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LOSE YOUR MARBLES

30 June

An evening of pure absurdist comedy with extreme ASMR practitioner Yogie Belle and friends.

Get ready to Lose Your Marbles at the Canal Café Theatre in Little Venice, Maida Vale!

Curated by the worlds #1 extreme ASMR practitioner and sound beautician, Yogie Belle, this vaudevillian extravaganza delivers a hand-picked line-up of alternative acts who’ll leave you wailing with joy like a dolphin that’s escaped from Leningrad zoo.

Unapologetically original absurd alternative comedy— from the front trenches of the fringe.

Lose Your Marbles celebrates the theatre of the weird, the wild, and the wonderfully bizarre in a collision of storytelling, performance, music and clowning in a kaleidoscope of unlimited limitless silliness.

What to Expect:

· Fringe artists who dare to be different.

· A chaotic night of pure comedic anarchy.

· The perfect evening for fans of boundary-pushing brilliance.

Grab your tickets before they’re gone—this show sells out fast! Book now—and get your *FREE sound shower on the house!

*Disclaimer: Sound Shower is only available on a first come basis

#LoseYourMarbles #AlternativeComedy #FringeComedy #AbsurdistTheatre

LIONESS

19 - 20 July

A one-woman comedy drama following goalkeeper Marnie through the periods, penalties and pressure of a WSL Championship season – as she realises why it’s never “just a game.”

“Just a game?”

An Amazon All or Nothing documentary – but without the sponsorship money. Or men.

Goalkeeper Marnie juggles a second job, a Premier League striker boyfriend and the incels of football Twitter over the course of a WSL Championship season. With her team battling relegation, can the newly-appointed captain save them – and her career – from the drop?

Lioness is a one-woman comedy drama exploring confidence, fan culture and the footballing gender pay gap. Think Dear England meets Derry Girls – with hefty sprinkles of North London grit, heart and attitude.

Since the Lionesses victory in Euro 2022, there has been an explosion of plays about women’s football; the buzzing atmospheric crossover between football grounds and theatres is finally being recognised. Instead of looking back, Lioness stages the current side hustles, training regimes and online misogyny of lesser-known players.

Following four successful R&D scratch nights in 2023, and two critically-acclaimed WIP shows in 2024, this love letter to football, ferocity and friendship is ready for her first-team debut.

Catch the ONLY London preview shows before a full length run at Edinburgh Fringe!

Novy’s Guide to Mysterious Mistakes

4 & 5 July

Novy, a Japanese native new to London, launches into the hustle, determined to find his way, but with zero spiritual training, he becomes a fortune teller.

Performed by Japanese clown, theatre-maker, and accidental psychic Nobuo Otsuka, Novy’s Guide is a chaotic, mischievous, and surprisingly uplifting solo show that turns culture shock into comedy.

Fresh off the plane in cosmopolitan London, Novy arrives certain he has world-class talents and that becoming the perfect English gentleman will be no problem at all. What could possibly go wrong? When language fails, accents betray, and confidence wobbles, there’s only one option left: lie for money. Spiritually, of course.

Based on Nobuo’s real (and deeply questionable) stint as a psychic medium, this absurd autobiographical adventure dives into migration, identity, and the bizarre world of spiritual capitalism—with a little help from a stuffed bear. But mishaps don’t break him—they shape him. Each blunder, misunderstanding, and misstep forges him into someone strangely brilliant, utterly lovable, and undeniably himself.

A celebration of wide-eyed naivety as a secret shield against life’s harder knocks, Novy’s Guide is performed in English, broken English, and the occasional painfully honest Japanese.

Bring tissues. And a marmalade sandwich. Just in case.

SHIRLEY KNOT THE SIREN

28 & 30 July

An evening of comedy cabaret, singing and all things fishy as she celebrates the joy of standing out from the shoal.

Ever wondered what happens to a siren when she ages?

Join Shirley for an evening of comedy cabaret, dancing and all things fishy as she celebrates the joy of standing out from the shoal.

Shirley is here to tell you she’ll not be put out to sea just yet, thank you very much. Shirley’s cabaret sails through many decades of life’s rubbish as a Siren on the rocks!

Awards:

Halifax Fringe Festival – Hot Seat Award 

Alternative Cabaret Battle – 2nd runner up

TWO WEIRD GUYS WHO ARE GAY (WIP)

29 July

Two weird guys who are gay talk about being weird and being gay.

Two of London’s weirdest and most exciting queer voices on the comedy circuit – Dick Denham and James Murphy – bring their surreal and absurdist split bill stand-up comedy show to the Camden Fringe for one night only!

Following his Camden Fringe debut in 2023 with his show Big Dick Energy, this time around Dick will offer his offbeat observations on being genderqueer in a heteronormative world, ageing, mental health, and the aspects of British culture we love to be indifferent about.

James will give a unique insight into life as a 6ft8 gay man with fiery absurdity, questioning society’s expectations – from popped lungs to marriage and kids, and the rapidly changing world we live in.

Dick Denham was the LGBTQ+ New Act Runner-Up 2022, has performed at various venues including the Pleasance Theatre as part of Nick Helm’s 2023 Christmas show, and has been described by Zoe Lyons as “really fun” and Stephen Bailey as a “joy to watch”.

James Murphy won the British Comedy Guide’s Performance Award 2022, was a Max Turner New Act Finalist, and 2Northdown New Act Finalist. he has been described by Chortle as “an elaborate, creative writer able to turn a phrase that’s comically off-kilter”.

LOVE YOU, BYE!

1 - 3 August

Songs, sketches and shenanigans galore.

Four zany broads performing outrageous and uproarious sketches. Who knew such a thing was possible? And more importantly, who allowed it?

Serious Billy Productions presents: Love You, Bye!, a new sketch comedy show, featuring a range of hilariously offbeat characters, from clumsy clairvoyants to cocky Cornish surfers.

One Hundred And Thirty Thousand Squirrels In London (And I Want Them All To Love Me)

4 & 5 August

One classically trained clown, a keyboard and an endlessly unfurling spool of string.

Singer-songwriter Zoë spirals her way through a cabaret of songs as catchy as they are surreal: ‘Existential Thoughts of a Freelancer’, ‘Floating Naked in a Magnesium Salt Bath With Your Mum’ and the overthinking junkies’ all time favourite ‘All Aboard the Spiral Train’.

Unspooling her life onto the stage — while trying not to get tied up in string – Zoë is on a hunt to figure out what exactly she is hunting for.

Expect sporadic flashes of experimental dance, wisdom and pigeons. Oh and the end notes of songs being held way too long.

LADYLIKES: HEAVILY MEDITATED

6 August

LADYLIKES are back with Spiritual chaos, bad advice, and big laughs in their latest Work-in-Progress sketch show.

It’s been five years since LADYLIKES took the world (okay, pockets of Brighton, London and Edinburgh) by storm with their debut Top Secret House Party! Now, after a pandemic, political pandemonium, and turning thirty, these two lost millennials are back with their new work-in-progress sketch show, Heavily Meditated—armed with crystals, chaotic energy, and questionable life choices.

This work-in-progress sketch show explores womanhood, spirituality, and millennial burnout through LADYLIKES’ signature blend of high-energy character comedy, original songs, and gloriously self-deprecating satire. Expect manifesting madness, contacting toxic male ghosts, and the guided meditation nobody asked for.

Previous audiences have praised LADYLIKES for their ‘razor-sharp writing’, ‘brilliant chemistry’ and ‘bubbly energy onstage’. LADYLIKES are proud to be Soho Theatre Young Company Alumni, Funny Women nominees, Sketch Off Semi Finalists and British Comedy Guide’s Top Picks of the Fringe.

Starring NewsRevue alumni, Phoebe Batteson-Brown and Miztli Rose, this show is perfect for fans of Smack the Pony, Fleabag, and screaming into the void – LADYLIKES invite you to come get Heavily Meditated.

SEVEN MINUTES AND A DOLPHIN

8 - 10 August

Love, laughter, chaos, and a dolphin – what even is a happy ending?

Have you ever had the best idea ever but nobody else was on board? Ever had that friend that is just SO EXTRA all of the time, but that’s why you love them? Ever felt that embarrassing mistake come back to bite you, or written a really cheesy love song?

Except this isn’t a chick flick, it’s real life. What even is a happy ending?

Seven Minutes and a Dolphin is a piece of new writing, brought to the stage by Wavelength Theatre. As a youth-led production company, Wavelength represents a multitude of young identities, and challenges expectations of ‘happily ever after’. We aim for you to feel immersed and invested in the world of our characters and take away a piece of our show and company with you.

This is a wholesome, fast-paced comedy, that follows a group of family friends on a cruise holiday. When a tsunami is detected coming their way, rumours spiral, relationships bloom and fall, and friendships are tested. This modern romcom-sitcom on the stage is full of family, friendship, love, laughter, chaos, and a couple of dolphins to top it all off.

Hop on board and join us for the trip of a lifetime…

MERELY PLAYERS: TIME TO GO!

11 August

Fighting Demons & Dice Rolls, 5 actors have 50 minutes to save reality and they don’t know their characters yet…What could go wrong?

Rifts have been opening throughout the multiverse threatening to rip reality apart! There is only one group of adventurers who have any hope of saving it. Only they can venture into the dungeon, close the portal and save existence itself! There’s only one problem…they don’t know who they are yet. Oh,
and they only have 50 minutes before the rifts tear everything apart!

Join Merely Players in a chaotic, real time Dungeons and Dragons adventure where a bunch of professionally trained actors have 50 minutes to bumble their way through puzzles, challenges and demons as they try to save all of creation. Using the D&D 5e system, Merely Players bring their storytelling to the stage for the first time letting you in on the chaos! With new adventurers and worlds in each show, no adventure will be the same! Victory or defeat hangs in the balance.

Dare you join the adventure?

DON’T CALL ME BLONDIE

12 & 13 August

Six self-contained monologues that are linked by themes of love, lust and heartbreak.

This summer, come and watch a series of six monologues – all self-contained pieces that are linked by themes of love, lust and heartbreak. The characters are captivating, their words poignant and biting. A thought-provoking sixty minute piece with equal parts comedy and drama.This is a piece of new writing from up-and-coming playwright, Belle-Ann Daly-Morgan. This marks the debut of Echoism Productions, hosted at the Canal Café Theatre as a part of Camden Fringe ‘25. 

BOY CRAZY

15 & 16 August

A hilarious yet heartfelt deep dive into love, longing, and learning to stop looking for validation in all the wrong places.

Boy Crazy is a bold, fast-paced, and deeply funny exploration of love, self-worth, and the relentless pursuit of romance. This one-woman show unpacks a lifetime of seeking validation through love, told through journal entries, childhood memories, and hilariously disastrous dating stories. From playground crushes to modern dating apps, Helena takes the audience on a whirlwind journey through her tangled history with love, lust, and heartbreak -only to realize the person she’s been chasing might be herself.

Blending raw vulnerability with sharp humor, Boy Crazy taps into the universal experience of longing, rejection, and the often absurd expectations placed on women in love. Inspired in part by A Midsummer Night’s Dream’s Helena, this show explores the fine line between devotion and desperation, asking: Why do we chase people who don’t want us? Why do we see love as a prize to win? And what happens when we finally stop running?

Perfect for fans of Fleabag, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Boy Crazy is a heartfelt and hilarious deep dive into the highs and lows of romance, self-discovery, and what it truly means to find your voice.

THE LESBIANS OF FOREST GATE

16 & 17 August

A new play derived from interviews with lesbian, queer, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, and nonbinary people living in Forest Gate over the past 60 years.

“These are the women that have paved the way for me.”

The Lesbians of Forest Gate is a radical new play derived from interviews with lesbian, queer, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, and nonbinary people living in Forest Gate over the past 60 years. The piece explores the development of the lesbian identity, the friendships and relationships that built a community, and how these lived experiences are interwoven into the tapestry of Forest Gate today.

From behind the bar at Forest Tavern, queer creator Emily Wollenberg witnesses the daily lives of queer women, their lovers, friends, and families, and was inspired to document their stories. Using oral histories, archival research, sapphic love letters, poems, and art, Wollenberg and Unearthed Theatre Company have created a piece that sheds light on a community so often written out of history.

Unyielding, vibrant, and honest, The Lesbians of Forest Gate proves documenting stories of women loving women is an act of resistance and queer joy is revolutionary.

OPERATION BLANK

17 - 20 August

A show where nothing happens, nothing is funny and nothing is defeated.

Someone has dropped an atom bomb on Copenhagen. With all-out war looming, an under qualified junior staffer in the British government must somehow stimulate a response from his idiotic superiors. There is just one thing standing in his way: Microsoft Teams.

Welcome to Operation Blank, a captivating surrealist comedy by debut playwright, George Grant. The show explores the sensation of unfulfillment, and the anxiety that stems from attempting to correct it in uncertain times. Existing entirely within a surreal teams call, Grant expertly blends stage and
screen to create an immersive experience that will be all to familiar for those of use inflicted with the tedium of online working. The protagonist takes centre stage, alone, joined virtually by a colourful cast of characters projected behind him. Together, they conspire against all the odds to do nothing, and nothing has ever been so frustrating.

Operation Blank is a culmination of Grant’s own journey, representing his first writing credit since transitioning to the performing arts from his former career as a bridge engineer. “I wrote the first draft whilst drunk on a late train during a low point at work. It was an honest, slightly jaded, reflection of how I felt my own life had turned out. Ironically, it grew from there into the script that gave me the confidence to leave that life behind and pursue writing full time. I truly believe this is the start of something special, and I can’t wait to share it with you all!”

So join us for Operation Blank at the Canal Cafe Theatre, a show where nothing happens, nothing is funny and nothing will have you desperate for more!

SHIPFACED

19 - 21 August

Midlife meltdown meets houseboat survival—stand-up that’s gloriously unfiltered.

After years of honing her sharp, satirical voice onstage and online, Holly Hudson brings her acclaimed solo stand-up show Shipfaced to the Canal Café Theatre as part of Camden Fringe for three performances this August.

With over 150,000 Instagram followers and millions of views on her viral sketches lampooning American politics, midlife reinvention, and cultural absurdities, Hudson is no stranger to making audiences laugh. Shipfaced is the next evolution of her stand-up: a brutally funny and fiercely honest hour about starting over at 50—following divorce, a house fire, and a move onto a London houseboat with no plan beyond Wi-Fi and a will to survive.

The show weaves together single parenthood, expat identity crises, useless ex-husbands, and kombucha-fuelled optimism, all delivered with biting wit and emotional bite.