Award-winning playwright, campaigner and co-creator of ‘Sanctuary’ Sarah Woods discusses the origins of the musical, the importance of artistic collaboration, and why theatre can help tackle serious subjects.

Where did the idea for Sanctuary come from?

Boff and I have been collaborating for a while now. We’ve done quite a lot of work co-creating community pieces, largely for Welsh National Opera, with people seeking refuge and asylum, and this was a story that we came to over a number of years.

We also set up an organisation called Artists in Exile, a not-for-profit group which supports artists who want to come to the UK because they can’t stay in their own country. So we have a lot of experience of working closely with people in this area. There’s a dominant narrative, not just in this country, that immigration is going up and that’s why people can’t get a doctor’s appointment or a job, and that’s not the truth of the situation. So we wanted to counter this in a way that draws out the different viewpoints and lays them out to the audience through the story of an individual.

Why did you decide to tell this story as a musical rather than say a drama?

The ability for a character to express themselves in music enables us to move beyond the everyday. At its heart it’s a way for people to communicate deep and profound emotions and tell a story with real immediacy. It’s not agitprop, or polemic, we want to invite the audience in and to think about other people’s lived experiences.

How and why did you start collaborating with Boff?

It was about six years ago. I was writing a musical called The Ruff Tuff Cream Puff Estate Agency and me and Adrian Jackson [the director] came across Boff’s work at the funeral of Heathcote Williams, who wrote the original work the musical was based on, and a song that Boff had written for him was played at the end and we were just blown away by it. So we got in touch with Boff and arranged to meet up. We talked to him about the possibility of him being the composer on Ruff Tuff and he said ‘yes’ – and we’ve worked together consistently ever since on a wide variety of projects.

This is the first time you have worked with Red Ladder. What was the appeal in working with the company?

I’ve known about Red Ladder’s work for decades and Rod Dixon, the previous artistic director, knew of my work too. We probably should have done stuff together years ago but just didn’t get round to it. So now that it’s happening it feels like a very natural meeting of hearts and minds.

How different is it collaborating with someone on a project compared to writing a play, or musical, on your own?

I really enjoy collaborating not only with Boff but also co-creating with communities. It’s a fantastic experience. For Boff and I, it enables us to travel through the whole process with somebody else, which gives you a huge amount of support, not just practically in terms of not being on your own, but also imaginatively and creatively we’re able to push each further which helps us take more creative risks. I feel we become more than the sum of our parts.

What are the challenges in writing a musical compared to a play or a radio drama?

With a musical you’re always thinking about what different jobs the songs are going to do. You’re not reliant on the dramatic dialogue for the whole of the story. When you work in different mediums like I do it’s about remembering to let the songs do the work, because you want the music and songs to do all the key jobs of a classic narrative like revealing the characters, moving the plot forward and telling the story.

How important is drama, whether it’s a play, a novel, or a musical, in tackling serious subjects?

It’s really important, particularly right now, at a time of enormous cultural shift and evolution. The narrative arts do two things – they show us where we are, like Hamlet’s mirror, holding a mirror up to society. And they also have the ability to make clear what we might do next, to inspire us to take action. As human beings, our emotions lead our decision making and we have a huge capacity for empathetic connection – and I think stories can help us with both of these things.

Are there underlying themes that connect your work?

All of my work uses stories for social good, to enable us to locate ourselves and to consider what we might do about where we are. I work around what I think are some of the big challenges we have right now, so lots of work around climate change, environmental degradation and the increasing inequalities in the world.

What do you hope audiences take away from watching Sanctuary?

I hope that people understand a little bit more about the hostile environment we have created in this country for people who are really just seeking safety and asylum. And to understand the extent of the hostility and the way some far right groups are fuelling really pernicious and false narratives. A lot of the artists Boff and I have supported, similar to Alland the lead character in this musical, were forced to leave their country because they stood up for what they believed in. They’ve done things that many of us might not have the bravery to do and these are people who we can learn a lot from.

By Chris Bond

Main image L-R Boff Whalley & Sarah Woods credit Ant Robling

Sanctuary opens at Theatre Royal Wakefield on Thursday 19th September before touring to theatres and Red Ladder Local venues book here! 

Boff Whalley, co-creator of Sanctuary, discusses the idea behind the story, the power of musicals and why this is a story that needs to be told.

Writer and composer Boff Whalley is the co-creator of Sanctuary along with award-winning playwright Sarah Woods. Here, he discusses the idea behind the story, the power of musicals and why this is a story that needs to be told.

Where did the idea for Sanctuary come from?

It came from the fact that Sarah and me were working with a refugee and asylum centre in Cardiff on and off for about three-and-a-half years trying to find musicians, writers, singers and poets, and by default getting to know the stories of ordinary people trapped in extraordinary circumstances. As a young lad I remember there was the case of Viraj Mendis who sought asylum in a church in Manchester to try and avoid being arrested and sent back home to Sri Lanka. There was a campaign and I remember going over there and people spent the night outside and inside the church to try and help him. So that was in my mind. It’s also a bit of a hidden story – this idea of people looking for a way to escape and to be protected. We thought why don’t we look at this idea of sanctuary and what it means to people who are religious and fleeing persecution.

Does the story naturally lend itself to being a stage production?

We were both thinking wouldn’t it be good to have a stage production that doesn’t ook like you’ve just walked into a theatrical box, and instead you’re walking into a church, which is already a kind of stage. It’s got its pulpit and its organ, so it’s set up as a visual spectacle, so the minute you walk in you are part of a church congregation rather than a theatre-going audience.

Why did you want to do this as a musical rather than a play?

We thought let’s make it a musical and try to avoid the idea of people going to watch a piece of theatre that’s grim, depressing and hopeless. Let’s do it so there are songs and melodies and some sense of hope running through it where you’re rooting for people. It’s such a lovely way to connect with characters rather than having big soliloquies. I love the idea of taking something that is potentially quite depressing and using music to create something uplifting.

Musicals have enjoyed a revival in recent years often tackling controversial topics. What do you think is behind this resurgence?

When I was growing up West Side Story was a real marker for me in terms of telling a story about gangs, but at the time I didn’t know it had anything to do with Romeo and Juliet. I just thought it was brilliant because it was telling this really hard-hitting, powerful story and doing it with some of the best music that you could ever hear. And lately we’ve had shows like Hamilton and The Book of Mormon, which both use music brilliantly and do a similar kind of thing.

You’ve got a longstanding connection to Red Ladder. What is the appeal in working with them?

One of the big attractions is the collaborative nature of Red Ladder. I think a lot of theatre and art wants to be collaborative but when it comes down to it isn’t really. But in all the years I’ve worked with Red Ladder the rehearsal room has always been really open in terms of everyone being able to make suggestions and change things. Cheryl Martin is the artistic director but she’ll ask what other people think and is willing to be swayed by other viewpoints, and I love that. A lot of people in the arts have their own way of doing things and stick to them, but Red Ladder has never been like that.

Do you prefer collaborating to working on your own on a project and how do they differ?

I prefer collaborating, definitely. From the very beginning when I first started to write words and music I would take a song to our fledgling punk band and someone would say ‘how about changing this drum beat?’ I think you can always be helped by someone else’s ideas. And working with actors is a real collaboration. So many times I’ve been in rehearsals having written a line and I know how it’s meant to sound and the actor does it in a way I never expected that makes it better. I enjoy working on my own but then I love taking a song or a lyric to other people and asking, ‘how can we make this better?’

What do you hope to achieve through a piece of work, whether it’s a song, a poem, or a musical?

Everything I’ve done, whether it’s music or writing, has always had a political or socially conscious reason behind it. My main motivation is will this make people think and will it get them talking? Does it avoid just being nice and pleasant? I used to go to plays with Rod Dixon, the former artistic director at Red Ladder, and I remember him saying to me halfway through a big production one time, ‘well, it looks lovely and it sounds great, and the actors are brilliant, but what’s it saying?’ And he was right. I want people to think a piece of art is saying something, that it has an opinion.

What inspires or motivates you to tell a particular story?

First and foremost I’m moved by what’s going on in the world and then I have to put pen to paper. I often go for a run in the morning in the woods and if the sun’s shining you can think all’s good in the world and then I get back and turn the radio on and straight away I’m back in this world where I’m like ‘everything’s not alright’ and there are things we need to talk about. It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to put into words something that hopefully people will listen to.

Why is theatre important in telling stories like Sanctuary?

In the last ten years theatre has become something entirely different to what it was. I think it’s become an antidote to looking at things beautifully done on a screen that are scripted and done again and again and then frozen. Theatre is about real people, right in front of you, doing something that can be different every night, and that’s such an art. If I go to the theatre with my son or my daughter I remind them that what they’re seeing no one will ever see again the same way. It’s not like going to the cinema or watching Netflix. It’s also very physical and we’ve lost a lot of that idea of people doing things together, though I think it’s coming back and theatre’s a big part of that.

How important is theatre in terms of getting young people involved in the arts?

We’ve done some work with CAPA College in Wakefield with 16 and 17 year-olds who want to get into performance, or acting, or dance, and they’re incredibly talented. With Sanctuary we’ve got a chorus of nine, like a Greek chorus, who are commenting on the action and helping the audience understand what’s going on and they sing these lovely acappellas. Most of them have never done this sort of thing before and it’s such a brilliant opportunity for them to be on stage in front of an audience doing the thing they want to do.

What impact do you hope Sanctuary has?

I hope that it contributes to the ongoing debate about how we treat people who are seeking asylum. The more that’s said about this the better, because the noise that comes from some politicians and sections of the media is so overwhelming and negative that everything we do that counters this is important.

By Chris Bond

Main image: L-R Sarah Woods & Boff Whalley credit Ant Robling.

Sanctuary opens at Theatre Royal Wakefield on Thursday 19th September before touring to theatres and Red Ladder Local venues book here! 

Red Ladder Theatre Company statement concerning the recent racist riots and violent disorder

We have been shocked and appalled by the recent racist, Islamophobic and anti-immigrant attacks and rioting that brought fear and destruction to our streets. As a theatre company with a rich tradition of amplifying voices that are often overlooked in society, including refugees and asylum seekers, we stand in solidarity with all those impacted by this mindless behaviour.

Equally, we take heart from the huge numbers of anti-racist demonstrators whose peaceful show of unity reflects the feelings of the overwhelming majority of people in this country. We have been inspired, too, by the selfless acts of people from all walks of life who have come together to support one another, clean up streets and help rebuild damaged homes, businesses and places of worship – these are the communities we recognise. We at Red Ladder will continue to shine a light on stories of hope and offer support and advice to anyone who needs it.

Sanctuary cast announced

We’re thrilled to introduce you to the cast for our brand new musical Sanctuary:

Aein Nasseri (Alland)

Ingrid Bolton-Gabrielsen (Molly)

Emily Chattle (Fiona)

Richard Kay (Peter)

Ravneet Sehra (Uzma)

These five fantastic actors join the brilliant chorus of students from CAPA College, to begin rehearsals on 19th August, exactly a month before the show opens at Theatre Royal Wakefield.

Sanctuary is a compelling new musical written by Boff Whalley (We’re Not Going Back) and award-winning playwright Sarah Woods, charting one man’s plea for help and refuge at a time when not all strangers are welcomed.

Characterisation, collaboration, and community: on Cheryl Martin’s writing for emerging playwrights by Leslie Ann Po and Samantha Wilson

I’m Leslie Ann Po, an alumnus of Red Ladder’s recently concluded “Writing for Emerging Playwrights” course led by Cheryl Martin. As the rest of the courses were in-person and open to West Yorkshire residents, I consider myself lucky that Red Ladder and Cheryl decided to create an online version of the writing course available to everyone. This is especially since I am originally from the Philippines and only this February migrated to London, where I am currently based. My only previous foray into playwriting was a full-length play I penned in high school, solely for my own entertainment.

Admittedly, I had no prior relationship with Red Ladder. I just chanced upon it while googling opportunities to learn. Whilst I still have a long way to go, I feel like I have my foot (or at least more than a few toes!) in the door through Cheryl’s mentorship. The writing course inspired me to chase more opportunities and renewed my confidence in my writing.

As for the classes themselves, I am still in awe with how Cheryl managed to pack so many lessons in such a short period of time.  Above all, she emphasised the importance of character-building in playwriting. I was impressed with how in just four sessions, she helped us hone our abilities to create complex characters.  Amongst many other things, we learned to evaluate a scene’s relevance and necessity for our characters’ development, as well as to discern the necessary details about our play’s setting to include for the audiences. What struck me the most, however, was Cheryl’s emphasis that the playwright has to root for their characters and that we should write in three levels of motivation: the conscious, the unconscious, and what the characters really need.

Sunday 14 July 2024, we writers had the chance to see our work come to life through our fellow students. At one of the studios in Northern Ballet in Leeds, those from the directing and acting classes staged our written monologues and dialogues. I had a great time meeting my fellow students in Cheryl’s classes. Whilst I already had an inkling of the talent of my fellow writers as we shared our work during our sessions, I was blown away by the sheer volume of talent among the directors and actors. Personally, seeing what I have written come to life, is definitely better than what I imagined my work to be. The performances also helped me think about how my scripts could be further improved. It finally sank in that what makes theatre quite different from other forms of writing was its collaborative nature. Whilst writers have their ideas about how their plays will come to life, the medium allows space for the creativity of directors and actors to shine as well.

I really appreciate being given this opportunity and I will always be thankful to Cheryl and Red Ladder. I feel that the courses created a community of directors, actors and writers who are all rooting for each other. I will definitely keep going back to Leeds and be on the lookout for what the theatre company has on.

As for the writing, I feel like this is only the beginning. I will just keep on going.

By Leslie Ann Po

Some of our writers. 

I have always enjoyed a good old coincidence.

Working as an independent advocate in health and social care settings, I hear people’s stories and plights. Seeking to draw attention to lesser heard voices, I wrote my first play ‘Frank’ about a man trapped in a care home. At the time, I had the 90’s banger ‘Tubthumping’ by Chumbawamba in my head, later discovering that two of the band are now writing for theatre. A few internet rabbit holes later and I found Red Ladder theatre! A radical theatre group offering a free course for emerging playwrights- flippin’ ‘eck I thought, better sign up quick!

As a woman with autism I can worry about new situations, but Cheryl Martin led the course with inclusivity and generosity. The online sessions exceeded my expectations, offering a wealth of practical advice on structure and creating character depth. There was no pressure, just lots of food for thought. What a buzz it was. I went in with no prior training, just a passion for social justice, and came out with a monologue and development of a new play. I recommend the course to any would-be writer. It’s never too late.

At the end of four classes we were invited to watch our pieces performed at a showcase event in Leeds. What a treat! An actor had learnt words I had written and real people listened and also laughed! Good folk abound, new friendships and a supportive atmosphere made for an encouraging experience. I won’t quit writing, I thought.

I have recently been shortlisted for the Shelagh Delaney writing award and am developing some new work around taboo social care themes. Thank you Red Ladder!

By Samantha Wilson

Main image and here: some of our brilliant writers, directors and actors at the sharing day with Cheryl

Uneasy Allies: Women’s Role in Sacriston, Durham during the 1984/85 Miners’ Strike

The 1984/85 miners’ strike stands as a pivotal moment in British history, marked by resilience, solidarity, and sacrifice. Yet, amidst the narratives of courage and struggle, the vital role played by women during those tumultuous times sometimes remains overlooked. This is no different for the village of Sacriston, nestled in the heart of Durham’s mining community, where Anna Lawson and other “ordinary women” fought for miners’ rights.

As Red Ladder will tour ‘We’re Not Going Back’ to Durham and the North-East next month, Anna, a remarkable woman, still deeply involved in Women Against Pit Closures forty years on, spoke to me about the realities of that fight shattering the romanticised notions surrounding women’s involvement.

Contrary to popular belief, nationally, the burden of organising and sustaining many of the welfare aspects of the strike fell heavily on the shoulders of a mere handful of women. And the prevailing conservative attitudes, particularly within Sacriston Lodge (Anna’s local union branch), posed significant challenges for this group.

Whilst in most cases the mining union men in the country, after some initial reluctance, eventually let women handle hardship relief, etc. in the village, this was most definitely not the case in Sacriston. Here, union men insisted on controlling everything about the strike all year long. It was tough for women to get the men’s support; they preferred women to stay home and make dinner.

Despite this obstacle, the women of Sacriston rallied tirelessly; they organised raffles, asked local shops for prizes, and held events like jumble sales and coffee mornings to raise funds. Yet, they had no control over the money they raised. The Lodge controlled both the general Lodge fund and a separate hardship fund. The women’s support group had to justify every expense with detailed plans and budgets when they needed money. Yet it wasn’t long before the women found ways to syphon off a good deal of the money thereby having an income of their own.

Anna on the picket line in Sacriston (c) Ethel Claughan & Anna Lawson

Women also organised discos to raise money and keep young people off the streets. They only got help from the men as ‘bouncers’ to handle unruly youths. Miners were reluctant to do this job, but women insisted that the discos would stop without their help.

At first, the Lodge also did the shopping for the food parcels, but their choices weren’t nutritious. Women suggested better alternatives, carefully, to avoid offending them. Then eventually, the Lodge let some of the women go with them to do the shopping. Whilst it sometimes felt like everything and everyone was against them, the women found ways to get the job done.

We could only use the school kitchen in the holiday periods, and we had to follow very strict rules laid down by the council. The council also wanted us to buy from their suppliers – it was crazy as they were much more expensive than the cash and carry. We had to prove that we had used them, but then we used to get other things and just sneak them in, but they would have inspectors coming out to check. It was a hard slog. We fed about 300 families.

Undeterred, the women of Sacriston sought innovative solutions, such as establishing a second-hand shop. This initiative not only provided financial support but also served as a sanctuary for miners’ wives, fostering solidarity and support amidst adversity.

Their struggles extended beyond the confines of Sacriston too. The Department of Health and Social Security’s punitive measures, deducting benefits for receiving food parcels, exemplified the systemic challenges women faced, including from the police.

When we were out picketing, we were thrown to the ground, we were handcuffed. We were treated like the men. In fact, when the police were in the village, they targeted the women, stopping them in the street, questioning the whereabouts of their children. 

Although their efforts were not without internal tensions, the women navigated these bureaucratic hurdles and male dominance to ensure the well-being of their community. Balancing loyalty to the union with the need for autonomy, women traversed delicate relationships within the community. And despite resistance from entrenched Lodge officials, support from younger NUM members offered a glimmer of hope amidst the strife.

Demonstration outside BBC Newcastle (c) Ethel Claughan & Anna Lawson

Sacriston’s women demonstrated resilience and solidarity, their contributions integral to the fabric of the strike. Anna’s first-hand account serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by women in the mining communities, a history often overshadowed by tales of male heroism.

As we reflect on the legacy of the miners’ strike, we need to remember the untold stories of women like Anna, whose courage and perseverance continue to inspire generations. Theirs is a legacy of resilience, defiance, and unwavering solidarity.

Which we honour again in July with We’re Not Going Back, including a trip to Durham. Book here!

John Heywood

Main picture: Anna at a rally in Sheffield (c) Ethel Claughan & Anna Lawson

Anna with Red Ladder’s Artistic Director Cheryl Martin at the Durham WAPC march 2024

On her way to the Fringe: when Me For You’s Rachel E. Thorn met John Heywood

The marketing for Rachel E. Thorn’s new play Me For You has the opening line “Choosing sperm is weird. The one thing we know for sure is these guys are all wankers.” So I knew speaking to her was definitely not going to be dull.

In the realm of creativity, there are those who wait for opportunities and those who create them. Rachel belongs to the latter category. With a background in acting, she found herself facing the harsh reality of the industry – jobs were scarce, and opportunities seemed few and far between. And having a baby not long after graduating added to these pressures. But Rachel wasn’t about to wait for her big break,

It just felt like if I wanted to have a creative career, I was going to have to take charge of it myself.

And so, she did. Embracing improvisation as her tool of choice, Rachel delved into the world of creating her own work.

Improvisation is just such a wonderful art form, keeping your acting skills sharp. You’re playing a new character in a new situation every time you step on stage, so it keeps your range nice and broad, and it’s very liberating because you’re not confined by your casting type, how you look and how you sound.

But Rachel didn’t stop there. Fuelled by her passion for writing, she began crafting sketches and scripts, which soon caught the attention of podcast producers and BBC Radio shows. Her knack for writing led to opportunities in script editing and collaborations with talented impressionists, further expanding her creative repertoire before turning to stage writing, penning her solo show Lovefool and embarking on a journey of self-discovery and resilience.

Fast forward to the present and Rachel finds herself on the cusp of a new chapter – the debut of her latest play, Me For You. Set against the backdrop of a lesbian relationship, the play delves into the complexities of love, identity, and the human condition.

Rachel explained that love is very much at the centre of her new work and that everything else is secondary.

It just really hinges on two people loving each other. It’s so nice when we see love, isn’t it? You know, when you see a couple walking down the street holding hands, we just have a little moment of, “Oh, that’s so nice.” We’re all such horrible people really. And we really struggle to be good enough to be worthy of that love.  

I asked Rachel if it was external circumstances that sometimes made us the horrible people we can be:

Absolutely. Look at the external circumstances in the play; they want to make a positive difference to the political situation, the climate crisis, but they just feel very hamstrung by their circumstances. And that’s not to say that they don’t have privilege and they know that. They do have privilege; they have good jobs and each other. It just doesn’t seem to be quite enough to make a difference. They feel left behind, disempowered, disenfranchised. And while they love each other so desperately, they discover through the course of the play that they’re hamstrung by being selfish.

With Edinburgh Fringe on the horizon and a summer tour with Red Ladder and Slung Low, the future brims with possibilities. Yet, amidst the uncertainty, Rachel remains grounded in her commitment to storytelling and the transformative power of live theatre.

In Rachel’s world, creativity knows no bounds. From the stage to the page, she continues to push the boundaries of artistic expression, one improvised line and scripted scene at a time. And as her journey unfolds, one thing remains certain – wherever Rachel goes, creativity follows.

By John Heywood

Red Ladder Local dates for Me For You

Queen’s Mill, Castleford

17 Jul 2024 7:30pm BOOK TICKETS

Marsden Mechanics, Huddersfield

21 Jul 2024 7:30pm BOOK TICKETS

Rockwell Community Centre, Bradford

26 Jul 2024 7:30pm BOOK TICKETS

Cheryl Martin on Sanctuary and why theatre can play an important role in amplifying the voices of refugees and asylum seekers

I didn’t choose Sanctuary for my first production as Red Ladder’s Artistic Director, I inherited Boff Whalley’s and Sarah Woods’ brilliant and compelling new musical from my predecessor, Rod Dixon. But even though I didn’t choose this play, which tells the story of a young Iranian man whose plea to be given sanctuary at a church in northern England divides the local community, if I could have picked a topic then this is one I would have gone for. Why? Because I think it’s hugely important and goes to the heart of the kind of society we want to live in.

Now that Rishi Sunak has finally called a general election, the political spotlight has focussed once again on immigration (has it ever gone away?) as politicians vie with one another to talk tough on the issue with promises of crackdowns, tighter border controls and so on. It feels like refugees and asylum seekers have become political punch bags and their experiences ignored in favour of sensationalist and often inflammatory headlines.

Whenever we hear about an immigration story in the news it’s often negative and usually focuses on numbers and statistics, rather than real people with poignant, and often heartbreaking, stories. If a boat carrying migrants across the Channel sinks and those on board drown we rarely hear about the lives lost, or the devastated families left behind. Instead, it becomes a game of political finger pointing with yet more tub-thumping rhetoric.

But I believe the stories of people who come to our country seeking our help and protection deserve to be told – and we need to hear them. During my time working in Manchester I collaborated with Community Arts Northwest on a series of big community plays devised with, and starring, mostly women refugees and asylum seekers. So I know from personal experience the positive impact this can have not only for those involved, but the audiences too.

Art and culture, whether it’s a play, a novel, or a film, has such an important role because they highlight our common humanity and can help change people’s perceptions. A lot of the asylum seekers and refugees I worked with had highly skilled jobs back in their own countries. They were doctors, teachers and chemists, and most of them were forced to flee their homeland because they spoke out or protested in favour of democracy, free speech, or equal rights.

They came from places like Iran, Afghanistan and Syria, and they left because they had little or no freedom. I’m in awe of these people and in another world Hollywood would be making movies about them and portraying them as heroes. They stood up for what’s right and what they believe in despite being threatened with violence or persecution – that’s a hero’s story in my book.

It’s good for us to put ourselves in other people’s shoes and question our own perceptions and biases. Theatre is all about exploring what it is to be human: it’s far more than just a newspaper headline, or a political soundbite.

There are characters in this play who are very anti-immigration: some whose parents were immigrants but who feel the new wave arriving here is breaking the rules. But there are others who passionately believe we should always help those that need it.

Good drama is never one-dimensional. It should make human stories feel very real and that’s what I believe Sanctuary does.

Exploring Identity and Mental Health through Theatre: A Conversation with BI-TOPIA’s Sam Danson

A highlight of Red Ladder Local this June is the production BI-TOPIA, an “honest and raw but extremely funny coming-of-age story” that explores the complexities of being bisexual, delving into the often-overlooked connections between poor mental health and masculinity as well as sexuality.

I had the pleasure of speaking with the show’s writer/performer, Sam Danson, to learn about the personal journey which led to the creation of BI-TOPIA, a play a long time in the making.

After university, Sam began his career as a broadcast journalist for radio, finding it was the social issues that truly captured his interest.

It was the most natural thing to talk about the things that I cared about and try to start conversations that were productive.

Sam always had a passion for writing and performing, and these interests became major elements of his journalistic work. Resulting with a shift in focus and him collaborating with theatre companies.

I supported them in terms of the creative process and other projects. And that really ignited my passion to make theatre.

BI-TOPIA originated from this work, initially conceived as a piece about male mental health aimed at encouraging men to discuss their feelings. As the concept developed, it evolved into this coming-of-age story that examines how background and sexuality impact mental health and self-perception.

The show is about someone who comes from a military background and discovers that they’re bisexual which feels at odds with the idea of masculinity that they had grown up with, creating a lot of shame, and a lot of issues with identity.

It felt really exposing once we showed it and people all of a sudden knew about random details of your life… it feels like you no longer own those very personal things.

I didn’t realise how challenging it would be to talk about these themes that were so personal to me, and it was quite overwhelming. It was the first time I’ve experienced that.

Fortunately, with the support of those commissioning the show, Sam navigated this vulnerability and wanted to express his thanks to director Rikki Beadle-Blair who has also been a mentor to him over their collaboration.

Sam Danson ©Jason Lock Photography

Despite tackling serious issues, the play remains entertaining and humorous. The audience may not share the same issues as the character, but many of the mental health concerns and the reluctance of men to share their feelings resonate widely.

As well as the Red Ladder Local performance at The Cluntergate Centre on Saturday 22^nd June, Sam aims to tour BI-TOPIA extensively, fostering conversations about its themes at diverse venues where interested audience members can discuss the show’s topics, which he believes are crucial.

We discuss mental health and masculinity and identity and that kind of thing. People just don’t talk about that enough. Certainly not certain generations or certain men who grew up in a certain kind of environment. It is so important to give them a voice.

We’ve had really nice positive conversations with people across the country. Performing it has really helped me to feel like I understand my own mental health a lot more than I previously did, which is really important.

BI-TOPIA is not just a play; it’s a catalyst for essential conversations about identity, mental health, and masculinity. Through his work, Sam Danson is opening up vital discussions that resonate with many, offering both entertainment and a profound reflection on the human experience.

By John Heywood

BOOK HERE for BI-TOPIA at The Cluntergate Centre on Saturday 22nd June at 7:30pm.

Opening up new paths into acting, directing and writing by Cheryl Martin

I know how lucky I am to be at Red Ladder. On my way here, I was also lucky to be able to tap into paid residencies. A string of venues and their talent development programmes. And spaces to learn how to create all kinds of theatre, from large-scale community pieces to solo shows. I recently realised that almost every path I had to find a way into the profession is now closed. A lot of studio spaces and venues have had to close post-lockdown, a lot of venues have had to curtail outreach and development because of lost revenue, and the paid residencies that were thick on the ground when I started are now rare.

I want to give back a little of what I was given when I was starting out. So Red Ladder is adding new courses, led by me, in writing, acting and directing, starting next month. All the sessions in Leeds will be open to anyone from West Yorkshire wanting to have a go, although the acting course will especially welcome those who have already been part of our Red Grit or 2023-24 acting courses. And the online course is open to everyone, anywhere!

At the end of all three courses, we’ll hold a showcase that friends and family and others from the theatre industry can attend – and talent hunt.  We’ll be talent hunting ourselves, to look for future collaborators, or those who might be able to take up opportunities at Red Ladder.

Here is a brief summary of the courses.

Writing: in person and online.

🖊️ Starting from real life

🖊️ Creating multi-layered characters

🖊️ What makes good dialogue

🖊️ Different approaches to structure

Directing:

📣 Devising

📣 Tackling text

📣 How to structure rehearsals

📣 How to brief and work with designers and collaborators

📣 Working with actors

📣 A public showcase

Acting:

🎭 How to free yourself to take risks

🎭 Working with new writing

🎭 A public showcase

Come along and try a course.  They’re going to be fun.

Can’t wait to see you!

Cheryl.