23.5 HOURS to be Presented at Park Theatre in September

Exploring the wider implications a conviction has on family and friends, the European premiere of Carey Crim’s family drama focuses on what happens when a high school teacher who’s found guilty of sexual misconduct returns home from prison. 23.5 Hours provides an intimate look into testing relationships and delves into the complexities of collateral damage of past and present actions, trust, and the pursuit of justice. 23.5 Hours has previously been performed in North America and received a nomination for Best Play at the Ovation Awards Los Angeles in 2015.

Leigh Hodges finds herself thrust into the turbulent aftermath of her husband’s imprisonment. Standing by him amidst doubt and scrutiny, Leigh navigates the ultimate test of love, truth, and loyalty. Each revelation forces her to re-evaluate their life together while she struggles to shield their son Nicholas. As family bonds strain and secrets unravel, 23.5 Hours explores the profound impact of a conviction for sexual misconduct and the corrosive power of doubt.

The show stars Lisa Dwan (Netflix’s Top Boy), and she is joined by David Sturzaker (To Kill a Mockingbird, West End), Allyson Ava-Brown (Angelica in Hamilton, West End), Jonathan Nyati (The Jungle, West End) and Jem Matthews (The Unfriend, West End).

The writer Carey Crim said, “Never Not Once (Park Theatre, 2022) is an exploration of the aftermath of a sexual assault on the survivor and her family. 23.5 Hours is, in a way, a companion piece to that play, though written several years apart and with the focus now firmly on the family and friends of the convicted. The examination is not so much of the crime itself, but rather the fallout experienced by those closest to the accused. Even though convicted, Tom continues to proclaim his innocence. We, as an audience, only get as much information about Tom as he is willing to share, which puts us in the same unenviable position as his family and friends. It is often assumed that the wife or partner was aware of the crime at best or complicit at worst. I wanted to explore what compels a wife to stay and ultimately what, without definitive proof either way, might force her to leave. Tom’s wife Leigh and teenaged son Nicholas are hanging on to their belief in Tom’s innocence but, as the ground shifts beneath them, it become more and more difficult to forge a path forward.”

Blue Touch Paper Productions have previously been seen at Park Theatre in 2022 with Never Not Once by Carey Crim and directed by Katharine Farmer. Carey Crim is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and graduate of Northwestern University’s acclaimed theatre arts program. Katharine Farmer’s directing credits include The Least We Could Do (2023), The Mullah of Downing Street (2019), Other People’s Money (2019), Kiss Me (2018), and Pig Farm (2015). Katharine is also the Artistic Director of The Playwright’s Laboratory, and is an Artistic Associate at Arcola Theatre.

Park Theatre presents exceptional theatre in the heart of Finsbury Park, boasting two world-class performance spaces: Park200 for predominantly larger scale productions by established talent, and Park90, a flexible studio space, for emerging artists. In eleven years, it has enjoyed eight West End transfers (including Rose starring Maureen Lipman, The Boys in the Band starring Mark Gatiss, Pressure starring David Haig and The Life I Lead starring Miles Jupp), two National Theatre transfers, 14 national tours, seven Olivier Award nominations, has won multiple OffWestEnd Offie Awards and won a Theatre of the Year award from The Stage.

Running Time: 130 mins (inc interval) | Suitable for ages 14+