A one-woman show about aviator Amy Johnson will get a second run at The Spread Eagle Theatre during the Croydon Heritage Festival in June.

Amy Johnson: forever associated with Croydon

Amy Johnson: Last Flight Out was performed by Jenny Lockyer at last month’s Croydonites theatre festival. With the previous shows selling out, Lockyer’s encore performances this summer at the intimate pub theatre venue are sure to be in high demand.

The one-woman show is based around the life of Johnson, one of the pioneers of aviation and who is forever associated with Croydon.

She was born in Yorkshire in the year the Wright Brothers made their first flight. In what was very much a man’s world, Johnson became the second woman to train and qualify as a ground engineer. Her father put up the money for her to buy a second-hand plane in which she undertook a number of pioneering flights, and in May 1930, Johnson set off from Croydon Airport on the adventure which was to earn her fame, becoming the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia, some 11,000 miles.

Last Flight Out sees Johnson in a world of mixed memories, desires, wishes and ambitions. Jenny Lockyer is a Croydon-based singer, songwriter, comedian and creative director of Funsense Theatre Company. Following her success at Croydonites, she is raising the funds to take the show on a national tour, inspiring more young women and girls to follow in Johnson’s footsteps.

“Amy Johnson had her ambitions and she flew at them,” Lockyer said.

Amy Johnson was flying when aviation was in its infancy, and Croydon Airport was at the centre of its growth

“She lived her life for adventure and the future of aviation. More young people need to know it’s OK to take risks. The show doesn’t finish when the curtain falls. I’m interested in starting a story in people’s heads which they then finish in their own way. You can do what you want when you have the resources that you need and the self-confidence to see it through.”

Croydon Heritage Festival is in its fifth year in 2017, pulling together a range of events around the town from Saturday June 24. This year’s theme is “Evolution”, looking at the changing face of Croydon throughout its history.

If you have a proposal for an Evolution themed event or an Open Building as part of the festival, please contact: info@Croydonheritagefestival.co.uk

Last Flight Out will be performed at the Spread Eagle Theatre at 7.30pm on Saturday, June 24 and at 2.30pm on Sunday June 25. Tickets are £10 each. The performance is suitable for ages 14-plus. There is no allocated seating and access to the theatre is restricted to one staircase.

To book your tickets, click here.