White Girls
White Girls
Past Performance
In The Theatre
October 19th 2019
12+

Part of ShoutOut Festival 2019

Presented by Laughing Mirror Theatre Company

In the Littlewood Theatre

Two girls go on a journey. They want to annoy their Tory parents. They want to make a difference. But as they find themselves in the middle of an international refugee crisis, they soon realise that they are going to need to do more than just a fun run to help. Hilarious, heart-felt and haunting, White Girls is a comedy-drama that explores voluntourism within the Calais Jungle from 2016 to the present day and asks searing questions on the notions of white charity and global inaction in the face of unquestionable social injustice.

Written and directed by Madeleine Accalia, and starring Francesca Bloor and Valerie Smith, White Girls is largely based on the real experiences the creative team had when working as volunteers in the refugee camps.

Following on from its hugely successful runs at the Brighton Fringe Festival in 2018 and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2019 – receiving five star reviews and being shortlisted for New Writing South’s Best New Play Award – Laughing Mirror now revives its acclaimed show White Girls for the company’s London debut.

“Performed with near-brutal candour...an incredibly timely work that everyone should see” - Feminist Fringe

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Saturday 19th October - 9pm
£10 / 8 (Concession)

Run time: 60 mins
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Creative team:
Actors: Francesca Bloor and Valerie Smith
Writer & Director: Madeleine Accalia
Production Manager: Toby Skelton
Sound Designer: Adam Whitehead
Artistic Director: Chad Porter

Read more about the team here

Facebook: @laughingmirrortc
Twitter: @L_MirrorTC || @whitegirls_lm

Trigger warnings: Contains distressing themes, scenes of violence, strong language / swearing

Click here to see the full line up of shows at ShoutOut Festival
#ShoutOut19

Creative Team
Francesca Bloor Actor (Leah)

Francesca Bloor studied an English Literature and Drama degree at the University of East Anglia, graduating in July 2019. It was at UEA where she first got involved with Laughing Mirror Theatre Company. Although she often takes on the role of Stage Manager or Producer for productions, she has thoroughly enjoyed being on-stage as Leah in White Girls, since the early stages of the show in 2017 – especially during it’s full run at Gilded Balloon in Summer 2019. She also currently works for Gecko Theatre as Company Administrator. || @frankiebloor

Valerie Smith Actor (Eve)

Valerie Smith studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia. She is an actress, stage manager, technician and occasional stand-up comic. She has worked with Laughing Mirror on various projects, including FLY Festival: The Playwriting Project for the past three years. She is a seasoned Edinburgh Fringe participant, having enjoyed working on both sides of the stage. White Girls is the biggest challenge Valerie has had to date, and wishes to continue touring the show and providing educational workshops. || @ValerieEJSmith

Madeleine Accalia Writer and Director

Madeleine Accalia is a playwright, poet and performer based between Brighton and London. She was part of the North Wall’s playwriting Catalyst programme in 2017 and won ‘Best Upcoming Young Writer’ at INK Festival 2018. She was part of the Roundhouse Poetry Collective from 2017-8 and was a finalist in the Roundhouse Poetry Slam. Her play White Girls, was shortlisted for New Writing South's 'Best New Play' at Brighton Fringe 2018, and completed a full run at Edinburgh Fringe 2019. She is currently working on a play about radical gardening, and trying to find the time to write it. || @maddypoet

Toby Skelton Production Manager

Toby Skelton is an actor, playwright, producer and dramaturg based primarily in London. He studied Scriptwriting and Performance at the University of East Anglia and was President of the Minotaur Theatre Company from 2016 to 2017. His first collaboration with Laughing Mirror was as failed criminal Ashley Lancaster in its 2018 production of Framed! at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, before returning to production manage White Girls the following year. He is currently working on a number of projects, including writing an adaptation of Ben Jonson's classic comedy Volpone for Laughing Mirror, coming soon... || @TobySkelton1

Adam Whitehead Sound Designer

Adam Whitehead is an actor, director, stage manager and technician. Having graduated from the University of East Anglia with a BA in Drama and an MA in Directing, his first experience with Laughing Mirror was the 2018 production Framed!. More recently, Adam was Company Stage Manager for the runs of Seasoned Professionals and White Girls at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival and created the sound design for White Girls. He is currently creating the lighting design for the company’s show Defective Inspector, making its London debut in November, and also co-writing the next brand-new show in February. || @4damjames

Chad Porter Artistic Director

Chad Porter is a theatre director and scriptwriter based in London, and Artistic Director of Laughing Mirror. Having graduated with a Drama degree from the University of East Anglia, Chad has since guided Laughing Mirror to five sell-out Fringe shows in three years, co-writing and directing three himself. Chad has also worked at UEA as the Theatre Producer for FLY Festival and a Guest Tutor in ‘Comedy and the Absurd’. He recently directed a production of ‘The 39 Steps’ for The Norwich Players and specialises in commedia dell’ Arte, leading regular workshops in the practise. Chad is very excited to see this powerful show begin its post-fringe journey as part of this important festival at Applecart. || @chadporterLM