Brighton Fringe AT BN1 Arts

BN1 Arts Centre CIC Opens Its Season with a Bold, cynical, playful show Dear Eliza.  This is a one-woman exploration of friendship under the strain of mental illness.

In a media culture that either villainises or victimises the mentally ill, Dear Eliza navigates the grey area with guts and defiance. Playful, bold, cynical, and admirably candid, this play is very much about confronting unexpressed emotions within relationships and saying out loud what you’d rather keep in your head. It weaponises a ‘been there, done that’ attitude to masterfully balance heartbreak with humour, creating a truly honest tribute to the reality of life as a mentally ill person.

Written and performed by Barbara Diesel, and directed by Helen Parry, Dear Eliza come to the Brighton Fringe Festival following a success tour of the UK. Shortlisted for the Best Newcomer award at the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival in 2023, this show promises to make you laugh, then cry, and then laugh again.

Reviews:

“She had us hooked on every single word she said… This is a must watch performance.” 

“It’s definitely worth seeing this unique and authentic piece of theatre. It brings to the spotlight what needs to be said about the things no one wants to talk about.” 

“A hidden gem of the Greater Manchester Fringe.” 

"BN1 Arts is a wonderful and welcoming venue. The staff are incredibly lovely and friendly people, from the bartenders to the venue management! As a very small, fairly new fringe team, bringing our show to Brighton Fringe seemed daunting, but we felt well looked after and supported every step of the way. We honestly could not recommend BN1 Arts team highly enough."

An unlikely six, with clashing personalities, arrive for their weekly support group sessions:

There’s Denial, Anger, the Bargaining’s, Depression and of course, the group leader, Acceptance. 

Whether it’s 09:00 am or 17:00 pm, in a village hall or a community centre – none of that matters! What matters is why they are here. 

When their weekly sessions begin to descend into chaos, filled with fights, mad theories and forgetful participants, we finally uncover why they are all really here.

Written by Daisy Feeney Part Of The BN1 Arts Centre CIC Graduate Development Scheme*

CAST

Elias Osei-Kissi             

Tia Chipperfield              

Cindy Chawula              

Eleasha Lartey              

Katie Chivers                 

Jess Deardon   

Rhythm is everywhere, the ticking of a clock, the pulse of a train, the beating of a drum. Since the dawn of time, mankind has been communicating, speaking and expressing through the language of rhythm. Join TAP as we take you on a percussive journey, hitting, thwapping, slapping and stamping the floor. This is TAP as you’ve never seen it before...

Choreographed and Performed by Simeon Weedall, Lee Payne and Lorraine Le-Blanc

THIS EVENT IS PART OF THE CULTURE CONNEX FESTIVAL SEASON IN COLLABORATION WITH URBANFLO, BN1 ARTS CENTRE CIC, PACE, BRIGHTON FRINGE, BRIGHTON PRIDE & IRONWORKS STUDIOS.

Charlie is turning 27 and wants this year to be different.

He’s sick of spending so much time looking at other people’s lives instead of living his own.

So he’s bought an old school flip phone as surely that will make him feel better.

Yet it’s still constantly abuzz with messages from his best friend (are they best friends anymore?), his mum, his landlord, that guy that one time and an offer from Vodafone.

I Bought A Flip Phone is about loneliness, spending too much time on your phone and feeling as though you are waiting for your life to start.

Spend an hour with Charlie to make him feel a bit less lonely, please.

Written and Performed by Panos Kandunias

AFLO. The poet has always wanted to change the world, but how? From confusions to conclusions, join AFLO. on this journey.

Join AFLO. the poet as she embarks on her first solo spoken word show. She's always wanted to change the world, but how exactly do you go about doing that? In this show, AFLO. shares musings and confusions from her childhood, through to the illusions and conclusions she's uncovered in adulthood. Now, AFLO. the poet thinks she knows where to find the answer - and she's inviting you to come along with her.

Written and Performed by AFLO.

AFLO. the poet is an award-winning Brighton-based spoken word artist, activist and academic who embraces creative expression to disrupt the status quo and inspire social change. AFLO. uses poetry as a vehicle to address topics like racism and mental health, primarily speaking from her lived experiences. AFLO. also hosts and curates her own gigs with an ever-evolving Brighton-based collective of Black marginalised-gendered artists, 'AFLO. and the Poets'. 

In the spirit of airing her dirty laundry in public, Bonnie Oddie tells her story of becoming “A bad mother and a bad daughter at the very same time”. A skilfully told tale of ‘three generations of pissed off women living together under one roof’, which includes social services, secret planning and an eventual trip to Switzerland…This one woman show speaks to the expectations we have of mothers; Attitudes towards suffering, caring, love, old age, sickness, death, smoking weed and the Queen. Written and performed by Bonnie Oddie. 

Bonnie originally trained as a dancer/choreographer. She has enjoyed a varied career as a performer, collaborator and teacher. Her choreographic style evolved over time from exploring musical interpretation to working with theatrical narratives. Whilst devising ‘Boxed-I’m-Perfect’ and ‘At the Moment’ with Jacksons Lane Theatre, she discovered she was funny! And created works that were described as ‘Dance Theatre Comedy’. In 2022 Bonnie wrote and performed a short piece for True Story LDN, after which she was encouraged to develop her unique voice as a writer. ‘That’s Why Mums go to Switzerland’ is her first offering as writer/performer. 

Directed by Steve Medlin.

'‘A beautiful, unexpected, compassionate, honest and deeply moving piece of work. Oddie flips from hilarious to devastating and back again in a heartbeat. Truly life - and death - affirming.’ Polly  Vernon, The Times.

"This year in April 2024 I took part in the BN1 Arts  Graduate Development Scheme.

As a young developing artist this scheme gave me the time, space and funding to put on my own piece of work, which I’m sure you’re all aware is a very rare thing. I cannot express how valuable having this after drama school was. It gave me a total confidence boost and reinforced my love for the creative arts. Which is exactly what you need after leaving training.


While I was part of this scheme I was given access to all the rehearsal space and time I needed. The studios are the perfect size and equipped with sound systems. Also the central location of the building makes it super easy for everyone get to.


I was also fortunate enough to receive mentorship from both Lorna Tucker and Ray Shell. Having access to two professionals with such a wealth of knowledge was beyond helpful as they both took the time to guide me through the creative process and gave me feedback on my play.

I cannot begin to express how great and opportunity this was and it was all thanks to Lorraine!! If you’re offered to be part of this scheme, take it. You will not regret it."

Daisy Feeney - Writer, Director, Actor. Graduate 2023 ICTheatre Acting For 21st Century

Our Artist Development Scheme is built on the same foundation as our Graduate Development Scheme, but with one key distinction: it empowers artists to take full ownership of their creative process without mentorship. By selecting exceptional talent from Brighton and the surrounding areas, we provide a platform to develop plays, musicals, films, or solo performances. Crucially, the scheme removes financial barriers such as rehearsal space costs, theatre hire, and marketing expenses, allowing artists to focus entirely on their craft and innovation.

This year’s artists brought extraordinary creativity and vision to their projects:

·  Aflo the Poet, a renowned Brighton-based spoken word artist, has made waves on the poetry and spoken word circuit, regularly sharing stages with other celebrated performers. Through the Artist Development Scheme, Aflo was invited to create her debut one-woman show for the Brighton Fringe. The result, I Wanna Change The World...Do You Wanna Come With Me?, was a deeply impactful performance that resonated with audiences. Her two sold-out shows at BN1 Arts Centre CIC showcased her raw talent, authenticity, and ability to connect through the power of spoken word.

·  Lee Payne, Simeon Weedall, and Lorraine Le-Blanc, three outstanding tap dancers, came together to develop a performance that celebrated the pioneers of tap while introducing the artform to new audiences. Their show was not only an entertaining and educational homage to tap’s rich cultural history but also a forward-thinking project designed with the future of UK tap dance in mind. By creating a platform for emerging tap artists, the trio sought to build a sustainable legacy for the artform. Their hard work culminated in two sell-out performances at BN1 Arts Centre CIC, with plans to evolve the production into a touring show that creates opportunities for UK tap dancers for years to come.

This year’s participants exemplified the transformative power of creativity, using the Artist Development Scheme to break new ground, inspire audiences, and lay the foundation for future artistic endeavors.

"I was invited to perform my one woman show ‘That’s Why Mums go to Switzerland’ at BN1 Arts for two nights as part of the Brighton Fringe festival 2024. 

Having not been involved in the Brighton Fringe Festival before, and being London based without an existing network in Brighton, the team at BN1 Arts (namely Lorraine Le Blanc Davis) supported me wholeheartedly with all my administrative and promotional requirements. This included a generous amount of emails with various technical questions about how to use the festivals website! They were also proactive in promoting the shows locally. This included listings on their website and socials. 

The venue itself is incredibly welcoming. Beautifully presented and well organised. I was given ample time in the space to do everything I needed to prepare for the performances. Everyone seemed genuinely engaged in things going as well as possible, which is not always the case when arriving at a new venue for a short run. Technical support was flawless, and the dressing room area was comfortable and private. I was regularly asked if I needed anything, I felt welcome and supported. 

I am pleased to say that we had full houses for both performances. I believe the warm hospitality of BN1 Arts was not lost on all those who came. Many of the audience members commented on how much they liked the venue, perhaps demonstrated by how happy everyone was to stay at the bar after the show!

Financial settlements were prompt and all arrangements were a made clear from the beginning. 

I hope I get to return to BN1 Arts, and I would highly recommend it to fellow performers and audiences alike. "