Paddy Campbell’s play is formed from interviews with looked after young people and care leavers, staff from local authorities, children’s homes, social workers, MPs and Ofsted, in order to shine a light onto the lives of the young people and the issues they face. Paddy was inspired to write the play based on his experiences as a key worker at a North East children’s home. The development of Leaving involved care leavers and looked after young people shadowing Curious Monkey’s professional artists and learning new skills throughout the development, rehearsal and production process. We are collaborating with Northern Stage who have supported the development of both this piece and of Curious Monkey as a leading voice in independent theatre making.

Leaving is a slice of real life. It contains all the heartache and humour you would expect from genuine experiences, told by those who experience them. It reaches out to those affected by the issues in the play – from looked after young people to those working in social care, in local and national politics. It will appeal to anyone with an interest in social justice, in the role of the family and the real, raw voices of young people. Curious Monkey productions attract a high level of non-theatre going / non-arts audiences – our work has a freshness and directness that is rooted in the real experiences from which we draw our material. We believe we make theatre about the things that really matter to people. Looked after young people are rarely depicted on stage – Leaving aims to depict lives that many will recognise.