SHOWS
current
THE CHRISTMAS GOBLIN
dec 2024
(Previous shows in 2021, originally commissioned by The Marlowe theatre, Canterbury)
Dates: 11th - 14th Dec 20th - 21st Dec
Venue: ARK - Cliftonville’s Cultural Space, Margate, CT9 2HP
Illustrated poster design by Studio Spranks, photos by Alex Brenner.
THE CHRISTMAS GOBLIN
“The Christmas Goblin is a glittering rainbow of cheeky surprises, empathy and riot grrrl attitude.” ★★★★★ To Do List. Full review HERE
The Christmas Goblin is a musical adventure of irresistible songs, banging Christmas glitter ball costumes and heartfelt festive cheer by acclaimed Margate gig theatre makers Brigitte Aphrodite & Quiet Boy.
“For us, this is the first show that really feels like it understands the relaxed concept, with the performers’ genuine care and empathy shining through.” To Do List.
When her magical Yia-yia (Grandma) tells 11-year-old Daphne (Marta Miranda) about the ancient Greek myth of Kallikantzaroi (the Christmas Goblin, Sophie Coward), Daphne accidentally unleashes these fabulously mischievous, grotesque creatures on the streets of a snow-covered Margate…
Goblins are mean, nasty, brussels sprout-smelling, untrustworthy things…or are they?
“All combine effortlessly engaging dramatic performance with brilliant musicianship – and the original music is infectious and uplifting.” To Do List
2024 Credits
A 1DegreeEast production.
Co-written by Brigitte Aphrodite & Lucy Thackeray with music composed & performed by Quiet Boy.
Directed by Laura Keefe.
Associate directed by Lucy Thackeray
Daphne: Marta Miranda
Donny: Sophie Cowards
Costume Design: Ray Prendergast
Lighting Design: Malcom Rippeth
Sound Design: Harry Johnson
Production Manager: Thomas Blake
Access Support: Neelam Saredia-Brayley
Producer: 1Degree East
Artwork: Studio Spranks/Sprankenstein Studio
—-
2021 Credits
Originally commissioned by The Marlowe in 2021, a 1DegreeEast production.
Co-written by Brigitte Aphrodite & Lucy Thackeray with music composed & performed by Quiet Boy.
Directed by Laura Keefe.
Daphne: Naomi Morris
Donny: Georgia Bruce
Set/Costume Design: Zoë Hurwitz
Lighting Design: Malcom Rippeth
Sound Design: Harry Johnson
Production/Stage Manager: Jake Macpherson
Producer: Roberta Spicer for 1DegreeEast
Artwork: Sprankenstein Studio
Videography: Chris Duncan, Spark Film Production
Photography: Alex Brenner
Access Support: Neelam Saredia-Brayley
Looking after baby Sappho: Angela Voutsa
A MESSAGE FOR THE FUTURE
2024 - PRESENT
dates: Wed 19 Feb – Sun 23 Feb 2025 as part of southbank centre’s imagine festival 2025
VENUE: SOUTHBANK CENTRE, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX
Photos thanks to Rosie Powell.
Explore a future full of hope, the wonders of nature and its unsung heroes, in an event featuring gentle punk songs about minibeasts, dandelions and herbs.
Be immersed in a meditative installation of pop-up gig-theatre performances for 0 – 3 year olds and their carers.
A Message for the Future encourages sprouting seedlings and those who nurture them to vibe with nature, while engaging multiple senses – sight, sound, touch, and smell.
Babies and toddlers of Imagine Festival
the sprouting seedlings you are.
Your energy, your energy
is reaching so far.
This space is for you.
Parents, carers and nurturers,
this is a space to decompress,
unwind and have fun
with the ones you care for.
This space is for you too.
The grass beneath your feet
Feel the earth’s heartbeat
Let the feelings grow
Don’t let go.
Original storytelling and live music by acclaimed Margate gig theatre-makers Brigitte Aphrodite and Quiet Boy.
Age guidance: For ages 0 – 3. Older accompanying siblings are welcome in the space but the experience has been designed for the very young.
Brigitte Aphrodite is an intersectional feminist poet, gig theatre-maker and punk show woman.
Quiet Boy is a multi-sensory artist, alternative composer, sound designer, musical director and gig theatre-maker.
Together, they have created five shows and draw from over a decade of accessible working and pioneering gig-theatre craft. The work they make is a joyous, shoulder-shimmying kick-back against injustice and inequality.
Created by Crescendorious. Co-produced by Southbank Centre, Artsdepot and WithByFor.
living Legends
(and dead ones too)
2022 - present
Photos above thanks to Rosie Powell, Siobhan Hogan, Andrew Hastings, Cemanthe McKenzie Photography. Illustrations thanks to Megan Metcalf and members of our beautiful audience!
LIVING LEGENDS (AND DEAD ONES TOO)
Join Brigitte Aphrodite on a wild literary gig-theatre cabaret, celebrating Living Legends (And Dead Ones Too) through punk poetry, songs and a massive, evolving art-dress!
“★★★★★
Mini-masterpiece”
The show is a welcoming, captivating, communal experience; a conversation starter, a raucous night out - while breaking the silences of forgotten stories.
With original songs by Brigitte Aphrodite and live music by Quiet Boy, the show riotously explores sung and unsung heroes, featuring Poly Styrene, Aphra Behn, David Bowie and more!
Living Legends discovers local legends from every venue it’s performed at - this time in Crawley - which appear on Brigitte’s beautifully illustrated dress and becomes part of the fabric and conversation of future performances as it tours around the country.
Award winner of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Keep It Fringe Fund 2023.
To Do List - Full review here.
Credits
Songs, Words and Performed by Brigitte Aphrodite
Composition and Guitar by Quiet Boy
Access: Neelam and Adrian Saredia-Brayley
Dress Design: Shop Floor Whore (Siobhan Hogan)
Dress Illustrations: Megan Metcalf
Commissioned by and developed with INN CROWD
Special thanks to Tom Thumb Theatre, Northdown Brewery, 1 Degree East, Angela Voutsa, Nasi Voutsas, Laura Keefe, Sam Ruddock and Sam Steer.
SAD
2021 - present
Poster thanks to Siobhan Hogan & Jade Spranklen (Studio Spranks).
SAD
A gig-theatre show about music, grief and healing.
“A gift to its audience”
Using breath-taking visuals, original music and storytelling, theatre-makers Brigitte Aphrodite and Gaz Tomlinson (Quiet Boy) take the audience on a deeply immersive, personal journey.
Quiet Boy is an alternative theatre composer, songwriter, sound designer and performer who resides in Margate. Alongside born-and-bred Kent artist Brigitte Aphrodite, co-creator of acclaimed theatre shows My Beautiful Black Dog and The Christmas Goblin, they are regarded as one of the original innovators of the ‘Gig Theatre’ genre in the UK.
SAD explores the process Quiet Boy went through when grieving his Mum’s death and how making music and singing became a helpful, therapeutic tool. It is a musically driven experience which explores how life’s natural cycles and grief affects the human condition, as well as how sound/music relates to the part of our brains that affect our chemical & hormone levels.
Inspired by musical artist Nick Cave and the way in which he talks about grief, the show also features powerful voice recordings of real people’s stories. These warm, human voices are interwoven between live music and each voice is represented by a light bulb in the space.
This show offers audiences a moment to look within themselves as well as be held by amazing installations, projection mapping and atmospheric music happening within the space.
Directed by Kirsty Housley (Riz Ahmed’s The Long Goodbye, Tao of Glass, Encounter).
“Grief and cycles is just something that we all share. We all have to go through it... it doesn’t mean that it has to be a lonely place”
SAD Cast & Creative Team
Lead Artists: Quiet Boy & Brigitte Aphrodite
Director: Kirsty Housley
Producer: 1Degree East
Production Manager: Simon Froud
Designer: Jade Spranklen
Research & Access Support: Neelam Saredia-Brayley
Film Maker: Tom Dream
Lighting: Ed Warren
Sound Design: Nick Trepka
Live Sound Engineer: Sean Goldring
Looking after baby Sappho: Angela Voutsa
Stylist: Siobhan Hogan
Make up: Jamiee Rose
Movement Choreography: Jodie Cole and Karl Fagerlund Brekke
PREVIOUS SHOWS
PARAKEEt
2019
“A show fizzing with youth … when these punks sing, the show soars with an energy you could only dream of harnessing.” The Guardian
In Margate, an isolated teenager forms a band and finds her voice with the help of a gang of exotic birds.
Parakeet is a feast for the ears, eyes and heart told through irresistible song, poetry and electronic sounds. Discover the new spirit of punk: punk with empathy.
“Parakeet is a stomping success…When I left, I wanted to go straight back in and watch it again?” Exeunt
A Boundless Theatre and Boom Shakalaka Productions production.
Words by Brigitte Aphrodite with music by Quiet Boy.
Director: Laura Keefe
Production Designer: Alex Noble
“Addressing hot topics from climate change to race, it's a fizzing ball of energy of a show that should get all those who encounter it flying high.” The List
Parakeet was first performed at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe and was included in The Guardian, Evening Standard, The Independent, Exeunt, To Do List and Whatsonstage's RECOMMENDED SHOWS at the Edinburgh Fringe.
“A big bundle of gig theatre joy.” Exeunt
★★★★ The List
★★★★ My Fair Theatregoer
★★★★ British Theatre
★★★★ Mind The Blog
My Beautiful Black Dog
2014/15
“Black Dog is what Winston Churchill used to call his depression… I have a beautiful black dog and I called her Creshendorious.”
Part gig, part theatre and a tidal wave of glitter. A poetically wild musical exploring the difficult and beauteous complexity of our fragile minds.
This electrifying show challenges the urgent stigma around mental health and encourages the audience to take ownership over their own black dogs, whilst channelling infectious dance moves, swagger-boss costumes and banging tunes!
“I mean, obviously there are songs and costumes and everything, but it’s all just trappings, really; I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so emotionally honest on stage before.” ★★★★ Exuent Magazine
“Imagine the Mighty Boosh crossed with the best episode of Girls. Prepare to cry and laugh several times over. You’ll leave a better person.” Elle Magazine
“You’ll leave the room beaming.” ★★★★★ Todolist
“My Beautiful Black Dog is a raw show in more ways than one, but the warmth and good feeling that it generates is kind of glorious” ★★★★ The Stage
“It’s Original, Heart-Wrenching and Warming all at Once” ★★★★ The List