‘You want to f me ? That’s okay. I want to f me too sometimes.
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A dark comedy tracing the outrageous life of the cutthroat and fiery Magdalena and her best friend Johanna. From first love to last cigarette, to hearing confessions in a corrupted cathedral – Magdalena has seen it all, done most of it twice. She’s about to confess everything… if you’re brave enough to listen.
Adapted from 2025’s sell-out one woman show, we now follow Magdalena (Actor Lily Sinko) and her best friend Johanna (BSL Actor Gabriella Leon) as they navigate this crazy story together. The production will run on the 7th and 8th November at independent theatre and creative arts hub Playhouse East, in the heart of East London. Produced in collaboration with Playhouse East, Magdalena, Woman of Joy stages its BSL-integrated premiere as part of THE LEMON 2026,
THE LEMON 2026 is Playhouse East’s four-week festival of alternative theatre, clowning and experimental work. The festival will also host a separate work-in-progress showing of MIAM MIAM Theatre’s self-titled new show, MIAM MIAM, created and performed by Lily Sinko and Daniel Kettle (who is directing this play). This BSL-integrated performance stars Deaf performer Gabriella Leon, who created and worked on the translation alongside BSL Director Zoë McWhinney. Gabrielle comments;
“I was thrilled to be asked to deliver this BSL show, Lily is a wonderful clown and Magdalena: Woman of Joy packs a punch to the heart and to the stomach, (which will hurt from laughing). Being involved in the onstage action through BSL translation has been nothing short of a joyful process, we’ve explored Shared Sign, Visual Vernacular, Theatre Sign and Prod ctive Lexicon the and I am elated that Deaf and HOH audiences are getting to experience this clown show for all of its silliness and its truth.
Clowning is the perfect genre for BSL integration as it is universally so visual and so physical, so it’s perfect that these two blends of performance styles and languages are in a super sexy soup of a show. Magdalena: Woman of Joy is a story of resilience, believing in yourself and the divine female energy. The show features elements of Spoken French which is also matched by LSF (Langue des Signes Française).
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MAGDALENA, WOMAN OF JOY (BSL-Integrated Premiere)
Produced by MIAM MIAM Theatre in collaboration with Playhouse East
Tickets and further information from the Playhouse East website
