Still Here at The Hope Street Theatre

What happens when you have the feeling that you are disappearing?

Rhys wants to be a boxer while his father wants to learn Welsh. Yasmin is living with her nan while her mother wants to be looking over the plains of Uganda. The children can’t speak to their parents, and the parents don’t understand how their children are feeling.

In Mari Lloyd’s moving and sharply funny play, we see the world through the eyes of two sparring 18-year-olds in a small Welsh ex-mining town as they try to comprehend the actions of their parents and begin to realise, they have bigger things to fight for.

Told through interwoven monologues, the play captures the uncertainty of growing up and the search for connection. It touches on themes of mental health, family struggles, and finding strength in unexpected places. Rhys sees boxing as more than a sport—it’s his way of controlling his emotions and fighting for his place in the world. Yasmin feels lost, unsure of where she belongs. Their stories reflect a broader experience of young people searching for identity and purpose.

The play’s minimalistic yet immersive staging highlights the emotional weight of their journeys creating a powerful production about youth, identity and resilience.

Playwright Mari Lloyd, who grew up in the Rhondda Valley, brings a personal touch to the script and directed by Julia Stubbs, the production encapsulates its sharp writing, youthful energy and will draw audiences into the characters’ inner worlds.

The play stays with you long after the final moment.