Debut 2022: 'Prisms', 'Strip the Willow' & 'Ruben'

Debut Festival is a pioneering event dedicated to the staging of new plays by graduating students on our BA Acting & Contemporary Theatre course.

Past Debut plays have transferred to professional production in Britain and abroad, winning awards such as the Edinburgh Comedy Award, The Stage Best Ensemble, Scotsman Fringe First, Best New Musical and BFI Best Short Film. 12+

Prisms

Written and Directed by Signe Ebbesen
Music - Joseph Wood

When you fall in love, colours change.

The flutter of butterflies in your belly, the pecking of a birds beak in your heart and the scratching of claws on your skin? It is said all is fair in war and love, the latter is most certainly true for the housemates Red, Blue, Purple and Green. As a mysterious letter appear in the home of the four young women and their pet turkey Scurvy, they are challenged in their different views and ideals of love. When romance is allowed to bloom, friendships, jealousy and secrets start to show. 

With original live music, Prisms asks the question how far are you willing to go for love? An intense play exploring early 20s angst, willful optimism and experimental witchcraft in a world aiming to be aesthetically pleasing, alluring and correct.

Content Warning: use of fake blood and explicit language.

Strip the Willow

Written by Frankie Golding
Directed by Nefyn Edwards

Buried within moving boxes lies one thing left to unpack

What roots lie beneath the questions we ask? 

Joe has come home to help his dad, Ian, finally move out of the small family town they both outgrew years ago. The end of the night sees this drunken pair stumble into a packed-up room of boxes and labels. Fuelled with old songs, slices of toast, and wrangled skirmishes about the state of England, these two men have a lot to say, and the perfect time to say it. 

Two generations, a shared life under one roof, both looking for answers.  

A heartfelt, honest story about the burden of choice.

Content Warning: Strong language, Mild threat, Sexual references, Alcohol consumption.

Ruben

Written by Georgia Wilson
Directed by Bewlay Stanton
Music by Frankie Golding

You Can’t Spell Manslaughter Without Laughter

A mob boss, a detective, an idiot, and his puppet walk into a bar. That’s gotta hurt! In a world where it’s possible to be criminally unfunny Frankie and his puppet pal Ruben are guilty as charged. Our boys are hot under the collar, not just ‘cause of the gun pointed at their heads but also the femme fatale with her finger on the trigger. For our comedy duo opportunity comes knock knocking, but who’s there? An invitation. An invitation who? An invitation for you! So come watch their act go from hilariously stupid to stupidly hilarious overnight. This film noir farce will have you asking: Is every line a bad pun?  How is the puppet alive? Is it meant to be a musical? When was the last time I told my family I loved them? And meant it? All these questions and more will go unanswered! No refunds, ya shmuck.

Content Warning:  Violence, Alcohol, Smoking, Suicide, Loud Sudden Noises.