Comments Off on Sam Forster: How ‘Drunk Folk Stories’ Influenced My Career
This year, Exeter Phoenix is supporting Go All In, a National Year of Reading 2026 campaign to help more people discover the joy of reading.
Our Events & Facilities Officer, Sam Forster, is a keen reader and has played a big part in our involvement with the national campaign. In this blog, Sam tells us why he attributes his career in the arts to a book that he read while at university. The author of the book, Drunk Folk Stories, is folk hero Beans on Toast who will perform live with his full band here at Exeter Phoenix on Wed 18 Mar.
Sam will soon be leaving Exeter Phoenix to continue his career in events with an exciting new opportunity at Torbay Council. Exeter Phoenix is proud of the significant contribution Sam has made during his time working here, and we can't wait to see where his career takes him.
I’m Sam, the Events & Facilities Officer at Exeter Phoenix. I manage our busy calendar of external hires and bookings, supporting on event logistics and delivery. This sees me working with organisations like University of Exeter to plan conferences, or supporting local community groups to deliver workshops. It’s an incredibly varied role thats allows me to show off Exeter Phoenix’s offer to a huge range of customers.
I have worked in events for several years now, since studying Event Management at BIMM University in Brighton. Here I was able to get involved in local festivals like The Great Escape and Mutations, as well as head up a team of grassroots promoters. I started out by playing in punk bands, and originally went to Brighton to study songwriting. However, after a (somewhat) life-changing read of Beans on Toast’s Drunk Folk Stories, a whirlwind collection of hedonistic yet thoughtful short stories, I changed career paths.
Beans on Toast is a prolific tourer, with his previous shows stretching the breadth of the UK and beyond. Years ago, I was able to catch him in Torquay, at the Apple & Parrot, after avoiding the 9pm kick out for under 18s, which as a teenager, felt very apt while listening to his songs about sneaking into Glastonbury. It was a fantastic and intimate night of singalongs, jokes and tales from his youth.
Beans on Toast
In his book, Beans on Toast goes into great detail about the highs and lows of working and running venues, mainly Nambucca in London. There was a grassroots and DIY approach he took to these, whilst committing to support artists and originality. This is something I saw myself doing, putting on DIY shows for my band in Torbay (albeit on a much smaller scale) and something clicked. I’d always enjoyed the behind-the-scenes work of being in a band and loved the rush of creating events that brought people together. With my new found inspiration, I switched over to my university’s Events Management course, and fully immersed myself in the live music scene in Brighton. Since then, I have been lucky enough to be part of some really exciting events, and look forward to watching Beans on Toast at Exeter Phoenix this March.
It’s events like this that we’re aiming to highlight in our partnership with the Go All In campaign. To me, it was a clear decision to support the National Year of Reading 2026, knowing firsthand the positive effect that reading can have on people’s lives. Personally, I’m a big fan of travel writing, particularly books like a Year in Provence or The Summer Of My Greek Tavérna. I love anything that conjures up imagery of distant places that feel warm and enchanting. That’s what reading is about for me; escapism. It allows you to escape your everyday life to experience something new, even if just for a moment.
Watch Beans on Toast Live
Beans on Toast comes to Exeter Phoenix on Wed 18 Mar with his full band to celebrate his new album Kill Them with Kindness - out now! Expect songs, stories, chaos and community in equal measure.
His belief in positive change through kindness and his authentic folk style have made him a cult hero, and his passion is infectious. Step right up for a night of music, mischief and magic with Beans on Toast.
Beans on Toast will also be joined by special guest, Ruth Lyon.
The campaign’s important message is for people across the UK to go all in with their reading, picking up new genres, supporting local libraries and bringing books into conversations. It brings together Exeter Phoenix’s values of innovation and collaboration.
Throughout the year we’ll be highlighting and promoting literary events at Exeter Phoenix and beyond, create reading challenges drawing from our vibrant programme or staff picks and encouraging book swapping.
Exeter has a rich culture of literature, with an abundant of organisations doing brilliant things to highlight the importance of reading. So watch this space and follow along as we go all in.
At Exeter Phoenix, building a greener future for the arts is one of our core commitments. That’s why we’re cutting down on single-use plastic and introducing reusable cups across the venue.
From now on, all drinks at standing events will be served in reusable cups. There’s an initial, non-refundable 50p charge for a cup. Then it’s yours to keep.
We’ve upgraded our facilities so that all cups can be hygienically washed and dried on-site – not only cutting single-use plastic but also avoiding the extra emissions that come with off-site cleaning.
Here’s how it works:
Pay an initial charge of 50p for a cup
Bring it back to the bar for a refill or swap it for a fresh one
At the end of the night, take it home for next time or return it to the bar
Already got a sparkly clean (and green) reusable cup from a festival or event? Feel free to bring it along. Remember, the greenest cup is the one you already own.
This initiative forms part of our longstanding Green Phoenix Project, which launched in 2021.
Gemma Baal, our Green Phoenix Coordinator, says, “We’re delighted to be taking another significant step on our sustainability journey here at Exeter Phoenix with the introduction of reusable plastic cups for our busy standing events.
“We have made a commitment through our Green Phoenix Project to become as sustainable as we can by adapting our behaviours and introducing changes to the way we operate on a daily basis. Our visitors play a huge part in these efforts and we’d like to thank each and every one of you for helping us to bring creativity and culture to Exeter in a more sustainable way.”
You can find out more about our Green Phoenix initiative here.
Comments Off on Women-led shows this Women’s History Month and beyond
Game of Crones (Raphael Lambrakis-Haddad), JV2 (Bill Knight), Nine Sixteenths (Christa Holka), Anu Vaidyanathan: Allegory
To honour Women's History Month, and to celebrate International Women's Day (Sun 08 Mar), we chatted to some of the artists behind some of the women-led shows coming up in our Performance Programme.
On Sat 14 Mar, Devon United Women will once again host their International Women's Festival at Exeter Phoenix, filling our building with free to attend activities, performances, workshops and stalls under the theme 'Women Raising Voices for Change'.
In the evening Anu Vaidyanathan will present a work-in-progress performance of Allegory, her stand-up comedy show (praised by Phoebe Waller-Bridge as “super and funny”) about the stories we tell ourselves while locating identity among colleagues, friends, family—and a pet octopus with digestive issues. Using sharp observation and darkly playful humour, Anu moves through the contradictions of working womanhood—our supposed freedoms, the myths we inherit about choice and success, and the emotional labour required to hold everything together while pretending it’s effortless.
Anu tells us: "As a woman and an immigrant parent, you’re constantly translating — language, culture, expectation. You’re translating for your children and, in many ways, for yourself. My show explores that in-between space: the tug between inheritance and reinvention. International Women’s Day feels like a moment to acknowledge not just resilience, but the complexity of that negotiation — the humour, the fatigue, the fierce tenderness of building a life across borders."
On Sat 21 Mar, international theatre collective fish in a dress bring us their critically-acclaimed show (★★★★ The Guardian & The Stage) The City for Incurable Women: a tale of medical misogyny that tells the story of patients performing ‘hysteria’ onstage in 19th century Paris.
The City for Incurable Women
Director Christina Deinsberger comments, "This is not a new story. It actually is a very old story. We can trace the idea of hysteria back to the ancient Greeks. And a lot has changed since then. Specifically with the growth of the feminist movement we feel a battle, a deconstruction of misogynistic stereotypes. Yet right now we feel a strong conservative pushback. Misogynistic narratives gain strength and the credibility, reliability, competence of female identifying people is under attack. So we need to look back, we need to understand what happened to understand where we are and how to move ahead."
Company member Helena McBurney says: "Medical misogyny is an abuse of power that continues to permeate women*’s minds, bodies, and lives. It is a fundamental denial of bodily autonomy; we must resist these oppressive structures through making them visible and challenging them loudly."
Performer Charlotte McBurney: "In a lot of ways, the days of ovarian compressors and hysterical paroxysms are long gone. The variety of treatments for “hysteria” through the ages is laughable. But we are still living with the social and medical repercussions of the “hysteria” obsession. AFAB (assigned female at birth) bodies are commodified, sexualised and disbelieved. Maybe we haven’t come as far as we’d like to think."
We are excited for the return of favourites A&E Comedy on Wed 25 Mar, who previously brought us Witch Hunt and Do All The Things. Funny, feral, and gloriously unapologetic, their latest show Game of Crones is a celebration of women who refuse to fade quietly, and sees them march into the perilous lands of the “third age” - described as "society’s invisible wasteland where nests lie empty and the hot flushes smoulder!"
Game of Crones (Raphael Lambrakis-Haddad)
Comedy duo Abigail and Emma tell us: "We are thrilled to be making a return to Exeter Phoenix with our new show Game of Crones. The show is a riotous of celebration of women in their prime as it reframes the classical Hero’s journey from the perspective of a mid-life Queen-ager! We love making shows that challenge societal expectations of women, and take on the mantle of the crone to inspire women of all ages through joyful dissent and mischief. Although focused on the journey of our older female protagonist, the show holds a more universal appeal, we all have older women in our lives, mothers, grandmothers, teachers, and caregivers. In this show stereotypes of middle age are exploded and lambasted. Expect to come away with a desire to set fire to your cardigan and give an unapologetic middle finger to despair!"
At the end of the month we welcome new work by, and supported by, one of the world’s leading female choreographers: Jasmin Vardimon MBE has been paving a pathway for others into the world of professional dance since 2012 through JV2, a training programme that has supported over 200 graduates, 87% of whom are now working professionally within the creative industries.
The established JV2 Professional Development Diploma was developed by Jasmin Vardimon Company with the mission to encourage, cultivate and nurture young talent; offering the next generation of dancers a unique opportunity for train as versatile and multi-disciplinary performers under the guidance of Jasmin, as well as platforming rising talent in lighting and costume design, helping to build a diverse and thriving creative pipeline.
The JV2 programme has commissioned 20 emerging choreographers, providing opportunities for their work to be created and performed by JV2 dancers, some of which you can see alongside Jasmin's work at JV2: Triple Bill on Tue 31 Mar.
JV2 (Bill Knight)
Beyond March, we have the fantastic Nine Sixteenths touring to us on Tue 05 May, where theatre maker Paula Varjack is joined by choreographer/maker Pauline Mayers, actress/director Endy McKay, choreographer Julienne Doko, and a BSL interpreter. The show charts the aftermath of Justin Timberlake exposing Janet Jackson's breast for nine sixteenths of a second during the 2004 SuperBowl halftime show, alongside a celebration of reclamation through the hopes and dreams of four black female performers.
The cast of Nine Sixteenths (Christa Holka)
Paula tells us: "Janet Jackson was a tremendous icon to me at a time when I had relatively few black female artists to look to. She was a game changer in so many ways - and did it on her terms. After her ‘wardrobe malfunction’ the music industry let her down, in ways so effective that many thought her career faded away. Yet she kept working, making music and films and now, finally, the injustice of what happened is being recognised. In the end, it’s the art that matters. As an iconic role model for many black women, and an outspoken ally for the LGBTQI+ community she made great art. The show also looks at why role models matter and the lack of older female role models of colour and the role that (largely) white male media executives play in deciding who thrives in mainstream pop culture."
As part of Matrescence Festival, Marie Hamilton will be bringing us babes-in-arms friendly performances of her Edinburgh Fringe hit, Madonna on the Rocks on Tue 19 May. In this show - which sits somewhere between a musical and cabaret - Marie draws from her own lived experience and manages to tackle the darkness and complexity of new motherhood with raw honesty, humour and heart. It’s an urgent issue in our society, yet very few people are aware of the social, physiological and psychological transitions people go through when becoming mothers, known as matrescence.
Madonna On The Rocks (Mihaela Bodlovic)
Marie says: "I had my first baby in 2022 and suffered from post natal depression. Sometimes it felt like I was drowning and I would never reach the surface. Characteristically dramatic, I could feel my horizons shrinking to the size of the changing table, and my resentments starting to pile like the nappies in the bin. This play is about the beautiful, awful contradictions of motherhood in the 21st Century. Whether you can still be a feminist if you can’t afford childcare, matrilineal sacrifice, maternal rage, and the pressure of making work good enough to justify leaving your child."
Matrescence Festival organiser Lizzy Humber will be hosting a post-show Q&A with Marie following the matinee performance.
We also look forward to our May half-term holiday "feel-good" family offering: Rabbits Out of the Hat is a Vaudevillian comedy magic show for people of all ages, featuring circus arts, contortion, showstopper songs and dance. As the show begins, Norvil & Josephine appear to be the traditional magician and assistant. But the status quo is about to be turned on its head... It is a game changing show which challenges the stereotype of the commanding male magician and silent supportive female assistant.
Co-creator, Desireé Kongerød (aka Josephine), explains: "The comedy musical magic show Rabbits Out of the Hat is a play about Norvil & Josephine, a brother and sister vaudevillian magic duo. The play is set in 1905 at a pivotal moment in the history of the suffragette movement. Josephine, Norvil’s assistant, is inspired by the movement to find strength to realise her own dream of becoming a magician. By bringing this historical element into the story, it shines a light upon the important topic of women's equality to a new generation and the fact that women’s right to vote has only existed for 108 years."
Writing in the show's programme, academic Annegret Märten observes: "It was a time when women were pushing boundaries and demanding more than just applause – they wanted real change. And, just as Josephine starts to control the stage, we’re reminded that these women were fighting for control over their own lives. As you watch the show, maybe you’re wondering, who else in the world outside the theatre is trying to find their voice? The magic in Rabbits Out the Hat isn’t just for laughs and gasps – it’s a reminder that the fight for equality and the right to be yourself is still happening. So, as you enjoy the spectacle, think about the real-world magic of people standing up, speaking out, and making change – just like Josephine."
We can't wait for young people and adults alike to experience and feel empowered by this hilarious and heartwarming show on Wed 27 May.
Rabbits Out of the Hat (Chris Nash)
Please join us in celebrating these incredible stories of women and supporting the creatives behind shows by coming along to their performances. We offer a range of ticket prices under our Pay What You Can scheme, with options from £8 to £16, across our seasonal Performance Programme.
Do you identify as a South West based woman seeking an opportunity to platform a new piece of performance work? Applications are now open for the next Scratch Night in collaboration with Exeter Northcott, which will be featured as part of Reclaim Festival: a festival of work by women, for everyone. Find out more and apply >
Comments Off on Two Short Nights is proud to announce this year’s Best of the Fest Jury
Two Short Nights Film Festival celebrates short films and the people who make them. Every film exhibited has earned it's place on the big screen and we are passionate about connecting these films with audiences.
To close the festival, Two Short Nights presents several awards to filmmakers, including our Best of The Fest Award Category. Audiences can view all films that have been short listed for this award at our Best of the Fest screening on Fri 06 Mar, 6:30pm.
Other awards presented at Two Short Nights are:
The Audience Choice awards - selected by those who have attended the festival
48 Hour Film Challenge - awards to the top three films entered as part of our annual film challenge.
This years Best of the Fest Jury are:
LILY MATTHEWS
Lily is a graduate from Falmouth University where she studied Fine Art. Lily has worked for an arts organisation for several years now, and enjoys being part of a creative community.
Her interest in film extends to both filmmaking and film criticism. Her films often blend ideas of nostalgia, nature and character archetypes. She enjoys watching a wide variety of films, but is especially interested in films with experimental and transgressive aspects, such as the films of Antonia Bird, Andrea Arnold, David Lynch and John Waters.
She has enjoyed attending the festival in previous years and has always been impressed by the creativity and variety of the shorts. She is excited to be more involved with the festival this year.
DR TOMI ADESINA
Tomi Adesina is a screenwriter and lecturer in creative writing at the University of Exeter where she convenes the screenwriting modules. Her research explores representations of ageing and place in Nigerian and South Korean cinema. In 2018 she won the AMAA Achievement in Screenplay prize for her contribution to the film, Hakkunde.
OSIAN ANDREW
Osian Andrew is a Welsh film programmer, event producer and panel host. He began his career as a filmmaker before moving into film exhibition and programming, where his work focuses on accessible screenings, rebuilding cinema audiences, and championing Celtic language film in both short and long form. Osian is a BFI Film Academy Young Programmer and programmed the BFI Future Film Festival 2025. In 2024, he co-programmed and delivered the inaugural Celtic Voices event at the BFI London Film Festival, a programme he has since toured across the Celtic nations over the past two years. He is attending Two Short Nights Film Festival presenting another Celtic Voices screening as part of the festival programme, celebrating modern Celtic language cinema
ALLISTER GALL
Allister is an artist-filmmaker and educator whose work explores place, community, and the ecologies of the moving image through collaborative and experimental practices. His films have been supported by the BFI and exhibited internationally in galleries, festivals, and journals. Recent work includes RE/POSIT/ORY (2024), a multi-screen installation examining archival bias. He is co-founder and co-director of Imperfect Cinema, a participatory film collective producing site-specific screenings, co-creative projects, and public film initiatives.
This year's Two Short Nights awards have been made by local artist by Marson Wu.
MARSON WU
Marson is an illustrator from Taiwan, lives and works in Exeter.
Graduated from University of Brighton with Sequential design& illustration MA in 2020. Inspired by nature and animals, she enjoys creating unique plants and quirky creatures. Working with watercolour, pencil, cyanotype and risograph.
Comments Off on Madonna on the Rocks – Matinee FAQs
We understand that attending an evening performance when you have children can be a challenge. So we have designed a relaxed matinee performance of Madonna on the Rocks for parents, grandparents and carers to be able to attend, where children under 18 months are welcome too.
Please note, the following information is relevant to the 1pm performance of Madonna on the Rocks.
What to expect:
On arrival you will be supported to park your buggy and find an emergency cup of tea, piece of cake or something stronger from our café bar. Come a bit early to meet other sleep-deprived parents, we’re all in it together.
Relaxed Show:
This is a special daytime show with reduced amplification and dimmed lighting. You will be free to move about during the performance, come and go as you need. We sell seating at a reduced capacity so there's plenty of space. There will also be some mats and toys for the children to play and a baby change at the side of the auditorium so you don’t need to miss a thing. Please feel supported to breast, chest or bottle-feed. We can also provide hot water behind the bar if you need to warm bottles.
This is a relaxed space. We expect babies and toddlers to make noise. No apologises needed! Please be respectful and supportive of each other.
Timings:
1pm - 2pm followed by a 20 minute interval.
The show is 1 hour, with an optional 20 minute post show discussion facilitated by Lizzy Humber (Matrescence Festival & Daylight Sessions).
Snacks and drinks available in the café bar during the interval.
Content Warning:
This is an adult centred show, with age guidance 14+
Madonna on the Rocks contains themes of post-natal depression with strong language and adult themes. We have recommended that accompanying children are under 18months. You will know your child best and the age of the accompanying children is at your discretion.
The soundtrack features heavy bass (set to baby-safe levels) and flashing neon lights. For extra peace of mind, ear protectors will be available on a first come first served basis.
Tickets:
Children under 14 can go free (booking required), although the age of accompanying children for this show is under 18 months (please see content warning above).
Booking is open to new parents, grandparents, family, carers, in fact anyone who would like to attend the show in the daytime and doesn’t mind some cute kids in the
audience. It’s also okay to come without children if this is a more suitable time for you, but please be advised of the relaxed context.
Exeter Phoenix is accessible at street level via ramp to the left hand side of the building. There is a buggy park in the Secret Garden. Buggies cannot be brought into the auditorium, but car seats placed on seats is fine. Staff will be on hand to help.
We know that children often come with large bags of emergency supplies for all eventualities. Therefore each adult and accompany child/ren will be given their own seat, so you will have space to spread out. We ask you keep all bags and coats on seats for health and safety. If you need help carrying anything, just give our Front of House team a shout and they’ll gladly assist you.
We will have three baby changing facilities available on the day of the performance. Baby change is located in the accessible toilets next to the cinema (up the ramp next to the auditorium) or at the rear of the building. We will also set up a baby change inside the auditorium during the performance.
There will be a selection of drinks, both hot and cold, available from our Café Bar, along with a variety of snacks and cakes from local bakeries. You are also welcome to take food and drink into the auditorium. No glass or ceramics are permitted. You are very welcome to bring from home whatever food and drink your child may need.
We will have mats, cushions and an offering of toys will at the front.
Further Support:
For other access need or questions please get in touch with our Venue & Visitor Services Manager Anna-Ruth on annaruth.peelcusson@exeterphoenix.org.uk or call 01392 667060.
This special event is in partnership with producer and mother Lizzy Humber who offers Matrescence Festival and Daylight Sessions – daytime art, culture and gigs for parents. Find out more at lizzyhumber.com
Comments Off on Dance talent in our 2026 Spring Performance Programme
Mapdance (Bike Bignell)
Our 2026 Spring Performance Programme is packed full of the hottest dance talent, with shows featuring gritty dance-theatre, athletic and fast-paced choreography, hip-hop and break-dancing, and opportunities to showcase performances by local dancers alongside the main event. Plus, two movement workshops designed for people of all experiences.
On Wed 25 Feb, mapdance 2026 brings together nine dancers and three newly commissioned works by renowned and upcoming contemporary choreographers Cathy Waller, Amy Morvell and Luca Silvestrini's (Protein Dance’s Artistic Director) dance response to Max Richter’s original work by the same title which features readings from 1948’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Plus, a restaging of Yukiko Masui’s contemporary take on Vivaldi - For Seasons - from 2024. The University of Chichester’s performance company is an established group of dynamic young dancers recruited nationally and internationally, and they have been busy working with students at the Exeter College Dance Academy today, co-creating their curtain raiser performance for the event.
Mapdance (Bike Bignell)
On Sat 28 Feb, in celebration of Salaam Salaam Theatre’s upcoming performance of I'm Muslamic Don't Panik, Devon-based professional dancer and choreographer, Maria Tarokh will be leading Persian Moves & Grooves: Dance & Choreography Workshop. Set to an eclectic, feel-good soundtrack that blends global beats and infectious grooves, this workshop promises high energy, creative expression, and good vibes only. Whether you’re a confident mover or just curious to try something new, this is your chance to move, connect, and celebrate culture through dance.
We asked Maria what people can hope to take away from participating in the workshop and attending the show. She told us:
'Joining the workshop is a way of getting a flavour of Persian culture and the themes in Bobak's show. Particularly hospitality which is a huge part of our culture. In Iran, dance often has a kind of cathartic purpose, we dance at funerals and weddings, in the street, at parties, at dinners - any excuse! So in the workshop we'll be bringing that spirit of release and using movement to find joy.'
Reflecting on why it is important to offer this free-to-attend workshop to the community, Bobak explained:
'We really wanted to offer a chance for people to get to know their local dancers, participate in a joyful couple of hours and start to get a flavour of the show. The need to come together and dance has never been stronger and typically Iranians are really great party starters! Bringing the joy to the room with an infectious style of social dance that is graceful and charismatic.'
On Tue 03 Mar, Bobak Champion takes us on his journey of self-discovery in I’m Muslamic don’t Panik, as he meets a whole cast of weird and wonderful characters - from women defiantly running the first (and last) ever Tehran marathon, to stumbling into an underground breakdance battle. Whilst the media frequently portray the Middle East as a frightening and dangerous place, Bobak shows us the positivity, joy, family and community that we rarely get to see, using a captivating mixture of live music, spoken word, break-dancing and comedy. Bobak will be joined onstage by Devon-based special guests, Sam 'BBoy Sheku' Phillips and Bboy Master Splinter, two of the most highly regarded and internationally renowned dancers currently active in the UK breaking scene.
Bobak told us:
'We've always made an effort to connect with and find local dancers wherever we go to make guest appearances in the show. Often digging into the underground hip-hop scene to reach out to dancers who sometimes get marginalised and overlooked. As a company we're keen to celebrate local dance communities in the areas we visit. Particularly in the hip-hop scene and Iranian diaspora. Some colleagues said "Bobak, isn't this risky, sharing the stage with dancers you've never even met" - but we've kept faith and so far it has been really amazing and keeps the show super unique and exciting each time.'
Bobak's beautiful story will have you laughing-out-loud and feeling full of hope. After the show, you can even enjoy a chat with your neighbours and the artists as we serve traditional Persian tea and date biscuits called Kolompeh. Read more about Bobak's wonderful work here.
I’m Muslamic don’t Panik (Oliver Parker)
On Sat 21 Mar, Christina Deinsberger (Complicité associate artist and co-founder of international theatre collective fish in a dress) will be leading a workshop called Movement Makes Story: Devising from a physical practice, which will include physical exercises to explore a devising practice, connecting the individual body to the collective to create an image, explore a dynamic, or tell a little story. For actors, directors and theatre non-professionals – all experience levels are welcome. This unique learning opportunity will be followed by an evening performance of their critically-acclaimed show The City for Incurable Women, which features integrated audio description.
Movement Makes Story
On Tue 31 Mar, JV2: Triple Bill presents an explosive young ensemble of 16 international dancers showcasing an exciting and energetic mix of inventive choreography and exceptional new talent, including three new works by Company associates Yunkyung Song & Vivian Triantafyllopoulou, and Artistic Director Jasmin Vardimon MBE. The Jasmin Vardimon Company has been a leading force in British dance theatre for over 25 years, building a reputation for challenging and visually arresting dance productions infused with social and political commentary.
Having developed a uniquely individual choreographic voice, distinguished by detailed movement, insightful humour, and engaging drama, Vardimon is renowned for her physical and theatrical style. Incorporating innovative technologies, text and dance, Vardimon's multi-award-winning work is accentuated with an acute observation of human behaviour, making it widely accessible and socially relevant. Our resident dance company Chhaya Youth will also be performing a curtain raiser, featuring new work by the young dancers.
JV2 (Bill Knight)
Emergency Chorus return to our stage on Mon 20 Apr - following their previous performance Landscape (1989) - with Ways of Knowing, a dance-theatre work that investigates the tools we use to predict and prophesy the future, from early meteorological devices to corporate trend forecasting and divination. Winner of the Untapped Award 2025, this Bristol-based live art collective has a reputation for creating highly unique collage-like performances of text, choreography, music and image, described as “Beguiling and enchanting work” by The Guardian. Prepare to be immersed in something truly different as you encounter a council of leeches, a mystic hermit, a Victorian inventor, an economics conference, and a dark and dripping cave!
Ways of Knowing (Jemima Yong)
All tickets are offered on a Pay What You Can basis. You can find out more about our Pay What You Can ticket scheme here, for find our full performance programme here.
We hope to see you at some of our events this season!
Comments Off on 2026 Exeter Phoenix Short Film Commissions:applications now open
Still from Sinead O’Toole's 'Sunbeam', one of Exeter Phoenix's 2025 Micro Short Film Commissions
Applications are now open for the 2026 Exeter Phoenix Short Film Commission Scheme.
For 25 years our film commissions have supported the development of filmmaking talent and film production in Devon and the South West. This year we are inviting you to submit your film ideas for 5 commission strands, with one commission being awarded in each strand. As well as being awarded money towards your production, each commission also provides mentoring, feedback and development opportunities as well as in-kind support in the training and access to space and equipment.
This year the commission strands open for application are:
Devon Short Film Commission
South West Short Film Commission
Artist Moving Image Commission
Micro Short Film Commission
DOCLAB Micro Documentary Film Commission
Find out more
We will also be holding three open online Q&A sessions online where you can meet some of the team behind the Exeter Phoenix commissions and hear a bit more about what the opportunity entails. You do not have to attend these sessions to apply, but we hope that they will be useful to you. Feel free to ask us anything and use it as an opportunity to come and find out a bit more about the process and what it is like to work with us.
Comments Off on Our Performance Programme is Pay What You Can
At Exeter Phoenix, we strive to make our Performance Programme as accessible as possible. Whether you are here to watch an award-winning show by an internationally renowned company or a work-in-progress performance by emerging South West talent, we are proud to offer a range of ticket prices under our Pay What You Can scheme.
Lower cost should not equal lower quality.
We believe that everyone should be able to access high quality art and culture, and we are constantly working behind-the-scenes to implement unique, creative and cost-effective solutions that enhance and advance our offering to the community. It is our mission is to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience innovative work at the forefront of contemporary practice. We aim to share the magic of live performance, to empower artists and audiences alike, to nurture the wider community, and to inspire positive change.
Our Pay What You Can ticket scheme serves to demonstrate our commitment to our community. While theatre ticket prices continue to soar across the country, our audiences can decide to pay £8, £10, £12, £14 or £16, while Students & Under 25s can access £6 tickets all year round. We guarantee you won’t find lower ticket prices at any other performing arts venue in the region!
We know that our audiences believe in our mission to support a thriving creative and cultural city, with many opting to pay the recommended price of £16. We would like to express our deepest gratitude for your ongoing support. Not only does this help the artists who make the work, it allows us to facilitate the development of new talent by giving artists the tools to experiment, take risks and realise their best ideas. This means we can present even more exciting events in Exeter and continue to nurture a thriving local arts ecology. We exist because our audience continues to support and cherish what we do.
Comments Off on Introducing our February 2026 Scratch Night Artists
Exeter Phoenix is once again joining forces with Exeter Northcott for our next Scratch Night. This night is a crucial step for the artists and an unforgettable, left-field experience for the audience. Expect an eclectic, entertaining mash-up of fresh work-in-progress performances.
Ahead of their performances on Mon 23 Feb, we are pleased to present the selected artists for our February Scratch Night in partnership with Exeter Northcott!
Tactile
by Molly Gooch
Age guidance: 14+ | Content warning: grief, depression, strong language
Tactile is a new contemporary play exploring how physical possessions connect us to reality in an increasingly digital world. The piece emerged from a simple question:
“What will be left when I die?”
The play follows three siblings, Saf, Chris and Jem, as they reunite to sort through their late mother’s belongings. What begins as a practical task becomes a deeply emotional excavation of memory, love and loss. Through humour, tenderness and confrontation, Tactile examines how grief reshapes the bonds between us and how the things we hold both physical and emotional connect us across generations.
At its core, Tactile explores society’s ‘return to the analogue’ as coined on social media, in a culture that is becoming ever more digitised. It examines what “real” connection means at a time when so much of our communication and memory storage happens online. By focusing on the intimate and the material, the piece offers audiences a space to reflect on the value of touch, presence and the things we inherit from one another and the lessons they can teach.
Ro grew up believing that decency, effort, and fairness were rewarded with social mobility. Until one night she loses her career to corrupt redundancies, her fiancé to an AI chat bot, and her flat to a cockroach invasion...
Inspired by urban antihero films such as Taxi Driver and Joker, this piece flips the lens to examine how one woman absorbs and responds to systemic failure. As Ro’s moral framework collapses, a once-principled woman evolves into something tougher and stranger.
Age guidance: 14+ | Content warning: Mention of death in a car accident, gambling addiction, strong language
Don't Even is the story of Maeve, Joan and Luke. Maeve is a gardener who likes a flutter, married to a vicar who hates gambling. He is seriously ill and Maeve places a bet, hoping to finance his treatment.
When Maeve wins a million pounds she has a problem: she placed the bet using a church bank card and needs Joan, the judgy church treasurer, to validate her claim.
When the betting firm tries to dodge paying out on a technicality, Maeve and Joan become uneasy allies in pursuit of their claim…whilst keeping the whole thing secret from Luke.
Inspired by the real-life David Goliath story of a Southwest gardener who took Paddy power to court, Don't Even is a macabre and surreal new script about turning the tables, and the sh*t that goes down when women step into their power.
Age guidance: 7+ (no explicit language or content. Occasional metaphorical reference to sexual and mental health topics)
Recall the last time you felt truly alive. At the weekend, when you finally finished that half marathon you were telling everyone about? Last night, getting laid for the first time in a year? Or 25 years, 241 days, 5 hours and 47 minutes ago, before you tied the knot with Mark?
Musician and storyteller, Rob Harrison, asks you to join him in feeling quite the opposite: truly dead. So dead that you’ve entered Hades’ realm itself. Uhuh, the Greeks got it right. There’s quite a few of you here all at once, so the king has asked his mythological buddies to prepare you some light entertainment in the form of story and song, all to help pass the time. An Underworld Revue, of sorts…
Submerge into a dark world, and be set on a path to find the light. Focusing on a unique and exciting sound-centred approach to storytelling, Rob Harrison’s work opens the audience to “new points of compositional departure” and shares his “open-minded, curious, and constructive style.”
Now, Sit back, relax, don’t think about how you died, and enjoy The Underworld Revue.
This movement theatre show will demonstrate vulnerable aspects of the self in women and a female platonic intergenerational relationship. This performance is abstract and literal with visceral, textured movement and music. We layer spoken word, dance, and physical theatre with live cello and recorded music.
We express how different generations of women create, react, relate, share, and learn from each other. This work is connecting to the modern day loss of a pathway for many elder women, leading to a gap in the potential for the younger generation to grow from learning lived wisdom. As a 22-year-old, I yearn for a societal shift that creates space where intergenerational women can integrate and provide for each other.
This performance confronts ageism, sexism, and women's internal struggles that are not seen, not understood and often overlooked. We can make space and bring light to these topics relatable for all ages.
Credits: Creator and performer - Esme Lovell | Instagram Devising performer - Elizabeth Thomas Composer and musician - Noelle Plusnin
Katy Danbury (Exeter Phoenix Performance Programmer & Scratch Night producer) and Sam Parker (Northcott’s artist development producer) will be co-hosting a pre-Scratch gathering in the Workshop space at Exeter Phoenix from 6pm, inviting people to feedback on our current Scratch offer, suggest ideas on what you have seen work well elsewhere, and any other suggestions or thoughts you might have about the general artist development offer in Exeter. Free to attend, no need to book.
Comments Off on Announcing our 2026 Spring Performance Programme
A new season of stories awaits at Exeter Phoenix.
This spring, we welcome fresh talent, celebrate community and champion bold, original work by critically acclaimed, multi-disciplinary artists.
mapdance 2026 on Wed 25 Feb and JV2 on Tue 31 Mar see some of the best post-graduate dancers in the country start their journey in the industry, working with internationally renowned choreographers. Both events also showcase short curtain raiser performances by local students, inspiring the next generation of dance talent.
mapdance 2026 (Mike Bignell)
Bobak Champion's genre-defying new show, I'm Muslamic Don't Panik on Tue 03 Mar, features breakdancing, live saxophone performance, Iranian folk music, comedy and clowning.
Coming to Exeter Phoenix on Sat 21 Mar, hot from Edinburgh Fringe success, The City for Incurable Women by international theatre collective, fish in a dress, combines physical theatre, integrated audio description and storytelling to revive history through a queer-feminist lens.
Both events extend an invitation to engage with the work beyond the performances, including Bobak's post-show gathering encouraging friendly chats over tasty Persian tea and biscuits, and a pre-show Movement Makes Story workshop with fish in a dress's Berlin based director & Complicité associate artist, Christina Deinsberger.
The City for Incurable Women
A regular highlight in our calendar, the riotous Spork! Poetry returns with Poetic Hunts: A Valentine's Special on - you guessed it - Valentine's Day! As always, you can expect an extraordinary display of spoken word talent, including special guest Naomi Wood who brought the spectacular Gobbess to us last year, a deliriously fun time co-creating a 'community poem', and an audience Love Poem competition.
Alongside Spork!, the Exeter City of Literature team has put our city firmly on the map as a place where poets and spoken word artists - both new and established - can thrive by hosting the 4th annual City Slam on Thu 16 Apr. The winner of this exciting competition will be entered into the 2026 Slamovision; an international slam competition featuring poets from UNESCO Cities of Literature across the world!
City Slam (2025)
Raucous comedy continues with Game of Crones on Wed 25 Mar as A&E Comedy (Witch Hunt, DO ALL THE THINGS) return to our stage with their latest feral and gloriously unapologetic offering; a celebration of women in their prime – warriors who will not go gentle into bingo night. Prepare for an incomparable night of entertainment and laughter.
The school holidays feature theatre for the whole family. During February half-term, Anglo-Indonesian children’s shadow puppet company, Indigo Moon Theatre, merge colourful design, original music, engaging storytelling and a combination of marionettes, rod puppets and live acting to reimagine the iconic story of Gulliver's Travels. The show, Gaby Gulliver’s Travels (coming to Exeter Phoenix on Mon 16 Feb), marks the tricentennial anniversary of Jonathan Swift’s book being published.
Gaby Gulliver’s Travels
During the Easter break, on Tue 14 Apr, we welcome back Brave Bold Drama (The Midnight Mission) with The Mexico Mission: a highly interactive, playable theatre show that asks the audience to vote and help solve an art forgery case. The show will be followed by an arts and crafts workshop enabling children and their grownups to explore more about traditional Mexican culture.
All this and much more can be discovered in our Spring Performance Programme! Find the full programme here.
Comments Off on Documental Productions: Scaffolding – Full Show Recording
In July 2024, South West theatre company, Documental Productions was selected for the prestigious Edinburgh National Partnerships award by Bristol Old Vic and The Pleasance Theatre Trust. Before heading to EdFringe, they presented a sold-out work-in-progress performance of their show Scaffolding at Exeter Phoenix. Written by local award-winning writer and Exeter Phoenix associate, Lucy Bell, Scaffolding shines a light on caring and the wellsprings of hope and strength in small communities.
As part of their 2025 remount of the play, Documental have produced a full subtitled recording of their show at Sterts Arts and Environmental Centre, now available to watch on their YouTube channel.
Developed in association with Bristol Old Vic, Scaffolding follows Sheridan. She is having a bad day: her church is closing, Adult Social Care are on her case, and she can’t work out which ingredients she needs to make a bomb. With no one else to turn to, she climbs the scaffolding around a leaking steeple with a few questions for Whoever Is In Charge...
Developed in association with Bristol Old Vic, Scaffolding follows Sheridan. She is having a bad day: her church is closing, Adult Social Care are on her case, and she can’t work out which ingredients she needs to make a bomb. With no one else to turn to, she climbs the scaffolding around a leaking steeple with a few questions for Whoever Is In Charge...
About Documental
Led by Lucy Bell and producer Naomi Turner, Documental Productions is a Devon-based company producing bold, joyful New Writing (theatre, musicals, audio, film and original music) which centres the lived experience of learning disabled and less-head voices. Documental Productions recently won an honorary award for efforts in social film making for Unreachable, a film screened at Exeter Phoenix's Studio 74 in 2025.
In a 2024 interview for our Creative Hub, Lucy discussed what they enjoyed most about the creative scene in the South West. Lucy said 'I like the way most of us know each other and have really got each others' backs'. You can read the short interview here.
Credits
Creative & Production team:
Kerry Norton - Performer / Sheridan
Lucy Bell - Writer
Natalie Simone - Director
Katie Villa - Associate Director
Naomi Turner - Senior Producer
Susannah Bramwell - Engagement Producer
Ella Barraclough - Set & Costume Designer
Rachael Duthie - Lighting Designer / PM consultancy
Joseff Harris - Sound Designer / Composer
Karla Shacklock - Movement Director
Josh Lucas - Technical Stage Manager
With thanks to the original director, producer and performer Lillian Waddington, Jessamie Edkins-O'Brien and Suzanna Hamilton
Comments Off on Little Scratch Night: Housekeeping & Safe Space Charter
Little Scratch Night is an informal, safe and nurturing space for local creatives to not only talk through their ideas, but to connect with fellow creatives about the kind of work they want to create, on a monthly basis. It is a space to explore, play, and take creative risks.
To help everyone feel supported and respected, we ask all participants to embrace the following values:
We Grow Together
Be encouraging — we are all experimenting and learning.
Celebrate courage: every scratch is a step forward.
We Respect Each Other
Treat everyone with kindness, patience, and curiosity.
Listen fully when someone is sharing or performing, and please make sure that phones are silenced during the session.
No assumptions — we honour everyone’s identities, experiences, and boundaries.
We recommend keeping this an alcohol-free space as there is no age restriction for attendees - after the session there's a chance to grab a drink at the bar and continue discussions, if desired.
We Keep Consent at the Core
Photos, physical contact, personal space, and sensitive themes all require clear consent.
If you’re unsure — ask first.
We Share Thoughtfully
Feedback should be constructive and invited.
Focus on what landed, what was exciting, and what could be explored further.
Avoid personal criticism — speak to the work, not the person.
We Look After Ourselves
Take time out if you need it — no explanations required.
If something feels triggering or uncomfortable, you can:
Step away quietly;
Let a facilitator know;
Ask for a re-set or pause.
We Keep It Confidential
Personal stories and unfinished ideas stay in this room, unless the creator wishes to gain further feedback afterwards.
We Have Fun!
Play, try the wild idea, be silly!
Applaud the bravery in every attempt.
Together we create a space where:
Everyone is welcome
Everyone is safe
Everyone can shine.
Comments Off on The groundbreaking cinema of Lynne Ramsay
Fresh from the film festival circuit comes an intriguing and brave new black-comedy-drama from revered Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay. Die My Love tells the story of Grace, portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence in a career-defining performance, a woman with hopes of writing the Great American Novel. Grace and her partner Jackson (Robert Pattison) have recently moved to rural Montana and begin to settle into their new life. However, things are not as perfect as they seem. As the couple welcome their new baby, Jackson is often, and suspiciously, absent from the home, and Grace begins to fall into a spiral of postpartum psychosis.
Die My Love is one of the most anticipated films of the year, not only because of its concept and cast, but because of Ramsay’s reputation as one of the most respected filmmakers of her generation. The film premiered at Cannes Film Festival this Spring and was nominated for the prestigious Palm D’Or award. The cast also includes cinematic icon Sissy Spacek and the brilliant LaKeith Stanfield, known for his roles in Sorry to Bother You and Get Out. Die My Love is Ramsay’s fifth feature film and promises to be just as compelling as her previous work.
To celebrate Die My Love screening at Studio 74 this month, we are looking back on Lynne Ramsay’s impressive career.
Starting in 1999, Ramsay released her first feature film Ratcatcher, which told the story of a young boy living in Glasgow in the 1970s. Upon its release, the film was met with critical acclaim and is now regarded a classic of British independent cinema. In 2024, Ratcatcher was re-released to mark its twenty-fifth anniversary and was screened at Studio 74. The screening was organised in collaboration with Reclaim the Frame, and included a special pre-film talk about Lynne Ramsay’s work, and how her experiences as a female director have shaped her work.
Ratcatcher was followed by Morvern Callar in 2002, which is the story Morvern, portrayed by Samantha Morton, who publishes her dead boyfriend’s novel under her own name. The film is notable for its slow-pace and hypnotic style; techniques which Ramsay would build upon in her later works.
Almost 10 years later in 2011, the release of We Need to Talk About Kevin solidified her reputation as masterful filmmaker. The film, like most of Ramsay’s work, deals with difficult themes with a dark tone. It sees Eva (played by Tilda Swinton), as she visits her son Kevin in prison, as she tries to understand a violent act they committed. The film deals with motherhood and postpartum depression, which are themes Ramsay revisits in Die My Love. Ramsay has always taken an unflinching look at difficult themes, taking an honest look at the more difficult side of parenthood. We Need to Talk About Kevin is widely regarded as a modern indie classic.
We Need to Talk About Kevin was followed up by You Were Never Really Here in 2017. Written and directed by Ramsay, the film stars Joaquin Phoenix as a traumatised veteran, who tries to rescue a kidnapped young girl. Joaquin Phoenix won the award for Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival for his groundbreaking portrayal in the film, and Lynne Ramsay was awarded Best Screenplay.
Studio 74 is dedicated to spotlighting the work of female and gender minority filmmakers. We are excited to see the work of one of film’s most influential and inspiring women back on the big screen.
Lynne Ramsay’s Die My Love (15) will be screening at Studio 74 from Fri 21 Nov to Thu 04 Dec.
Comments Off on Sun and Moon Window (1998) by Sir Terry Frost Renovated at Exeter Phoenix
Sir Terry Frost (RA) Sun and Moon Window, 1998 Hand blown stained glass
This extraordinary public artwork by the late Sir Terry Frost RA (1915 – 2003) depicts an abstracted seascape in which the water reflects images of both the sun and the moon. It was commissioned to coincide with the opening of Exeter Phoenix in 1999, redeveloped from the former Exeter & Devon Arts Centre with the support of the National Lottery.
Sir Terry Frost RA sat in front of Sun and Moon Window in the studio, 1998
Sir Terry was a leading figure in 20th Century British abstract painting, whose work was renowned for its use of light, colour and shape and is held in many national and international museum collections. He was one of a trail-blazing group of mid 20th Century modern artists who were drawn to the extraordinary light and landscape of Cornwall, which continued to inspire his work throughout his life. Created towards the very end of his long career, the opportunity to translate his work into stained-glass added an unusual, possibly unique, medium to Frost’s extensive body of work.
The Sun and Moon Window in Sir Terry Frost RA's studio with paper drawing behind
"I’ve seen wonderful stained glass in various places all over the world, from Le Corbusier’s chapel at Ronchamp to the Matisse Chapel in Vence, and the Cathedrals at Rouen and Reims...
I wanted to get the colour so that it can be more than on the glass, but in the space, so people walk through the colour and feel it." Terry Frost, 1998
Matt Le Breton renovating the Sun and Moon Window at Exeter Phoenix, 2025
Located in the busy heart of our building, the window has formed a backdrop to thousands of creative, cultural and community events for over 25 years. In 2025, with the support of The Finnis Scott Foundation, it was renovated by local glass artist, Matt Le Breton, to ensure that this important piece of local and national art history is preserved as an important part of our ongoing story.
Comments Off on Introducing our October 2025 Scratch Night Artists
For the first time, Exeter Phoenix are joining forces with Exeter Northcott for the October Scratch Night, which will be presented at Exeter Phoenix as part of Northcott’s Elevate Festival; an annual celebration of local artists and new work.
Ahead of their performances on Mon 13 Oct, we are pleased to present the selected artists for our Scratch Night in partnership with Exeter Northcott!
Glitches in Time
by Tom Marshman
Age guidance: 16+ (semi-nudity, sexual content)
Glitches in Time (working title) is a new solo performance in development exploring queer aging, digital exclusion, and the shifting idea of community. Through a mix of autobiographical storytelling, camp performance, and archival response, Tom opens up a conversation about desire, technology, and belonging.
Drawing on personal experience, including the absurdity of being banned from Grindr, Tom navigates mythologies of aging, the politics of visibility, and the glitches that occur when queer bodies meet digital worlds.
Tom Marshman is an artist based in Bristol who explores stories from the queer community, past, present, and future, often bringing people together through socially engaged projects such as tea parties. By sharing this project at its earliest stage, Tom hopes to spark a wider dialogue and create spaces where stories of aging and digital intimacy can be told, celebrated, and directly integrated into the show.
Age guidance: 12+ | Content warning: this performance will take place in the dark
‘Bone Caves’ is an immersive and multi-sensory audio experience inspired by the historic findings at Cattedown Bone Caves in Plymouth; home to some of the oldest human remains found in the United Kingdom.
You sink into a slowly darkening space as your current location and time fades, we guide you through a series of pitch black limestone caves scattered across the coast of Devon.
Through binaural sound and sensory immersion techniques you are transported to vast karst caverns - starting with their formation and use as shelter by early-humans and other animals. Mammoths and sabretooths, rhinoceroses and giraffes, thousands upon thousands of wolves. Then their ‘discovery’ in the 19th century by quarry workers, leading to documentation by geologist Richard Nicholls Worth. He unearthed 15 human skeletons, dating up to 140,000 years old. Finally, the modern day, where the Bone Caves entrances are hidden amongst the confines of an industrial estate, beneath a city which doesn’t know they exist.
The show explores hidden history, our ancestors, environmental and species changes, the psychology of darkness, mythologies of the underground and ideas around deep time.
Age guidance: 14+ (strong language, themes of and references to discrimination)
Since the 18th Century, sea swimming has been recommended as the number 1 way to look after your health. It stimulates the brain, is good for the joints, and gives you a rush of endorphins. However, nowadays, you are playing roulette with whether you will emerge from the water unscathed by sewage poisoning.
Don’t Swim Here (There’s Sewage Water) is a one-woman exploration of our, sometimes poisonous, relationship with the sea. Swapping sertraline for the sea, what begins as a pandemic hobby quickly becomes a battle with sewage, sexism, racism, and privatised water companies pocketing billions while polluting our coasts.
This show invites us to look at our relationship with the ocean in a new way. Both funny and moving, it shines a light on the urgent need to protect our seas and keep them safe for everyone.
Along the way, we’re thrown into absurd encounters with seals, swans, and Halloween hepatitis horrors, all underscored by a fierce critique of the systems poisoning our waters. A touching love letter to the ocean and a call to arms.
by Alex King (writer) and Awkward Pigeon Theatre Company (Performers and Director)
Age guidance: 15+ (occasional mild swearing and references to grief, substance use and racism)
Just Be! is a new comedy play written by Teignmouth based Alex King and performed by Exeter's own well renowned Awkward Pigeon Theatre Company. Told in real time over one evening, the show tells the story of new teacher James as he struggles to convey his passion for meditation to a reluctant group of students.
Touching on themes of trauma, class, race, grief, disability, misinformation and eco-anxiety the show explores the power of groups and the complex nature of mindfulness. Navigating these issues as well as their own neuroses and interpersonal conflicts the group find themselves forming, storming and then storming a bit more. Coming 'highly commended' by the National Theatre this is a unique opportunity to witness new comedy writing covering serious themes with a light and ultimately hopeful twist.
Come along to the Workshop studio at Exeter Phoenix at 6.30pm on the night for a pre-Scratch gathering, Scratching the Itch: shaping platforms for sharing work-in-progress. Katy Danbury (Exeter Phoenix Performance Programmer & Scratch Night co-producer) and Sam Parker (Exeter Northcott Artist Development Producer) discuss how we might shape our collaborative Scratch Night offer in 2026. All people, ideas and feedback very welcome!
Comments Off on Announcing a new UK-wide film season: Too Much: Melodrama on Film
Follow your emotions and get swept away by the big screen experience as Exeter Phoenix proudly delivers the new UK-wide season: Too Much: Melodrama on Film.
Too Much celebrates films which champions emotional intensity over ‘good taste’. Exeter Phoenix presents films that are united by motherhood; Maternal Melodramas, which portray mothers as emotionally complex individuals, as victims, punished regardless of whether they sacrifice too much or too little. These films are designed to make you break down in tears, cause a scene, fall in love, feel something.
In collaboration with a range of partners including Dolly’s Film Club, Italian Cultural Association and Daylight Collective, Exeter Phoenix will examine five films from the 1940s to the 2000s to reveal how cinema has both celebrated and slated mothers, while shaping our understanding of maternal identity within Melodrama.
Exeter Phoenix will also be hosting the, a cinematic audio installation that invites participants to leave a message for a lost, imagined, or impossible love.
Dolly’s Film Club presents: Steel Magnolias | 1989 | Sun 02 Nov
Italian Cultural Association presents: Mamma Roma | 1962 | Sun 09 Nov
Installation
Lost Love Hotline. The Heartbreak Archive
Exeter Phoenix | Wed 08 - Fri 17 Oct
Do you think about a love that's not yours anymore? Or one you imagined, hurting your own feelings? Or the one you never had the courage to reach out for? Perhaps it keeps you up at night and merges into your daydreams? Do you want to tell it to a stranger and release it? You can with Lost Love Hotline, we will hold them and keep them safe in our archive among other Lonelyhearts.
Love Lost Hotline is a cinematic audio installation that invites participants to leave a message for a lost, imagined, or impossible love. Entering a dreamlike phone booth - they record their confession, becoming part of a growing archive of heartbreak and yearning. Messages range from raw truths to speculative fictions and aspirational musings.
Leave a message for your heartbreak, lost, forgotten, or imagined.
Maternal Melodramas - films that portray motherhood as emotionally complex and morally nuanced. Exeter Phoenix will examine six films from the 1940s to the 2000s to reveal how cinema has both celebrated and slated mothers, while shaping our understanding of, and relationship to, maternal identity on film.
Films will be presented alongside insightful introductions, playful activity and national moments, which will engage audiences and help offer context across the season.
Our titles will be delivered alongside our season partners who will assist in exploring how melodramas humanise maternal flaws, framing them as everyday struggles rather than evil acts.
Season partners will include Dolly’s Film Club, University of Exeter, Bill Douglas Cinema Museum, Italian Cultural Association Exeter, Daylight Collective and Light After Dark Film Festival.
Dolly’s Film Club (Beyond Boundaries Alumni) has a proven mother-daughter following and will deliver a special screening of Steel Magnolias, a film big on emotion, which will respond to the multi-generational appeal and its ability to bring diverse audiences together “Crying at a movie with several hundred strangers … is something else entirely - it was a cathartic,” (Letterbox reviewer on watching Steel Magnolias in the cinema). This partnership will broaden audience reach and encourage “Laughter through tears” a favourite emotion of character Truvy, played by Dolly Parton.
Brief Encounter, one of the first films to play in Studio 74 at Exeter Phoenix, will be presented as part of the cinema’s 10th Birthday celebrations. You can revisit our 2015 article about the film on our blog. Our partnership with Daylight Collective will expand on this film by offering a follow-up interactive, day-time screening aimed at parents and carers. Participants will be offered the opportunity to delve into Creative Journaling, which will explore Matrescence and M/Otherhood alongside themes of the season.
Brief Encounter | 1945
Our long term partners, Italian Cultural Association Exeter will present a Mamma Roma with a special introduction. Curation and discovery will feature in the season, allowing audiences to interact in light touch and playful ways.
Bill Douglas Cinema Museum will make their Curation Intern, Simran Kaur Sanghera, available to Exeter Phoenix and together we will invite them to respond to newly unlocked content from the museum archive and build a temporary exhibition drawing on the themes of the season.
Exeter Phoenix will host Light After Dark’s touring phone booth, an installation which uses Douglas Sirk films as a jumping-off point for aesthetics and sentiment. Audiences will be able to generate content and interact with the archive of previous records which will be made available on Instagram. Furthermore the installation will amplify the work of Sirk and provide an additional talking point for our screening of All That Heaven Allows and enable audiences to interact across the nation.
All That Heaven Allows | 1955
Partners and Collaborators
Dolly's Film Club
Dolly’s Film Club is a regular film event that screens cult films, forgotten classics and most of all films that celebrate the JOY of being an audience! Interactive elements, prizes and fancy dress is always a part of DFC screenings.
Lead by Producer and Mother Lizzy Humber the Daylight Collective is a supportive network for creative parents & carers in the South West. Adult centred, children welcome at everything!
A relaxed and revolutionary performance space with the m/other of all line-ups.
Join local m/others and guest m/other artists for a daytime open mic with songs, poetry, comedy and stories. These are a relaxed and lively spaces for grown ups, but children are welcome and supported to be themselves, no shhing required. The artistic voices and stories of m/others are platformed, but everyone is welcome within the audience. Expect an uplifting, supportive and empowering hour (and a bit) – in the middle of the day! So whether you’re in need of a bit of culture, a community or just an early lunch break – you are welcome!
ICAE are a community roots organisation made up of Italians living in Devon and local people interested in Italian culture. Our aim is to keep Italian culture alive for the diaspora and also offer an insight into Italian culture to the community. Led by Valentina Todino who is a long time collaborator with Exeter Phoenix and the Cinema Programme.
The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum is home to the foremost collection on cinema and moving image history in Britain. We are both an accredited public museum and an academic research facility and we hold a collection of over 90,000 items.
Simran Kaur Sanghera (Curation Intern at Bill Douglas Museum)
Simran Kaur Sanghera is an aspiring writer and curator currently in their final year at the University of Exeter. She works as a Gallery Assistant for TVF Media and are part of an internship scheme with the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum, where she works through Cambridge Archival material as well as developing social media strategies, as a part of the scheme. Her creative work often centres on themes of grief, self-worth, and cultural identity, blending realism with tenderness to create stories that feel both intimate and universal.
The season is supported by the BFI through National Lottery funding.
Comments Off on Announcing our 2025 Autumn Performance Programme
In anticipation of chillier days ahead we seek to provide comfort with our Autumn Performance Programme. Much-needed laughter, outrageous interactions, otherworldly experiences, and moments of nostalgia can be expected in this eclectic season of events. From left field comedy and cabaret, to experimental dance and physical theatre, extraordinary spoken word and new writing, delightfully eccentric family theatre, and everything in between.
All exceptional, high quality work, and all available through our Pay What You Can ticket scheme, starting from as little as £8, or £5 for Students & Under 25s.
Read on for some highlights from our Performance Programmer Katy or check out the full programme here.
Autobiographical stories from South West based creatives are in abundance. Will Adamsdale – one of the leading forces behind Exeter’s thriving comedy scene –presents AI AI Oh (or how I wrote a hit sitcom with ChatGPT but we’re not talking now) following a hugely successful work-in-progress performance here last year.
Multiple poetry slam winner Jackie Juno – well-loved in the local spoken word scene – brings us Cancer Dancer: My Quirky Quest for a Cure, a multi-media show combining comedy, music, dance, film and a lot of carrots, to celebrate being alive!
CANCER DANCER: MY QUIRKY QUEST FOR A CURE
Sat 15 Nov | 6.30pm
Autumn wouldn’t feel complete without a little spookiness going on… Local playwright Jon Nash presents a ghost story based on true events that took place at the University of Exeter back in 2006. Delivered with a mischievous glint in his eye, Jon shares recordings of the students involved in the ill-fated experiment, and takes us through the history of paranormal investigations in Is Anybody There?
Neurodiverse comedian Edy Hurst takes us on a weird and heart-warming journey of self-discovery through the realms of the Lancashire Witch Trials and The Vengaboys in Edy Hurst’s Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Himself.
EDY HURST'S WONDERFULL DISCOVERIE OF WITCHES
Fri 03 Oct | 7pm
And Spork! return once again with their hugely popular annual Dead Poets Slam on Halloween, hosted by the gruesome twosome that is Edward Tripp & Chris White.
Early noughties coming-of-age stories hit hard: peppered with pop culture references, Hasbian brings to life Beth Watson’s real life teenage diary through quirky storytelling, hilarious animations, creative captioning, integrated audio description and candid queer confessions.
The Chaos That Has Been and Will No Doubt Return – one of my personal highlights of last year’s Edinburgh Fringe – promises exceptionally slick new writing and high octane performances that transport us through the highs and lows of adolescent expectations, and firmly places working-class stories centre stage.
THE CHAOS THAT HAS BEEN AND WILL NO DOUBT RETURN
Tue 18 Nov | 7.30pm
During October half-term young people and their families can encounter a curious creature from another world in Airport Alien – a fantastical tale about the pursuit of happiness told through inventive visuals, puppetry, song and giggles galore!
We are excited to be joining forces with Exeter Northcott for the October Scratch Night, which will be presented as part of their Elevate Festival; an annual celebration of local artists and new work. Experience the first sparks of four exciting work-in-progress performance pieces, from performance art, play extracts, storytelling, comedy, clowning, improv, dance and physical theatre to multidisciplinary work of any genre.
Scratch Night Applications are now open for South West based artists to submit their ideas. Find out more and apply >
The celebration of homegrown talent continues in November as our resident dance company South West Dance Hub Present An Evening of Dance & Collaboration, packed full of exciting new and developing dance works from Swift Dance Company and emerging regional performance makers.
SOUTH WEST DANCE HUB PRESENT: AN EVENING OF DANCE & COLLABORATION
Mon 10 Nov | 7pm
This time last year, we hosted our Bloom Festival, where we partnered with a wide range of local groups and organisations to promote good mental health and wellbeing through a day of free activities.
This Mental Health Awareness Week (Mon 12 May - Sun 18 May), we are using our platform to raise awareness of local organisations that offer mental health support across Devon.
Step One offers a variety of support options across Devon, supporting people with mental health challenges, learning disabilities, and neurodiversity. The charity empowers people to achieve greater independence and mental wellbeing.
Their service, BeWell@StepOne, offers group-based support through online workshops, in-person courses, support groups, activities and learning opportunities. All sessions are free and run by professional wellbeing practitioners, and the service is available to anyone over the age of 18 living in Devon.
Step One also recently launched their Wellbeing@Work service to help organisations create workplaces where everyone feels supported, valued and empowered. They provide practical strategies to support diverse wellbeing needs, promote healthier responses to stress, and foster a culture where everyone feels safe, valued, and included.
Devon Mind is an independent mental health charity affiliated with the national Mind association. They provide advice, information, and support to empower anyone living in Devon who may be experiencing a mental health problem. They also campaign to improve local support services, raise awareness, and promote the understanding of mental health across Devon.
Conceived and founded by Anthony Lyons, of moMNtum. Anthony Lyons writes:
Focused Light: Using Art to Reconnect - a creative space dedicated to fostering well-being and artistic expression through analogue photography and other creative forms. We cater to a diverse clientele but primarily trauma-based groups, more specifically for male adults that have experienced historical sexual abuse. Offering a safe and supportive environment for exploration, healing, and community building.
South West Counselling and Psychotherapy Conference 2025
Iron Mill College is proud to present the South West Counselling and Psychotherapy Conference 2025.
At the heart of counselling and psychotherapy lies the power of human connection. Yet, we find ourselves navigating a world increasingly shaped by AI and technology.
How do we sustain relational depth in our practice amidst this digital shift?
Join them on June 14th for a thought-provoking day of talks, workshops, discussion, and debate from our exciting line up of speakers, including Keynote: Dr Graham Music, Dr Ana Lund, Matthew Hill and James Barnes. Tickets: £75 - £100.
We were bowled over by the quality of entries to the festival, and our judging panel had a difficult job whittling over 350 entries down to the shortlist below. You can read the winning poems and shortlisted entries below.
Bloom Poetry Competition
Winner:
'Cherie' by Paul Warnes
Highly Commended:
'Tree In the Woods' by Toby Brooks
'Outlines' by Tia Meraki
'General Sherman' by Will Mortimore
'Rhubarb Fields' by Joséphine Sourgnes
Bloom Junior Poetry Competition (Under 18s)
Winner:
'Help Me Moon' by Safiya Tiotto-Smith
Highly Commended:
'Flowers' by Malilka John
'Four Seasons In One Head' by Kitra Oldham
'Treacle beaded fingertips' by Kizzy Rollings
Bloom Poetry Competition: Overall Winner
Cherie
By Paul Warnes
An Autumn storm stripped you.
“Is tree dying?” my daughter asked.
You were both very young.
For seventeen years I have watched over you-
watched your shadow in the streetlight
edge further abroad,
your branches stretch and brush
the walls of another home.
When you were small I cut the stake
that tethered you,
stripped away the creeping ivy
that strangled you,
tended the lacerations
that scarred you,
Raked the leaves that you shed like tears
when the cold came.
And in return, each Spring birthday,
I swam in cherry blossom scent.
I’ve watched you both grow and change
but now she’s gone- uprooted.
It still grew though and
Started to meander upwards.
Years and years
It must have been there.
So,
When did it fall?
So,
How did it fall?
A gust of wind,
Not an earthquake.
A push from above,
Not a shake from below.
Now helped by another,
Helped, not held.
Not standing tall
But standing.
Countless trees around it,
Rooted; straight and strong.
Branches and leaves
Melting on the floor.
Covering the roots.
Vast but down below.
Vast but unseen.
Vast and strong.
When did mine fall?
How did mine fall?
A gust of wind.
Unaimed, uncontrolled.
A push from above,
Not a shake from below.
Not the first push
And not the last.
Outlines
By Tia Meraki
I find myself peering into the bathroom mirror
checking that I haven’t disappeared
into shower mist, or the wall space around
gone the way of the Indian cheetah and the Sumatran rhino in 2019
of hugs and social gatherings in 2020
knowing, or hoping, that the flesh and bones of us will embrace again
knowing that the cheetahs and the rhinos are gone past hoping
knowing that all else is uncertainty, weighted with potential
alternate futures in layers of steam against glass
whole ecosystems blurring around the edges
fingertips tracing maps to hold onto my place in it all
to hold onto the place of it all in me
still here, still I, still us, still
drinking in the rain and the sunlight
and the darkness where we plant our seeds
pausing to take stock, a physical inventory of self
mole still nestled over eyebrow
birthmark shadow under armpit
windmill scar woven into smile
strands of age-white merging into sun bleached waves
a charcoal grey line etched across eyelids
as if outlines might keep me here a little longer
stop the ink of me bleeding into blank space
stop me fading into smoke and dust and flames.
General Sherman By Will Mortimore
Before I die I’d like to see
General Sherman, not the man, the tree
Who lives in California where
The trees compete with light and air,
Few more so than the General, who
Is forty times the height of you,
And weighs more than a kiloton,
But still, in counting, numbers one,
Just like you and just like me,
Just like an ant or bird or bee
Or worm or beetle, shrub or twig,
Tiny microbe or Guinea pig.
We are all ones, not more or less,
But, and here I must confess
When picturing myself and he:
Normal man and mighty tree,
I cannot help but to create
A hierarchy of the great
And awesome works of nature that
Imbue our cosmic habitat
With diaphragm-contracting wonder,
And surely all these things are under
That woody, giant, massive freak
Perched atop the pyramid peak,
Who helps us lower levels see
We aren’t so glorious as he.
Not that we’re inconsequential,
It’s just that we’re not wholly central,
Which helps me, anyway, to know,
I’m not the star of the whole show,
And aches which feel, to me, acute,
Are just a sapling, or a shoot.
Before I die I’d like to see
General Sherman, not the man, the tree.
Rhubarb Fields
By Joséphine Sourgnes
Last week, life turned on a dime and everything fell apart Fell like a trapdoor or a guillotine One second I was there And the next, I rocketed away Getting smaller and smaller Waving to myself from the window Leaving me by the wayside My plans not just shattered but shredded Charred into a fine shower of ash blown back into my face There was nothing but blackness then A sunless gloom obscuring my inner and outer horizon I can speak now, or try to But I had no language then, no metaphor The whole world went dark and that was all there was
At some point, a voice spoke As from across a long tunnel, or from the white mouth of a well A man asked how I was and I gave the usual answer He asked once, he asked twice, Like the questions were theatre knocks or fairy books words Repeat it and the spell is lifted, the play is over He asked a third time and I broke into sobs Going once, going twice, gone He listened to me cry and sniffle through the phone Ashamed but too tired to stop
For hours, he was there, filling the silence When I couldn’t string a sentence together Busy as I was, nursing the burst seams of my hopes The gaping wound doing all the talking He said perhaps all wasn’t lost He couldn’t promise easy, or even safe But there might yet be a place for me somewhere In the country, between rhubarb fields and under telephone poles Like he knew I needed the details to root it in my mind To anchor myself back to the world A world where things grow and cables hum with messages Human voices reaching for each other
Today I went for a jog and ran right through a rainbow A second before the sky darkened and the rain hit heavy as a fog Misting the road ahead I was soaked, my black running clothes stuck to my body Clinging like a diver’s suit Like the sleek, oily skin of a seal A creature made to sustain the cold of deep, dark blue waters Alone on the muddy path, I was nearly swimming home Through the downpour, through a disappointment as sour as grief My nostrils slowly filling with the scent of the rich, wet soil Dissipating the carrion smell that had been chocking me Returning life to the wasteland
Soon, my rain-reddened limbs tingled numbly under the scalding shower My mind, miles away, floating with this image, this odd certainty Angels above grey fields, Strange watchful birds bending the telephone lines Their unaverted eyes bearing solemn witness Meaning not to break my fall but to soften it Their voices drowned in the thunder Chanting words of survival I thought of the kind man, of the rainbow arching into the storm I thought maybe, I could make it through I stepped out of the shower and tiptoed back to myself.
Bloom Junior Poetry Competition Winner
Help Me Moon
Help me moon, listen close:
People are starting to overdose
On greed and hate and immoral things,
The kind of sins the night-time brings.
How do you do it? Keep the peace,
When the sky hides all of evil’s caprice.
I’ve tried to rule and punish their crimes,
But sunburn only works sometimes.
Help me moon, I need power;
When was the last time you listened to a sunflower?
No one listens, yet everyone bathes,
In the golden glow of my angry face.
Listen sun, listen close:
You’re shouting in beams of light too verbose.
The clouds are your words, and the sky is your page,
Stop burning and yelling and taking centre stage.
You asked how I do it – ignoring the sorrow,
I take on my shift knowing there’s a tomorrow.
Day shift, night shift – We work to get paid
For the same damned cause of earning more days.
We’re doing our bit; We keep them alive.
Can’t you see? Without you they would die.
A world without sun could never exist,
You’ve got control; they lose theirs through fists.
How did you get to be so wise?
Why didn’t they make you the king of the skies?
Because you are you, and I am me:
You rule the land, I rule the sea.
But how do you do it? Your craters held high,
When everyone sleeps and ignores your sky.
I govern the night, watch shadows unfold,
Because a star once told me silver is rarer than gold.
You’ve helped me moon, of this I am sure,
You’ve cooled my temper and warmed my core.
You deserve to feel strong; it’s how you keep me,
Circling and circling without insanity.
So you’ve helped me,
You’ve helped me too,
Thank you, sun,
And thank you, moon.
- By Safiya Tiotto-Smith
Bloom Junior Poetry Competition: Highly Commended
Flowers
By Malilka John
I’m so envious of flowers
they’re beautiful
shades of purple and yellow and pink and green
they have a purpose
to get ripped from their roots
cut from their stems
tied together
and feel nothing
the lavender on my window is pretty
she wasn’t always
she was wilting, dying
but i gave her water
and she bloomed
beautiful shades of purple
with small yellow centers
branching out of her vase
she was beautiful
now she’s wilting again
she has everything she needs
water, sun, air
but she’s dying
one day i will smile in my mirror
while happy music plays in the background
light shining through the window
onto my face
glowing
one day i will feel at home in my body
loving the way it feels when i walk
loving how wind feels through my hair
confident, happy
blooming
Four Seasons In One Head
By Kitra Oldham
She sits and watches the world change.
Constant rotation,
As the seasons get rearranged,
The deterioration of her planet and her nation,
The summer now burning,
The spring flowers permanent vacation,
Winter below freezing as the planet is turning,
Autumn leaves once vibrant,
Now brown and dead.
All these things trapped in her head,
Some distant future she foretold,
She tries to think about something else instead,
But she fears what’s about to explode.
'Treacle Beaded fingertips...'
By Kizzy Rollings
Treacle beaded fingertips lace
honey puddle dreams
finger stick of butter sunshine
sprouting golden orbs as
stormy whirlpools quake. Rupture
sticky plum blood tears
velvet sleeves and dew
rubies bird limbed lacewing giant.
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