A new play performed by Bexhill College students
Doors, 6.30pm
Start, 7pm
End, 8.15pm
£5
Students £1
10 characters, one seaside town, a party on the beach…
Where There is Smoke invites us to join a group of young people as they struggle to define themselves in terms of gender and sexuality.
Can they break free from long held ideas about what being a bloke or a girl should look and feel like? What does it take to escape from themselves whilst stopping the seagulls nicking their lunch?
And then there is the small matter of what the hell they are going to do with the rest of their lives?
One thing’s for sure…they won’t find the answers on Pornhub…
‘Where There is Smoke’ is the next step in a project with was originally conceived in 2017/18. This was a performance project with our students focusing on issues around gender identity. 10 of our students worked with a group of secondary students over a period of 6 months to explore ideas. ‘Where There is Smoke’ emerged as a natural progression to this where 10 auditioned 6th form acting students have formed an ensemble to create a more far-reaching play which addresses more challenging material surrounding gender and sexuality in all its forms. The original project came out of the £10k funding from the NHS health inequalities fund focused on Sidley and central Bexhill. The project focused on transition, between school stages, in identity and through life stages. Involvement in the Arts are identified as a key element in extending life choices. This year’s development of the play into a fully formed professional work has been funded by the Arts Council of England.
Sophie Swithinbank – Playwright
Sophie is an established young playwright and has many contacts in the industry, she will join us in liaising with venues in order to establish areas for her work to be premiered. Sophie’s first play The Superhero became a success in a number of venues, most recently the Lyric Hammersmith. Sophie’s work has been accepted into a number of starch nights, most recently Playtime, at The Bunker Theatre, at which her short play Biology Lessonwas performed. Sophie is a member of the Soho Writer’s lab, a nine month writing programme. Her new play Come Inside, which is set inside the female body and follows the journey of pregnancy, has been produced at The Bush Theatre, and is being developed with GLYPT. Sophie teaches creative writing at Chelsea Young Writers. Sophie’s style includes abstract elements and ensemble work which suit the style of work that the students do well in. In her own words “I enjoy writing anthropomorphism and the personification of things that don’t usually speak, for example, mammoths, or sperm”. Sophie works with a dramaturge and is at the beginning of her writing career.
Sophie won the Soho Theatre ‘Tony Craze’ award for he play Bacon at the end of 2017.
Please note that Booking Fees apply on the following transactions:
Online: Tickets booked online are subject to booking fees when purchased through our website. E-tickets are emailed instantly on the account you have registered with DLWP, please check your Junk folder if they don’t arrive within 30 minutes. Customers can also download their tickets through our website within ‘My Account’.
Telephone: £3.50 per transaction + £2 postage or free collection at the Box Office.
In Person: There are currently no charges for booking tickets in person.
There is a £2 charge to post tickets.
We strongly recommend ticket buyers to take out Ticket Protection insurance with Secure My Booking available when you book your tickets at check out.
Please note that we are only able to post tickets within the UK. If you live overseas please select box office collection or print at home tickets. Tickets purchased for post will be sent 10 – 14 days before the show date.
Full terms and conditions can be found here.
Book online: Pre-show dining can be booked online as an add-on when purchasing tickets for selected events. You will be purchasing a ticket to guarantee your meal before the show.
Please note you must be a ticket holder to the show to book pre-show dining.
Already booked your tickets? If you’ve already booked tickets for a show and would like to add dining, please contact Box Office: boxoffice@dlwp.com
On the night: If you have pre-booked please come to the bar to order from the gig menu and sit at one of the reserved tables.
Please be aware that we operate no re-entry for gigs. This means that once you have entered the building, you cannot go out and re-enter. This policy is in line with other major music venues across the UK and put in place on police advice. No re-entry is clearly signposted as you come through security on the front door.
There is a fenced-off area on the terrace for people who go out to smoke or vape.
There are plenty of welcoming and good value B&Bs & boutique hotels in Bexhill. The De La Warr Pavilion regularly uses the following:
- By Rail
Direct trains go from London Victoria, Brighton and Ashford to Bexhill.
There are also trains from London Charing Cross, changing at St. Leonards Warrior Square and from London Bridge or Charing Cross going to Battle. Battle is only a short taxi journey away (15 mins approx).
Visit www.nationalrail.co.uk for up-to-date train travel information. - Taxis
Town Taxis: 01424 211 511
Parkhurst Taxis: 01424 733 456 - By Car
If driving from the London area:
Take the M25, then A21 to Hastings. Turn off at John‘s Cross and follow the signs to Bexhill.
OR
Take the A22 to Eastbourne, go across the Bishop roundabout to the A271 and follow the signs to Bexhill and the seafront. The De La Warr Pavilion is on the Marina.
From the Brighton area:
Follow the A27 out of Brighton until you arrive in Bexhill On Sea. - Parking
Please be aware the Rother District car park outside the De La Warr Pavilion operates paid parking until 7pm. After this time parking is free.
Within the limits of this Grade One listed building, the De La Warr Pavilion strives to be fully accessible with a range of facilities to support your visit.
Assistance Dogs are permitted into the building.
Please contact the Box Office on boxoffice@dlwp.com to arrange a visit.
Facilities for disabled visitors
- Ramped access at the front of the building
- A low counter at the Box Office and Information Desk
- Disabled toilets on two floors
- A lift to all floors
- Accessible galleries on both floors
- An accessible Café
- Spaces for wheelchairs in the auditorium for seated events
- Ramped access in the auditorium for events during the day
- Ramped access into the Studio
- Two travel wheelchairs are available for use at the De La Warr Pavilion. To reserve, please call our box office and information desk on (01424) 229111 or ask a member of staff on arrival. The chairs are provided on a first come, first served basis and are intended for use inside the Pavilion. Please contact us for more information.
Facilities for blind or visually-impaired
- Large print season brochures
Facilities for the hard-of-hearing
- An T-Switch induction loop in some areas of the auditorium (please indicate when booking as this facility is not available on the balcony)
- British Sign Language interpretation tours of the building and exhibitions are available on request.