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Illustration & Design by Scott Tyrell

The Bench

A moving tale of love, loss and football

A CaroleW Productions & Gala Durham Co-Production
Written by Jeff Brown
Directed by Olivia Millar-Ross

Touring the North East & Cumbria: Thursday 22 May to Saturday 21 June 2025

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A touching and humorous tale of two young people struggling to survive against the odds. This poignant, heartwarming and sensitive love story is set against the darker side of professional football and life on the economic edge. Vicky is a single mum, overwhelmed by everyday pressures, while Adi - the local team's new signing - is struggling to find his place, on and off the pitch. Seemingly worlds apart, the pair meet by chance on a park bench and discover they have more in common than they might at first have imagined.
 

This is the work of former BBC TV Look North presenter Jeff Brown, an award-winning reporter who has covered news and sport in the North East for almost 40 years. The Bench is Jeff's second play, and is now embarking on a long-awaited regional tour.
 

Learning Engagement activity for The Bench supported by North East Combined Authority and Show Racism the Red Card.

Suitability: Approx. 2 hours including an interval

Duration: 14+

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Tour Dates & Venues

* These dates are presented as part of the Highlights Rural Touring Scheme

2023 Reviews

  • “Jeff, who has been watching and covering football for 40 years, knows the game far better than most and weaves in his knowledge – and love – of the game throughout the play.“ The Northern Echo
     

  • "The Bench is about contrasts, love and loss, and poverty and wealth. It’s also about a society that appears to value someone playing a sport more than a struggling mother and carer.” Sunderland Echo
     

  • “The obvious enjoyment of the full house was shown by frequent bursts of laughter and complete silence in the serious sections, topped off with a standing ovation. You do not have to be a football fan to follow or enjoy this play, which may open your eyes to some aspects of the game, apart from it being an endearing story.” The British Theatre Guide

The Creative Team & Cast
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Jeff Brown - Writer​​

Jeff is a familiar name and face in the North East, having been an award-winning news and sports presenter with ITV Tyne Tees and BBC Look North for nearly 30 years.  After taking a playwriting course at Live Theatre, Newcastle in 2016, he has now written several plays - 'The Bench' is his second play to be professionally produced.

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He is a Deputy Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, a patron of Sunderland Carers and of the Tyne and Wear branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Society, and pro-Chancellor of Sunderland University.

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Olivia Millar-Ross - Director
Olivia is theatre director and actor from Glasgow. She trained at Tisch School of the Arts, NYU (BFA, 2014) and graduated with Distinction from the University of Glasgow having completed her Common Law (Accelerated) LLB, 2022.

 

As Director; Red Rose/Shrine (Short Attention Span Theatre), The Bench (The Customs House), Dance the Colour Blue (Old Gym Theatre). As Associate Director; Art (Original Theatre), Catafalque (Scissor Kick), Silence (Tara Theatre). As Assistant Director; Dancing Shoes, Medea on the Mic (A Play, A Pie and A Pint), Beauty and the Beast (Beacon Arts Centre), Sugar Coat (Southwark Playhouse), Exodus (National Theatre of Scotland).

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​​Jason Njoroge (Adi)
Jason is delighted to reprise his role as Adi in The Bench. He has previously worked on projects such as The Beautiful Game (dir. Thea Sharrock), We Rise (lead role, dir. Ashley Francis-Roy), and Jungle Nation (lead role, dir. Will Thorne). His theatre credits include 1918 (JC Niala). He has also worked on projects with EA Sports, TikTok, and Bumble.

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Hannah Marie Davis (Vicky)
Hannah is an actor from County Durham and a graduate of Guildford School of Acting. She has worked with companies including Blowin’ a Hooley, Gala Durham, The Customs House, and Nothing to Perform. Off-stage, she is a Northern Soul DJ under the name HanSoulo.

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​​David Nellist (Mike)
David’s theatre credits include - Animal Farm (Stratford East/Leeds Playhouse), Love It If We Beat Them (Emmerson & Ward, UK Tour), Protest Song (Arcola Theatre), I, Daniel Blake - North East Actor of the Year Winner (Tiny Dragon/ Northern Stage/ ETT UK Tour), Love It If We Beat Them (Live Theatre & Emmerson & Ward), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare North Playhouse/
Northern Stage/Not Too Tame), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (NT/West End), The Pitmen Painters (New Vic Theatre), War Horse (National Theatre), Billy Elliot (West End), Wet House, Searching for Tom, You Couldn't Make It Up, You REALLY Couldn't Make It Up, Toast and Smack Family Robinson (Live Theatre), Blue, Remembered Hills, Close the Coalhouse Door (Northern Stage/Live Theatre), Alf Ramsey Knew My Grandfather, The Likely Lads, The Far
Corner (Durham Gala).

Television, film and radio credits include -
Television: Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes (Disney+/ITV) Archie, Eastenders, Casualty, Waterloo Road, Shakespeare & Hathaway, A Confession, Taboo, Harley and the Davidsons, Sherlock, Boy Meets Girl, Holby City, M.I High, Omid Djalili Show, Murder on the Victorian Railway, 55 Degrees North, Breezeblock, Rhona, Rough Justice, Sorry About Last Night,
Spender (All BBC) Ghostboat, Northern Lights, Place Of the Dead, The Gambling Man, The Student Prince, Badger, The Bill. (ITV)
Film - The Nest, Sebastian, Bull, Lady Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Sket (Revolver)
Radio - Homefront, Close The Coalhouse Door.

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​​Abigail Lawson (Becs)
Abigail is an actor/director from County Durham and has been involved with The Bench since its first rehearsed reading in 2018. She has appeared in The Old Oak (dir. Ken Loach), The Dumping Ground (CBBC), and The Sorcerer’s Suitcase (The Customs House).

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Dan Howe
Dan is an actor and performer from Sunderland. His training includes a HND Musical Theatre course at Sunderland College and a BA (Hons) Top-Up Degree in Performing Arts at the University of Sunderland. He has performed in various plays, musicals, and various other types of show throughout his training. His previous professional credit is playing Lad/Darren in the original production of The Bench (The Customs House).

2023 Production Shots
Production Shots by Wycombe 89 Media

© 2024 CaroleW Productions & Events

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