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Home , Blue Elephant Theatre, English Touring Theatre, RADA Studios, Stephen Mangan, The Worst Witch

An English Touring Theatre and Sheffield Theatres co-production

Based on the number one bestseller by Matt Haig Reasons to Stay Alive #ReasonsPlay Imagined for the stage and directed by Jonathan Watkins Text written by April De Angelis Thank you so much for joining us at this performance of Reasons to Stay Alive, our co-production with Sheffield Theatres.

Matt Haig’sReasons to Stay Alive is a universally loved book that has had a profound impact on readers across the world. Matt’s story is a human story with enormous heart and his journey through the darkness and light of mental health issues is one that affects many of us directly or indirectly every day. The book’s joy, humour and love continue to be a great source of help and inspiration for many and it is an enormous privilege to be involved in the first ever stage production of this work.

We are thrilled to work with the incredibly talented Jonathan Watkins and the exceptional cast he has assembled, April De Angelis who has brought her considerable skill and empathy to the adaptation and our partners at Sheffield Theatres, who have helped bring this story to the stage.

You can keep up to date with the production on tour @ETTtweet #ReasonsPlay or by signing up to our mailing list at ett.org.uk.

We hope you enjoy the show.

Richard & Lizzie

Richard Twyman Lizzie Vogler Artistic Director Executive Producer English Touring Theatre English Touring Theatre

Reasons to Stay Alive is an English Touring Theatre and Sheffield Theatres co-production. The production opens at Sheffield Theatres(13 – 28 Sep) before touring to Bristol Old Vic (1 – 5 Oct), Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield (8 – 12 Oct), Northern Stage, Newcastle (15 – 19 Oct), HOME, Manchester (29 Oct – 2 Nov), York Theatre Royal (5 – 9 Nov) and Leeds Playhouse (12 – 16 Nov).

Jonathan Watkins /English Touring Theatre @ETTtweet /englishtouringtheatre #ReasonsPlay 1 A note… before we get fully under way

Minds are unique. They go wrong in unique ways. My mind went wrong in a slightly different way to how other minds go wrong. Our experience overlaps with other people’s, but it is never exactly the same experience. Umbrella labels like ‘depression’ (and ‘anxiety’ and ‘panic disorder’ and ‘OCD’) are useful, but only if we appreciate that people do not all have the same precise experience of such things.

Depression looks different to everyone. Pain is felt in different ways, to different degrees, and provokes different responses. That said, if books had to replicate our exact experience of the world to be useful, the only books worth reading would be written by ourselves.

There is no right or wrong way to have depression, or to have a panic attack, or to feel suicidal. These things just are. Misery, like yoga, is not a competitive sport. But I have found over the years that by reading about other people who have suffered, survived and overcome despair I have felt comforted. It has given me hope. I hope this book can do the same.

An extract from Reasons to Stay Alive

2 Phil Cheadle and Mike Noble 3 So what to tell someone who has no support And sure, I still have anxiety. My mental health from family or friends or a partner? How do is often far from perfect. I have dark days and you tell someone to ‘stay alive for other people’ weeks. Life is never all unicorns and rainbows. when they have no other people? It is very But the bleak view of my future I once had never tricky. But in a way it is the thing I would have happened. most wanted to hear myself at the age of 24, The Future when I was at the lowest point. I am now a very different person to the one I was. I know more about my own mind. I know I would still say ‘stay alive for other people’. But how to look after it. I am more grateful for just I Never Believed In not the people around you. Not the people being. I have done things my young self would you know right now. And maybe not even the never have imagined possible. Indeed, right By Matt Haig people you are yet to meet at some point in now I am writing an article for a play based on future time. my book. A play being brought to stage by so many talented people. That would have once It is quite a surreal thing, to have your own mental health No. The people you should stay alive for are seemed utterly ridiculous. Every day spent issues become the subject of a play. actually versions of you. just living is another day I am grateful for. I appreciate so many sublime wonders I used to That’s the thing I didn’t understand as a young take for granted. People keep asking me ‘will it be weird, Indeed, the most difficult question I ever get man. watching your ‘self’ on stage?’ And the asked at a book event is: ‘what would you tell Sunsets, laughter, music – all that corny, obvious answer is ‘yes’, because of course it someone who is suicidal right now, if they feel I didn’t understand how powerful time is. How it magical stuff. will be. But then, having Reasons to Stay Alive they have no-one at all?’ changes you. published was weird from the start. I would have once found it impossible, that In the grips of depression and panic and anxiety, I could think and feel so differently. For one thing, I didn’t expect anyone to read The reason I wrote Reasons I imagined I would stay in that torturous state of it. Well okay, I expected some people to to Stay Alive in the first place invisible agony for ever. I was convinced I had no The impossible, I suppose, happens via living. read it, but if I had expected hundreds of is because there hadn’t been future because I would always be the same. thousands of people to read it, I may well If you stay around long enough you get to find have been too self-conscious to write it the anything like it when I needed But of course that is not true. People change. that out. way I did. it most. We all change.

But I am glad I did. It is hard because when my life was in danger, I obviously did have people. I had people who I am glad I imagined no-one was reading (or loved me. I had Andrea. I had my parents. I had watching). my sister (who was on the other side of the Because the reason I wrote Reasons to Stay world, working in Sydney, so never saw me at Alive in the first place is because there hadn’t my very worst). And though at my illest I would been anything like it when I needed it most. have preferred to have no-one at all, as I just Yes, there had been brilliant accounts of wanted to dissolve into the ground unnoticed, depression when I was ill, written in far more it is obviously a benefit to have people who can depth and far better researched than I would support you in some way. Yes, in one way, other have been able to write, but the challenge people can only do so much. When your leg is was to write about anxiety and depression on fire it doesn’t matter how many people tell truthfully, but in a way that wasn’t depressing. you they love you and that things will be okay your leg is still on bloody fire. I was trying to sit down with an imagined reader – maybe my younger self – and try But I definitely feel that having Andrea by my and give that hopeless person the hope they side through the whole of my breakdown and need. recovery was invaluable. At the very least, it helps to have someone you don’t have to be fake with, And hope is a hard thing sometimes. who allows you to put down the mask so you can speak the truth about what you are feeling.

Mike Noble and Dilek Rose 4 5 Who or what inspires you? Reading the book, I was struck by its theatrical potential. Matt’s descriptions of the shifting Inspiration can come from anywhere, and relationship with time, the mix of personal story there shouldn’t be any prejudice about where with practical advice and stories and the notion with it comes from – it could be Socrates dialogues, of Matt talking to his younger self all felt like they Q&A a beach read, Eastenders, or a pop song – could be explored and shared theatrically. whatever spurs thought or thinking about things in different ways, is absolutely fine. It has been vital working with such a talented Jonathathan Watkins group of actors to mould, craft and take What has it been like working on ownership of this story. It’s exciting to take Reasons to Stay Alive? what April’s given us and imagine it with a What is your earliest theatre memory? I was fortunate to join the Royal Ballet Company collaboration of set and movement that informs When I first read Matt’s book I was really for 10 years, I danced and created work there, the flow and structure of the play. Matt’s book inspired by him sharing his personal truths and My earliest memories are all dance-based as but I always knew I wanted to expand and tell is then our own manual for the play to stay own experience with depression and anxiety. I come from a dance and ballet background. stories in my own way. Some stories call for truthful to. He is very clear in the book that all minds are Northern Ballet’s A Simple Man by the late words or texts, like what we’re doing now with unique and can go wrong in very unique ways. choreographer Gillian Lynne was based on Reasons to Stay Alive, some don’t. For anyone starting out in the industry as a L.S. Lowry and his paintings that feature I was always upfront with Matt himself and the director, do you have any words of wisdom? industrial landscapes. When the curtain goes I left the Royal Ballet and branched out into company that the story we are sharing on stage up, it’s a freeze frame like his paintings and choreography and movement, working across is Matt’s very personal story in the hope that Jump on any opportunities that you are then it all comes alive. It was dance, but it was film, theatre, and dance to understand how by being specific we can also find the points offered or can create for yourself. Try to create theatrical with storytelling, and that’s very different genres tell stories and play with where this experience overlaps with others and opportunities by finding the people that believe much like what I do now. combining them all into a hybrid form. resonates with lots of different people. We are in what you are passionate about. It doesn’t not trying to say we have the answers but trying need to be big scale, it can be any scale, and Growing up in Barnsley, Yorkshire there is I created Kes, an adaptation of A Kestrel for a to express in a visceral, theatrical way what those opportunities become stepping stones such a specific way of people talking and Knave, at the Sheffield Crucible, a dance/theatre Matt’s experience was and what helped him. It not to success but to our growing and evolving reminiscing. Sitting around a dinner table production with no spoken word. It’s a story was important to also impart to an audience the practice. with my family, they’d paint pictures of what very much from the North, that’s really owned things he had learned for example the ‘weapons’ they were like at school – it was very vivid and by the people in that area. So that for me was he discovered as a way of coping along the way. imaginative. So it didn’t really start with theatre a learning experience but also the beginning but at home with storytelling, and specifically of really trying to hone the kind of craft and a sort of Yorkshire way of storytelling. theatricality that I wanted to express within a production. The structure and elements that go into telling a story translate to a theatrical setting because I was then searching for another project I all we’re doing is gathering people in a room could do that would need words and would and trying to express and communicate a benefit from all the different elements that I story, narrative or concept. That’s really what was learning and experimenting with to tell theatre is to me. a story. I read Matt’s book in 2015 and was totally inspired. What was your route into the industry? What advice would you give to emerging I left home in Yorkshire at 12 years old to train artists now? in classical ballet at the Royal Ballet School, Richmond Park. I started very early creating Believe in yourself. Be passionate about what my own work based on ideas that I’d read you’re creating and find people who can see in books.One of my first pieces was called the same thing, who believe in your idea and Suppressed Expressions responding to the can help you along your way. Personally, I can’t feeling that we were all made to learn ballet do things to the best of my ability unless I the same, every move was the same and there believe in it as an idea as my best work comes was no room for individual expression. from those ideas.

6 Phil Cheadle, Janet Etuk and Mike Noble 7 The Company of Reasons to Stay Alive The Company in rehearsals

8 Chris Donnelly, Phil Cheadle and Connie Walker in rehearsals Janet Etuk, Mike Noble and Connie Walker 9 Firstly, we might be worried about a friend, or 1 http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence. a family member, but starting conversations svc/evidencedocument/health-committee/childrens-and- that might be seen as emotionally ‘intense’ or adolescent-mental-health-and-camhs/written/7562.html This is a normal part ‘nosey’ can feel daunting. However, you don’t 2 Green H et al. (2005) Mental health of children and young have to take on the role of therapist and have people in Great Britain, 2004. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan lots of advice up your sleeve. 3 Kessler RC et al. (2005). ‘Lifetime Prevalence and Age-of-Onset of being human Never underestimate the power of just ‘being Distributions of DSM-IV Disorders in the National Comorbidity there’, starting that conversation and just Survey Replication’. listening. Simply talking about our mental 4 www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Mental- Claire Kelly, Director of Curricula and Training at health can really change someone’s life. Health-Taskforce- FYFV-final.pdf Mindfulness in Schools Project offers tips on how to support people experiencing mental health problems. Things to consider Timing: It’s important that conversations happen at times and in places that feel natural Most conversations around mental health While the professional services around mental rather than set up as a ‘therapy session’. The tend to frame it as something you have or health undoubtedly need more support and more every day the setting, the less unusual don’t have. Mental health and mental illness investment in meeting these needs, we can all and uncomfortable the conversation can feel. are usually seen as discretely opposing states play a role in supporting ourselves and those About Mindfulness of mind and body, and yet mental health is around us with the highs and lows (and all that Asking: Choose three key phrases you could in Schools Project (MiSP) best understood as a sliding scale. We all have is in between) of what it is to be human. use to start the conversation. They don’t have ‘mental health’. Most of us experience it sliding to be ‘deep’, but just a way of opening up As a UK charity, Mindfulness in Schools somewhere along that scale on a daily, hourly For example, we can all develop the supportive a chance for a chat. They might start with Project (MiSP) has been working for many or even moment-by-moment basis. This is a strategies and vocabulary to open up phrases like, ‘I’ve noticed that you’ve been….’ years with schools and other youth-based normal part of being human. discussions around mental health, whether organisations, supporting young people in about our own experiences or those of friends, Listening: This is a real skill. Our natural developing skills to help them foster their However, what is becoming clear is the family or colleagues. tendency when people express worry or own wellbeing. extent to which both adults and children are distress is to try to wade in, offer advice and increasingly sliding into the ‘not thriving’ or What Reasons to Stay Alive does beautifully is help them ‘fix’ it, but it’s important to resist MiSP’s work has already benefitted ‘really struggling with everyday life’ end of reveal the importance of finding the vocabulary the temptation to offer solutions, make approximately 500,000 young people the scale. The tipping point from one to the and attitude with which to open up discussions assumptions or diagnose their problem. through their schools-based curricula other can be very difficult to discern, not around the experience of distress. And the and training. Their work regularly attract least because there is still a certain amount extent to which we all have the potential to Just try to just listen, avoiding the temptation research by major universities in the UK of stigma attached to admitting that you are both hurt or heal, humanise or dehumanise to negate the importance of what they’re and worldwide. struggling to ‘cope’ on a day-to-day basis. those who are suffering, depending on how we saying through phrases like, ‘it’ll be OK’ or ‘don’t respond or react towards them. be silly’. Phrases that acknowledge how hard MiSP provides support and practical tools There is now tangible research evidence things are for them can help. For example, ‘Just for all young people to take with them regarding the scale of the mental health There is a great deal to learn from Matt’s take your time, there is no rush. I know talking throughout their lives. Their ultimate problems faced by young people and experiences of how family, friends and about this can be difficult.’ aim is to help young people to tip over adults today. For example, 30% of English colleagues talk to/about him. Below are a few from a point of ‘just getting by’ to actively adolescents report sub-clinical mental tips on how such conversations can support What next: Luckily, there are now numerous flourishing. health1. One in ten children have a those we know to be struggling. avenues to more help for those struggling with diagnosable mental health disorder – that’s mental health as well as their friends or family Why not support MiSP’s Million Minds 2 roughly three children in every classroom. (see page 25). A good place to start is always Matter campaign, and their mission to the person’s GP, but this may feel like too big a reach a million children and young people Half of all mental health problems manifest step in the first instance, so online and phone in the UK by 2023, equipping them with by the age of 14, with 75% by age 243, and the line support can be a real source of information the skills to flourish. cost to the economy of all-age mental health and support. problems is estimated at £105 billion a year – mindfulnessinschools.org/support roughly the cost of the entire NHS4.

10 11 Reasons to PRODUCTION TEAM Company Stage Manager Robyn Clogg Deputy Stage Manager Philip Hussey Stay Alive Assistant Stage Manager Zoe Leonard Production Manager (ETT) Matthew Ledbury Production Manager (Sheffield Theatres) Stephanie Balmforth By Matt Haig Assistant Production Manager (ETT) Sophie Slater (supported by MGCfutures bursary) Costume Supervisor Merle Richards Wright Wardrobe Manager (Tour) Caz Offord Relighter (Tour) Liam Cleary Production Carpenter (Tour) Guy Fryer CAST Technician (Tour) Steve Andrews Lighting Programmer Phil Baines Older Matt Phil Cheadle Lighting Equipment by SLX Dad Chris Donnelly Sound Equipment by Stage Sound Services Andrea Janet Etuk Scenery Construction & Scenic Art Design Workshop, Take One, RT Scenic Younger Matt Mike Noble Scenic Artist Joe Philpott Haulage Paul Matthews Dawn/Jenny/Denise Dilek Rose Marketing Consultants Luke Shires Marketing Mum Connie Walker Audience Development Ella Macfadyen Press Representation Kate Morley PR CREATIVE TEAM Production Artwork Design Oliver Rosser for Feast Creative Rehearsal and Johan Persson Adaptor April De Angelis Production Photography Director Jonathan Watkins Designer Simon Daw WITH THANKS TO: Lighting Designer Jessica Hung Yun Sheffield Theatres Scenic Workshop, Graham Cockshutt Composer Alex Baranowski and Georgina Rowse. Music Associate Joss Holden-Rea Thank you to all the staff, technical, Sound Designer Nick Greenhill and production team members at our co-producers, Sheffield Theatres. Casting Director Lucy Casson Assistant Director Sepy Baghaei

Running time: approximately 1 hour 20 minutes without an interval

12 13 PHIL CHEADLE CHRIS DONNELLY JANET ETUK MIKE NOBLE DILEK ROSE CONNIE WALKER OLDER MATT DAD ANDREA YOUNGER MATT DAWN/JENNY/DENISE MUM

Phil trained at RADA. Chris trained at the Bristol Old Vic Janet trained at East 15. Mike trained at Drama Centre. Dilek trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre Connie trained at the Guildhall School Theatre School. School. of Music & Drama. For English Touring Theatre: Far From The Theatre includes: Tao of Glass (Royal Theatre includes: Cougar (Orange Tree Madding Crowd. Theatre includes: Bent (Courtyard Theatre); Exchange Theatre / Manchester Theatre); The Almighty Sometimes (Royal Theatre includes: (English Touring Theatre includes: The Importance of Road ( Playhouse); Darkness International Festival); Dinomania Exchange Theatre); Bad Roads, Road Theatre); Cuzco (); Twist Being Earnest (Watermill); In Basildon, Theatre includes: A Midsummer Night’s Darkness (Nottingham Playhouse);The (New Diorama Theatre); Love (National (Royal Court); Game (); (Theatre Centre / UK tour); Octopus A Month of Sundays (Queen’s Theatre Dream (Sheffield Theatres)Table (New Country, Billy Liar, One Flea Spare, Theatre / Birmingham Rep / UK tour); The Curious Incident of the Dog in the ( / National tour); Hornchurch); Trestle (Southwark Vic Theatre); The Cardinal (Southwark Abigail’s Party, Bedroom Farce, Time and Gastronomic (Norwich Theatre); Faith, Night-Time, Port (National Theatre); Taming of the Shrew (Two Gents Playhouse); My Mother Said I Never Playhouse); Breaking the Code (Royal Time Again, Trap for a Lonely Man, The Hope and Charity (Workshop / National Mudlarks (HighTide / ); / Rural tour); Waiting for Summer Should, Beauty Queen of Leenane Exchange Theatre); Henry V (Regent’s Edge of Darkness, Peril at End House, Theatre Studio); Satyagraha (English Punk Rock (Lyric Hammersmith / Royal (Old Red Lion Theatre); Keepsake ( Classic Theatre / UK & Ireland Park Open Air Theatre); The Boy in the Friends and Neighbours, The Grass is National Opera / Improbable); A Exchange Theatre). (Old Red Lion Theatre); Gather Ye tour); The March on Russia (Orange Tree Striped Pyjamas (Chichester Festival Greener, Sweet Revenge, Gaslight (UK Cracked Plaster Sky (Futures Theatre); Rosebuds (Theatre503); Contractions Theatre); Death of a Salesman (Royal & Theatre / Center Theatre Players); Mrs tours); Treasure Island (Tobacco Factory The Scar Test ( / UK tour); Film and Television Includes: Dark River, (Trafalgar Studios); Love’s Labour’s Lost Derngate / UK Tour); Folk (Birmingham Affleck (National Theatre); Henry IV Part Theatres); , , A Icons (Blazon Theatre); Beyond Caring Kill Command, The Siege of Jadotville, (Circomedia); The Wild Party (Tobacco Repertory Theatre / Hull Truck Theatre); I, Henry IV Part II, Bedlam (Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming (National Theatre / UK tour); The Love Bachelor Games, Jack Ryan: Shadow Factory). Seeing The Lights, Kes, Top Girls (New Globe); The Changeling, of the Shrew (Actors from the London I Feel is Red (Tobacco Factory / Òran Recruit, Jadoo, World War Z, Private Vic Theatre); To Kill a Mockingbird (Barbican / Tour); Neighbourhood Stage); Treasure Island (Tobacco Factory Mór); The Spanish Tragedy (Old Red Peaceful, Gambit, The Capture, Home Film and Television includes: (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre / UK Watch (Stephen Joseph Theatre / Theatres); Othello, The Winter’s Tale, Lion); Dead Grass (); Fires, Mr Selfridge, Granchester, MotherFatherSon, Snake Pit, Addi & tour / Barbican), An Inspector Calls, Tricycle Theatre / 59E59 Street Theater Two Gentlemen of Verona, , Lone Rangers (); Prisoners’ Wives. Chess, The Chocolate Wrapper. Deathtrap (English Theatre Frankfurt); As NY); Dear Uncle (Stephen Joseph Measure for Measure, The Taming of the Humans Incorporated (Alchemist You Like It, Hayfever (Leeds Playhouse); Theatre); Events While Guarding The Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Theatre); Dead Grass (East 15 / Separate Tables (Chichester Festival Bofors Gun (); All The Changeling, Troilus and Cressida, ); Sealand (Arcola Theatre); Spring Awakening (Novello My Sons (Leicester Curve Theatre); Henry V (Shakespeare at the Tobacco Theatre); The Story of the Four-Minute Theatre); Plunder (Watermill Theatre / Blue Remembered Hills (Northern Factory); The Tempest, Orpheus and Mile (Oxford Playhouse); Doing the Idiots Greenwich Theatre); Inside Out (UK tour Stage); Piranha Heights (Old Red Lion Eurydice, Macbeth (Insane Root Theatre (National Theatre Studio); And Touch Me / Arcola Theatre); Happy Birthday Brecht / D.E.M Productions); Variation on a Company). (Rustaveli, Tbilisi). (National Theatre); Mother Courage, Theme (Finborough Theatre); Knives in The Miser (The Wolsey Theatre); The Hens (Arcola Theatre); (Arcola Film and Television includes: No Offence; Film includes: Love, Mute Film Series: Date, Caucasian Chalk Circle (Mercury Theatre Theatre); Macbeth (Leeds Playhouse); If I Fat Friends; Silent Witness; Wire in the The Souvenir, Expecting. Colchester); Were You (Library Theatre Manchester); Blood; The Musketeers; The Derren (Royal Exchange Theatre). Strawberry Fields (Pentabus Theatre); Brown Show; Vital Signs; Casualty; Playwriting credits include: Mkpa Mbiet The Tempest, Saint Joan (AndBC Wycliffe; Eastenders. (Dead Grass) (Southwark Playhouse / Film and Television includes: The Darkest Theatre / US tour); (Exeter Arcola). Light, What Do You See?, Coronation Northcott Theatre);Richard III (REL / Radio: Chris has performed in over thirty Street, Holby City, Vera, Scott & Bailey, RADA Studios / Tour). radio plays for BBC Radio 4. Silent Witness, Hollyoaks, Casualty, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, New Tricks, Film and Television includes: Harlots; Dark Chris also directs projects and teaches acting and improvisation at his old Blackpool, Doctors, M.I.T., The Vice, Angel; Silent Witness; The Crimson Field; Dream Team, The Bill. New Worlds; Inspector Lynley; Inside the drama school, runs workshops when Titanic; Coronation Street; Hollyoaks; available and is about to complete Radio includes: The Chasseur and the Nun, Shelburne; 1917; John Carter of Mars. his master’s degree course in Creative Stage Fright, The Last Bed, Anthony & Writing with the Open University. He is Cleopatra (all for BBC Radio). delighted to be working for the ETT / Sheffield Theatres on such a fascinating project.

14 15 APRIL DE ANGELIS SIMON DAW Opera Includes: Owen Wingrave ADAPTOR DESIGNER (Aldeburgh Music / Edinburgh International Festival). Theatre includes: The Village (Theatre Simon studied Fine Art at Winchester Royal Stratford East); Frankenstein School of Art and Glasgow School of Installation commissions include: The (Royal Exchange Manchester); Art followed by a Postgrad at Motley Competition (Shoreditch Town My Brilliant Friend, a two part Theatre Design Course, London. Hall); 3rd Ring Out (UK tour); Wave Structures, Hopefully it Means Nothing, dramatization of Elena Ferrantes’ epic For English Touring Theatre: French Sea House (Aldeburgh Festival); New family saga (); Without Tears. After Electra (Theatre Royal Plymouth Town (Site specific / Arches). / Tricycle Theatre); Rune (New Vic Theatre includes: Macbeth (Chichester); Theatre Stoke); Gastronauts (Royal 1984 (Northern Ballet); Court Upstairs); Jumpy (Royal Court / (Northampton Theatre Royal / UK JESSICA HUNG HAN YUN Duke of York’s Theatre / Melbourne / tour / ); Baskerville LIGHTING DESIGNER (Liverpool Playhouse / China tour); Sydney); an adaptation of Wuthering For English Touring Theatre: Equus (Theatre The Welcoming Party (Manchester Heights (Birmingham Rep); A Laughing Royal Stratford East / Trafalgar Studios International Theatre / Theatre-Rites / Matter (Out of Joint / National / UK tour). Theatre); A Warwickshire Testimony Ruhrtriennale Festival); World Factory Theatre includes: Seven Methods of (RSC); The Positive Hour (Out of Joint (Metis Arts / / Fabrications Killing Kylie Jenner, Pah-La (Royal / ); Playhouse Festival Lancashire); While the Sun MATT HAIG Court); Fairview (Young Vic); Cuckoo Creatures (Old Vic Theatre, revived at Shines, French Without Tears (UK AUTHOR (Soho Theatre); Armadillo (The Yard); Chichester Festival Theatre); The Life tour), Humble Boy, Poison, The Lottery One (Manchester Home / UK tour / and Times of Fanny Hill (The Old Fire of Love, Sheppey, The Philanderer, Matt Haig is the bestselling author of books for adults International tour); Summer Rolls, A Station Oxford, revived at the Bristol Widowers’ Houses, The Widowing of his children. Reasons to Stay Alive spent an entire year in Pupil (); Dear Elizabeth, Old Vic); Flight (Glyndebourne Opera). Mrs Holroyd (); A the Sunday Times Bestseller list and its follow-up Notes Dark Night in Dalston (Park Theatre); The Human Voice (); on a Nervous Planet also reached number one and was My Brilliant Friend will transfer to the Material Men (Shobana Jeyasingh Forgotten (Yellow Earth / Moongate / translated into forty languages. As well as non-fiction, Olivier theatre in November 2019. Dance Co.); Orestes (Guildhall School of Arcola Theatre); Hive City Legacy (Hot he has also written novels for adults including the Music and Drama); Sister Act (Kilworth Brown Honey at Roundhouse); Nine bestsellers How to Stop Time, The Humans and The House); Wonderful Tennessee (Lyceum Foot Nine (Bunker Theatre / Edinburgh Radleys. He has also written a variety of children’s novels JONATHAN WATKINS Theatre / Sheffield);Digitopia (Tom Festival); Becoming Shades (Vaults such as the Truth Pixie, and A Boy Called Christmas which DIRECTOR Dale Company); Pied Piper (The Yard Festival). is being made into a film by the makers of Paddington As director, theatre includes: Kes (Sheffield Theatre); The Planet and Stuff (Polka starring , Maggie Smith, Sally Hawkins, Theatres) Theatre / Tonic Theatre); The Secret and Kristen Wiig. He was born in Sheffield and currently ALEX BARANOWSKI As choreographer, theatre includes: 1984 Agent (Theatre O / Traverse Theatre / lives in Brighton with his wife Andrea and their children. COMPOSER (Northern Ballet); Darl (The Joyce Young Vic / UK tour); Eventual Progress (Ekaterinburg State Academic Opera Theatre, New York); Silent Vision, Theatre includes: The Cripple of and Ballet Theatre); Waiting for Godot, Stop Me When I’m Stuck (Royal Ballet Inishmaan (Broadway, Tony The Winter’s Tale, The Daughter-In- at Linbury Studio Theatre); As One nomination); , Frankenstein, Law (Crucible Theatre); Two, Tanika’s (Royal Ballet); Metamorphosis: Titian Earthquakes in London, Stories Journey, Double Sentence (Deafinitely ( / BBC Imagine (National Theatre); A Streetcar Theatre); Democracy (Crucible Film); Beyond Prejudice, Free Falling Named Desire (Young Vic / New York); Theatre / Sheffield / ); (Curve Foundation / Edinburgh The Starry Messenger, Macbeth, East The Metamorphosis (Linbury Theatre Fringe Festival); NOW (New York City is East (West End); Kes, Desire Under / Royal Opera House / The Joyce, Ballet); Anger Fix (Sadler’s Wells); The Elms, Betrayal, Othello, Hobson’s New York); Dead Heavy Fantastic, Lost From Within (Royal Ballet School); Choice (Sheffield Theatres) and Monsters (Liverpool Everyman); As Push, Pull and All Inbetween, Osmosis numerous productions for Old Vic, One (Royal Ballet); (Hong Kong Performing Arts Centre); , RSC, Royal (Shakespeare’s Globe); Dolls (National Together Alone (Ballet Black); Eventual Court, Shakespeare’s Globe, Theatre of Scotland); Fast Labour Progress (Ekaterinburg Ballet Theatre, Manchester International Festival, (Hampstead Theatre / Leeds Playhouse); Russia); Present Process (Ballet Royal Exchange, West End and DNA, Baby Girl, The Miracle, The Manila, Philippines); A Northern Broadway. Trilogy (Northern Ballet); Crash Enchantment (National Theatre); Elling Dance includes: 1984 (Northern Ballet); (Texas Ballet Theatre); The Machine (Bush / Trafalgar Studios); Aladdin and Together Alone (Ballet Black) and Kes (Manchester International Festival/ the Enchanted Lamp (Bristol Old Vic); (Sheffield Theatres) all collaborating Donmar Warehouse/New York Park Fragile Land (Hampstead Theatre); Tall with Jonathan Watkins; Seven Point Avenue Armory); Coriolanus (Donmar Phoenix (Belgrade Theatre, Coventry); Zero (2Faced Dance). Warehouse). Rutherford and Son, Rafts and Dreams, Across Oka (Royal Exchange Theatre); Film and television includes: The As movement director, theatre includes: Romeo and Juliet (Royal Shakspeare Windermere Children, Nureyev, People (National Theatre); Aristocrats Company / Albery); Adam and Eve McCullin, , Attacking (Donmar Warehouse); Road (Royal (TPT Tokyo); Relatively Speaking, The The Devil, Edmund The Magnificent, Court). Witches, Everyman, Habeas Corpus The Hope Rooms, The Departure. As director, film includes: Route 67, Sofa, (Northampton Theatres); Under Television includes: Music and sound Bunker, Embracing Perfection. the Curse, Tragedy: A Tragedy (Gate design for all of BBC Two’s multi award Theatre); Kebab ( winning rebrand of their iconic TV Upstairs); Bloom (Rambert); The idents in 2018-19. Stepfather (Candoco).

16 Mike Noble 17 JOSS HOLDEN-REA LUCY CASSON ROBYN CLOGG Vase, Baggage, The Killing Of Sister MUSIC ASSOCIATE CASTING DIRECTOR COMPANY STAGE MANAGER George, A British Subject (, London); Ballroom Blitz, A Kick In The Joss has composed music for an For English Touring Theatre, as Casting Robyn trained at Central School of Baubles, Game Boys & Console Cuties, eclectic mix of projects across the Associate: Equus (Theatre Royal Speech and Drama with a BA (hons) in Cooking With Elvis (Hull Truck Theatre); television, film, and theatre industries. Stratford East / UK tour). Theatre Practice, specialising in Stage Curry Tales (RASA Productions). Television and film includes: Workhouse As Casting Director, theatre includes: Management. Philip has also worked on productions Music: The Apprentice, The Secret Life Hedda Gabler (Sherman Theatre); For English Touring Theatre as CSM: The with Leeds Playhouse, National of 6 Year Olds, The Taste andThe Big The Merchant of Venice (Stafford Weir (Mercury Theatre, Colchester / Theatre, Opera Up Close, Dante Or Allotment Challenge and Bumblebee. Shakespeare Festival); Gently Down UK tour). Die, Lip Service, Scottish Opera, Lyric The Stream (Park Theatre); On The Concert includes: pieces premiered at the Hammersmith, Red Ladder and Graeae Town (Hyogo Performing Arts Centre, For English Touring Theatre as DSM: The Royal Albert Hall, The Lincoln Centre, as well as two years as Company Stage Japan); Gabriel (UK tour); To Dream Weir (Mercury Theatre, Colchester / Cadogan Hall, on BBC Radio 3, BBC Manager at Phoenix Dance Theatre. Again (Theatr Clwyd); Last of The Boys, UK tour); Brideshead Revisited (York Radio 6, London Symphony Orchestra, His next project is a remount of Tara (Southwark Playhouse); El Theatre Royal / UK tour). and Bournemouth Symphony Finney Productions / Royal Exchange Train: Three One Act Plays by Eugene As CSM, work includes: Dishoom! (Rifco Orchestra. Theatre’s The Greatest Play In The O’Neill (); The Glass Theatre / Watford Palace Theatre); History Of The World at Trafalgar Supper (Hampstead Downstairs); City of Glass (59 Productions / Home Studios. NICK GREENHILL Autobahn (King’s Head); Cornelius, Manchester / Lyric Hammersmith). The One Day of the Year; The Blood SOUND DESIGNER As CSM (on the Book): Fascinating Aida is Strong, Laburnum Grove, Everyday Theatre includes: Rutherford and Son, (Password Productions / UK tour); ZOE LEONARD Maps for Everyday Use, The Sluts of Dillie Keane (Password Productions / A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Desire Sutton Drive, The Fear of Breathing ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Under the Elms, Songs from the UK tour); The Tempest (Watford Palace (Finborough Theatre). Zoe trained at Guildford School of Seven Hills, The Nap, Blasted, This is Theatre); I Believe in Unicorns (Wizard Acting in Theatre Production. my Family, The Sheffield Mysteries, As Casting Associate / Assistant, theatre Productions); Draw Me A Bird (Peut- Wonderful Tennessee, World Music, includes: On the Town (Regent’s Park être Theatre); the Play As SM or SM on Book, work includes: The Modernists, Bird Calls, A Chorus Open Air Theatre); The Addams ( / UK tour). Bare: A Pop Opera (The Vaults); The Line, Piaf, Fen, Far Away, Cloud Nine, Family (Music & Lyrics / UK tour); An As DSM: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Secret Garden, One Minute, The Ain’t Misbehavin’, Girl in the Goldfish American in Paris (West End); Henry V, Oliver Twist, Pride & Prejudice, Lord Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Sherlock Bowl, The Comedy of Errors, Gladiator A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Michael of the Flies, To Kill A Mockingbird Holmes and the Hound of the Games, Promises Promises, Assassins, Grandage Company / West End); A (Regents Park Open Air Theatre); Shine Baskervilles, Just so (Barn Theatre); Silk Fiddler on the Roof (Sheffield Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Play for (Live Theatre, Newcastle); Tell Me the Road (The Vaults/Live Theatre); Sarah Theatres); This Is My Family (Sheffield the Nation, The Merchant of Venice, Truth About Love (Streetwise Opera); & Duck’s Big Top Birthday (The Egg / Theatres / UK tour); Blue/Orange Othello (Royal Shakespeare Company). The Lighthouse & in the Locked Room, York Theatre Royal); Salad Days (Union (Sheffield Theatres / National tour); A As Casting Assistant, television includes: (Royal College of Music). And more Theatre). Number (Sheffield Theatres / Minerva The Bay (ITV), Murdered by my Father panto’s than I would care to admit to! As DSM, work includes: All in a Row Theatre, Chichester); Bouncers, Perfect (BBC). (Southwark Playhouse). Pitch (Derby Theatre); Speaking in As ASM, work includes: The Last Tongues (Derby Theatre / Hampstead PHILIP HUSSEY Temptation of Boris Johnson (Park Theatre); God and Stephen Hawking SEPY BAGHAEI DEPUTY STAGE MANAGER Theatre); Jack & the Beanstalk (National tour); Passing Places ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (Salisbury Playhouse); Working (Greenwich Theatre); Lady Day at Philip is based in Manchester and has Sepy trained at Royal Central School (Southwark Playhouse); Oil (Almeida Emerson’s Bar and Grill (National tour); worked as both Stage Manager and of Speech and Drama and Australian Deputy Stage Manager since graduating Theatre – Placement). The Blue Room, Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Academy of Dramatic Art. School for Scandal (Northampton in Theatre Studies in 1999. As Production Management, work includes: Theatre Royal); Great Expectations For English Touring Theatre, as Assistant For English Touring Theatre: Silver Lining Three Days in the Country (National (Walnut St Theatre); Philadelphia, Director: Othello. (Rose Theatre Kingston / UK tour) Theatre – Placement). Misconceptions (Salisbury Playhouse); As Director, theatre includes: Mycorrhiza, Theatre includes: hang, The Changing The Browning Version, Way Upstream, Little Women, CITIZEN, Wilde Tales Room (Sheffield Crucible Theatre); A Catwalk (Nitro Theatre Company); (); The Wolf Inside Me (Blue Streetcar Named Desire, The Skriker, Goblins Don’t Scare Us, The House Elephant Theatre); Re: Memory (UK Persuasion, There Is A Light That Never That Nat Built (The tour / AU tour); Click Café (Anywhere Goes Out, The Last Days Of Troy, / Hampstead); When Five Years Pass Festival Brisbane); Body Language Blindsided, Punk Rock, Black Roses: (Arcola Theatre) and ten pantomimes (Brave New Word Theatre); Grimm The Killing of Sophie Lancaster, The at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre. Tales (City of Sydney Library / Sydney Greatest Play In The History Of The Fringe Festival); Something to be Done World, Rats’ Tales, Miss Julie, Two, (Short+Sweet Sydney); Short, Fast & Mogadishu, Crocodiles, Into The Messy (Adelaide Fringe Festival). Blue, The Entertainer, Pygmalion, A As Assistant Director, theatre includes: As Raisin In The Sun, So Here We Are, You Like It (Regent’s Park Open Air Britannia Waves The Rules, A View Theatre). From The Bridge, Palace Of The End, Cosmic Scallies (Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre); The Maids, Ghosts, Inkheart (HOME, Manchester); Whisky Galore, Blithe Spirit (Oldham Coliseum Theatre); Storm In A Flower

18 Phil Cheadle 19 20 The Company of Reasons to Stay Alive 21 English Touring Theatre (ETT) is one of the UK’s leading touring companies, winning the UK Theatre Awards Best Touring Production in 2014, 2015 and 2016. ETT works with exciting artists to stage an eclectic mix of new and classic work for audiences throughout the UK and internationally; theatre that is thrilling, popular and engaged in the contemporary world. ETT celebrates the diversity of the nation, create connections between audiences nationally and places an examination of English identity at the heart of everything it does. ETT passionately believes that everyone, wherever they are in the country, deserves access to world class theatre that has meaning and relevance to their lives. In 2019 ETT produced a major revival of Equus by Peter Shaffer in a co-production with Theatre Royal Stratford East, which transferred to Trafalgar Studios in London’s West End, directed by Ned Bennett, the world premiere of Cougar by Rose Lewenstein, directed by Chelsea Walker in a co-production with the Orange Tree Theatre and The Funeral Director by Iman Qureshi, winner of the 2018 Papatango award. This autumn ETT is also currently touring the Tony award winning play, Two Trains Running by August Wilson, directed by RTST Sir Peter Hall award winner, Nancy Medina, in a co-production with Royal & Derngate Northampton. We are delighted to be working with Sheffield Theatres on this tour of Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig, imagined for the stage and Equus 2019 directed by Jonathan Watkins and text Photo: The Other Richard written by April De Angelis.

An English Touring Theatre and Our team Support ETT Royal & Derngate, Northampton co-production

Patrons “ENGLISH TOURING THEATRE IS SURELY THE Sir Ian McKellen, Stephen Mangan NATIONAL THEATRE OF TOURING” Board Sir Ian McKellen Dame Jenny Abramsky DBE, Dan Bates, Paul Corrigan, In 2018/19 more than 75,000 people saw an ETT Robert Delamere, Floriana Dezou, Paapa Essiedu, Michael Hatchwell, Olivia Highland, Renuka Venkatraman, show across 23 UK cities and internationally. ETT is a registered charity and we need your help Two Trains Tara Wilkinson, Greg Williams, Igor in order to keep making ground-breaking work Staff for audiences across the country. Richard Twyman – Artistic Director Sophie Scull – Executive Producer Visit ett.org.uk to find out how to play your part Lizzie Vogler - Executive Producer (Maternity Cover) or contact us at [email protected] James Quaife – Producer Running Andrew Hughes – Producer directed by Bridie Donaghy – Projects Producer Subscribe to our Mailing List by August Wilson Nancy Medina Miranda Persaud – Assistant Producer You can also join our mailing list by visiting Craig Nom Chong – Stage One Apprentice Producer ett.org.uk ROYAL & DERNGATE, OXFORD PLAYHOUSE YVONNE ARNAUD THEATRE, Megan Cronin – Administrative and Executive Assistant NORTHAMPTON 24 - 28 SEP GUILDFORD Candida Ronald – Head of Finance Registered in England No 2746850 31 AUG - 14 SEP 15 - 19 OCT Gaya Kathatharan – Finance Officer Registered Charity No 1016895 CAST IN DONCASTER NUFFIELD THEATRE, 1 - 5 OCT DERBY THEATRE 22 - 26 OCT SOUTHAMPTON NEW WOLSEY THEATRE, IPSWICH

17 - 21 SEP ett.org.uk @englishtouringtheatre @englishtouringtheatre @ETTtweet ETTonYT 8 - 12 OCT Sources of advice Extra and support resources

An excellent source of advice and support Mindfulnessinschools.org for young people and their parents/carers: www.youngminds.org.uk MiSP’s ‘Playing Attention’ animation and guided practice: Understanding how the Mind offers advice, support and information mind wanders and how we can begin to train to people experiencing a mental health difficulty it to settle down a little:www.youtube.com/ and their family and friends. watch?v=LgXZW6Xqokw www.mind.org.uk MiSP’s ‘Beditation’ animation and guided If you are feeling low or are struggling to cope practice: Understanding why we worry, with life, Samaritans is here for you to listen and and how this can affect our sleep: offer confidential support. You can get in touch www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5ut2NYdAEQ with Samaritans, round the clock, every single day of the year by phone on 116 123, email jo@ The Stand Up Kid – Time to Change: samaritans.org or find the details a thought provoking video to stimulate for your local branch at www.samaritans.org discussions about how mental health can be supported in schools: Hub of Hope – the world’s first of its kind mental www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE5Ip60_HJk health database, created by Chasing the Stigma, bringing grassroots and national mental health services together in one place. Find your nearest support on hubofhope.co.uk or download the free app.

Janet Etuk and Company