From Page to Stage: Unveiling New Works by Local Playwrights – Gill Adams, Alison Shaw, Richard Vergette, and Louise Beech – and you can also get involved with an exclusive Playwriting Workshop!
Introducing Four Exciting New Plays
Playlab is back with a mission to nurture and showcase bold, original voices from the local creative community. As part of its 2025 season, Play Lab is thrilled to present four exciting new plays in development by a dynamic lineup of playwrights: Richard Vergette, Gill Adams, Louise Beech, and Alison Shaw.
These four talented writers bring a rich variety of experience, perspective, and storytelling styles to the stage. Each has been invited to develop fresh theatrical work that reflects both personal insight and a deep connection to contemporary issues. From the intimate to the universal, their plays promise to provoke thought, stir emotion, and ignite conversation.
Play Lab offers a rare and valuable platform for writers to experiment, collaborate, and refine their work in a supportive environment. Through readings, workshops, and audience feedback, each play will evolve from page to performance with the help of skilled directors, actors, and dramaturgs.
Join us for a vibrant celebration of emerging theatre as we lift the curtain on new work by these remarkable local talents.
Brando Loves Cox Written by Gill Adams – Cast to be announced – Friday 15/08
It’s 1973. The last motel in the Mojave Desert. Two men wake up in bed together: one’s Marlon Brando, the other’s Wally Cox—though don’t quote us on that, because things get weird fast. The air-con’s broken, the moon is too big, and nobody remembers checking in. Brando’s convinced Cox is dead. Cox is convinced Brando’s lost his mind. There’s talk of aliens, ash in an urn, cherry pancakes, and a very suspicious game of golf. As the fog thickens and memories unravel, old wounds open, ghostly truths surface, and the last bottle of whiskey is passed back and forth between two best pals—one grieving, one maybe dead, both unfinished. This is a comedy about death. Or a tragedy about friendship. Or maybe it’s just two men in a room
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Gill Adams is, in her own words, “Hull’s best kept secret.” A fiercely original playwright and screenwriter, Adams began her career at Hull Truck Theatre, where early plays like Off Out and Lonely Hearts established her signature blend of gritty realism and sharp humour. Her work has since been staged across the UK, including Shy Gas Man at the Royal Exchange, and Jump to Cow Heaven—which won a Fringe First Award, starred a then-unknown Martin Freeman, and has since been adapted into a film. She has written extensively for BBC Radio, and for television shows including Emmerdale, Doctors, and Band of Gold. Her play Keeler, based on the Christine Keeler story, toured nationally and was staged in the West End to critical acclaim. Passionate about injustice and social realism, Adams writes with dark humour, deep empathy, and a sharp eye for truth. She also recently appeared on-screen in Meet the Richardsons (Dave), proving she’s as compelling on camera as she is on the page. Gill Adams remains one of British theatre’s most vital and enduring voices.
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American Justice Written by Richard Vergette. Director and Dramaturg Lisa Forrell – Cast to be announced – Thursday 14/08
Florida 2025. The US Administration is only a few months old yet has taken the world by storm. A newly elected Congresswoman shocks her family and friends when she saves her daughter’s murderer from the death penalty on condition she be allowed to educate him.
American Justice premiered in 2013 at the Arts Theatre in London’s West End and was a hit with audiences and critics alike.
In 2025, Theatre Producers imPOSSIBLE Producing (A Child of Science Bristol Old Vic, The Creakers Southbank Centre) have commissioned writer Richard and director/dramaturg Lisa to return to the original play and create a contemporary revival set in the Trump era. This will be the first reading of this new development script.
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Richard Vergette was born in Lincolnshire. He was a Drama teacher in the Yorkshire and Humber region for 30 years. Writing highlights include: An Englishman’s Home (24.7 Theatre Festival Manchester 2007), As We Forgive Them (24.7 Theatre Festival- Manchester Evening News Award Winner 2009, Arcola Theatre 2011 ), American Justice (Arts Theatre, West End 2013), The Devil’s Chord (2015 Battersea Arts Centre), Pure (Mikron Theatre tour, 2015-2016), Dancing through the Shadows (Hull Truck, 2015), Dark Winter (Hull Truck, 2018), Hunt the Tiger (Cast Theatre, Doncaster 2020), Missing you (Audio Drama produced by Made in Manchester, featuring June Brown in her final role, 2020), Leaving Vietnam (Edinburgh Fringe 2022 and Park Theatre, London 2023). Born in the USA, (‘Pick of the Fringe’ Edinburgh 2024 and currently touring nationwide, playing at ERT on 11 November).
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Ordinary Boy Written by Louise Beech – Cast to be announced – Thursday 14/08
Sebastian James Murphy is twenty years, six months and two days old. He loves swimming, fried eggs and Billy Ocean. Sebastian is autistic. And lonely. Veronica wants her son Sebastian to be happy … she wants the world to accept him for who he is. She is also thinking about paying a professional to give him what he desperately wants. Violetta is a high-class escort, who steps out into the night thinking only of money. Of her nursing degree. Paying for her dad’s care. Getting through the dark. When these three lives collide – intertwine in unexpected ways – everything changes. For everyone.
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Louise Beech is an acclaimed author and playwright whose novels, including How to be Brave, The Mountain in My Shoe, and Call Me Star Girl, have earned critical acclaim and awards such as Guardian Readers’ Pick and longlistings for the Not The Booker Prize. Her work spans literary fiction and psychological thriller, exploring themes of family, resilience, and identity. Louise’s short stories have won the Glass Woman Prize, the Eric Hoffer Award for Prose, and the Aesthetica Creative Works competition, among others. Her first play, Afloat, was performed at Hull Truck Theatre. In 2024, she wrote and performed in a sold-out one-woman show at ERT and a successful tour of her play How to be Brave.
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Everyone Hates Rod Stewart Written by Alison Shaw – Cast to be announced – Friday 15/08
Since the death of his father, Tony has withdrawn from the world and ignored his pain, focusing solely on his mother Lily’s well-being. But in dedicating himself to Lily’s life, has Tony forgotten to live his own? The arrival of Frankie, who comes to assist with Lily’s growing needs, forces Tony to confront the possibility he may lose his mum soon too … and then what will he have left? ‘Everyone Hates Rod Stewart’ is a tender exploration of grief, love, hope and our fundamental need for connection
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Alison Shaw is an established actor who trained at Drama Studio London. She has worked extensively in theatre, a familiar face on the stage at ERT. Her screen work includes BBC’s Uncanny, Baaaaa!, Mercy, ITV Fixers, and The End (Film Four). She is also the founder of Young Playwrights, an East Yorkshire-based company dedicated to giving young people a voice in the arts and the opportunity to explore theatre-making. Everyone Hates Rod Stewart is her debut play.
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Pre Show Event – Writing Workshop with Richard Vergette
14/08/25 – 15:00 – 17:00 in the Cafe Bar. Includes Ticket to the Evening Showing.
£20 Ticket Includes Evening Show. Capacity 15. Takes place in ERT CaféBar
This pre-show writing workshop is a chance to explore the tools of dramatic storytelling. This workshop is suitable for complete beginners to those with more writing experience. Whether you’re curious about how to start a play, or looking to sharpen your dialogue and structure, you’ll leave with tools, ideas, and inspiration—guided by one of the region’s most thoughtful and accessible playwrights.ts.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR TICKETS
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