Don’t Leave Me This Way — The Tour
Ageing, love, sex, and relationships explored through a semi-improvised theatrical wake, complete with a buffet, and a karaoke machine pre-loaded with Thelma Houston’s greatest hit.
DATE
February & March 2027
SUPPORTED BY
Arts Alive,
Live & Local,
Applause Rural Touring,
National Rural Touring Forum,
Independent Theatre Council
COMMISSIONED BY
Black Country Touring
FUNDED BY
Arts Council England,
Black Country Touring,
Arts Alive,
Live & Local
Callum’s nearest and dearest are gathering to give him a good send-off. The bar is open, just like he wanted, and there’s a buffet table groaning with his favourite sweet and savoury snacks.
The time comes for the celebrant to say a few words about Callum — but they’re not the only one in the room with something important to say…
As the cling film comes off the samosas and fondant fancies, the lid gets lifted on the assembled guests’ secret lives — declarations of love and admissions of hidden heartache — journeys of self-discovery and self-acceptance — simple acts of kindness and fleeting connections which have had profound and lasting impacts.
Don’t Leave Me This Way is a funny, moving, bittersweet new show which explores ageing, love, sex, and relationships through a semi-improvised theatrical wake, featuring a cast with a majority of performers aged 55+. In Spring 2027, the show will embark on a pilot tour to seven rural and community venues across the West Midlands — with buffet snacks included within the price of each ticket.
Tour and booking details will be announced very soon!
The show forms a special piece of action research within Little Earthquake’s much wider national inquiry, which aims to capture and contextualise the experiences of older practitioners involved in small-scale touring.
At the end of the activity, we’ll publish a case study, making recommendations for sector change which can better support those who want or need to keep working later in life.
To find out more about the research inquiry, including how you can get involved, click here.
CREATIVE TEAM
Director | Gareth J. Nicholls
Writer | Philip Holyman
PRODUCTION PARTNERS
A Little Earthquake Production
Commissioned by Black Country Touring
Supported by Arts Alive, Live & Local, Applause Rural Touring, National Rural Touring Forum, Independent Theatre Council
FUNDERS
Funded by Arts Council England through National Lottery Project Grants, Black Country Touring, Arts Alive and Live & Local
FOR LITTLE EARTHQUAKE
Co-Director | Gareth J. Nicholls
Co-Director | Philip Holyman
FOR BLACK COUNTRY TOURING
Artistic Director | Genevieve Say
Executive Director | Matt Andrews
General Manager | Corinne Morris
Promoter Manager | Natalie Kidman
THANK YOU
Genevieve Say and Matt Andrews for their massive support of Little Earthquake and Don’t Leave Me This Way; Natalie Kidman, Corinne Morris and the entire team at Black Country Touring; Hannah Prior, Angie Spencer-Tims and Clare Whitmore at Arts Alive; Chris Davis, Steve Wilson and John Laidlaw at Live & Local; Dawn Badland and Sally Lampitt at Applause Rural Touring; Abigail Reeve at National Rural Touring Forum; Charlotte Jones at Independent Theatre Council; Arts Council England for supporting the entire Don’t Leave Me This Way project; all of the participants, survey respondents, interviewees, and audiences for their time, contributions, and support.
