Review: CroydonBites

Croydonbites is a commissioning pathway run by Croydonites Festival to give local artists the chance to develop new work. Saturday’s show really emphasised the diversity of voices we have in Croydon, with stories ranging from saving an underfunded community centre, to discussions of bogie motivated matricide: a perfect recipe for a night out.

The North Croydon Community FUNdraiser and Memorial Service by Peace of MIND and Good Wolf People

This short play is about a community centre, who, when faced with a funding deadline, combine their ‘FUNdraiser’ event with a memorial for their recently deceased almost-centenarian member. It was executed in a fun and accessible format where the audience was able to participate as though attending the fundraiser, booing at the Council and cheering at their ultimate triumph together. The use of costumes and props was hilarious, with fake eyebrows and a stick man slide show exploring the deceased’s life in tandem with Croydon’s history. The show was a wholesome portrayal of community support, and sensitively acknowledged that when fundraising is concerned: yes, sometimes things do go wrong, but sometimes they also go right!

Sex and Other Stories by JigsawGlue (Anita Wadsworth)

Part comedy, part poetry, part movement and part blue catsuit: Sex and Other Stories has it all. Wadsworth presents an honest take on the relationship between desire and neurodivergence in the digital world. Seemingly drawing from her own experience, Wadsworth paints pictures of distracted fantasising and unexpected turn-ons. Balancing vulnerability with razor sharp wit and humour is an impressive feat, and emphasises how when it comes to desire, the mental and physical don’t always lineup. The piece was a refreshing look into the reality of ADHD and is brimming with potential for future development.

Four Rehearsals On/One Stage by Dino Desica

Dino Desica’s piece of performance art was at times slightly intangible but was rooted in the concept of four rehearsals/auditions. The show seemingly satirised what can often feel like an absurdist process of repeating lines, searching for the best performance of each one. There are hints of a discussion around performing masculinity as Desica repeatedly practised body builder poses. As an audience member it was not always clear whether the performance was for us, or for one of the many cameras. As this is only the first stage of development, the piece could evolve to pull at all these interesting threads and make them more explicit.

Wife Support by Mitra Djalili

Wife Support is a fun exploration into just how far two wives will go to vent their frustrations about their husbands. The idea of murder is floated as far more acceptable than a divorce, and instead these exasperated wives form a Support Group for each other. The dialogue was brilliantly funny with each of the actresses bringing energy that really elevated the performance, to the point that the physicality of the wife and husband role-playing scene very plausibly could’ve ended in a murder. The gradual introduction of each tormented wife allowed for a hilarious escalation within the play’s short span: from the initial scene of a girls vent session, the introduction of a blueprint to murder, and an actual husband voodoo doll.

Each show came to a close with a rousing applause from the sold-out crowd. The variety of the night offered something for everyone, and demonstrates the importance of the Croydonites festival in platforming local artists.

Croydonbites was on at The Front Room on Saturday 11th of October as part of the Croydonites Festival.