A free evening of LGBTQ+ heritage, local history, theatre, and creative exchange will take place at Department on Thursday 13th August 2026, featuring the launch of a new book and the presentation of a Historic England-funded project exploring Ryde’s hidden LGBTQ+ past.
An evening of heritage, theatre and storytelling
StoneCrabs Theatre will bring together local history, community research, and live storytelling for a special evening celebrating LGBTQ+ arts, heritage, people and places.
Uncovering Ryde’s hidden LGBTQ+ history
Taking place at Department in Ryde on Thursday 13th August from 7pm to 9pm, the event will showcase the results of Celebrating LGBTQ+ Working Class Histories, a project funded by Historic England, alongside the launch of Stories Underfoot, a new book published in collaboration with Figmentum.
The Celebrating LGBTQ+ Working Class Histories project brought local people together to investigate the hidden LGBTQ+ history of Ryde. One outcome of the project was UNION, a 50-page, full-colour zine exploring the history of Isle of Wight Pride, the shops of Union Street, LGBTQ+ nightlife in Ryde during the 1980s and 1990s, and figures including Phaedra Kelly, Peter Woodnutt and Oscar Wilde.
An audio tour of Union Street
The project also worked with Dr Lena Mattheis and the Listen Queer app to create an audio tour of Union Street, highlighting the history of shops and venues, including some that no longer exist.
Stories Underfoot: from stage to page
The evening will see the launch of Stories Underfoot, published by Figmentum. The book includes the complete scripts of StoneCrabs’ open-air promenade performances, bringing the stories and characters of Stories Underfoot to readers beyond the original performances.
Alongside the scripts, the collection offers a unique insight into the research behind the stories, reflections from the director and actors, and photographs by Maria Bell.
There will also be an exclusive screening of Girls Who Saved the World, and Old Town Hall in Newtown, one of our immersive promenade performances, written by Anmarie Bowler.
The event is free and open to all, with booking required. Taking place in the cafe and outdoor terrace at Department, this relaxed, social evening will feature readings, a short film and the opportunity to connect with other local creatives.
Places are limited, so advance booking is recommended. Spots can be reserved via Eventbrite.
News shared by Katie on behalf of Stonecrabs. Ed
