SE Fest is back!

The Jack Studio and The Bridge House Theatre collaborate for the third year to create a festival that promotes and celebrates new writing.

SE Fest 2026 dates: Tue 01 – Sat 12 September 2026.

We’re also delighted to run three workshops as part of SE Fest 2026. Please see our What’s On page for more details soon.

SE Fest reading panel: Ellie Ward, Lola Oteh, Will McGough, Douglas Baker, Kurban Kassam and the Bridge House Theatre and Jack Studio.

Week one

COOKIE DOUGH

On a stormy night in Bournemouth, Polly meets up with her work best friend Bernie. Armed with a bag of vegan brownies, she will try and convince her not to move back home.

Played out over one time bending evening, Cookie Dough is a tender comedy about the line between romance and platonic love, baking and what happens when the literal universe seems to be tearing itself apart pushing you down a path you don’t want to take.

VIOLENT CIRCUMSTANCES

5 women, 5 stories, 5 lives changed under violent circumstances.

Written in response to the murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa in 2021, Violent Circumstances explores everyday events that quickly turn into exhausting, humiliating, terrifying and often fatal experiences.

With the growing rise of toxic masculinity, incel culture and disregard for women’s issues, it's getting harder to be heard, so come hear us roar.

THE DATING GAME

Roger is 70. Ruby is 60. Both are single. Both have their own reasons for trying out a dating app for seniors.
Ruby is expected to care for her aged and difficult mother and seeks escape.
Roger cares for his dying father, who wants his son to find someone special before he dies.
He is witty, which she likes.
She is feisty, which he likes.
What could go wrong?
As more doors in their lives open, questions arise: Should she? Did he? What if… ?

SPEECH, SPEECH

Roger’s mum’s getting remarried, and to make matters worse, he’s being forced to give a speech with his uncle David.

But Roger has other plans. Armed with a mic and a cutting opener, he can have a lot of fun, and do a lot of damage…

David, unaware of Roger’s plotting and still reeling after the divorce from his husband, might not be the person to stop Roger’s grand plan.

Week two

DISS-LEX-IANS

Ever made the mistake of overpromising something? Like saying that you’ve written an entire musical about the history of Hip Hop, when you haven't! Well G has...

Meet G, a fast-talking daughter of Lewisham. With the help of her friend P, can she overcome the chaos of home life... spellings, the inner demon Negs... spellings, her mother... spellings.

G has Missy Elliott, her spelling answer to everything, or is she?

THE OBITUARY

Three siblings return to their old family house before it is demolished, with one hour to complete a property report.

What begins as paperwork becomes a fight over memory, migration, and who gets to decide what a family is worth.

The Obituary is a sharp and tender new play that uses one East Asian family story to explore cross-cultural identity, inheritance, and what happens when the people you love no longer call the same place home.

WHITE LIGHT

Jay is a fourteen-year-old Londoner, and his shit moustache is the only thing he's proud of. When a brand-new Lamborghini accelerates past his dad’s dingy flat, Jay asks himself, “why can’t I have that?” His quest for the truth is explosive.

Broken Hearted Youth (DNA, My Mind Matters; Jack Studio) present a new monologue by a Papatango and Off West End Award winning writer.

Praise for previous work:
“Dark and dangerous” ★★★★★ The Stage.

SISTERLAND

Petra is selling her knickers, Lara is mid crisis and Michelle has gone so far off the rails it’s rural.

During a girl’s night out, Lydia escapes to the bathroom fearing the worst, whilst all Cassie wants is some toilet roll.
In the magical land of the club toilets; worlds collide. Here, we embrace the blood, tears, howls, anthems, and complete wonderment of Sisterhood.

Ready? Get ya glad rags on. Time to get liberated.
This production is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

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The Bridge House Theatre is the trading name of TBHT CIC a community interest company registered in England and Wales under company number 16348630

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