This December London's most best reviewed new writing night returns to the Arts Theatre West End with a very special Christmas edition! Bare Essentials showcases raw and elemental new writing from all around the world, putting established and emerging playwrights on the same stage. See your play staged by passionate professional theatremakers, all of whom have worked with Encompass who have been mounting theatre productions since 2010.

Collaborations with playwrights have led to acclaimed productions such as John Foster's 4 X Offie award-nominated Chummy and Emma Minihan's Life in a Sketchbook.

★★★★★ 'The perfect Christmas present' Grumpy Gay Critic

★★★★★ 'The seasonal Bare Essentials was a thoroughly entertaining night' London Theatre 1

CRITERIA

- Plays must directly or indirectly be about the festive season(!)

- Pieces can be of any genre: comedy, drama, monologues etc. but must take the form of a theatrical script with dialogue.

- Submissions can be self-contained pieces OR extracts from longer work

- Must contain no more than 4 characters

- Pieces must be between 5 & 20 minutes long

- Keep things technically minimal. It's called Bare Essentials for a reason!

DEADLINE: Sunday 15th October

SUBMIT TO LIAM FLEMING (CREATIVE PRODUCER) AT: thinktank@encompassproductions.co.uk (Subject: 'Xmas Bare Essentials 17')

Wow, what a pleasure it was to bring you the transfer of Bare Essentials to the Arts Theatre in London's West End! Two full houses and as ever an incredibly entusiastic audience (two of whom were involved in one piece...) really gave the Encompass team a warm welcome to our new home. Thank you! Here's a recap of what the reviewers had to say:

'The relaxed and informal atmosphere combines with high-quality acting to provide a worthwhile and admirable experience.' ★★★★ LondonTheatre1

'A diverse, entertaining and lighthearted night..talented theatremakers.' - The Theatre Reviewer

'Bare Essentials was such a great night, I'm definitely coming along to the next one.' - The Mortal Fool

'What makes Bare Essentials so special is the incredible talent that is produced on such a minimalistic stage.' - The Spy in the Stalls

For many of us at Encompass this was a journey coming full circle - the first version of Bare Essentials ran at the Battersea Barge and The Visual Collective in 2012/13. When we re-thought and relaunched Bare Essentials in Summer 2014 we were in three spaces; the Amersham Arms in New Cross and the Top Secret Comedy Club and Savoy Tup in the West End. Sustaining regular shows in the West End venues ended up proving too difficult, so we spent 2 years developing the show into what you see today in New Cross before venturing back into the West End last year via the Seven Dials Club. This came a few months after the Arts Theatre approached us asking if there was anything we wanted to perform at Above The Arts. Now we're finally here! We have long wanted Bare Essentials to be associated with a theatre and we're incredibly excited by the possibilities our new residency at the Arts Theatre will bring. The best is still yet to come. Big thanks to the Arts Theatre team for having the faith, and to all of you who keep pushing us to succeed at our mission to make Bare Essentials THE theatre night to go out to in London town.

We have something very special planned for Bare Essentials before the end of the year. Want to get involved or be notified when tickets are on sale for the next one? You might want to subscribe to our mailing list.

In the meantime we're going to take a short break whilst Liam and Róisín Walsh work creative for Boomtown, Sofi heads up Iris Theatre's Summer season and many of us head to the 70th Edinburgh Festival Fringe (where we first started!). Peace and love to all - support new writing!

After producing 4 time Offie-nominated show CHUMMY, Encompass returns to bringing you London's best reviewed new writing night BARE ESSENTIALS. We're still at the heart of the West End, but now at a swanky new venue: The Arts Theatre in Covent Garden!

BARE ESSENTIALS has received repeated critical acclaim for bringing 'Micro Theatre' to new audiences since 2012. Featuring texts from the world over, brought to life by emerging and established theatremakers, every show promises to both move and surprise by presenting dynamic new work at its most elemental - all for just a tenner!

Expect thrilling drama, hilarious comedies and more, fresh from the pens of award-winning playwrights and the hottest up-and-comers. Join us for ‘an outstanding international new writing night’ (London Pub Theatres).

**Recommended by British Theatre, YPlan, Empty Pocket Guide, Theatre Bubble and London Pub Theatres**

THE UK’S NO. 4 TRENDING TWITTER TOPIC ON FRIDAY 27 JANUARY 2017!

PERFORMANCES & TICKETS:

Sat 15 July, 7.30pm & Sun 16 July 4.00pm

Above The Arts - Arts Theatre

Great Newport Street, London WC2H 7JB (map)

Tickets £10

Available through the Arts Theatre Box Office

#BareEssentialsLDN @EncompassOnline

Chummy by John Foster completed its run earlier this month, our neo-noir thriller proudly finishing with 4 Offie nominations. Here's what the critics had to say:

'Wonderful...poetic and stylishly genre. A proper thriller.' **** West End Wilma

'Enthralling and chilling tale of murder, misery inner demons.' **** LondonTheatre1

'Psychologial food for thought.' **** Breaking The Fourth Wall

‘Provocative and edgy. A sleek and polished production.’ - London Pub Theatres

‘Charismatic and inventive.’ - The Reviews Hub

Nominated for 4 Off West End Awards including:

Best New Play - Best Director - Best Male Actor - Best Set Designer

We've been working on Chummy for two years and we are immensely thankful for the many of you who came to see it and told others to see it too! Here's a lovely picture of the production team and cast prior to the get out (and the aftershow party...):

Feeling the post-show blues like we are? You can listen to Alex Burnett's highly acclaimed soundtrack for the production below. We hope to see you all at Bare Essentials July 15 & 16!

Chummy by John Foster has been nominated for FOUR Off West End Awards! Currently playing at the White Bear Theatre, the production has been recognised for achievements in the following categories:

Best New Play - John Foster

Best Director - Alice Kornitzer

Best Male - Calum Speed as 'Chummy'

Best Set Designer - Michael Leopold

We're very humbled by our nominations - thank you to all who have supported the show so far! If you haven't seen it, we're playing until 10 June and you can get tickets right here. We've also received some great reviews:

★★★★ 'An enthralling and chilling tale of murder, misery and inner demons.' - LondonTheatre1

★★★★ 'Psychological food for thought.' - Breaking The Fourth Wall

‘Provocative and edgy. A sleek and polished production.’ - London Pub Theatres

‘Charismatic and inventive.’ - The Reviews Hub

Need another reason? Our brand new trailer should tempt you:

BUY TICKETS

How do you counsel someone who wants to kill?

Chummy explores the mind of a serial killer in the moments before his first murder. Desperate to control himself, the mysterious psychopath known only as 'Chummy' pleads with private investigator Jackie Straker to keep his mind from succumbing to its strongest, most evil desire. With nowhere else to turn in fear of getting locked up for his thoughts, Chummy becomes desperate for someone, anyone to stop him killing.

This gripping psychological thriller by BAFTA award-winning writer John Foster (Letters from a Killer, BBC's Omnibus), explores the mind of a serial killer desperate to subdue his impulses without risking his life. With nowhere to turn, this neo-noir is a thrilling story of addiction, obsession and the lack of support that drives people to act on their most secret desires.

Press for Encompass Productions:

★★★★★ ‘A talented pool of writers, directors and actors.'

LondonTheatre1

★★★★★ ‘Theatre, to the point.’

West End Wilma

★★★★★ ‘Brilliant, innovative. Extraordinary new talent.’

London Unattached

★★★★★ EdFringe ★★★★★ Grumpy Gay Critic ★★★★ Official Theatre ★★★★ Everything Theatre ★★★★ Theatre Bubble ★★★★ The Upcoming ★★★★ Female Arts

Directed by Alice Kornitzer

Written by John Foster

Designed by Michael Leopold

Music & Sound by Alex Burnett

Lighting by Owen Pritchard Smith

CAST:

Jackie Straker - Megan Pemberton

Chummy - Calum Speed

Lucy Edwards / Karen Armitage - Jessica Tomlinson

PERFORMANCES:

23 May – 10 June 2017

PREVIEWS

23 - 25 May

Tuesday – Saturday 7.30pm

Sundays @ 4pm

Sat matinees @ 3pm (not 27 May)

WHITE BEAR THEATRE

138 Kennington Park Road

London SE11 4DJ

Nearest station:

Kennington – Northern Line

(2 min walk)

Tickets: £15 Concessions: £13

Tickets also available via:

www.whitebeartheatre.co.uk

@EncompassOnline

#Chummy