Trouble, Struggle, Bubble and Squeak Hits UK Tour After Edinburgh Fringe Success

After a critically acclaimed run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, award-winning theatre maker Victoria Melody  (Northern Soul,Hair Peace,Major Tom, Head Set) takesTrouble, Struggle, Bubble and Squeakon tour of the  UK this Autumn. Directed by political comedian and director Mark Thomas, the show has been praised for its  humour, warmth and radical spirit. Ajoyful testament(The Guardian) and a‘hymn to community and  solidarity’(The Stage),Trouble, Struggle, Bubble and Squeakoffers a bold, funny and heartfelt celebration of  communities and the ordinary people who shape history. 

What started with Victoria Melody joining a historical re-enactment group to navigate her divorce grew into  something bigger: an unexpected journey into the legacy of the 17thCentury Diggers. Once landless radicals  who occupied common ground in the face of poverty and hunger, the Diggers’ spirit lives on today – still  here and fighting – in the modern activists and community organisers Victoria encountered along the way. 

Through storytelling, comedy and her trademark immersive style, Victoria draws a line between past and  present, shining a spotlight on the grassroots fight for food justice, green spaces and local resilience. Trouble,  Struggle, Bubble and Squeakis about what happens when communities are let down by those in power and  step up to fill the gaps themselves. 

Relaying the stories of the modern-day Diggers who are still answering the call to arms 375 years later,  Victoria steps from re-enactment into reality, where history isn’t just remembered but made. It’s a story  rooted in Whitehawk, Brighton, but it resonates far beyond. So many towns and cities across the UK have  their own pockets where working-class communities are facing the fallout of political decisions, yet still  finding ways to organise, resist and thrive. 

Victoria Melody comments,This show has been made with pure love and built with the community at every  stage, from the knitted vegetables to the sounds collected in the show. People from Whitehawk have given their stories, feedback and challenged me all the way through. Through this production, I wanted to show the  great work people here are doing to keep each other afloat. These are ordinary heroes doing extraordinary  things. It’s a disgrace that food poverty and battles for land and space are everyday realities in this country – but they are. And without the people stepping up in places like Whitehawk, we would all be in a much worse  state. 

Recognised for her unique, immersive approach to theatre-making, Victoria brings real communities to the  stage with humour and heart. Her critically acclaimed shows blend documentary, comedy and social  commentary, making complex issues accessible, funny and defiantly hopeful. 

Shortlisted for 2025’s Popcorn Award,Trouble, Struggle, Bubble and Squeakis built on collaboration with  young people having contributed to the sound design, while local knitting groups have helped craft elements  of the set and props. Members of the community also attended read throughs and work in progress  showings, contributing to the writing development with feedback throughout the process. Commissioned by  Brighton Dome, the tour will kick off at Brighton Dome’s Corn Exchange before touring to Leeds, Berkshire,  Shrewsbury, Stafford, Nottingham, and Norwich.  

Praise forTrouble, Struggle, Bubble and Squeak: 

A joyful testament to people power and a heartening parable about the possibility of collective action –★★★★The Guardian 

A hymn to community and solidarity–★★★★The Stage  

A moving and inspirational comic call to arms–★★★★The List 

Main Image: Trouble, Struggle, Bubble and Squeak, credit to Jonathan Jones

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