FRIDAY 6 MAY, 7.30pm
Shakespeare, Edward Alleyn and the world of early modern theatre – Dulwich College
What do we know of Shakespeare’s contemporary and fellow thespian Edward Alleyn, a highly successful actor-entrepreneur and one of the greatest actors of his time? Mrs Calista Lucy, Keeper of the Archive, Dulwich College, will join Professor Grace Ioppolo FSA of the University of Reading in conversation as they explore what is known of the man who created the Dulwich we see today.
SATURDAY 7 MAY, all day
Food Trail – Festival Bites – Lordship Lane
This year’s Dulwich Festival Food Trail features a truly mouth-watering array of scrumptious offerings from some of the best restaurants and cafés in the area. Look out for the Dulwich Festival Food Trail flyer or visit www.dulwichfestival.co.uk/food-trail for full details and ticket information. Booking essential.
SATURDAY 7 MAY, 11am & 2pm
Scandinavian Soundaround – Dulwich Picture Gallery
To coincide with the Nikolai Hastrup exhibition at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, learn some Scandinavian tunes from well-known folk artists Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer. Get to grips with the polska rhythm, learn a långdans and even get your fingers around a Schottis. Suitable for any instrument on which a scale may be played. Ability to read music not required.
SATURDAY 7 MAY, 7pm
Albert Einstein: Relativitively Speaking – Alleyn’s School
A frantically fast-paced, wonderfully warm-hearted celebration of the ideas, ideals and idiosyncrasies of the man whose theories sparked a revolution in modern science. It is vital viewing for anyone who wants to understand the modern world – as well as utterly unmissable for anyone with a sense of humour and spirit of adventure.
SUNDAY 8 MAY, 11-4pm
Festival Fair
Now in its 11th year the Festival Fair takes place on Goose Green on the first weekend of the Festival. This is a great day out for the family. There are donkeys rides, free face-painting and bouncy castles. There are plenty stalls to wander around and no shortage of fabulous food stalls. All that with music organised by The Goose it Out! makes it an essential day out.
SUNDAY 8 MAY
6pm Dance Extravaganza Class – Grafton Dance School
7 – 10pm Nedwardo and The Rumbanauts – Grafton Dance School
First-rate tuition from Paul Burbedge will give confidence to the beginner and returning dancer alike so you can brush up your skills ahead of the evening with Nedwardo and The Rumbanauts who, with tempos stricter than Matron’s regime, can guarantee a full dance-floor every time!
MONDAY 9 MAY, 7.30pm
Dr Phil Hammond: How to survive the NHS…and help the NHS survive – Alleyn’s School
The NHS is our most treasured institution, gluing us together as a humane society and treating us according to need not ability to pay. After seventy years of political deforms and underfunding, the NHS is on its last legs and staff stress levels are off the scale. In this highly subversive comedy, Dr Phil calls for an end to top down disorganisation of the NHS, and launches his own ‘bidet revolution’ – from the bottom up!
TUESDAY 10 MAY, 7.30pm
Max Porter: Grief Is The Thing With Feathers – Dulwich College
Max Porter’s first book Grief is the Thing with Feathers was published in 2015 by Faber, and will be translated into 15 languages. It was shortlisted for the Guardian First book award, The Goldsmith’s Prize, and Longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize.
WEDNESDAY 11 MAY, 7.30pm
Joglaresa: Nuns & Roses – Christ’s Chapel
Thoroughly enjoyable minstrelsy from the Middle Ages to the 17th century with voices, medieval fidel, harp, bagpipes, and percussion. Joglaresa perform dance tunes, lullabies and ballads, songs of nuns, songs of roses, songs of villains, songs of heroes.
THURSDAY 12 MAY, 6pm & 7pm
A history of Christ’s Chapel in 10 objects – Dulwich College
A rare opportunity to see at close quarters books, manuscripts and other artefacts drawn from the collections of Dulwich College reflecting the history of Christ’s Chapel over significant and often turbulent periods in the nation’s life. From the plain looking to the finely made all is significant in bringing to life 400 hundred years of Chapel history.
THURSDAY 12 MAY, 7.30pm
Gerard and the Watchmen – Belair House
Relax into the rich harmonies and soothing rhythms of Dave Gerard, Alex Bayly and Tobias Humble. Catch their ethereal lyrics amidst the decadent surroundings of beautiful Belair. Soulful sounds from Oh Sister will open the evening. Not to be missed.
FRIDAY 13 MAY – SUNDAY 15 MAY, 10am
DUSK Louis Masai Live Street Art Painting – Crescent Wood Road
Watch street artist, Louis Masai, renowned worldwide for his exquisite renditions of endangered wildlife, paint the covering of the entrance to the old railway tunnel in Sydenham Hill Wood to draw attention to the plight of the extinction-threatened brown long-eared bat which lives in the tunnel.
8pm Contemporary Radicals – St Barnabas Parish Hall
In 1616 Edward Alleyn had a vision to help shape many lives; not everyone in authority concurred with his view. Who are our contemporary radicals? What part can we all play in shaping our society today? Join a lively event to hear from the founder of Magic Breakfast, Carmel MacConnell MBE, Chair of the Black Cultural Archives, Dawn Hill, the founder of Brass for Africa, Jim Trott and Trustee of Link Age Southwark, Neville De Souza.
SATURDAY 14 MAY, 2.30pm
Shoe Kangaroo and the Big Bad Boot – St Barnabas Parish Hall
A fantastical tale of the secret life of shoes – what do they get up to when you are not there? Magical transformations and beautifully crafted shoe puppets combine in this bizarre, funny and imaginative show from Garlic Theatre. Suitable for all ages over 4.
7.30pm Francis Plug + Paul Ewen – Belair House
Hilary Mantel has called Francis Plug ‘a force of nature…sage, bard and prophet: he is in addition a random menace…’ As bards go, he’s certainly no Shakespeare. But having personally met over 30 Booker Prizewinners, he has very ‘interesting’ views on the life of the modern author. Hopefully he’ll reveal all at Belair House. Just don’t tell him there’s a bar. (Fortunately, Paul Ewen will be on hand to smooth over any slurs and pay for any damages.)
SUNDAY 15 MAY, 12 – 5pm
Dulwich Park Fair with The Multiple Myrtle Mysteries – Dulwich Park
While on a routine test, Myrtle West, the well- known scientist/adventurer, has become unstuck in time, coursing throughout Dulwich’s history without any control. Help track down Myrtle’s clues from the past to bring her back to the present! A family event featuring an interactive treasure hunt and outdoor performance about, and made with, the people of Dulwich.