Laughter and life stories in store at Laurels
The upcoming production at the North Tyneside venue plays out to a backdrop of breast cancer… but it’s about everything
Three women. Three walks of life. One levelling disease.
Alison Stanley’s new play, which begins its premiere run at Laurels Theatre next week (April 1-12) takes a look at the impact of breast cancer across the generations.
“But really it’s just the stories of women and their lives,” says the writer, who also plays one of the three characters in the boldy-titled, T*ts Up.
Set in real time and in the day room of an oncology unit, the audience will meet Rachel, Rosie and Tina at the point they meet each other for the first time.
“In the normal course of life, these three would never have cause to meet or spend any time together… but the disease they have in common has put them in the same place, at the same moment.”
Alison, who has recently taken on the role of head of theatre and programming at the Whitley Bay venue, says she had the idea for the setting of the play – which she assures us is full of laughs despite its serious setting – but then fleshed it out through talking to people who had experienced the disease.
“I got in touch with some local breast cancer charities and went along to speak to some of the ladies from the breast cancer support group at Live Well With Cancer in North Tyneside,” she says.
“They were generous enough to share some of their experiences – how they felt when they were diagnosed, how their families reacted, how it changed their lives. Lots of what is in the play comes directly from those conversations.”
While Alison was writing and editing the play, her mother Rose was diagnosed with lung cancer.
“That sadly gave us first-hand knowledge of how oncology departments function day on day with all of these people coming from all walks of life to be treated in the same room,” she says.
Alison lost her mum at the end of last year. She launched the Rose Fisher playwriting award in her memory for female writers over 35. The deadline for entries is June 30 (more information via the Laurels website).
“I did get to tell her about it before she passed and she was pleased about it,” says Alison. “We’re hoping to be overrun with scripts!”
In the meantime though, there’s lots of rehearsing to do for T*ts Up alongside fellow cast members Becky Clayburn (Rosie) who showed off her versatility in Gerry and Sewell at Newcastle Theatre Royal last year, and veteran North East performer, Leah Bell (Tina).
“She never told me how much I had to learn!” says Leah, who signed on for the production the week before rehearsals got underway.
“I thought I’d be nodding and agreeing with everyone – lots of faces and reactions, but there’s bloody pages upon pages!”
Leah describes her character as “typical of the older generation” and “old enough to know better!”
“She always wants to get in and fight and do things – she’s prone to going at everything like a bull in a China shop and doesn’t do very well with all the new technology. She can often be heard saying the wrong thing… although she’d tell you it wasn’t wrong to say it in her day!”
Of the three women we meet, Tina is furthest down the line of her breast cancer journey.
“Tina has secondary breast cancer following her initial diagnosis three years ago,” says Alison.
“She has an adult son who has learning difficulties. She’s fiercely protective of him and is obviously very anxious about the implications of her illness for him.”
Read more: Dalek, witch and Spiderman - new at the NGCA
“The caring responsibilities she has is a hugely emotional issue for her,” says Leah. “On the other side of it, Tina sees her treatment as a way of connecting with people.
“She kind of sees the times when she comes for treatment as a bit of a chance to meet people and have a chat.”
The youngest of the group, millennial Rosie is starting her chemo following a lumpectomy.
“Rosie doesn’t have any kids. She’s just turned 30 and is pretty angry about the fact that breast cancer has interrupted her life,” says Becky, who is back at Laurels following performances in plays including the aforementioned Gerry and Sewell, which debuted there in 2023, Ian Smith’s Juggling and Carpet Time’s Doomgate.
“She was enjoying herself – doing a variety of jobs, going to festivals, planning to travel and spending time with her friends… and suddenly, she’s dealing with this.”
And then we come to the high-flying Rachel who very much sees her diagnosis as a massive inconvenience.
“She lives to work and has made the conscious decision not to have any kids.” says Alison of her character.
“Both her and her husband have really good jobs and it’s important to Rachel to have the best of everything – and to always feel like they’re winning at life.”
Throughout the play, as Rachel opens up, Alison says we’ll find out where her drive for the perfect life comes from… but we don’t want to unveil any of that here.
“Let’s just say while the play is set against a backdrop of breast cancer, I feel like the theme running through it is about experiences of motherhood and those maternal relationships.”
Directed by Kat Newman, Alison says she hopes T*ts Up leaves audiences feeling “like they’ve seen a good, entertaining, funny piece of theatre… and one which has made them think about the lives of these women.
“The characters you will meet in the play are typical when it comes to the lives and choices which women are making all the time.”
“And we want all the women to go home remembering to check themselves,” adds Becky. “It certainly has made me think more about it. It’s so well known that the earlier you catch the disease, the better your chances are to beat it.”
As may already be obvious given the real-time nature of the play, audiences won’t get to know what the future holds for Rachel, Rosie and Tina.
“I think it’s interesting because you don't get an insight to their outcomes,” says Becky.
“It’s about who they are and where they’re at now, on this day. What their lives are like, how they’re feeling and what they’re thinking… and everyone can relate to that.”
T*ts Up is at Laurels Theatre, Whitley Bay from April 1-12. For tickets, visit www.laurelswhitley.co.uk