Opal Nights

Opal Nights: a queer storytelling soiree with neon signs, comfy sofas, a mic and a supportive community of fellow iridescent individuals.

Through personal stories Downtown Pompey invite you in with opens arms to the voices of the queer community in Portsmouth. Stories around climbing mountains (literally or figuratively) the baking of a great pie or even the heartbeats (and breaks!) All our stories are autobiographical as told by the storyteller themselves.

True Colours

Working with young people around exploring their true colours through autobiographical theatre cabaret!

Reaching over a 150 young people across the city, True Colours is a culmination of our work with schools exploring the relationship between colour and identity, our workshop series at New Theatre Royal with national Queer Artists and our collaborations with The Young Creatives & 4U Youth Group

Wearing Mums Makeup

Bridging the gap between Queers & Mums

Using queer theatrical practice to invite a group of local mums into an art space, hearing, guiding and supporting in the importance of queer play and creation of projects including a Zine, an exhibition, a podcast & performance.

Funded by Farnham Malting & National Lottery

2019 – Present
Portsmouth UK

Hey Babe Café

From 7 months to 70 years

Inviting the community into a garden for a free breakfast in exchange for hearty conversation, story sharing, performance watching and generally saying ‘Hey Babe!’ to those they may have never met.

2018, 2019
Portsmouth, UK

YAP!

Mentoring & guiding the autobiography

YAP! is an inclusive storytelling podcast based in Portsmouth UK, from those stories you might not always here, through workshopping and creative mentoring, participants are supported to create a short piece about themselves in their lives.

Knees UP!

Wink wink, nudge nudge, Ready for a right old knees up?

It’s time to go back to our roots (yeah) and celebrate the camp and the kitsch with cabaret madness bursting at the seams of cheap sequins. Bringing together the best variety of acts from Portsea Island and beyond The Shift presents ‘Knees up’!

Entertainment so light you’ll be more than happy to spread this on your toast.