How does a girl with social and anticipation anxiety enjoy a surprise party?
Actor, clown and jolly anxious theatre-maker Lauren invites you to a new show packed full of party games and hopefully no panic attacks.
SURPRISE! is an interactive clown show that looks at how we can confront anxiety, overcome fear, and find freedom through laughter.
Additional backing and support from Theatre in the Mill, Camden People’s Theatre, Physical Fest, Bathway Theatre, the #ItAffectsMe Campaign and Liverpool Mental Health Consortium.
Created and Performed: Lauren Silver
Directors: Helen Foster and Bronya Deutch
Dramaturg: Abigail Anderson
Technical Manager: Jonathan Monkhouse
Music Collaborator: David Keefe
Graphic Design: Stuart Gough
Photography: Ben Broomfield and Patrick D’Arcy
Medical and Psychology Collaboration: Lyndsey Moon, Simon Josolyne and Jeremy Slaughter
Huge Thanks to: Esta Charkham Associates, Francesca Peschier, Eric Davis of Red Bastard, Peta Lily, Bryony Kimmings, Jamie Wood, Holly Aston, Rebecca Atkinson-Lord, Dylan Tate, Mark Winstanley, Charles Shetcliffe, Ben Lloyd and Sarah Randell at Liverpool Everyman, Mark Conway, Jillian Wallis, Mandy Hutchins, Dave Hockham, Edward Currie and Tess Van Leeuwen from Bathway Theatre Network, Elinor Randle and Claire Bigley from Physical Fest, Bea Holland, Emma Morris from Talking Tables, Jo Gibson, Sarah Annakin, Rachel Hudson, Sophie Curtis at Watford Palace, Pierre Paton at Saatchi & Saatchi and Jon Gilchrist at Bush Theatre.
Reviews:
London Theatre 1
Theatre Bubble
A Pint and a Play
Whats On London
Fringe Guru
Silver is a frantic, fuzzy presence with a warm wit
You’d be a fool not to see it
I was side swiped with emotion
Engineers an infectious atmosphere of sensitivity and sympathy
Hugely empowering and deeply, deeply funny.
It’s all very real, and rather charming
Silver floats along on a bubbly cloud of sheer likeability
Absolutely stunning work that totally takes you by surprise!
Surprise! is getting five stars, for Silver’s sheer bravery, brilliance, likeability
Twitter Response:
Past Performance Images:
Vault Festival: 14th & 15th February 2018 © Ben Broomfield
Fest Live at Physical Fest: 1st June 2017 © Andrew Ness
Camden People's Theatre: 9th & 10th March 2017 © Ben Broomfield
Past Work in Progress Performances:
Vault Festival, London: 14th & 15th February 2018 @ 9.30pm
Fest Live at Physical Fest, Unity Theatre Liverpool: 1st June 2017
Camden People's Theatre as part of Sprint Festival: 9th and 10th March 2017 @ 9pm
Theatre in the Mill, Bradford: 25th February 2017 @ 7.30pm
I was interviewed by Sabrina Grant for Time To Talk Day and here's the wonderful video below:
Early Stage Development Images






















Image Credits: Ben Broomfield and Ynos Productions