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Thank you London

We’re now back from London and basking in the audience responses to our run at the Kings Head Theatre. It’s January, so the audiences were understandably small, but perfectly formed.

Outside the Kings Head, London (L to R) Alex Bond, Alex Louise, Matt Grief, Susanne Crosby

Some 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 Suse Crosby: “It’s like the Peep Show meets Pinter, without the pauses.”

Backstage selfie – 5 minutes to go!

We shared our set with “Outlying Islands” so we were faced with the challenge of performing on mud. So, the set became ‘the garden’ in a new house where they were getting quotes for how best to landscape it! In a couple of hours we had adapted the beginning of the script to take into account the setting – which means, as is true of live theatre, you can go and see a show many times and each time see a slightly different play. It kept things fresh for both the audience and actors which is always a good thing.

So we say farewell to London – for now, and after a brief rest, we will be planning the creative future. Thank you everyone involved in this production, thank you all at the Kings Head Theatre, and thank you to the fabulous audiences that made performing this so much fun.

We are still appealing for funds for this run, if you are feeling generous please donate to our Crowdfunding page – and hopefully we will have future funds to go further afield and / or tour.

See you all soon!

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London Pickup for “Waiting for Curry”

When Susanne Crosby wrote and put on “Waiting for Curry” in the Brighton Fringe Festival, she had no idea that someone from the Kings Head Theatre in London would come to see it. The play was a surprise hit at the Festival earlier this year, enjoyed by audiences and critics alike, so much so that she was asked to put on extra performances.

“I was bowled over by the response during the Fringe” says Brighton resident Susanne who also plays one of the four characters in the play. “People really loved it. It’s amazing to have such great feedback from the audience.” The one act play is about two couples meeting up to have a take-away together, and while they wait for the Curry of the title, they enjoy rather too much wine and relax a little too much, which leads to all sorts of skeletons coming out of closets that perhaps should stay buried.

“It’s a little family comedy drama that packs a punch” says Susanne who founded Twilight Theatre to specialise in new and innovative work. “I’m interested in real lives, not being quirky or clever for the sake of it. What spoke to people about the play is that they recognised the situation these couples are in, and many came and spoke to me after the show about similar things that they had experienced.”

In today’s world where people have different relationships through their lives and often stay friends with their ex partners, attitudes towards each others’ past relationships can be tricky. “People have all sorts of insecurities, and sometimes jealousy of the past can destroy the present. Also, sometimes we look back on point in the past with such rose tinted glasses, and wishing we’d still been with someone else, which can also be so destructive” says Susanne.

Susanne has written 16 plays over the last 20 years, 13 of which have been performed to popular and critical success all over Sussex. Her play “Magpies” won a national award with the Royal Project in 2010. “Brighton is such a wonderful vibrant place to live and be creative, and performing in London is a dream come true” she says. “I always hoped more people would notice and enjoy my stories.” And when she received an invitation from the Kings Head Theatre for Twilight Theatre to put “Waiting for Curry” on there in January she was “ecstatic”. The rest of the cast were equally excited to be taking this hit to a prestigious London theatre whose reputation precedes it. “I was going over my lines again on Christmas Day” says Susanne, “but I was so excited!”

“Waiting for Curry” plays at the Kings Head Theatre 13 and 14 January 2019 7.00-8.00 pm. Tickets are available from the Theatre box office: 0207 226 8561 and on the website www.kingsheadtheatre.com.