Rotherhithe Playhouse

Christmas Theatre that Every Family Can Afford.

Each winter since Covid, if I’m free, I’ve put on a Christmas show for people who don’t otherwise see theatre, in a specially created little pop up space in South East London where everyone can feel welcome.

I do this because if my mum hadn’t been able to take me to the theatre at Christmas my life would have been very different.

These days a cast of professional actors, theatre makers and myself volunteer evenings and weekends to do this unpaid so that tickets can be free for kids, families accessing food banks and affordable for just about anyone.

Working outside of office hours also allows the thousands of us who’ve had had to abandon theatre as a living to can have the chance to perform again.

This year we’ll be creating a new performance space in Bermodsey to present a double bill based on Wind in the Willows for young families and an adaptation of a Winter’s Tale for older audiences new to Shakespeare.

If you’d like to join us this year please tell me a little about yourself and why you’d like to take part, via the email address below. I’ll give you more details, and we can see if the commitment could work for you.

I will try to get back to everyone who emails but I’m currently an admin team of 1 and this tends to be popular. If you’d like to help run things please please get in touch too.

Just to be absolutely clear there’s no one to pay us and no way of financing wages from the limited potential ticket sales so please be sure that you could afford to donate plenty of evenings and weekends unpaid to this during November and December.

Making something special for someone else for nothing, from nothing, is very satisfying but can be demanding hard work. It’s not for everyone and that’s cool.

Private email only please.

[email protected] with the words CHRISTMAS CASTING in the subject line

I hope to be cast by Monday midnight.

“At the end of the day it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished… it’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.” – Denzel Washington

CASTING
Versatile actors (M & F 20s) (M & F 30s-40s) wanted NEXT WEEK for the development of a new family musical over an intensive 6 days of rehearsals and presentations, actor/singers preferred. Fee £200, Rotherhithe Playhouse SE16 7JA. Please submit your CV with a photograph and confirmation that you're available next week to [email protected] with "Casting" in the subject line, ASAP and before noon tomorrow (20th February)

Kids Go Free! Each adult ticket for The Wizard of Oz includes up to four (4) free kids (under 14). If you missed out on half-term tickets, the offer extends to Sun 26 Feb. We have good availability on Thu 23 (5pm), Fri 24 (5pm), Sat 25 (3pm + 5pm), Sun 26 (3pm + 5pm). www.ticketsource.co.uk/rotherhitheplayhouse

Introducing Gwilym Lloyd who stars in The Doll’s House Marriage.

Previously with Phil Willmott: Long John Silver ‘Treasure Island’ (Rotherhithe Playhouse), Leontes ‘The Winter’s Tale’ (The Courtyard, Shoreditch)

Trained: Drama Centre, the Vahktangov Institute (Moscow)

Theatre includes: Warhorse (NT UK Tour), Othello & The Merchant of Venice (RSC), A Day at the Racists (Finborough), Cyrano de Bergerac (White Bear), The Tempest & Taming of the Shrew (GB Theatre Tour), The Odyssey (London Bubble)

Film includes: Resurrecting the Streetwalker (Scala Films)

Introducing Ian Macnaughton who stars in both The Doll’s House Marriage and Wizard of Oz.

Previously with Phil Willmott: The King and the Sargeant in All’s Well That Ends Well (Rotherhithe Playhouse, The Hithe 2022)

Trained: Actor's Centre and City Lit, participant at London Bubble.

Theatre includes: Phillipe in Beauty and the Beast, (Ickenham Theatre, DK Productions), Badger in Wind in the Willows (Kouyou Theatre, tour), Hirshel Gunzberg 'A Serious Play About WW2, (Willis & Vere national tour), Santa Claus in The Night Before Christmas (Watford Colloseum), Andreas in Tom Dick & Harry (The Dugdale Centre, Enfield,) Polonius in Hamlet (Pack & Carriage), Neville Child in Bag Dancing (Theatre BlahBlahBlah, national tour), Isaiah Berlin in Like a Chemist From Canada, Edmissions UK productions)

Film includes: Ray in 'The Last Rite', the Foley Artist in The Foley Artist, Mr Hanson in White Paint, James Jones, Shakespeares Diaries, Misha's father Tummyache. The Gardener, Mr Mummy.

Introducing Olivia Macdonald who stars in both The Doll’s House Marriage and Wizard of Oz.

Previously with Phil Wilmott: Treasure Island, Agamemnon, The Lower Depths, Children of Hercules, Androcles and the Lion and The London Nativity.

Trained: London Center for Theatre Studies (2000)

Theatre includes: Caligula (Donmar), Melting the Ice and The Al-Hamlet Summit (Zaoum), Henry IV (Box of Tricks), Sequins (London Writers Eclective), Out of the Dark (Extant), Baal (Flaming Theatre)

Film includes: Do I Love You, The Club, Coming to England, Waking the Dead, Death in Rome.

Introducing Elizabeth Huskisson who stars in both The Doll’s House Marriage and Wizard of Oz. 

Elizabeth is a recent graduate of The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) 

Roles while training include: Hamlet in Hamlet, Hedda in Hedda Gabler, Mother in Machinal, Dolores in Yerma

Theatre includes: Maria in O.U.T Spells Out, Gwenovia in Sir Gawain & The Green Knight (Playbox Theatre), V in Gutterhead (Ustinov Theatre School), Disciple in The Mysteries (RSC/Playbox Theatre) 

Film includes : Kelly in No News is Bad News (short), Tanya in LOVED (short), Sophie in Reverie (short) 

Forthcoming: Everywoman in Where have all our women gone? (The Bridge House Theatre) 

Elizabeth is also the Founder and Artistic Director of theatre company Sort Sol for which she writes, directs and produces original theatre. 
Website: www.sortsoltheatre.co.uk

Introducing Jan Olivia Hewitt who stars in both The Doll’s House Marriage and Wizard of Oz.

Previously with Phil Willmott: All’s Well That Ends Well, Telling Tails from Ukraine, Treasure Island, The Macbeths and Great Expectations.

Trained: Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA)

Theatre includes: Roberta Fox in Hitchcock Homage (Stage TC), Delia Sniff in Mother Goose (Hurricane), Auntie Hattie in Drumlins and Dragons (S**T), Prince Edward and Tyrrel in Richard III (Abbey Mills Festival), Woman in 4.48 Psychosis

Film includes: Angie in The Order of Ra (short), Leah in Touch (short), Housewife in The Wayback 1966 (VR)

Audiobooks include: Perfect Pronunciation series (Audible, iTunes)

Presenting the wonderful cast of The Doll’s House Marriage, a brand new adaptation of Ibsen’s classic 🎭

Book tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/rotherhitheplayhouse

Some of our longer-term followers may remember TREASURE FOREVER from last winter.

While you're booking why not take part in our TREASURE FOREVER programme.

We want to give every young wizard and witch who comes to see The Wizard of Oz a copy of L. Frank Baum’s classic novel to take away with them and keep; encouraging reading as a life-long pleasure.

For this to be possible, we need your help. Simply click our Amazon Wish List https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/23F4VAPPRI38?ref_=wl_share to donate and they'll send us a beautiful edition of the masterpiece to pass on to the youngsters encountering the tale of Dorothy, Toto and friends for the first time, at Rotherhithe Playhouse.

Keep an eye on our website for other classic novels we bring to the stage. We're nuts about reading and we want to, quite literally, spread the word.

Presenting our lovely cast for The Wizard of Oz 🧙‍♂️we’re in our second week of rehearsals and can’t wait to start welcoming audiences in February ✨

We're delighted to announce new dates for The Wizard of Oz and The Doll's House Marriage (formerly The Christmas Wife). Both shows will run 9th-26th February at The Hithe, SE16. www.ticketsource.co.uk/rotherhitheplayhouse

The Wizard of Oz: free tickets for kids (under 14).
The Doll's House Marriage: pay-what-you-can.

As always, free tickets for those in receipt of subsidised school meals and for those accessing food banks.

Telling Tails from Ukraine is our show for younger audiences. It’s on at 2pm and 6pm Sat and Sun. Come join us and an array of characters from Ukrainian folklore, woven together into a magical 40-minute show with puppets and songs.
•
•
•

Raman Kribi: Bertram in All’s Well That Ends Well

Raman is a recent graduate of University of the Arts London.

TRAINING: University of the Arts London (UAL)

THEATRE CREDITS INCLUDE: Christian in Woyzeck (South London Theatre)

ROLES WHILE TRAINING: Aegus in Medea, Nelson Chaney in Network/Recorder, Codi in Eyes On The Nightstand (short film)

Raman speaks four languages fluently and plays piano and saxophone.
•
•
•

Miranda Kent: Helena in All’s Well That Ends Well

TRAINING: Londsdale Smith & Co. (Toronto)

THEATRE CREDITS INCLUDE: Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire, Harthouse Theatre Toronto

FILM INCLUDES: Chloe in Unseen, Dora Diamant in Kafka’s Bird
•
•
•

Luke Lindemann: Parolles in All’s Well That Ends Well

TRAINING: Kingdom Drama School, Arts Ed Chiswick

ROLES WHILE TRAINING INCLUDE: Richie in Love and Understanding, Steve in Earthquakes in London, Torvald Elmer in A Doll's House

THEATRE CREDITS INCLUDE: Caligula in Caligula, Secretary of the interior in Graf Öderland, Doctor Astrov in Uncle Vanya, Rosse in Macbeth, Paul Gretto in Der Gemeindepräsident

FILM INCLUDES: Hermann in Rosie and the Dead Guy, John in Cheshire Cat, Steigers in From the Corner of my Eye, Sebastiano Ciapparoni in Conscious Promise, Ezra Scales in the Sculptor, Victor in Trick, Drug Dealer Patrice in Jason's World

RADIO INCLUDES: Radio Gallus Spotify Podcast by the Grunwalski Brothers

Luke is also a multiinstrumentalist and singer .lindemann and also a member of
•
•
•

Vicky Relph: Diana in All’s Well That Ends Well

Vicky Relph is a recent graduate of Drama and Performance at London South Bank University

THEATRE CREDITS INCLUDE: Guest 4 in The Bit-Players (Southwark Playhouse) Mariana in Measure for Measure (Drayton Arms Theatre) Jen in Tongue Ties (Theatre Peckham)

SHORT FILM INCLUDES: McKenna in Sour Cherry, Simone in ME? and Kat in 28 Days Greater.

ROLES WHILE TRAINING INCLUDE: Tamora in Titus Andronicus directed by David Monteith. Leah in DNA (Cramphorn Theatre) Aimee in Bassett (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

Vicky is also an aspiring playwright.
Instagram and Twitter:
•
•
•

Ian Macnaughton: The King in All’s Well That Ends Well

TRAINING: Actor's Centre and City Lit, participant at London Bubble.

THEATRE CREDITS INCLUDE:
Phillipe in Beauty and the Beast, (Ickenham Theatre, DK Productions), Badger in Wind in the Willows(Kouyou Theatre, tour) Hirshel Gunzberg 'A Serious Play About WW2, (Willis & Vere national tour)Santa Claus in The Night Before Christmas (Watford Colloseum) Andreas in Tom Dick & Harry ( The Dugdale Centre, Enfield,) Polonius in Hamlet (Pack & Carriage) Neville Child in Bag Dancing ( Theatre BlahBlahBlah, national tour) Isaiah Berlin in Like a Chemist From Canada, EdmissionsUK productions)

FILM CREDITS: Ray in 'The Last Rite', the Foley Artist, in The Foley Artist, Mr Hanson in White Paint, James Jones, Shakespeares Diaries, Misha's father Tummyache. The Gardener, Mr Mummy.
•
•
•

Jan Olivia Hewitt: The Countess in All’s Well That Ends Well

Previously with Phil Willmott: Great Expectations, The Macbeths, Treasure Island

TRAINING: Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA)

THEATRE INCLUDES: Roberta Fox in Hitchcock Homage; Prince Edward and Tyrrel in Richard III (Abbey Mills Festival); Desdemona in Othello and Katherine in Henry V (Bard Unbound, Tower of London); Archbishop of Canterbury in Henry V

FILM INCLUDES: Angie in The Order of Ra (short), Leah in Touch (short); Housewife in The Wayback 1966 (VR)

Jan is also a trained copy editor and proofreader.

•
•
•

Announcing two shows opening next week!

Telling Tails from Ukraine - family show, suitable for all ages.

All’s Well That Ends Well - Shakespeare’s often puzzling dark comedy.

That’s a wrap on ‘Treasure Island’ 🏝 a huge thank you to everyone who has been to support us both before Christmas and this past weekend, and through our Treasure Forever scheme, which was a resounding success! It’s been lovely to revive our little show and to finish on a real high with some packed out audiences. ✨ Hurrah for Jan Olivia Hewitt who brought the gang back together. 🎉
Massive thanks also to our amazing Assistant Director Victoria Hadel (Tori Hadel) who kept us all in ship shape, our “safe harbour in a storm” Siva Zagel and of course Phil Willmott who brought together this rascally gang of seasoned cut throats! 🏴‍☠️ it’s been fun, and we will see you very soon with our next project! ⚓️🦜🏝

It’s our opening night, round 2! ☺️ we are so happy to say that tonight’s performance is sold out. If you would still like to catch us there are just TWO tickets left for tomorrow’s matinee. Best availability is for tomorrow evening. Hope to see as many of you as possible! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️

One more day until we set sail! Splice the main sail, haul away! Have you booked up tickets yet? ✨⚓️
•
•
•
•
•
•

This rascally lot are meeting back at The Ship tonight to prepare for our weekend of adventures! ⚓️ If you’re after tickets for Fri 7.30pm or Sat & Sun 2.30pm best hurry - they’re nearly sold out! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

•
•
•

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

We are so excited to perform to some big audiences this weekend. The only show that’s looking a little thin on the ground is our Saturday evening show. Come along and stop Jim from feeling so lonely…! 🦜🏝⚓️ thanks to everyone for your support so far!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•