The Broadway Barking Kicks Off Bond Week Today, September 20

The Broadway Barking is back on track this Autumn with a season packed with dance, drama, comedy and cabaret, five new premiers, a flexible 'festival' style programme, an exhibition space, free foyer shows and, in a first for British theatre, regular live streaming of the entire season; including rehearsals, backstage and the cheapest pay per view shows including the popular annual panto.

Chris Mellor, Interim Creative Producer, says of live streaming, "Putting performance content online is the only way to make 'theatre' fully accessible to anyone and put an end to the air of exclusivity that it has for many people. You can see a show for only £2.99, and we'll be streaming other content for free, like rehearsals, workshops and live Q&A sessions."

As well as a broad based arts programme The Broadway continues its commitment to young and emerging talent highlighting the diversity of one of London's most multi-cultural boroughs working with two local arts organisations, Arc Theatre (patron Neville Lawrence) and Studio 3 Arts.

Made @ is the Broadway's home produced work. These are pieces developed in collaboration with artists inspired by the location. The Broadway's 'festival' programming model means the shows are short, cheap with the added bonus of free workshops and foyer entertainment.

The season kicks off with Bond Week from tonight, 20 September through 23 September, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the James Bond franchise. Following the success of their Olympic Dream show earlier this year, The London Ballet Company bring Bond ballet to Barking with the premier of 00 and HIS 7. There's a new comedy MARTINI BOND: HER HUNT FOR THE SPY WHO LOVED HER MUM written by journalist Lyndsey Jonesand a free exhibition of Bond Cartoons by the former Sun Cartoonist, Judith Walker.

TV stars come to Barking with the premier of DOORMEN, a new adult comedy about club bouncers by actor and writer Andy McHugh, starring Ciaran Grifiths (Shameless) and Kirsty Leigh Porter (Emmerdale). There will be cameo appearances from TOWIE stars throughout the run. AIRPORT, a new play written and directed rising star Ben Lyons Ross is a stark and contemporary observation of modern youth. In the foyer The Lowlife Cabaret of the Original Army offers a free week-long programme of freakish twists and turns.

In October the Broadway plays host to Barking & Dagenham's Literature Fest, a week-long celebration of local and national authors reading their work and sharing their writing tips, mounted in partnership with the Barking Learning Centre and Barking and Dagenham College. Martina Cole will be discussing her bestselling new novel 'The Life' and Linda Marlowe presents her new solo show, direct from the Edinburgh Fringe, MISS HAVISHAM's EXPECTATIONS, directed by Di Sherlock.

Alongside Barking based authors, actor Mansell David presents Take Desire Away, a one man show about English poet A. E. Houseman, and Joshua Idehen, poet and founder of the highly acclaimed poetry group PiP (A Poem Between People), will be reading his poems. For local writers thinking of writing the next Fifty Shades of Grey Bloomsbury Publishing's Alysoun Owen will be revealing the secrets of how to get published. This and other advice and workshops will be streamed live.

Other events taking place throughout the season are Barking and Dagenham's Got Talent, The Barking Witchcraft Trials and Tour, The Teenage Takeover, Comedy at the Broadway, and the Christmas Panto, an unforgettable CINDERELLA.

For further information please contact the Box Office: 020 8507 5607 and visit www.thebroadwaybarking.com

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