News

New Play Launch: “Days”

The ‘Highly Recommended’ TWILIGHT THEATRE proudly presents⁠DAYS⁠a new eco-thriller comedy-drama set in the all too near future⁠Written And Directed By Award Winning⁠Brighton Based Playwright Susanne Crosby⁠ Tickets available through both Brighton Fringe website and The Lantern Theatre website

We’re back!

Fringe 2023 here we come. It’s been a long time coming, but we’re back with something completely different. An eco thriller, with some comedy, set in the not too distant future, in a world running out of energy… watch this space for more…

Waiting for Curry

(L to R) Susanne Crosby, Matt Grief, Alex Louise, Alexander Bond

Four friends: two couples, and a lot of history.

The wine flows as they wait for their takeaway, they start catching up, as friends do – but there is something different about tonight.

Private thoughts start spilling over into polite conversation and suddenly they are sharing far more than they intended: longings, jealousies, and a secret past.

It’s an evening that changes them and their friendships forever.

Performances

Twilight Theatre premiered the acclaimed comedy drama Waiting for Curry  by award winning Brighton based playwright Susanne Crosby to Hove Grown Festival in 2017.

A new incarnation went on to receive huge popular and critical success in the Brighton Fringe Festival 2018 with sold out shows and two extra performances due to demand.

We were invited by the Kings Head Theatre in London to perform there in January 2019.
View or download the free programme here

Some Audience Feedback:

“Brilliant!” “Loved it!” “beautifully performed”

“You recognise yourself in the characters” “Fantastic writing”

“a wonderfully honest, comical and loveable script, performed by an amazing group of actors”

And a favourite with Susanne Crosby: â€œIt’s like the Peep Show meets Pinter, without the pauses.”

Below is some of the feedback during the Brighton Fringe 2018:

Kings Head Theatre: January 2019

Cast: Rob – Matt Grief; Chris – Susanne Crosby; Sue – Alex Louise; Phil – Alex Bond

Brighton Fringe Festival: May 2018

Cast: Rob – Matt Grief; Chris – Susanne Crosby; Sue – Alex Louise; Phil – Alex Bond

Hove Grown Festival: April 2017

Cast: Rob – Matt Grief; Chris – Kerri Frost; Sue – Sarah Griffin; Phil – Ben Cassan

Reviews

James Roy on Meridian FM’s review 5 stars Review 

Fringe Review classed it as “highly recommended” in both 2018 and 2017 and gave it brilliant reviews, for the writing, direction and all of the actors. Excerpts:

” There’s an added depth to this new version, and some very funny awkwardness. And a smash hit for several reasons.”

” …it’s a more complex play, even if indeed it hinges on rekindled attraction between Sue and Rob, and the reasons Rob honourably withdrew so many years back. For Sue he’s the one. For Rob, it’s not so certain. Matt Grief – the one survivor from the original cast – deftly layers a far more complex role than his initial gruff materialism lets on.

Crosby’s particular achievement lies in characterising four distinct individuals whose motivations – revealed in four monologues as the others freeze – show none of them shallow but awkward and less articulate when interacting. “

“There’s a social reckoning, a denouement, and a very unexpected plot point. It’s the kind of thing you’d expect from someone who knows what percentages can do. This version has a new emotional depth and residual wisdom with some fine lines – especially when Rob somehow blames Chris for his actions.

Grief’s baffled and compromised decency’s a thing that has you revolving the truth of it after you’ve left. Is he being truthful? Is he deluding himself in his protestations? We want to know. The cast’s uniformly convincing – Bond’s perfect subfusc, Crosby does hurt crossness and your heart goes out to Louise. But Grief’s layerings and self-contradictions as Rob perhaps carry the palm.

In its unassuming clarity it hooks universal feelings into a moment. It’s an excellent play and cast needing wider circulation; the audience again was packed. There’s a quietly sad magic to this low-key play; people recognize themselves in it. It speaks.”

Read the full 2018 review here

Read the full 2017 review here

Our Heroes

When the Kings Head Theatre invited us to perform “Waiting for Curry” at their prestigious venue we were over the moon. Of course we said yes. But the reality of taking it there dawned on us – that we needed extra help. We put together a Crowdfunder to help us get there and below are some of the heroes whose generosity made it possible to take it to London.

Heartfelt thanks to our supporters:

Paddy Cooper ~ Lesley Louise ~ Eleanor ~ Lianne Garcia ~ Emma Howarth

Helen Smith ~ Sam Anthony ~ Olover Watt ~ Rose Hall-Smith

The Session

Reviews:

James Roy at Meridian FM – 4 stars

Audience Feedback:

“Well done … for a fabulous performance and Suse Crosby for another brilliant play”    “It gets the old grey matter thinking. One not to miss. Written by the amazing Suse Crosby.”     “Excellent twist, didn’t guess the ending… all cast very good.”     “Loved it, very tense. Loved the twist. Wonderful writing.”    “Loved it”     “Cleverly written, brilliantly performed”      “What an amazing fantastic performance! A brilliantly written script and a very very talented cast”     “It was fantastic. Gripping, funny, poignant.”     “Really enjoyed the twist”     “Brilliantly written”    

Cast: Emma – Alex Louise; Tom – Kevin Cherry; Neil – Alex Bond

The Spark

Mark is recovering from an injury in his girlfriend’s home, and is bored. Sweet and kind Nicki buys him a present: a pen, to inspire him to start writing again. And as he does, she starts experiencing strange happenings, and both of their lives start unravelling
 is Mark disappearing into his world of fiction and his vicious main character, or is Nicki losing her mind?

“The Spark” is an adapted full version of the short one act play: “The Spark That Lights the Fire”, which was performed as part of the Brighton Fringe Festival in 2004 to glowing praise from audiences. Produced by CAM Productions.

Audience Feedback:

“Brilliant show! Great building of tension, I was on the edge of my seat in the second half. Very powerful stuff”

“[Andy, as Mark] – fantastically creepy, we were actually scared! Seriously brilliant”

“It was great. I loved it! [Andy, as Mark] plays the sinister villain scarily well”

“Another great production last night following on from the one we saw at the Hailsham Pavilion a couple of years back… superbly acted and written.”

“The most inventive piece of Theatre I’ve ever seen”

“scared the Beejeezes out of me”

“Well done everyone in The Spark… David [as Mike]…. you creeped us out!”

“the show was AMAZING! You were all brilliant”

“Wow! Fab play excellent! Tell ‘mark’ actor he was really good will u? …a tear at end”

“Well done everyone …absolutely brilliant, you’re all so brave with all that dialogue in such close proximity to the audience. David Aitchison, you properly scared the holy bejeeezus out of me…. and thank you Susanne Crosby and Steve for the light hearted moments… Lovely work Suuuuz”

“The play was fantastic”

“Well done Susanne and the cast for ‘The Spark’. Great evening, great play.”

“Very nice little twist at the end… eeeek #tooscaredtogotobed!”

“Just had a fab evening watching some amazing and very talented friends in ‘The Spark’ at The Little Theatre in Eastbourne. Huge congratulations to everyone involved… great performance.”

“I’ve never seen a ‘production’ before, the shouting bits made me jump a lot, the cat bit was very creepy!!”

“It was brilliant”

“I can’t express how much of an amazing actress you [Sarah, as Nicki] are. Supported by a fantastic cast (of course!)… I’m never buying anybody a pen!”

“brilliant concept – on the edge of my seat”

“Very enjoyable and quite creepy”

“Absolutely fantastic!”

“What a fab performance! … Great plot and very believable characters. Can’t wait till the next one – well done all”

“Well written, well acted, very enjoyable. Excellent characterisation”

“Well cast, good characterisations. Play is gripping and tension is mounting… Great plot, nice twist at the end – Great ent

ertainment”

“Superb, really great performances from you all. Loved it.”

“Good acting, great twist at the end”

“Very natural dialogue, just like being in the front room with the characters.”

“Fantastic show, brilliantly done and brilliantly acted. Well done everyone.”

“Fab show, very gripping storyline with elements of comedy among the darkness. Show also has a good pace and flow.”

“Interesting plot and believable acting”

“Really enjoying this very engaging production… Fabulous dark plot and creepy storyline”

“Very good, kept us in suspense until the very end”

“Excellent production and a really believable story. Didn’t know Sarah could scream like that!! Well done to all”

“Very good. Enjoyed it.”

“Mark was very creepy!! Sinister.”

“Brilliant”

“1/2 time: already into the plot
 trying to solve it! Great cast and great story. Well done.”

“intriguing sinister – at the interval, totally unsure which way it is going – is he innocent or a mass murderer, or is it the brother or is Nicki just bonkers?”

“Play is excellent. The ‘writer’ shows his character well. The script flows well”