Award-winning play comes to Stephen Joseph

A play that won its writer Zoe Cooper the title of Most Promising Playwright in last year's Off West End Awards receives its regional premiere at Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre this autumn.

Jess and Joe Forever is a funny, surprising and poignant play about teenage friendship, growing up and the frictions that still exist between urban and rural communities.

Jess is a girl from a big city who is holidaying in Joe’s seaside town.

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They are both outsiders who gradually, over several summers, form a friendship that changes both of them forever.

It’s a coming-of-age tale full of soil, secrets and scotch eggs.

Director Lotte Wakeham said: “Jess and Joe Forever is a really incredible piece of writing.

“This is the regional premiere, and we thought Scarborough audiences would really connect with it, and have a great time

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“It’s set in a seaside town that could be a bit like Scarborough, and we just think audiences will love it – I think it’s one of the great new plays of the past five years.”

“It’s about quite young characters but is absolutely for audiences of all ages – however old you are I think you’ll really enjoy spending the evening with these two really fascinating people and hearing all about their lives.

“It’s a very funny and really heart-warming story, touching on lots of interesting topics. It’s unusual and I think audiences will have a great time.
“I’m really excited to be working on this show with Frances Bradshaw, who designed my production last year of Di and Viv and Rose.

“The play is set outdoors for the most part– it’s set partly on the beach, partly by a river, and the characters interact with nature quite a lot so we’ve got a few surprises up our sleeves. I think audiences in the Mac will enjoy that quite a lot.

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“Also because it’s in the Mac, we’ve thought about how to make the best use of that space, which I think is a really exciting one. It’s the first time I’ve directed a full 
show in there and I’m really, really looking forward to it.”
Misha Butler plays Joe and Kate Hargreaves plays Jess.
Jess and Joe Forever can be seen in the McCarthy at the Stephen Joseph Theatre from Thursday October 25 and runs until Saturday November 10.

Tickets are priced from £10.

Tickets: 01723 370541 or on line at www.sjt.uk.com