Event type: Comedy

7:30pm
“Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be born into a country where your safety was at risk?

Afloat is a theatre for social change performance, following the journey of two English citizens seeking asylum in a fictional place, fighting for their lives as the dream to make Britain Great turns into a living nightmare.

Afloat brings to the stage powerful real-life stories of asylum seekers, inviting the audience to step into their shoes and confront the daily struggles and challenges faced with every step. By experiencing their journey firsthand, we aim to foster a deeper sense of empathy and compassion for those navigating the asylum process.

Following the performance, engage in a thought-provoking post-show discussion led by Asylum Link, where we’ll open up a dialogue to explore how we can collectively support asylum seekers in our communities. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of something truly impactful—a journey of hope, humanity, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Members of Asylum Link have been empowered through training in all aspects of devising theatre, collaborating alongside industry professionals to bring this production to life. Together, they’ve crafted a performance that not only educates audiences on the asylum process but also highlights the importance of community cohesion and the transformative power of the arts. ‘Afloat’ is a response to the long term barriers asylum seekers face and theatre for change was recognised as an outlet allowing service users to articulate their voices alongside learning and fulfilling long term life goals.

Asylum Link is an organisation dedicated to helping Asylum Seekers and Refugees, offering a warm welcome, friendship and a place to belong. Their vision is to build a society where Asylum Seekers are accepted, understood and welcomed, for the benefit of the whole community. Asylum Link offers a wide range of services, including drop-in and appointments for specialist activities.| 15+

 

“The stories were very real & told authentically from the heart” – Audience Member

“Although harrowing, succeeds in finding an optimistic outlook in the humanity that is discovered along the way, and feels like a glimmer of sunrise on the horizon” – Good News Liverpool

Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England

6-8pm

The importance of the aesthetic on the stage,  what goes into creating and completing “a Look ” for the stage. Costumes, Props, Make Up, Set, Lights, Special Effect…

Focusing on the design aspect from the eyes of the performer and theatre makers.

How to make your show visually striking. The importance of what you see,

Selling what you see.

18+

6-8pm

This workshop explores tools and techniques for engaging directly with the present audience. We’ll be particularly focused on storytelling but these approaches can be used by anyone.

Daniel Bye is a north west based writer, director and theatre-maker. His award-winning internationally touring work includes Going Viral, These Hills Are Ours and The Price of Everything. He has created work for, among others, Leeds Playhouse, Northern Stage, Royal & Derngate, FUEL and Red Ladder. He spends most of his time wishing he was up a mountain.

7:30pm
Written & performed by Nathaniel J Hall
Presented by Dibby Theatre
A HOME Co-commission, supported by Arts Council England

Hilarious and heartbreaking in equal measure, Toxic is the critically-acclaimed new show from award winning theatre maker Nathaniel J Hall (First Time, It’s A Sin).

“This is the story of how we met, fell in love, and f*cked it up.”

Manchester 2017. A chance meeting on a hook-up app sets two damaged thirty-something hearts on a spectacular collision course. Born into Thatcher’s Britain of race riots and rampant homophobia and growing up in the shadow of Aids and Section 28, the pair form a trauma bond so tight, they might just survive it all. But sometimes survival means knowing when to leave.

This explosive semi-autobiographical show written by Nathaniel J Hall and performed by Nathaniel with Josh-Susan Enright blends storytelling (dir. by Scott Le Crass), movement (Plaster Cast), stunning design (Lu Herbert), visual projections and lighting (dede ././ and Tracey Gibbs) and an original pumping soundtrack by SHAR.

Inspired by true events, Toxic is a powerful and passionate play that pulls back the glittery curtain of pride to reveal a place where many still suffer the devastating impact of generational HIV stigma, racism, homophobia and toxic gender norms.

“This show is far from Toxic – it is a breath of fresh air. – “West End Best Friend

“a beautiful reminder to us all to live life with pride” – Curtain Call Reviews

“Very thought-provoking” – Your MCR

 

Cast

Josh-Susan Enright (They/Them)

Nathaniel J Hall (He/They)

Unity Theatre has always been a place for creatives to come and grow their skills in a comfortable, affordable and supportive setting. In 2025 Unity are upholding their commitment to supporting creatives through an entirely new range of workshops. Covering a vast range of topics, there is something for everyone, so feel free to come and get involved in the 2025 workshop series.

 
What’s Coming Up?
 
Bric à Brac Theatre Workshop
Tue 21 Jan

Join Bric à Brac Theatre (Associate Company of Told by an Idiot) for a workshop looking at how to use devising techniques to navigate big topics. Bric à Brac are a Lecoq-trained, female-led theatre company who combine physical storytelling and multimedia to focus on stories they feel need to be told.

Find out more

 
From Page to Stage with Helen Jeffery
Tue 28 Jan

What IS a scratch night?  How does a work-in-progress showing differ from a production?

If these are questions YOU are asking, then join Helen for this workshop where you will learn all about the nuts and bolts of getting your work on stage. Perfect for anyone thinking about self-producing.

Find out more

 
Expressive Ensemble with Tmesis Theatre
Mon 10 Feb

This workshop will focus on developing a playful, expressive performer, creating physical sequences, physical devising methods and working as an embodied ensemble to explore ideas, character or story. Tmesis are a renowned physical theatre company based in Liverpool, led by our AD Eli Randle.

Find out more

 
Commedia dell’Arte with Ann Farrar
Sat 15 Feb

Come and play with the wonderful masks of Commedia! As a physical comedy performer and teacher for over thirty years, I am always amazed and inspired to see how these masks can unlock a performer’s comic skills and timing. Through movement and improvisation we will explore the physicality and voices of key Commedia characters, creating short fun duets, later in the day.

Find out more

 
Theatre and Performance Skills for Families
Tue 18 Feb

Join us in this fun and practical workshop for children and families.

We will be using a range of activities and games designed to draw out elements of the play’s language, characters and themes. Come to Unity and take part in an interactive workshop for the whole family.

Find out more

 
Circus Skills with Splats Entertainment & Teatro Pomodoro
Wed 19 Feb

In this workshop, young people can learn various circus skills, including juggling scarves, balancing peacock feathers, spinning plates, juggling bean bags, diabolos, flower-sticks, and riding pedal-go.  This fun experience encourages a dedication to practice, building confidence.

Find out more

 
Accessing Vulnerability with Joseph Winder
Thu 25 Feb

Finding comfort in the uncomfortable. This workshop focuses on bringing actors together in an intimate way, exploring ways to build trust in their fellow actors in a short amount of time. It challenges the participants to be fully present and push themselves through uncomfortable situations but in a safe environment.

Find out more
This Kind of… Workshop: Poetry and Storytelling with Reece Williams
Tue 11 March

Are you ready to dive deep into your own narrative? Join us for ‘This Kind of…Workshop’, an immersive poetry and storytelling workshop that invites you to explore the richness of your autobiographical experiences. Guided by the powerful themes of identity, resilience, and community, this workshop offers a safe and inspiring space to craft your own stories and poems.

Find out more

 
Honest Play: Devising with Ugly Bucket
Tue 18 March

Learn from the multi-award-winning Ugly Bucket on how to devise with heart and humour. Together, we’ll explore how to draw from honest testimony and sources, harnessing clown techniques to create impactful scenes that blend humour, vulnerability, and pulsating physicality. Encouraging play, risk, and an intuitive, emotion-driven approach to devising, this workshop aims to leave participants inspired and confident to craft work that connects on a deeper level.

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It’s A Living Thing! with Marc Parrett of theOBJECTproject
Sat 22 March

This workshop is a welcoming, playful and creative introduction to puppetry in its multiple forms. Even if you’re familiar with puppetry, this is a chance to delve deeper into the life and thoughts of the puppet and explore its relationship with both the audience and its puppeteers!

Find out more

 
Working The Crowd with Daniel Bye
Tue 25 March

This workshop explores tools and techniques for engaging directly with the present audience. We’ll be particularly focused on storytelling but these approaches can be used by anyone.

Find out more
Stage Aesthetic for Performers with Carmen Arquelladas
Tue 1st April

This workshop focusses on the importance of the aesthetic on the stage,  what goes into creating and completing “a Look ” for the stage. Costumes, Props, Make Up, Set, Lights, Special Effects and more.

Focusing on the design aspect from the eyes of the performer and theatre makers and how to make your show visually striking.

Find out more
Make A Rubbish Myth Workshop
Sat 5 April

This exciting workshop, led by Lee Hithersay from Rubbish Shakespeare Company and Dear Old Uncle Bob Bob of The Silly History Boys, invites your children to become myth-makers! Combining clowning, physicality, and storytelling, participants will learn the essential building blocks of myths and legends, from heroic deeds to mischievous villains. Through playful activities, children will discover how to bring their own fantastical stories and creation myths to life. In a world of rehashed franchises and sequels, this wraparound experience aims to foster a love of new and original stories, and empower children’s creativity and artistic potential.

Find out more

Funded by The British Council
 

Rising | Pike Ake is a cross-continental theatrical collaboration with young people from Liverpool, UK and Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

Connecting us both is our coastal location and strong relationship with the water. Using a ‘call and response’, between the two groups we will create stories inspired by each other’s cultures, stories and responses to the climate crisis.

We will work with both physical theatre and writing with AD Eli Randle and writer Ginni Manning over a series of 8 weekly sessions, connecting with our partner in New Zealand online.

We are looking for young people to be involved in this exciting opportunity. You can be involved as performers, writers, designers or musicians.

 
APPLY TO TAKE PART HERE
. If you can’t make all of the sessions, don’t let this put you off, as long as you can make the majority! The Deadline for applications is Feb 3rd 2025.

4.30pm
 

This exciting workshop, led by Lee Hithersay from Rubbish Shakespeare Company and Dear Old Uncle Bob Bob of The Silly History Boys, invites your children to become myth-makers! Combining clowning, physicality, and storytelling, participants will learn the essential building blocks of myths and legends, from heroic deeds to mischievous villains. Through playful activities, children will discover how to bring their own fantastical stories and creation myths to life. In a world of rehashed franchises and sequels, this wraparound experience aims to foster a love of new and original stories, and empower children’s creativity and artistic potential.

 

11:30am & 2:30pm
 

Who is the God of dog poo bags? How did the microwave get its ping? What ancient crime was Marmite the punishment for… And why was it inflicted upon us?

Senior academics of history, and rather silly men, Professor Doctor Lee Hithersay and Doctor Professor Robert Rhys Bond, forge three new myths from the unhinged minds of their audience – and a boatload of cardboard props!

Will it be Greek? Viking? Ancient Babylonian? They haven’t a clue! That’s all up to you. Help shape the stories and even become the hero yourself (if you want, no pressure) in this EPIC interactive experience!

The renowned Rubbish Shakespeare Company and Silly History Boys present a hilarious hour of high-octane adventure for children and childish adults. Featuring clowning, storytelling, physical comedy, live music and more.
Watch the trailer here
 
★★★★??

‘Horrible Histories on Steroids’
THE REVIEWS HUB
★★★??

‘A truly special event’
NORTH WEST END

7:30pm

We survived so you don’t have to.
The world has ended, time to rejoice. A leader emerges, one who promises a better future. This curious collective may have outlived the humans, but can they avoid repeating the same mistakes? 

The Intrusion is a dynamic new collaboration from Bric à Brac Theatre and Told by an Idiot. Featuring original music, creative captioning*, and clown; this darkly comic production offers an anarchic look at extinction and questions who gets to survive.
Directed by Anna Marshall

 

Praise for Bric à Brac:

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ‘The cast members are faultless in their hybrid roles and the whole world hint is, aptly, a perfect example of risk paying off’ The Observer on Glass Ceiling Beneath the Stars

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ‘Remarkably intricate piece of theatre’ British Theatre Guide on Glass Ceiling Beneath the Stars

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ‘Creative, really smart, very funny and poignant’ Sinners Review on Glass Ceiling Beneath the Stars

Previous praise for Told by an Idiot:

‘One of the jewels of left field British theatre’ Guardian

‘Their work is never less than sublime’ Independent

 

The Team

 

Alex Hinson

One of the founding members of Bric à Brac theatre, Alex is an actor, deviser, and singer originally from the USA. She studied movement and performance at Sarah Lawrence in New York, and continued her theatrical education at Jacques Lecoq in Paris alongside fellow Bric à Brac members. Alex’s recent credits include ‘Glass Ceiling Beneath the Stars’ at The Pleasance Edinburgh and ‘Mr. Gumpy’s Outing’ at Riverside Studios.

Anna Marshall – Director of Bric à Brac and The Intrusion

 Anna is a director specialising in collaborative and devised theatre. She is currently Resident Director on the National Theatre’s production of War Horse. She is a founding member of Lecoq company Bric à Brac and recently directed multimedia show Glass Ceiling Beneath the Stars supported by Leeds Playhouse and Shoreditch Town Hall. She has assisted on The Play that Goes Wrong (West End) and has worked for companies such as Opera North (Requiem, Leeds Grand & BBC Iplayer) imitating the Dog (Night of the Living Dead, National Tour) and was recently the intern director on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child West End.

Siobhan Cha Cha

Siobhan trained at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Siobhan specialises in theatre which involves devised, physical and comedic theatre.
Recent theatre credits include Owl Who Came For Christmas Tour at Theatre Severn and Palace Theatre, playing the title character of Red in Little Red Riding Hood at The Rep. Other credits include: Justin Audibert’s Anansi The Spider at the Unicorn Theatre London, Bluebeard’s Castle at Edinburgh International Festival and Beijing Music Festival. Theatre Royal Bath’s 40th Anniversary production of Noises Off directed by Lindsey Posner and Big Girl Words at Brixton House Theatre.

Anna Reddyhoff  |  Lighting Design

Anna is thrilled to once again be working with Bric a Brac on The Intrusion, after previously working with them on Glass Ceiling Beneath The Stars.

Previous design credits include; Omid Djalili – The Good Times Tour, Love it if we Beat Them – Live Theatre & UK Tour, The Shape of Things – Park Theatre, Shewolves – UK Tour, Crackers – Polka Theatre; Everything I Didn’t Say – UK Tour, A Little Night Music – Avondale Theatre; Vessel – UK Tour; Copacabana – Avondale Theatre; The Strange Case of Jekyll & Hyde – UK Tour; Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs – Bradford Alhambra (Associate LD); The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe – Garrick; Emilia – Vaudeville (Associate LD); Sara Pascoe: Lads Lads Lads – Wyndham’s.

Other credits;

Re-Lighter The Woman in Black – UK Tour; Chief Electrician – Secret Cinema’s Moulin Rouge; Deputy Electrician – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – UK Tour; Deputy Electrician – Hairspray – UK Tour.

Ellie Isherwood 

Ellie Isherwood is a sound designer, composer, actor/musician and synth-pop artist (BYFYN). Her “quietly ground breaking” work spans a vast array of forms, from site specific theatre, to binaural audio experiences, to musical theatre. Recent work includes composition and sound design for Tender (Bush Theatre), The Fir Tree (Arts Depot), The Odyssey (Unicorn Theatre), Son Of A Bitch, (Summerhall, Fringe First).

 

Kitty Devlin

Kitty’s screen credits include starring as MISS STOWELL in Netflix BRIDGERTON & SKY/PLAN B’s THE THIRD DAY. Theatre credits include several shows with BRIC À BRAC THEATRE, most recently GLASS CEILING BENEATH THE STARS at the Edinburgh Fringe 2023 & PUNCHDRUNK ENRICHMENT’s THE LOST LENDING LIBRARY. Kitty is a founding member of Bric à Brac Theatre who met while training together at Jacques Lecoq. She is an Associate Artist with Punchdrunk Enrichment, after previously being their Associate Director, working with them both as an actor and director. She is training in British Sign Language (BSL) and is currently qualified to Level 4.

 

Michael Julings

Michael is a designer and art director from Leeds living and working in South London. He co-founded Piñata, beloved comedy/cabaret showcase and art collective.  

Sophie Slater 

Sophie is currently Assistant Production Manager at Leeds Playhouse working across a variety of projects within the company. Having graduated from RADA with a foundation degree in Technical Theatre & Stage Management she then went on to freelance in a variety of backstage roles including work with Contact Theatre, Brixton Theatre, ETT and Sheffield Theatres.

 

Virginie Taylor 

Virginie Taylor is a London based theatre video and creative captions designer, with a background in lighting design and fine art.

Video and lighting design credits include: « Pajoma Collective » Bernie Grant Arts Centre, « Vagina Rex and the Gas Oven » London Performance Studios and « Hummingbird » Vaults Festival.

Video design: « Bright Places » The Rep Birmingham, « Windrush the Journey », « Roman Fever » and « the Human Voice » by Pegasus Opera, « The Odyssey » Unicorn Theatre, « Wendy: A Peter Pan Story » The Egg (creative captions only), « Press » Park Theatre, « Charlie Russell Aims To Please » EdFringe/The Other Palace and « No Place Like Home » EdFringe/Camden People’s Theatre »

 

Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England
Supported by Unity Theatre Trust
 

 

 

7:30pm
After a personal tragedy, a floundering TV comic starts listening to the wrong voices in his head. His moral compass is getting derailed. He kind of knows it. But all these ideas for his new show are brilliant.
Is it ok to go too far so long as you’re on the right side of history? How far would you go?
Daniel Bye’s award-winning stand-up storytelling is at its best in this startling new show. Book now for a wild ride through the warped mirror of twenty-first century culture.
 
PRAISE FOR PREVIOUS SHOWS:
“Bye is an exceptional storyteller” – Exeunt Theatre Magazine 
“Funny, wise, impeccably performed. […] Bye is one of the most astute and thoughtful contemporary theatremakers around.” **** – The Stage
“Fascinating, terrifying and thought-provoking” **** – The Guardian
“Captivating and illuminating” **** – The Independent
“Unforgettable. Beautifully written.” **** – The Scotsman
“Riveting, funny and thoughtful” **** – The Guardian