Category Archives: Theatre

‘If a bear attacked me, no one would ask me what I was wearing’

KEN TOWL on the topical, and brilliantly performed, Man or Bear, staged last night at The Front Room as part of The Croydonites Festival Earlier this week, celebrity rapist Russell Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months for … Continue reading →

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The Box of Delights, Coulsdon Community Centre, Dec 12-20

C O M M U N I T Y A D V E R T I S E M E N T For ticket bookings and more details, click here

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CODA presents Spitfire Girls, at Selsdon Hall, Nov 26-29

A D V E R T I S E M E N T For ticket bookings and more details, click here

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Marshall is placed in charge of £750,000 Arts Council project

Danielle Marshall, a former pupil at the BRIT School, has been appointed as director of Croydon’s Arts Council-funded Creative People and Places programme. Formed in April this year, Croydon’s CPP is led by a “consortium” that includes Stanley Arts, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Asian Resource Centre of Croydon, Borough of Culture 2023, Creative People and Places, Croydon BME Forum, Croydon Council, Danielle Marshall, Stanley Halls | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

In a world of Russian bots and algorithms, Maxwell spied hope

THEATRE FESTIVAL: The 2026 Croydonites’ opening night has set a very high standard. KEN TOWL went to the Front Room and made sure he turned his fucking phone off Hannah Maxwell, the opening act of this year’s Croydonites Festival, set … Continue reading →

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The Box of Delights, Coulsdon Community Centre, Dec 12-20

C O M M U N I T Y A D V E R T I S E M E N T For ticket bookings and more details, click here

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The 2026 Croydonites Festival, from Wed Nov 4 to Sat Nov 21

A D V E R T I S E M E N T For more info and to book tickets, visit the Croydonites website by clicking here

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CODA’s Christmas Cabaret at Selsdon Hall, Dec 18 and 19

A D V E R T I S E M E N T For ticket bookings and more details, click here

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The 2026 Croydonites Festival, from Wed Nov 4 to Sat Nov 21

A D V E R T I S E M E N T For more info and to book tickets, visit the Croydonites website by clicking here

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CODA presents Spitfire Girls, at Selsdon Hall, Nov 26-29

A D V E R T I S E M E N T For ticket bookings and more details, click here

Posted in Advertisement, Advertisement features, Art, CODA, Music, Selsdon and Addington Village, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

WIN!!! Pair of tickets to see Steeleye Span at Ashcroft Theatre

Inside Croydon is delighted to offer a pair of tickets to next week’s long-awaited concert return of Steeleye Span to Croydon as the prize in our latest exclusive subscriber competition. Steeleye Span will be performing live at the Ashcroft Theatre … Continue reading →

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Steeleye Span’s Prior arrangements still sounding evergreen

KEN TOWL goes all around his hat to interview Maddy Prior, lead singer of Steeleye Span, ahead of their concert at the Ashcroft Theatre on Nov 5 “We are heavy on sex and death,” says Maddy Prior as we chat … Continue reading →

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Ayckbourn’s Neighbourhood Watch, Cryer Arts, Nov 24-27

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The 2026 Croydonites Festival, from Wed Nov 4 to Sat Nov 21

A D V E R T I S E M E N T For more info and to book tickets, visit the Croydonites website by clicking here

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The 2026 Croydonites Festival, from Wed Nov 4 to Sat Nov 21

A D V E R T I S E M E N T For more info and to book tickets, visit the Croydonites website by clicking here

Posted in Advertisement, Advertisement features, Art, Business, Comedy, Croydonites Festival, Stanley Halls, The Front Room, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Digital first’ council fails to achieve basic level of competence

By STEVEN DOWNES, Editor, Inside Croydon Poet Brian Bilston was on stage at the Ashcroft Theatre last night*. In between frequent references to Clare Grogan, his cat and the seemingly unstoppable onward march of AI, Bilston read from his poem … Continue reading →

Posted in 'Future Croydon', Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Neil Williams, Opama Khan, Poetry, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The 2026 Croydonites Festival, from Wed Nov 4 to Sat Nov 21

A D V E R T I S E M E N T For more info and to book tickets, visit the Croydonites website by clicking here

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Dick’s Picks to lesbian slime wrestling: Croydonites has it all

The Croydonites Festival returns next month, with theatre, cabaret and comedy, featuring some glorious hits from the world-famous Edinburgh International Festival, plus lots of homegrown talent. Hannah Maxwell opens Croydonites 2026 on November 4 in The Front Room in St … Continue reading →

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£3m Lottery grant helps to get Stanley’s birthday party going

South Norwood arts venue announces series of senior appointments, as it moves towards “vital” building works ahead of its founder’s 200th anniversary South Norwood’s culture centre Stanley Halls has been awarded “significant” investment from three funders for a programme of … Continue reading →

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How Houdini made Croydon churn with his staged escape act

CROYDON CHRONICLES: Croydon’s Music Halls attracted some of the world’s most famous acts in the early 20th Century, including the man reckoned to be the greatest escapologist of all time, as DAVID MORGAN explains Memory is a wonderful gift. The … Continue reading →

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Music, dance and drama at South Norwood’s Arcadia Festival

Stanley Halls in South Norwood is staging its Arcadia Festival this Saturday, encouraging Londoners “to build a fairer and healthier future – now”. In its second year, the Arcadia Festival is funded by the National Lottery as part of a … Continue reading →

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This play kills fascists: see Woody Sez for light in the darkness

The recent death of country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton focused attention on American folk music. Before Dolly, there was Woody. KEN TOWL took the chance to see an acclaimed new play about Guthrie’s life and work currently on stage in Soho … Continue reading →

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Stanley Halls’ heritage, history and future on show this Sunday

South Norwood’s Stanley Halls is among the many Croydon venues taking part in this weekend’s London Open House Festival. And as well as two guided tours to look behind the scenes at the heritage and history of the 1903-built Grade … Continue reading →

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Up to £1,000 a ticket – make sure you buy an Archers tea towel

A stage homage to the world’s longest-running soap opera was a nostalgia trip for hundreds of people this week, and another reminder of where Croydon is missing out. By STEVEN DOWNES, who survived the experience without buying any ‘merch’ There … Continue reading →

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London Radical Book Fair, Stanley Halls, free entry, Sun Sep 6

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