THE SH*T Transfers to The Bush This April

BAFTA-nominated writer Kenny Emson's honest and unflinching new play takes us into one of the thousands of forgotten youth centres across the country, where Eric has a single hour each week to break Daniel out of his spiral towards jail or the grave. The Sh*t, from The Working Party Theatre Company, produced by Matthew Schmolle Productions, had a sold out run at Leeds Playhouse earlier this year. The production is a dynamic examination of the relationship between those at the margins of society and the people employed to help them.

This taut two-hander has been written by Emson, and researched by The Working Party, in consultation with youth workers and young people in London and Leeds. The play is brought to life by Lladel Bryant playing Eric and Dillon Scott-Lewis as Daniel while Samantha Beart takes the voice role of Sara. The creative team includes designer Caitlin Mawhinny (Winner Evening Standard x Tik Tok Future Theatre Award 2021), lighting designer Ciaran Cunningham and sound designer DJ NikNak (DJ Mags 'One To Watch 2022').

Director Alexander Ferris said: Every day, qualified youth workers up and down the country are quietly doing an incredible job in their communities supporting young people who might otherwise fall through the cracks. The original idea for this play came from incidental conversations during our projects in communities in London and Leeds; that the work was getting harder, resources were getting more scarce and the challenges facing young people were becoming increasingly complex. Yet, over the last ten years, youth services in the UK have been cut by 70% and, over the last year, the number of young people needing access to mental health support has increased by a third. Youth workers and youth services are helping young people get on the right path right on our doorstep yet the majority of us have no idea it is taking place. This play shines a light on this by sharing a dynamic set of moving, funny and complex exchanges between Daniel, a young person whose chaotic life is dragging him down, and Eric, the youth worker charged with seeing him through it.

The artists and producers in The Working Party, who originally commissioned the play, have worked with marginalised young people for many years, hearing and experiencing numerous stories, from the inspirational to the heartbreakingly tragic. In late 2018, they started researching directly with youth workers and young people in London and Leeds about their experiences. Through one-to-one anonymised interviews with representatives and clients of some key public sector and charitable organisations, they created a fascinating archive documenting real-life experiences of the sector. Writer Kenny Emson then delved into the archive to create a beautiful, heartfelt and honest representation of these difficult but essential relationships. The script was further workshopped at Leeds Playhouse and in front of youth groups in London.

The Sh*t is supported by Arts Council England, The Spears-Stutz Charitable Trust, The Stage One Bursary Scheme, Leeds City College, Leeds Playhouse, AJS and JS. The Sh*t is presented at The Bush with the support of Queens Theatre Hornchurch as part of their Essex On Stage showcase to platform bold, ambitious, homegrown performances that celebrate and champion Essex and Outer East London artists. There will be a non-public community tour following the Bush at Youth Clubs and community centres.

Performances run Tuesday 19th - Saturday 24th April 2022.

Tickets are available priced £15 from https://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/event/essex-on-stage-the-sht/

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