Theatre Centre Reveal First Commission as Part of Their Resident Writers for 2023

Theatre Centre have commissioned Wish You Weren't Here, a new comedy from Katie Redford (TAPPED, Theatre503; YELLOW LIPS, BBC Radio 4). Redford is one of three Resident Writers developing shows in conversation with hundreds of young people in schools and local communities across London, Sheffield, Derbyshire and Chesterfield through Theatre Centre’s Future Makers process. 

Wish You Weren't Here will form part of Theatre Centre’s 70th birthday celebrations, and is a new co-production with Sheffield Theatres, opening in spring 2024 before touring to schools and theatres across the country. A comedy about beaches, bonding and body image, the play follows Mila and her mum Lorna as they head off on holiday to spend some quality time together. From hilarious moments of karaoke and lost suitcases to tearful conversations and uncomfortable truths, Wish You Weren't Here explores intimate mother-daughter relationships, single parenthood, single childhood, and finding your way in the world as women.

Future Makers is the latest evolution of Theatre Centre’s core practice, ensuring its continued relevance for the 2020s. It builds on Theatre Centre’s decades of experience as a theatre company working with young people and touring to schools and is a key part of unlocking Theatre Centre’s young people-centred practice and shaping their touring shows.

Theatre Centre is a national, new writing theatre company making resonant work to amplify the voices of young people. Theatre Centre acts as a connector bringing young people, artists, teachers, schools, and communities together, running run year-round seasons of creative workshops and big discussions, sparking complicated conversations, catalysing agency and creativity in young people, and sharing relevant, authentic and relatable stories.

Commencing on 12th September 2023, Theatre Centre's 70th birthday year will encompass a calendar of celebrations and partnerships to unite communities and schools in making the arts more accessible. They will also complete their collaboration with The Paper Birds on a young artist development programme that supports the creation of their new show Feel Me, which tours throughout the UK and internationally from Autumn 2023, following its preview at the New Wolsey Theatre in June 2023.

Theatre Centre’s Artistic Director Rob Watt comments, Katie has loved meeting hundreds of young people across the country over the last six months, working with them and listening to them as they share their stories, experiences and perspectives on the things that really matter, and a few that really don’t. Together, they have uncovered a powerful intergenerational story that explores some of the pressures and challenges faced by young women today, and they’ll continue to work together over the next six months as Katie develops the script.