A Way Home by Christina Castling
‘This house isn’t unfit for habitation. We’re inhabiting it. It’s been habitated for 100 years!’
1951 saw a third of County Durham’s villages classified as ‘D’. They were no longer deemed worthy of investment and were expected to die quietly. But they wouldn’t.
A Way Home is a new play rooted in the stories and memories of the very people who called those D villages home. A County-wide fight lasting over 25 years becomes a 12-month journey at Bet’s kitchen table as she confronts what loss really looks like.
With humour, tenderness and not a small amount of grit, A Way Home speaks of fighting to be heard when no one’s listening, telling a story just as significant today as it was 70 years ago.
Performed by:
Jacqueline Philillps, Jackie Lye, Jude Nelson, Lawrence Neale, David Raynor, Luke Maddison
Creative Team:
Direction by JonLuke McKie
Design by Alison Ashton
Composer Roma Yagnik
Lighting Design Simon Cole
Sound Design Rachel Glover
Stage & Production Manager Andrea Scrimshaw
Tour Dates & Venues
Tuesday 7 June 7.30pm Gala Theatre
Wednesday 8 June 7.30pm The Witham
Thursday 9 June 7.30pm Arts Centre Washington
Friday 10 June 7.00pm Clara Vale Village Hall
Saturday 11 June 2.00pm & 7.00pm Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens
Monday 13 June 7.00pm St Mark’s Church
Tuesday 14 June 2:00pm & 7.30pm Alnwick Playhouse
Wednesday 15 June 7.00pm Trimdon Grange Community Association
Thursday 16 June 7.30pm Binchester Community Centre
Friday 17 June 7.00pm Hamsteels Community Centre
Saturday18 June 3.00pm St. John’s Hall Meadowfield
Monday 20 June 7.00pm Toft Hill Community Centre
Tuesday 21 June 7.00pm Hamsterley & Low Westwood Community Hall
Wednesday 22 June 7.30pm Queen’s Hall Arts Centre
Thursday 23 June 2:30pm & 7.30pm Live Theatre
Friday 24 June 7.30pm Live Theatre
Saturday 25 June 7.00pm Coundon & Leeholme Community Centre
Sunday 26 June 7:00pm Witton Park Village Hall
The Covid-19 pandemic meant that, like so many other projects, A Way Home was put on hold. After a long two year wait, we are thrilled to be sharing the show with you at last. A huge thank you for your patience and to our funders (Arts Council England, Sunday for Sammy, Catherine Cookson Trust and Newcastle University) for their support.






