Фестиваль Housemates в Брикстоне представляет новые пьесы о вере, сопротивлении и идентичности

The second week of the Housemates Festival, brings two powerful new productions exploring faith, desire, resistance and belonging – running from tonight Tuesday 8th to Friday 12th September. The festival which celebrates new and original works now in it’s fith year at Brixton House, operates a multi-show deal: see two Housemates shows for £30, three for £42 or four for £50 – book in the same transaction and the discount is applied automatically. Pressure by Danny Bailey Danny Bailey’s Pressure follows Paulette, a Jamaican woman living in Brixton under the shadow of the barrel child. By 2011, she barely recognises herself – but when the police killing of Mark Duggan ignites the Tottenham Uprising, the unrest tears open a portal between past and present. Pulled through memory, hallucination and ancestral invocation, Paulette journeys through the 1981 Brixton Uprisings, Jamaica’s traditions of resistance, and the revolutionary spirits that refuse to stay buried. Driven by the basslines of lovers rock, reggae, dub and sound-system culture, and blending Kumina ritual with the vibration of rebellion, Pressure traces a path from Nanny Town to Brixton – asking whether riot is the language of the oppressed and whether every revolution begins at home. Featuring Michelle Greenidge (Doctor Who, I May Destroy You). Bailey, from Hackney, curated Brixton House’s 2025 Uprising Festival and opened The Futurists exhibition for Windrush 2026. We Can’t Be Friends by Abir Mohammad Following a sell-out reading at Tara Theatre and becoming the fastest-selling sharing at Riverside Studios, We Can’t Be Friends arrives at Brixton House with serious momentum. Writer Abir Mohammad’s intimate two-hander follows Azhar, a devout Muslim training to be a teacher, and Rahim, an openly gay Muslim estranged from his family, as desire collides with devotion. Mohammad, a Soho Theatre Writers’ Lab alumnus whose debut Bhaijaan sold out at the Hope Theatre, told Hyphen magazine: “Queer Muslims are often just supporting characters, or in a story that’s only about their trauma. I wanted to put them at the forefront in a positive light.” – Abir Mohammad Directed by British-Iranian director Melina Namdar and starring Grantchester’s Ayan Philip alongside Spotlight Prize finalist Saqib Bashir, the production has already generated significant press attention – including a feature in Gay Times. A BSL interpreted performance and a post-show Q&A hosted by LGBTQ+ Muslim charity Hidayah are among the week’s events. Week 3 (15–19 September) Runner Girl by Lara Grace Ilori Follow the one-woman rhythmic story of Anu, a heart-on-her-sleeve Yoruba South Londoner whose routine run takes a terrifying turn. Ilori, who acted in a previous Housemates production, returns as writer-performer. Goodbye by Alejandra Chamorro Cuevas In this tribute to friendship, connection and life in the face of suicide, William navigates his way through London’s first assisted suicide clinic. Featuring Samuel Anderson (Doctor Who, Amandaland) as William. Stomach by Ariana Xeno Three parallel lives wind in and out of doctor’s appointments, girlhood and hope in Ariana Xeno’s debut play, diving into the personal and political landscape of women’s healthcare. Plus Alongside the seven productions, the festival features open-mic nights, staged readings of new work, industry panels and after-hours gatherings hosted by the 2026 Housemates. Free drop-in creative workshops for local families also run throughout. More Info Brixton House, 385 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 Visit  Brixtonhouse What’s On  for times, prices and reccomended ages for each show Photo credits: Feature Image: Ayan Philip and Saqib Bashir © Courtney Nathan Phillip Nicholle Cherrie © Maxim Adejumo