The Woman Who Tamed Lightning
We are thrilled to announce that The Woman Who Tamed Lightning—our one-person show about Hertha Ayrton, Marie Curie, and Irène Curie has officially sold out!
After opening at Department in October to packed houses, we’ve been blown away by the response. Audiences have described the performance “captivating,” “ingenious,” and “incredibly relevant to society today.”
Thank you to everyone who joined us! Missed out on tickets? Follow our page to stay updated on future runs. You can read more about the show here.
Check out what audiences are saying about The Woman Who Tamed Lightning over on our Youtube!
Off Book drama club
Saturdays | 10am | Quay Arts, Newport
Sign up here
Our FREE Off Book drama club continues until March 2027 at Quay Arts. This group, for 13 to 16 year olds, invites young people to explore theatre, storytelling, and self-expression, whether they’re seasoned performers or total beginners.
This year, we will be working towards a final project that will be showcased at the Saturday Club Summer Show. There will also be opportunities for members of the club to join us on trips to the mainland, including to the Barbican on 21 November.
To sign up, visit our page on the National Saturday Club website.
VE80 Project
We are thrilled to be working alongside Carisbrooke Castle Museum for the VE80 project. Using oral history interviews collected by the museum for the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we will be producing a piece of verbatim theatre bringing to life the memories of local Isle of Wight people who were children during World War 2. Pupils from the Island Free School will help to create and perform this piece, along with local theatre-makers and writers.
You can read more about it here.
QHCN Symposium
10 & 11 November
We are thrilled to announce that our Artistic Director will be presenting Stories Underfoot: Bringing Queer Heritage to Life Through Performance at this year’s Queer Heritage and Collections Network (QHCN) Symposium! Taking place in a hybrid format both online and in-person at the University of Leicester, the symposium highlights innovative, experimental, and emerging approaches to sharing queer histories. The event brings together museums and heritage projects from across the UK and internationally to showcase meaningful queer programming, presentations, and performances. Bookings are now open, grab your free tickets here.
LGBTQ+ Meet-up
Saturday 7 November | 10.30am – 12.30pm
Fitting Room at Department, Ryde
Our regular LGBTQ+ meet-up takes place on the first Saturday of every month. In November, we meet on the 7th and we will be in the Fitting Room at Department in Ryde. This is an accessible venue and we have free tea and coffee in the room or you can choose from the selection of drinks and cakes in the cafe along the hallway. This month, we have a special visit from two Wight Counselling Training Institute trainees who will be talking about the free one-to-one counselling sessions they will offer our LGBT+ group.
We are also taking numbers for our upcoming Christmas meal at Quay Arts. This will be on Sunday 13 December from 12.30pm. It was a lovely occasion last year with some great food and company. Please contact info@stonecrabs.co.uk if you’d like to join.
Book club
Saturday 28 November | 10.30am – 12.30pm
One Holyrood, Newport
Every month, we have our LGBTQ+ book club on the last Saturday. November’s book club takes place on the 28th in the Toolshed at One Holyrood in Newport. The book is The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden. People are welcome to attend even if they have not read the book – it is also a lovely social occasion with breakfast and chat!
VenTnor
Once a month on a Tuesday evening from 6pm to 8pm, we will be hosting a relaxed and social evening for anyone trans, non-binary, or questioning their gender identity. Held in a safe space in Ventnor, this will be an opportunity to socialise with friends, old and new.
Email katie@stonecrabs.co.uk for dates and venue details.
Communities Against Cancer
StoneCrabs Theatre has received a grant from Wessex Cancer Alliance for the Communities Against Cancer project. We are currently investigating ways to support the community, and are compiling an A-Z list of organisations to connect with and signpost people towards. Please email caroline@stonecrabs.co.uk if you know of any.
News from our friends
Voila! Festival 2026
2 – 22 November
Across venues in London
See here for more details
This November, Voila! Theatre Festival continues its signature multi-venue, panlingual celebration of bold, boundary-crossing performance. Their vibrant line-up includes international artists, emerging voices, established innovators, and fearless theatre-makers exploring the ideas shaping tomorrow. From intimate performances to ambitious new work, Voila! remains a meeting point for cultures, creativity, and theatrical innovation.
Brevity Shuffle
4 November | 8pm
Department, Ryde
Tickets here
Join Anmarie Bowler, curator of the Island’s literary handbill, Brevity, for a night of live lit! Original work from the zine will be brought to the stage courtesy of the Actor Workshop. Stories short. Fiction’s flash. Let’s shuffle.