The cancellation of the Vault Festival 2022 dealt a blow to both fringe theatre performers and audiences. This is the second in a series highlighting shows and companies that should have played during the eight-week festival line-up and should have a future life elsewhere.
Watermelon – Enxi Erskine Chang. A “semi-autobiographical one woman show / extended traumadumping session about online discourse, cancel culture and brutalisation when you’re a trans girl on the internet”. Although Papergang Theatre’s other show, Dreamers now has another home at the Omnibus Theatre from June, Watermelon is on hiatus. @papergangtc
Alpha Femme – Megan Garrett-Jones, “what can matriarchal hyenas, reusable period cups, and genderqueer forest creatures reveal about power and pleasure in this one-woman cabaret?” Watch this space for news on this show. @VageenaWolf
Henry: Queen of Squats – Henry Moss. Nominated for best comedy at Brighton Fringe. “Renaissance Man is back”. Henry, an artist famed for his TokTok performances, still plans to bring the show to the stage when the time is right. @mrhenrymoss
Agatha – Gemma Barnett. “Jo has found herself with a decision to make. Agatha is dead and living her dream life running a blues bar. An intergenerational gig-show about lost dreams.” This show is now set to run at the Pleasance Theatre from 1-5 March. @AgathaTheShow
Generation WHY – Dian Cathal. “The generation of entitlement, participation trophies and snowflakes. That is how many see us. The generation of social change, technological revolution and pizza rolls. This is who we are.” You can still see this show at the Brighton Fringe from 9-12 May. @GenWhyShow
Dry Season – Kat Lyons. “Kat thought they were too young for menopause; biology thought differently. Join them for anxiety, insomnia, spoken-word and self-conscious jogging as they navigate their way through the first chaotic year.” Although no longer playing London, Dry Season is going on a short UK tour from 20 February-16 April. @words_and_weeds
Land of Lost Content – Henry Madd. “An autobiographical spoken word theatre show about growing up in a small country town”. This show now runs at the Pleasane Theatre from 10-12 February. Website.
The Ending – Strange Futures. “Visually beautiful, and laugh out loud funny, Strange Futures presents The Endling; a “savagely relevant concept” (David Brady, Lion & Unicorn), to discuss environmental issues and species extinction, 4★(LondonTheatre1).” Although this show is not being staged at present, you can catch Strange Future’s new show The Last Restaurant, on 28 and 30 January at Malvern Cube. @strangefuture
Autistic License – Ian Lynam. “In a stand-up show exploring diagnosis, relationships, creativity and the history of autism, Ian Lynam proves autistic people offer more than just being good at maths.” You can now catch this show at the Brighton Fringe from 15-18 May. @quixoticclown
How Disabled Are You – Tommy/The Queer Historian. “This show explores real attitudes towards those who claim benefits, disabilities that aren’t always visible to the eye and created when Jeremy Kyle was still shouting at people on TV.” Watch this space to see where the show reappears. @QueerHistorian
Hand of God – TECTUM Theatre. “Hand of God is an electric gig theatre production about toxic masculinity, Maradona and the worst five aside team in Birmingham. The debut production of TECTUM Theatre.” Look out for an announcement on the future of this show soon. @TectumT
Finally, Happy Meal – Sam Bell. “When Liz lands her dream role on Broadway, she’s on the first flight. Unfortunately Liz neglected to read her contract’s small print”. No immediate plans to restage as yet. @LizPenguin1
Lamenting the cancellation of @VaultFestival, @LouReviewsBlog highlights more of the shows you should look out for elsewhere, including @papergangtc @VageenaWolf @mrhenrymoss @AgathaTheShow @GenWhyShow & more. #Vault2022
