Inside Croydon, together with the Spread Eagle Theatre, is delighted to offer a competition in which our loyal reader can win a pair of tickets to the town centre’s newest drama venue next production, The Diary of a Nobody, which is coming to Croydon from February 20 to 22.
The Diary of a Nobody is based on the English comic novel written by the brothers George and Weedon Grossmith. It originated as an intermittent serial in Punch in 1888 and first appeared in book form a few years later.
This theatre adaptation is by the FRED theatre company’s writer in residence, Jonathan ap Emrys.
A classic of English literature, The Diary of a Nobody presents an accurate and amusing record of the manners, customs and experiences of lower-middle-class suburban Londoners of the late 19th century, and the FRED theatre company from the Midlands has produced this fast-paced adaptation which brings Mr Charles Pooter, his family and friends into the 21st century where we discover the familiar stories revisited in a contemporary setting.
The next production has a tough act to follow in terms of the quality of shows that have been staged at the Spread Eagle since it opened its performance space upstairs late last year.
Last week’s Flanagan Collective performance of Babylon was a rousing piece, the play-with-music by the four-person group having the feel of the sort of thing you might have seen from traditional touring minstrels. The theatrical “fourth wall” was almost never there: one moment you were part of the audience, the next, you found yourself sitting next to the Queen of England as she offered you one of her crisps…
The musicianship by the self-proclaimed “tin-pot band” of Jim Harbourne, Edward Wren, Serena Manteghi and Conrad Bird was outstanding throughout (the toe-tapping folk tracks are available on DVD, too), as was the acting, and the use of verse towards the end of the play was movingly done.
But that was last week.
Competition
We have one pair of tickets available for the performance of A Diary of a Nobody on Thursday, February 20 to our loyal reader who manages to answer the following question correctly:
BBC television recently broadcast its own series based on A Diary of a Nobody. What connects that with the 2012 London Olympics and Downton Abbey?
To enter, email your answer to inside.croydon@btinternet.com, with “Pooter” in the subject field. Usual competition terms and conditions apply. No cash alternative is available. You will need to be available for the performance on February 20 to take up the prize.
Entries close at noon this Friday, February 14. The winner will be selected from the correct entries and notified by email.
Coming to Croydon
- Mark Steel at Ashcroft Theatre, Feb 12
- Purley Swimathon: Feb 13
- Croydon Arts Network meeting, Feb 15
- Chinese New Year children’s event, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 18
- This War! St Gertrude’s Theatre group, Feb 19-22
- Welsh myths children’s event, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 20
- Norwood Society talk, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 20
- Mr Pooter comes to Croydon, Feb 20-22
- Warm and Well event, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 22
- Stop the Incinerator fund-raiser, Feb 24
- Fairtrade Film night, Antenna Cafe, Haynes Lane, Feb 27
- Fairtrade event, Upper Norwood Library, Mar 1
- Coulsdon and Purley Debating Society, Mar 3
- Patchwork and quilting workshop, Upper Norwood Library, Mar 3
- Fairtrade stall at Food Market, Haynes Lane, Mar 8
- Upper Norwood Library Book Club, Mar 15
- Norwood Society talk, Upper Norwood Library, Mar 20
- Croydon Half-marathon, Mar 30
If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, a residents’ or business association or local event, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
