New Unity Theatre Open Call show 'touch' will explore loneliness

FLOOD Theatre will bring touch, a new verbatim play about loneliness to the Unity Theatre on the 18th June.

Written by Becky Downing and directed by Jessica Meade, FLOOD’s new production looks at the ways we pursue love, create intimacy, experience loneliness and ultimately find a home.

Created following a series of interviews with Liverpool’s under 30s who feel lonely and are looking for ways to connect, touch sets out to explore loneliness in young people and how we can find creative ways to find connections with others.

Unity Theatre

Writer Becky Downing has woven verbatim interview text together to tell the story of four fictionalised characters seeking connection: Jana is a young German mother living in Liverpool, she loves charity shops and she loves her toddler, but finds motherhood lonely. Callum loves football, fitness and his Girlfriend Laura.

He has a great sense of humour and is very passionate, but Callum sometimes feels lost in large social groups. Jake is autistic and loves history, theatre and feels a major affinity with Tutankhamun.

He experiences loneliness when he can’t be social, and when people don’t understand him. Yume is a Mother living in Liverpool, they love art, philosophy and experiences loneliness when their identity and queerness is misunderstood.

Casting is ongoing, and a full cast will be announced soon, with the role of Jake being played by a neurodivergent actor and the role of Yume being played by a Gender None Conforming Global Majority actor.

The pandemic saw a spike in loneliness affecting young people, jumping from 1 in 20 to 1 in 4 people aged over 16 reporting they felt alone or isolated, so for director Jessica Meade the moment could not be better for this production to debut “There has never been a more important time to stage work about loneliness, tempered with hope and optimism”.

FLOOD will also deliver a series of workshops around the production, where they will invite participants to forge connection and meaning by looking at how you can use art to find connection and create meaning.

A free workshop will take place at the Unity Theatre on the 7th June from 6pm – 8pm, booking is essential. Workshops will also be offered to community groups and charities who are working with those experiencing loneliness across the North West.

touch has been generously funded as part of the Unity’s Open Call Programme which supports local artists. FLOOD and ‘Touch’ have also received funding from Homotopia, Paperwork Theatre’s Tea Cup Commissions and a crowdfunder is ongoing to further support the production costs.