the Albany present
RETURN
The story of a man trying to figure out where he fits. Illustrating his attempt to find home, captivating rhythms and patterns of speech create an experience that feels at once like a film and a campfire story. In this spellbinding, imaginative piece, Polarbear joins forces with critically acclaimed director Yael Shavit and award-winning new technologies designer, Marie Blunck. Using cinematic tricks and techniques, the trio put you in the seat of a film director, visualising and exploring the narrative as the story unfolds. Tickets £10, £7 concs
Developed at BAC and commissioned by the Live Literature Consortium.
05
Friday 11 June, 8pm
music/ spoken word
Bear’s House
After the success of Bear’s House in 2009, we welcome back Associate Artist Polarbear for another night of music and spoken word, curated especially for the Albany. This night features Kwake Solo of Speakers Corner Quartet plus a never seen before spoken word collaboration featuring Kate Tempest, David J, Josh Carta, Kayo Chingonyi, Polarbear and more. Tickets £9, £7 concs
Combined ticket for Bear’s House and RETURN £16, £12 concs
event
Saturday 12 June, doors 7.30pm
World Cup 2010 and Football Stories
Watch the World Cup on the big screen at the Albany alongside a selection of specially commissioned, pre-match football stories from poets Charlie Dark, Scroobius Pip, Kat Francois and Polarbear. We kick off on 12 June with the first England match, England v USA, with a live performance from Polarbear and Kat Francois. Check www.thealbany.org.uk for more details.
FREE We will be screening more World Cup matches. There will be pies! View website for more details. theatre
don’t miss Wednesday 16 & Thursday 17 June, 7.30pm
Northern Stage & Company of Angels presents
Apples
Enter the dazzling, chaotic world of Adam and Eve. They depict a very different Eden. On a council estate where cheap booze flows as freely as the wild experiences of the teenagers that live there, friendships mean everything and families are left behind. Funny, tragic and delightful, it’s ‘Catcher in the Rye meets the Arctic Monkeys’. The first stage adaptation of Richard Milward’s remarkable debut novel, Apples is a co-production between Northern Stage and Company of Angels Tickets £10, £7 concs, £6 schools
Post show chat backs after all performances Workshops for schools, colleges and youth groups available, for more information email creative@thealbany.org.uk music
Friday 18 June, 7pm
NXP, the Albany and Young Mayor of Lewisham present
RAR!
Phenomenally popular underage nightclub RAR! returns to the Albany for another night of eclectic artists, fresh music and packed dancefloors. To get an idea of how amazing these nights are, just look at recent RAR! lineups which have included Tinie Tempah, Dan LeSac vs Scroobius Pip and Pendulum. Tickets £5
06
theatre
Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 June, 7.30pm with Saturday matinee at 3pm The Royal Court Theatre production of
random
by debbie tucker green
“Two piece a Police cars park outside our yard, right outside our yard. For all to see. For all to know.” Unwelcome visitors. Unwelcome news. A family wake up to a normal day. By lunchtime one random act has changed everything. An urgent and powerful play by debbie tucker green. “It whisks the audience from laughter to comfortless sorrow in less than an hour. A remarkable piece blessed with empathy, substance, a palpable generosity of spirit” Daily Telegraph “Extraordinary. Heartbreakingly topical. I was completely spellbound. You have to see it. The more people that see it, the better” BBC Radio 4 Tickets £10, £7 concs, £6 schools. Sat £12, £8 concs Post show chat back after Wednesday performance Workshops for schools, colleges and youth groups available, email creative@thealbany.org.uk for more information.
Tuesday 29 June, 7.30pm
Insanity Isn’t…
fresh from new york
dance/ theatre
Insanity Isn’t is the story of Acey Sickly. While trying to sleep through the American dream Acey wakes to an American nightmare; he finds himself plagued with financial burdens, media propaganda, religious beliefs, and keeping up with the Joneses. B-Boy movements, rhyme, beatbox and live music weave together in his journey back into insane sanity. Written and performed by New York hip hop artist Rudi Goblen, who has toured with the likes of The Roots, Mos Def and De La Soul. £10, £7 concs, £6 for school and youth groups
Originally commissioned by Miami Light Project and the Adrianne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.
07
Saturday 3 July, 7.30pm Joyful Noise presents
a great night out
The Congo Allstars The mega dance band brings soukous right up to date with funky rumba beats and cutting-edge dub reggae creating an irresistible mix of old school rumba and modern soukous. Join us for a great evening of infectious dance music. Tickets £12 advance
music/club
music
Friday 23 July, 7pm Heart n Soul presents
The Beautiful Octopus Club Come and soak up the festival vibes at The Beautiful Octopus Club’s summer festival! Enjoy great live music performances in the garden, dance to the beats and visuals of the Heart n Soul DJs and VJs or lay back and relax in the outdoor chillout area. Tickets £7
comedy
Friday 30 & Saturday 31 July, 8pm
Mat Ricardo: Three Balls and a Good Suit For 25 years Mat has travelled the world making a living as a juggler. He has worked the greatest stages in the world, and the crappiest. In this, the London preview of his first ever Edinburgh festival show, he’ll show you tricks nobody else can do, and share stories that could only have happened to him! Tickets £5
08
Seeding New Talent Artists have been exploring new stories and creating new work at the Albany this spring. All they need now is you, the audience to tell them what you think! Come and share some brand new work in development with us for FREE. Spaces limited, so to get on the free guest list, book with the box office early.
Wednesday 19 May, 7.30pm
Friday 4 June, 7.30pm
Wednesday 21 July, 2.30pm & 7pm
Pattie Shop Diaries
Knight Watch South’Story
Afrocindy
Bigger Than Me Productions presents
An everyday story of love, family, identity, gossip, redemption and burnt ‘riceand-peas’. A tragi-comedy music theatre production, focussing on the lives of a modern black family running a pattie-shop in Brixton, London.
Fuel presents Inua Ellam’s
In a world where tower blocks are stone mountains and city walls are urban tapestries retelling epic fights, Michael keeps away from the warring tribes until a passerby saves him from a tight situation… Knight Watch is the first of four South Stories. In this work in development, new Albany Associate Artist Inua Ellams will perform the first two tales and share ideas for the overall story. Commissioned by the Albany
Charlie Dark, the Albany and ARC presents
Told through shadow puppetry, music and spoken word, Afrocindy is the story of a girl born under a full moon who never liked to sleep at night. Join her on an amazing adventure to the moon to find out if the night is longer than the day, where stars go in the daytime and how the moon got its light. Associate Artist Charlie Dark shares the first ‘scratch’ performance of this work in development. For children aged 5 -7 years.
Saturday Afternoons June - July, 3-5pm
Unplugged
Enjoy the vibe with a veritable feast of singer songer writer virtuosity, as tomorrow’s talent take to the cafe stage. Unplugged alumni include Glenn Tilbrook, Tommy Mizen, Ceri James, Myla, Jimmy & the Banned and Lewie Dyer. Free entry, licensed bar, good food and BBQ weather permitting. www.myspace.com/thealbanydeptford 09
Monday 26 July to Friday 13 August
Summer Arts 2010
Three weeks of Summer Arts activities with courses available in spoken word, drama, music and film as well as production. Plus social activities and a huge showcase to present your talents. Places are limited, to get on the mailing list text SAS10 to 07951 485512 or email creative@thealbany.org.uk Thursdays 22 April - 27 May, 5-7pm The Albany Youth Forum Presents
Dance Drop-in
To boogie your way to fun and fitness, join the AYF as they explore different dance styles. Text DANCE to 07951 485512 FREE
PLUS…FRE E spoken word young people’s half term , p by texting HA drama and film. Register rojects in yo LF creative@thea TERM to 07951 485512 ur interest www.thealbanlbany.org.uk or check ou or emailing t y.org.uk for m ore informatio n
Tuesdays, from 27 April
Run by Red Thread Arts for the Albany
Dig Deptford!
Dig drama? Join Dig Deptford for free drama workshops. Interested? Email digdeptford@gmail.com or text DIG DEPTFORD to 07769789227
AlbanyOnFILM
Wednesday 12 May, 7pm
Harry Brown
Urban Screen nights in our pop up cinema lounge – contemporary features, independent shorts, Q&As and debate. Tickets £5 Presented in conjunction with Screenbiz and funded by Film London
18
Law abiding citizen and ex-marine Harry Brown (Michael Caine) lives alone on a housing estate (shot in Elephant and Castle). The murder of his best friend Leonard forces Harry to start dispensing his own brand of justice to those responsible.
Wednesday 9 June, 7pm
A Prophet
18
Directed by Jacques Audiard and starring Tahar Rahim, this Bafta-winner has been described as one of the greatest crime films of all time. In prison, 19 year old Malik gets unwillingly drawn into involvement with a Corsican gang. 10
The Albany Douglas Way Deptford London SE8
where we are
RD NT KE
NEW CROSS
DOUGLAS WAY
ILL RD BROOK M
how to get here
HOW TO BOOK GREENWICH
DEPTFORD BRIDGE DLR
ST JOHNS
BUS 21, 36, 47, 53, 136, 177, 188, 199, 225.
by phone
Tel: 020 8692 4446
BLACKHEATH RD
NEW CROSS RD
LEW ISH AM WA Y
CREEK ST
DEPTFORD CHURCH ST
WATSONS ST
D OL
NEW CROSS GATE
AMERSHAM VALE
DEPTFORD
DEPTFORD HIGH ST
CREEK RD
LEWISHAM DLR
TRAIN New Cross 5 mins walk. Deptford 2 mins walk (6 mins journey from London Bridge, 20 mins from Charing Cross N.B. Deptford Station is not accessible for wheelchair users). DLR Deptford Bridge 7 mins walk (1 min from Greenwich, 12 mins from Canary Wharf, 5 mins from Lewisham). CAR New Cross Road (A2), Creek Road (A200) Deptford Church Street (A2209). Pay & Display parking on Frankham Street and on street parking is available nearby on Watsons St, Octavius St and Rochdale Way. Douglas Way is pedestrianised.
(No Booking Fees) Monday- Friday 9am-9pm, Saturday 10am-5pm or until show time on performance days, Sunday from 2hrs before the show
by post
Cheques accepted with bank guarantee card. There is a charge of 50p for tickets posted to the booker prior to the performance.
online
www.thealbany.org.uk
in person
Debit/credit card, cash or cheque accepted.
mailing list
Join our free mailing list by visiting www.thealbany.org.uk or by calling 020 8692 4446
TAXI Private hire taxis can be booked from the venue. ACCESS
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Please let our Box Office know your requirements.
Registered Charity No. 1112521
EVE LYN ST
LONDON BRIDGE
albany café Our fully licensed café serves delicious hot meals, soups, salads, home made cakes and fair trade tea and coffee. It’s also where you can catch some great free music and exhibitions, see www.thealbany.org.uk for the latest offerings. You can also book catering for your functions and hire spaces at the Albany for performances, rehearsals, conferences and meetings. Mon to Fri 9am - 6pm* Sun 12pm – 4pm *8pm on performance nights Sat 10am – 3pm
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