STUART: A LIFE BACKWARDS Comes to the Studio This September

Alexander Masters' Stuart: A Life Backwards, written by Jack Thorne, comes to the Studio Theatre from Thursday 12 September - Saturday 28 September, following its world premiére at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and tour to the Watford Palace Theatre.

Stuart: A Life Backwards is a novel set in Cambridge that investigates the life of Stuart Shorter, a man who had been repeatedly abused and failed by society and the state throughout his life. He became a unique, attractive, but dangerous adult, who did much to campaign on the issue of homelessness. Alexander knew Stuart, and the novel is a chronicle of their relationship as a prism to Alexander exploring Stuart's life. The book was shortlisted for the Whitbread Book Awards in 2005, and the 2006 Hawthornden Prize.

Double BAFTA award-winner Jack Thorne's (Skins, Cast-offs and This is England '86) new adaptation tells the story of an unlikely friendship and of Stuart's entire life - told 'backwards'.

Jack Thorne said, 'Stuart and Alexander's story is extraordinary. This is the sort of dream project that comes around only once in a while. I only hope we can do the book justice.'

The new stage adaptation will be brought to life by director Mark Rosenblatt, Associate Director at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, with design by Jon Bausor, who recently designed the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games 2012 and is an associate at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

This is a Sheffield Theatres and HighTide Festival Theatre co-production, in association with Watford Palace Theatre, Dumbfounded Theatre, Underbelly and Escalator East to Edinburgh. The play was originally commissioned by Royal & Derngate, Northampton.

Tickets for Stuart: A Life Backwards will go on sale to members from Saturday 15 June and on general sale from Saturday 22 June at Sheffield Theatres' Box Office, priced from £10.00. Call 0114 249 6000 or visitsheffieldtheatres.co.uk to book.