As we approach the end of 2025, StoneCrabs Theatre is reflecting on the year that has passed. From our Pride in Self, Pride in Place exhibition to Performed Walks to a new Historic England project, we have had twelve months packed full of exciting initiatives.
Here, we look back on 2025. Thank you to everyone who has been involved, through attending our events, working alongside us, or generally supporting StoneCrabs Theatre.
New arrivals and a new programme!
This year, we bid a fond farewell to our outgoing CEO, Fabio Santos MBE. We welcomed Susanne Hasselmann as our new Executive Director. Susanne said ‘I am incredibly excited to be joining StoneCrabs Theatre at this stage in its journey‘.
We also introduced a new programme for Associate Artists and Producers. Local writers and theatre-makers Lucas Berry, Ben Homes, and Cody Pevreall joined. It has been great to work alongside them throughout the year and have their support and involvement in our projects.
Katie Daysh also took on the role as Project Assistant for StoneCrabs and Out on an Island. She has been helping out at our events, as well as utilising our social media channels to spread the word.
Pride in Self, Pride in Place exhibition
Exhibition photos from Katy Suggitt
From February to March, we held an exhibition in the West Gallery at Quay Arts. This was the culmination of our Pride in Self, Pride in Place project. A number of poignant displays were on show. The LGBT+ Trail Map, designed by Spike Spondike, illustrated LGBTQ+ historical figures associated with the Isle of Wight. The LGBTQ+ memorial quilt, curated by Dawn Fidler and Jenna Sabine, portrayed moving insights into LGBTQ+ stories on the Isle of Wight. A classroom installation represented school at the time of Section 28.
We also displayed photographs and recordings of participants in Out on an Island’s oral histories project, sharing their experiences of being a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Over 70 people came to the launch event and the exhibition continued to prove popular with attendees calling it ‘moving‘, ‘inspiring‘, a display of ‘never before celebrated‘ history, and that it was ‘so good to see real people and their stories and struggles and the progression of acceptance‘.
The LGBTQ+ Memorial Quilt
After being displayed at our exhibition, the LGBTQ+ Memorial Quilt was shown at Department, Ryde. Photographs of it have also been displayed in Lind Street as part of Re:Box, Ryde’s smallest art gallery. People of all ages from the Isle of Wight community designed quilt squares inspired by the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The thirty panels reflect all aspects of LGBTQ+ life as perceived and experienced by our community and allies.
Force of Nature
Photographs from Force of Nature by Maria Bell
From February to March and then from May to June, we explored the beautiful Isle of Wight through Force of Nature. This was part of Isle of Wight National Landscape’s ‘Discovering Landscapes’ project. Throughout these months, we visited places in the Bay area as well as West Wight.
Locations included Ventnor Botanic Gardens, Brading Downs, the Longstone, Newtown Nature Reserve, and Mottistone. Walks took place alongside the spring equinox and summer solstice, commemorating the vibrant seasons.
Rebecca Tremain, who led the project as well as directing our later Faces + Places Performed Walks project, said, ‘Whilst Force of Nature and Faces + Places are ostensibly very different projects, there was a pleasing synergy between on the one hand leading the group across The Bay and West Wight areas, exploring, expressing and celebrating the natural landscape and on the other discovering some of the hidden inner landscapes of notable historical figures, their works and Island inspirations. All this whilst making friends, digging deep and attuning our senses to the subtle changes of the seasons and our hidden heritage.’
Attendees produced creative responses, inspired by these events. A celebration event at Boojum and Snark displayed them, as well as the film that was captured of the project by Sam Lapham. This can be viewed on our YouTube channel.
Attendees called the project ‘a brilliant initiative enabling people to reconnect with nature‘ and a ‘total joy‘.
Ben Homes, who attended the film screening, wrote these beautiful words about the project: ‘Their walks, ranging from the blustery beaches of Sandown to the scorching hills above Mottistone, were expertly showcased in the aforementioned film allowing us in the invited audience to develop a serious case of FOMO.</em> However, it wasn’t just the lush landscapes of the Isle of Wight that we pined for, it was the camaraderie of a group of disparate individuals finding friendship and connection as they traversed, chatted and in one heartening scene, sang.’
School workshops
Throughout the year, StoneCrabs delivered workshops tailored for young people in local schools. These sessions explored LGBTQ+ history and awareness, promoting inclusivity and better understanding, using the Museum and School resources.
Alongside our exhibition, we also delivered badge creation workshops, based around the themes of pride, respect, and equality. This was part of a competition we ran throughout the year. The winning three designs will be chosen and produced to support ongoing LGBTQ+ initiatives.
Local teachers commented that their pupils ‘thoroughly enjoyed‘ the sessions and ‘came away with a much better understanding and respect for the LGBTQ+ community‘.
Our School Creates
As part of the IWCEP Our School Creates initiative, our Artistic Director, Franko Figueiredo, was the artist in residence at Dover Park school.
From September 2024 to July 2025, Franko collaborated with the school, as well as partnering with local arts group such as Brevity, Wonderfell and Keeping it Reel Productions. They implemented a series of innovative ideas to explore a more creative curriculum. Sam Lapham captured the project’s highlights: watch it here.
Faces + Places Performed Walks
One of our primary projects of the year was our Performed Walks project, which involved a series of immersive theatrical walks around the Isle of Wight, looking at LGBTQ+ historical figures. From July to October, we walked with Oscar Wilde in Ryde, Virginia Woolf in Freshwater, Charlotte Mew in Newport and Ferguson’s Gang in Newtown.
All these walks were recorded and will be available to watch on our YouTube channel and website. They have also been performed as an audio tour, so people can follow the walks themselves.
Si Lynch as Oscar Wilde. Hillard Morley as Charlotte Mew. Photographs of Performed Walks by Maria Bell
Emily Scotcher as Virginia Woolf
Cody Pevreall, Krysia Mansfield, and Lucas Berry as Ferguson’s Gang
We thank the whole team who were involved with the project: the actors Si Lynch, Emily Scotcher, Hillard Morley, Krysia Mansfield, Cody Pevreall, and Lucas Berry, as well as the writers, Jason Watts, Cody Pevreall, Katie Daysh, and Anmarie Bowler, and the director, Rebecca Tremain.
This was a fabulous and exciting project, and each walk was well supported and attended. The audiences praised the walks as ‘exceptional‘, ‘super engaging‘, ‘charismatic‘ and ‘incredible immersive‘ experiences. It was fantastic to hear that many were inspired to read more about the historical figures!
Jason Watts, who wrote the script for Wilde in Ryde, commented ‘It was a pleasure for me to be able to write as Oscar Wilde and also to use his own words – I thoroughly enjoyed being Wilde. Many thanks to those who attended the walk and left perhaps feeling slightly more flamboyant themselves.’
Hillard Morley, who performed as Charlotte Mew, said ‘Exploring Charlotte Mew through the lyrical melancholy of Katie Daysh’s script and with sensitive guidance from director Rebecca Tremain was one of the highlights of 2025’s work for me. Interacting so directly with an audience felt both exhilarating and terrifying, but the immediate positivity of the response was wonderful.’
Isle of Wight Pride
We had an amazing time attending Isle of Wight Pride this year! We took part in the parade and had a stall at the Community Village. This was a busy and exciting day! It was brilliant to see so many people lining the roads to watch the parade as well as supporting the stalls.
Training sessions
Throughout the year, StoneCrabs has visited a number of organisations to deliver sessions about LGBTQ+ awareness. These events help to promote inclusivity and knowledge about the LGBTQ+ community. We have hosted training meetings at CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), Lord Louis Library, and the NHS Perinatal Mental Health team, as well as visiting Byrnhill Grove Residential Home.
Book Club
On the final Saturday of each month, we have had our regular LGBTQ+ book club. This is a fantastic social gathering in the Toolshed at One Holyrood in Newport where we meet for breakfast and discuss our chosen book, any genre but always with an LGBTQ+ theme. This year, we have read books such as Bellies by Nicola Dinan, Pulp by Robin Talley, Maurice by EM Forster, and The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan.
What is lovely about this club is that even if people have not read the book, they are still very welcome to come along and chat!
LGBTQ+ Meet-Up
Another regular event we host is our LGBTQ+ meet-up, held on the first Saturday of each month. This takes place in the Fitting Room at Department in Ryde and is always open to newcomers. It is well attended and is a brilliant place to meet like-minded folks. We aim to create welcoming and inclusive spaces during our events. It is great to hear from attendees that the meet-ups have been ‘genuinely life-changing‘ and a space for them to be ‘100% myself‘.
At these meet-ups, we also discuss our Historic England-funded project, Celebrating LGBTQ+ Working Class Histories. This initiative is exploring the hidden heritage of Union Street and a number of venues there. In 2026, we plan to display these findings in a number of exciting ways.
Time 4 T and TransParent
This year, we have also supported two groups for the trans community. Time 4 T & NB is for anyone who is trans, non-binary or questioning their gender. We meet every month in a discreet and friendly location.
TransParent is a group for parents and carers of young people who identify as trans, non-binary or are questioning their gender.
If you are interested in either of these events, please contact us on outonanisland@stonecrabs.co.uk
Off Book drama groups
At the end of the year, we began a new initiative for young people on the Isle of Wight. ‘Off Book’ features two weekly drama groups held in local libraries in Sandown and Ryde.
The young group, for 8 to 12 year olds on Wednesdays at Ryde Library, is designed to inspire children to invent new characters, act out adventures, and build confidence while having fun.
The older group, for 13 to 18 year olds on Tuesdays, is turning Sandown Library into Nevermore Academy. In 2026, they will put on a fun new production of the hit Netflix series, Wednesday. The teens will take on the acting roles as well as backstage in and in production, encouraging creative thinking and introducing them to roles within the theatre world.
History Day 2025
During November, our Associate Artist and Producer trainees Cody, Ben, and Lucas attended History Day in London. They represented StoneCrabs and Out on an Island with a stall and met some inspiring people and organisations!
StoneCrabs in the news
This year, we have been fortunate to have had the support of local and national news organisations. On The Wight deserve special thanks for their reporting of our events and opportunities, as well as Kathy Caton and Katie Martin on BBC radio. Caroline Diamond, our Project Manager, as well as Lucas Berry, have been interviewed on Out with Cathy and Katie Martin’s show multiple times, and this has helped to spread the word of our company and projects!
Thank you to everyone who has supported us and our projects this year. It is much appreciated and always brilliant to see the strength of the creative and LGBTQ+ communities on the Isle of Wight and beyond. We hope you have a fantastic holiday period and wish you the best for the New Year.