Two performers stand in darkness holding glowing bulbs aloft.

Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Theatre, ArtsEd, London2026

Drama Showcase 2026: The Matter of Us

The Production

ArtsEd’s 2026 Drama Showcase, The Matter of Us, was a student performance programme exploring stories, relationships, dreams and dilemmas, with themes of identity, growing up, responsibility, ambition, love and transformation.

46 photographs in the curated edit

Director: Russell Clark; Michael Andrews; Felipe Jara; Mia Finnigan
Lighting Design: Chris Mould

A full ensemble dances across a red-lit stage with a central performer leading the formation.

A woman in a dark period dress stands alone in a shaft of haze-lit light on a dark stage.

A blue-lit wide stage frames seated groups, tall panels and a central raised action beneath the gallery.

Two young performers embrace closely under warm stage light against a black background.

A performer in a white shirt reaches outward while singing or speaking before a seated ensemble.

Performers gather around a bench-like table beneath a metal gallery, with one figure lying on the floor at the side.

A performer in a grey sweatshirt reaches upward with a distressed expression.

A tight group of performers huddles and presses together under magenta and green lighting.

A woman sits on a bed or couch in smoky sidelight with a striped blanket behind her.

A silhouetted performer raises many overlapping arms against bright white stage architecture.

Two children in bright costumes lean forward, one holding a hooked cane against a green backdrop.

A young performer holds a long-necked stringed instrument aloft against a black background.

An ensemble sits along a long table on an orange-lit stage beneath a metal gallery.

A seated couple leans into a kiss against a red background.

Performers crowd through a narrow opening between two tall panels on a blue-lit stage.

A girl in a pink dress sings or calls out with one arm raised against blue light.

An ensemble spreads across a red-lit stage in a dynamic dance pose.

A young man sits on the floor urgently holding the shoulders of a seated woman.

Performers lift a translucent blue cloth into a billowing shape under green light.

Four performers in white shirts stand tightly grouped, watching with wary expressions under blue light.

A performer in a white shirt stands isolated in a dark pool of light while figures turn away behind her.

A green-lit multi-level scene places performers on the gallery and floor, with one kneeling at center.

A standing woman watches as a seated woman reads from a book or notebook beside cups and papers.

An ensemble struggles around a long table under saturated red light.

A woman in a white dress stands centered against a bare orange-lit backdrop.

Two young performers lean close to each other across a balcony railing against a pale backdrop.

A group sits at a table with a large roasted prop or food item under warm orange light.

A wide dark stage centers a woman under cool light, with another performer seated at a desk to the side.

A performer in a top hat grips or strikes another performer’s face while others watch nearby.

Two women sit on the floor in blue light between tall panels, one staring out and one smiling.

An ensemble in white shirts moves in a sweeping formation under blue stage light.

A woman sits beside a bed or couch while another figure lies under a striped blanket in smoky sidelight.

Two performers sit close together on the stage floor, turned away from each other in quiet tension.

A performer swings a pale cloth through the air as others stand near a table.

A woman in a dark dress addresses the audience under green light with a veiled blue shape behind her.

A woman in a burgundy dress sits in an armchair as a woman in white holds her hand.

A kneeling performer in a red shirt raises a fist toward another performer in a dark vest.

Two performers crouch and face each other in magenta light and golden haze.

A boy in the foreground looks upward while a horse-masked figure and another performer stand blurred behind him.

A solitary performer sits at a long bench on a cool, empty stage.

A central performer in a grey jumpsuit throws papers on a red-lit stage while others move around her.

Three women in period-style costumes face each other in a tense conversation.

A boy sits in green light holding a glowing white orb in both hands.

A performer stands with her back to the audience in a grey outfit bound around the torso under blue light.

A woman in a dark dress lunges toward a woman in a wheelchair as another performer intervenes.

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Drama Showcase 2026: The Matter of Us — Theatre Photography at Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Theatre, ArtsEd, London | Steve Gregson