EMPTY by Robert Nurden to Make World Premiere at Drayton Arms Theatre
Paul Kemp and Hannah Douglas star in the debut play, directed by OFFIE-nominated David Furlong.
Empty, the debut play from journalist and author Robert Nurden, will receive its world premiere at the Drayton Arms Theatre in London from July 7-11, 2026.
Based on Nurden's 2023 book I Always Wanted To Be A Dad: Men Without Children, the new drama examines the emotional impact of unwanted childlessness and explores a subject that is rarely discussed from a male perspective.
"Men who never achieve their dream of becoming dads experience pain and regret but we hardly ever hear the words," said Nurden. "Infertility and being childless by circumstance are taboo subjects. I want to change the way we see this."
The play follows David, whose life is unexpectedly disrupted when he receives a phone call from Amy, a woman from his past. As old emotions resurface, the pair are drawn back to the dream of parenthood that once defined their relationship. Forced to confront the choices that separated them, they must decide whether the future they imagined is still possible.
Through the experiences of both David and Amy, Empty explores the complexities, regrets, and realities of childlessness by circumstance, offering a perspective that is rarely represented onstage.
The production is directed by OFFIE Award-nominated director David Furlong, whose recent credits include Who is Claude Cahun? at Southwark Playhouse and Until She Sleeps. Furlong previously served as a Young Vic Jerwood Director and has worked as an assistant director at The National Theatre, Royal Opera House, and Young Vic.
The cast features Hannah Douglas as Amy and Paul Kemp as David. Douglas' stage credits include Othello, Ghosts, and The Great Experiment, while her screen work includes Lapwing, Far from the Madding Crowd, and The Halcyon. Kemp's extensive theatre credits include Imperium for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Woman in Mind in the West End, The Audience, Ghost Stories, and Wendy and Peter Pan.
Performance Information
Empty
Venue: Drayton Arms Theatre
Address: 153 Old Brompton Road, South Kensington, London SW5 0LJ
Dates: Tuesday, July 7 – Saturday, July 11, 2026
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Running Time: 60 minutes
Press Night: Wednesday, July 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: £14 Standard / £12 Concession
Creative Team
Written by: Robert Nurden
Directed by: David Furlong
Cast
Amy: Hannah Douglas
David: Paul Kemp
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