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Empty

When David’s phone rings, the voice on the other end is one he never expected to hear again. As old emotions reignite, he and Amy are drawn back to the dream of parenthood that once consumed her. But can they survive the choices that tore them apart? And is David being honest when he says that he now wants to be a dad, too?

 

CREATIVE TEAM

Written by Robert Nurden, an author and journalist who has worked, both as a feature writer and subeditor, on the Guardian, Independent on Sunday and Daily Telegraph, as well as many other national newspapers and magazines. In 2023 he published, to wide acclaim, I Always Wanted To Be A Dad: Men without Children, a highly personal account of being childless not-by-choice, with testimonies by other men. He is also a teacher of journalism and English, in this country and abroad, and has wide experience as a travel writer. Empty is Robert’s debut play.

Directed by David Furlong, a French-Mauritian Director and Theatremaker who established Exchange Theatre in 2006. As Young Vic Jerwood director 2021, he directed TEMPESTS about invisible, mixed identities as part of FIVE PLAYS 2021. Much of his work explores the decolonisation of representations. He was also assistant director at the Royal Opera House on Madama Butterfly at the National Theatre on Hadestown and the Young Vic on Orfeus; a House Music Opera. He was nominated for best director in 2018 and best production 2019 at the Off West End awards. His most recent directing credits are Who is Claude Cahun? at Southwark Playhouse and Drainin The Swamp on UK tour and the five-star UNTIL SHE SLEEPS described as “gut-wrenching” by London Theatre Reviews.

Starring Hannah Douglas as Amy, whose Theatre credits include:  Sue in In The Heat of That Night (Vaults Festival), Zoe in Hopeless Romantics & Lizzie Bennett in Pride and Prejudice (The Courtyard Theatre, Hereford), Desdemona in Othello (TNT/ADG Europe, International Tour), Regina in Ghosts (Sell-A-Door Theatre Co) and various productions for Insane Root & The Faction Theatre Co. Film includes: Charlotte in Off (Resonance Productions), Rach in Going Country (BFI Network/Inceptive Films), Patience in Lapwing (World Serpent/Urban Apache Films/Bulldog Film Distribution), for which she won Best Actress at the Buenos Aires International Film Festival and received a BIFA Breakthrough Performancelonglisting, and U Want Me 2 Kill Him? (Anonymous Content/Bad Hat Harry Productions/Netflix UK). Television includes: Little Dorrit (BBC), Mogue (Channel 4) and The Halcyon (ITV). Hannah is delighted to be working with David Furlong again, having previously worked with him on The Great Experiment (Border Crossings Theatre Co)!

Starring Paul Kemp as David, whose Theatre credits include: Show & Tell (Stephen Joseph Theatre); The Audience (Nu?eld Southampton); Wonderland (Nottingham Playhouse); Imperium (RSC / Gielgud Theatre); Richard III (Arcola); Beacons and Corpse! (Park Theatre); Wendy and Peter Pan (RSC); Ghost Stories (Arts Theatre, West End); To Sir With Love (Royal & Derngate); Seven Year Twitch (Orange Tree); The Wind In The Willows (Leeds Playhouse); The Lady in The Van (Hull Truck); How to Be Happy (Orange Tree); The Lady From The Sea (Manchester Royal Exchange); The Crucible, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Much Ado About Nothing (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Year of the Rat (Leeds Playhouse); Absent Friends (Salisbury Playhouse); How The Other Half Loves (The Peter Hall Co.); The Flint Street Nativity (Liverpool Playhouse); Hobson’s Choice (SJT & Watermill Theatre); Monkey’s Uncle (Orange Tree); Murmuring Judges, Racing Demon, The Absence of War (Birmingham Rep); The Madness of George III (Leeds Playhouse/ Birmingham Rep); Naked Justice (Birmingham Rep/Leeds Playhouse); Way Upstream (Derby Playhouse); The Cassilis Engagement, The Last Thrash, The Way of the World, A Wife Without a Smile, Court in the Act, Lips Together Teeth Apart (Orange Tree). Other work with Alan Ayckbourn includes: Private Fears in Public Places (SJT / 59E59 New York); My Wonderful Day (SJT/ 59E59 New York); Woman in Mind (SJT / Vaudeville Theatre, West End); The Champion of Paribanou, Drowning on Dry Land and This is Where We Came In. Television includes: Brassic (Sky), Stonehouse (ITV), Casualty (BBC), Doctors (BBC), Life on Mars (BBC), Black Books (Channel 4), Maxwell (BBC), The Trial of Tony Blair (Channel 4), TLC (BBC), The Bill (ITV), Dream Team (Sky). Radio 4 Drama: First Folio; Mr Wilder & Me; The Corrupted; Fifteen Dogs.

 

Presented by Chestnut Productions LTD

 

Content warnings: Discussion of IVF and childlessness. 

 

Fancy dinner and a show? Book at table at the Drayton Arms pub now and enjoy the pre-theatre menu before heading upstairs!

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