Peckham: The Soap Opera

At least 20 Pay What You Like Tickets available on the day from 10am in person and on the phone. Please note there are no Day Seats available on Tuesday, 3 September. Theatre Local takes a trip to Sloane Square as Peckham: The Soap Opera comes to the Royal Court. Live-streamed nightly from the Bussey Building in Peckham as part of Open Court, this bumper omnibus edition, directed for the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, Peckham stars a company of community actors. The lives and loves of Peckham locals will be played out in an omnibus of ten 5 minute episodes. Each episode will be performed by actors from the local community. Somewhere between Peckham High Street and Rye Lane: after an immigration raid at Lashanna's underground hair salon, Ravi encourages her to relocate to the basement beneath Amir's corner shop (unbeknownst to Amir of course). Above ground Ed scouts for a job, though Amir puts him off the scent. Across the way Glenda, Job Centre co-worker Elaine and Joey make a discovery which may force them into a morning commute to Lewisham. While over at the station, Linda loses her cat, but falls for a dapper stranger whose pin-striped garms are new to the Rye. The lives and loves of Peckham's dearest and greatest unfold in this short, sharp, and heartfelt series. Will Chi-Chi ever finish rude gyal Monica's hair? Will Amir discover the secret salon beneath his feet? Where is Linda's cat Oyster? Only Winnie, the Pub Oracle, knows the answers. Peckham: The Soap Opera is based on an original idea by the Open Court writers. Lead writers Bola Agbaje and Rachel De-lahay then worked with volunteers from the Peckham area to come up with ideas for a fictional soap world set in Peckham and created the story arc for the ten episode series, co-writing the first two episodes. The Royal Court commissioned eight more writers to write a five minute episode each. The full list of writers is: Brad Birch, Alice Birch, Adam Brace, Robin French, Lucy Kirkwood, Chloe Moss, David Watson and Roy Williams. Originally directed by Ola Animashawun and Debbie Hannan Tickets £15 (£10 concs) At least 20 Pay What You Like Tickets for every performance. available from 10am in person and on the phone. Mondays all seats £10. (Available online from 9am on the day) Performances take place in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS Please note, there will be no performance on Wednesday 11 September. Theatre Local is supported by Bloomberg. Photo credit Helen Murray