Blue (Multiplay Drama)

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However, it’s important to stress that Blueis a play and not a documentary, it doesn’t need to be as there are loads of brilliant documentaries about the state of mental health services in the UK. In BlueI was trying to get closer to the feeling, the emotive content of what modern mental-health care can feel like, rather than a factual recounting of a specific mental-health unit. Comedy nights include Babatunde Aleshe: Babahood (24 February), Jon Courtenay: Bigger (5 April), Griff Rhys Jones: The Cat’s Pyjamas (30 April), Tom Davis: Underdog (4 May), R osie Holt: That’s Politainment (25 May) and Danny Davies (11 September). Plus there’s poetry from Hollie McNish: The Lobster Tour (27 June). At the heart of the Everyman season are three homegrown productions, two of which come from writers supported through the theatres’ playwright programmes.

D sits in meetings. On the outside she feigns interest in the office politics. On the inside, questions gnaw away at her as she tries to work out what to do with her life and the new one she’s carrying. Sam Millard plays the young runaway Ben. His performance grew on me as he seemed to develop confidence, revealing the vulnerability behind this sullen teenager, struggling with his conscience. Kathryn Worth plays the police officer with strength and compassion and supports as the doctor and Jeryl Burgess is salt-of-the-earth Rose and supports in other roles. Edition 6 explores the strange and contradictory relationship between a closed theatre building and the world outside; asking questions about why we gather together and who we might have lost when we do so again. It will be directed by Chris Sonnex, Artistic Director of Cardboard Citizens (an Associate Company at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse):You have only to attend one of the hundreds of lecture-recitals on early woodwind instruments which Munrow gives up and down the country, and abroad, every year to realise how much his playing has caused such instruments to be taken seriously – to be thought of not merely as musical fossils, but as a range of sonorities that hold unlimited delights for the listener, and which today’s composers can find an invaluable stimulus. If you can’t get to one of his lecture recitals, then his exciting new demonstration disc, The Medieval Sound on the Oryx label, will serve the purpose: though seeing him play these colourful instruments inevitably adds further dimension. Medieval music has never for him been a dead art exhumed by scholars. It is alive and well and flourishing world over.

Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse's 2024 season comprises world premières, classic plays and projects with their associate companies, celebrating 60 years since the Everyman was founded and 10 years since its current building opened. For younger children, there’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea (12 to 17 February), Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book (9 to 13 April) and Tom Fletcher’s There’s A Monster in Your Show (28 May to 1 June). Perhaps but generally I don’t start writing a play with an intent to be educative or to change people’s minds. I try and follow what I find interesting, or upsetting, or moving and hope that it might do the same for an audience. However, the research I did for the play definitely gave me a greater understanding of how difficult, and how much sacrifice there is, in working in a mental-health setting. There’s a growing awareness of the stigma around mental health conditions but I also think that attitudes toward professionals who care for people with mental-health conditions are not as appreciative or as positive as they could be. It’s a job that involves caring for people under very difficult, emotive and complex circumstances. I think that can go unnoticed and so if Bluedidgive an audience a greater awareness of this then that would be great. However, it wasn’t my primary aim, my main aim was to try and immerse the audience in the world of mental-health care rather than give them my opinion on that world.

The Playhouse season also includes Unfortunate, a musical telling the untold story of Ursula the Sea Witch (5 to 9 March); Pilot Theatre return with a contemporary version of Orpheus in The Song for Ella Grey (13 to 16 March); Curve Theatre’s My Beautiful Laundrette (26 to 30 March), directed by Nicole Behan from Liverpool’s Paperwork Theatre;; imitating the dog create a new Frankenstein (17 to 20 April); Tim Rice: I Know Him So Well, My Life in Musicals (2 May); Showstopper: The Improvised Musical (9 to 11 May); and Drop the Dead Donkey the Reawakening (14 to 18 May); As well as its own productions and collaborations, ensuring the best in UK theatre and entertainment comes to the city, the theatres also announce a visiting programme including the return of their co-production with Nottingham Playhouse and UK Productions of The Kite Runner (23 to 27 April), which since last seen in Liverpool has been on Broadway.

DOGS is a gut-punch of a play about nature, nurture and what we inherit. Content Warning – Contains themes of physical abuse and descriptions of violence There will be collaborations on productions with Homotopia and Cardboard Citizens and a co-production with Talawa Theatre Company to be announced in February, and further work with Graeae on its artist development programme, Beyond. Graeae’s Crips with Chips: A Fork in the Road, a showcase of short plays by Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent writers written in response to a predetermined theme, will visit Liverpool (24 February). The cast for Edition 6 include Marion Bailey, Cian Binchy, Amanda Coogan, Tim Crouch, Louisa Harland, Lara Grace Ilori, Rose Lewenstein, Maimuna Memon, Rachael Merry, Nando Messias, Sule Rimi, Grace Savage, Dorcas Sebuyange, Michelle Tiwo, Alan Williams, Millicent Wong and Basil the Dog.

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sees the strengthening of creative relationships with the theatres’ Associate Companies, as a springboard for fresh voices and new diverse perspectives, ensuring Liverpool’s cultural scene remains vibrant and dynamic. As well as collaborating on productions with Homotopia and Cardboard Citizens, there will be a major co-production and commission with Talawa Theatre Company to be announced in February 2024. The theatres continue to work with Graeae on their artist development programme Beyond, will support a new Liverpool-based Associate role, and welcome Graeae’s Crips with Chips: A Fork in the Road, a showcase of short plays by Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent writers written in response to a predetermined theme (24 February). Do you think the play will challenge what people think they know about mental-health care and mental illness?

Someone Stares at a Dog for a Few Minutes, and Has a Think About It All by Simon Longman (The Long Listen) sees the strengthening of creative relationships with the theatres’ Associate Companies, as a springboard for fresh voices and new diverse perspectives, ensuring Liverpool’s cultural scene remains vibrant and dynamic. As well as collaborating on productions with Homotopia and Cardboard Citizens, there will be a major co-production and commission with Talawa Theatre Company to be announced in February 2024. The theatres continue to work with Graeae on their artist development programme Beyond, will support a new Liverpool-based Associate role and welcome Graeae’s Crips with Chips: A Fork in the Road, a showcase of short plays by Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent writers written in response to a predetermined theme (24 February). We tell the tales that need to be told now, by the people that need to tell them, in the places they need to be heard.

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The play isn't perfect: Simon's soliloquy on the movement of electrons feels like a piece of random physics imparted by the playwright, rather than an observation that springs directly from character. But Katie Scott's beguiling design has an underwater feel; and Lorne Campbell's jittery production puts you permanently on edge. Held introduces a talent worth holding on to.