Cast: The Bench

Final Team Sheet Announced for The Bench by Jeff Brown

A CaroleW Productions & Gala Durham Co-Production

The Bench - A moving tale of love, loss and football

Written by Jeff Brown 

Directed by Olivia Millar-Ross

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

CaroleW Productions and Gala Durham are delighted to announce the full team sheet for The Bench, a moving and humorous play about love, loss and football, written by broadcaster and playwright Jeff Brown. The highly anticipated regional tour will kick off on Thursday 22 May 2025 at Gala Durham, with fixtures scheduled across the North East and Cumbria before concluding on Saturday 21 June 2025 at The Customs House in South Shields.

Jeff Brown
Photo: Cultured. North East

Newly announced fixtures include stops at Live Theatre in Newcastle, Monkwearmouth Academy in Sunderland - where Jeff attended school - and community spaces across the region as part of the Highlights Rural Touring Scheme.

The talented cast for the play includes Jason Njoroge, Hannah Marie Davis, Abigail Lawson, Dan Howe and David Nellist.

“This cast embodies everything we hoped for – talent, passion, and a deep understanding of the characters’ journeys, and I can’t wait to see them bring The Bench to life” said Jeff. “On the surface, it’s a boy-meets-girl story, but there’s so much more beneath it – themes of poverty, racism, and searching for your place in the world. Even the title has layers of meaning, from where the characters meet to Adi’s struggles on the substitutes’ bench, and the feeling that both of them are waiting for their chance. It’s a play packed with humour and heart, and if it can spark conversations and bring people together, then that’s something really special.”

The Bench tells the story of Vicky (Hannah Marie Davis), a single mother struggling with the pressures of daily life, and Adi (Jason Njoroge), a young footballer striving to find his place both on and off the pitch. Though from different worlds, their unexpected meeting on a park bench reveals shared struggles and unlikely hope. Abigail Lawson plays Becs, Vicky’s best friend, with David Nellist as Mike, Ali’s agent. Dan Howe completes this stellar ensemble cast.

With its sharp wit, heartfelt storytelling, and relatable characters, The Bench is much more than a play about football - it’s a touching and entertaining story about life, resilience and connection.

Whether you’re a football fanatic or don’t know the offside rule, this is a feel-good night out filled with laughter, warmth, and a few surprises along the way.

Carole Wears of CaroleW Productions, co-producer of The Bench said: “We’re beyond excited to share The Bench with audiences. It’s a play brimming with emotion that tackles big themes with humour and a touch of football magic. But you don’t have to be a football fan to enjoy it - this is a story about people, about life’s ups and downs, and about finding connection in the most unexpected places. We want audiences to come along, have a brilliant night out, and experience the kind of theatre that stays with you after the final whistle. This production is part of CaroleW Productions commitment to making theatre with heart, right here in the North East of England.”

Learning Engagement activity for The Bench is supported by the North East Combined Authority and Show Racism the Red Card, the UK’s leading anti-racism educational charity. An early version of The Bench premiered at The Customs House in South Shields, in 2023.

Tickets:

For full tour dates, visit: www.carolewproductions.com/the-bench 

Suitability: Approx. 2 hours including an interval

Duration: 14+

Full Tour Dates & Venues

• Thursday 22 May 1pm & 7.30pm, Friday 23 May, 7.30pm & Saturday 24 May, 2.30pm & 7.30pm – Gala Durham

• Tuesday 27 May, 7.30pm - Coundon & Leeholme Community Centre

• Wednesday 28 May, 2.30pm & 7.30pm – The Exchange 1856, North Shields

• Thursday 29 May, 7.30pm - Askham & Helton Community Centre, Cumbria*

• Friday 30 May, 7.30pm - Kentmere Institute, Cumbria*

• Saturday 31 May, 7.30pm - Hamsterley Village Hall, County Durham*

• Sunday 1 June, 7.30pm - Great Whittington Village Hall, Northumberland*

• Wednesday 4 June, 7.30pm – Middlesbrough Town Hall

• Thursday 5 June, 7.30pm – Arts Centre Washington

• Friday 6 June, 7.30pm - Alnwick Playhouse

• Sunday 8 June, 3pm – St Johns Hall Meadowfield, County Durham

• Tuesday 10 June, 12.45pm & 7.30pm – Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham

• Wednesday 11 June, 7.30pm, Thursday 12 June, 1pm & 7.30pm, Friday 13 June, 7.30pm and Saturday 14 June, 7.30pm - Live Theatre

• Tuesday 17 June, 7pm - Monkwearmouth Academy, Sunderland

• Wednesday 18 June, 1pm & 7.30pm – Bishop Auckland Town Hall

• Thursday 19 June, 7.30pm - Saltburn Community Theatre

• Friday 20 & Saturday 21 June, 7.30pm – The Customs House, South Shields

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