The performance centres on three nurses who give emotive accounts of why they chose the profession, what a typical working day looks like and the highs and lows of the job.
There’s little argument in suggesting those who work for the NHS are the unsung heroes of our society. Over the last five years alone they’ve faced a global pandemic, a recession and a change in government, not to mention Brexit and the ongoing war in Ukraine. As a result, the public body have dominated national headlines which has led to the majority of our population expressing their empathy for the sector.
However, when it comes to news articles those directly involved in the NHS rarely get a say. If we weren’t already talking about how strained medical staff are enough, imagine the impact real life accounts of working on the frontline would have.
Thanks to the work of El Blackwood we don’t have to. Described as a ‘love letter’ to the NHS, she’s created a 60-minute play, otherwise known as ‘Tending‘, that focuses on three nurses who work in separate departments, each detailing their own experiences. While the actors on stage might be fictionalised versions of NHS staff, the work is based on over 70 interviews conducted over two years with NHS nurses of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities.
Likewise, the entire play was solely inspired by El’s best friend who currently works as a paediatric nurse. The performance premiered for the first time last year at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and to say it was well received would be an understatement. Following its success, the play is now set to tour from this month in Bath, Oxford and London.
‘Tending was years in the making, starting back with my best friend and hearing about her experiences and of course there’s always stories in the news about how challenging it is to work in the system,’ El tells Social Care Today. ‘It’s always topical. I wanted to write (with help from the people we interviewed) something that would do the nurses justice and also remind us all they are human beings working in a broken system and doing their best. The reception to the show at the Fringe was incredible, people really got what we were trying to do, and we’re thrilled to be in London and also stopping at Oxford.’
While El brought the show to life, her stage team have also helped deliver the shows high status. The play is directed by John Livesey, who also founded the production company Anther alongside El, and he also manages the set design. On the topic of design work, Sarah Spencer is in charge of sound and Ros Chase looks after lighting.
The plays tour is due to kick off at the Theatre Royal Bath where it will hold two performances on the 11th and 12th April. From here it is due to move to Riverside Studios in London where it will play from 15th April until 4th May.
In the middle of the London leg, the show is due to premier in Oxford at The North Wall from 1st until the 2nd May.
Further information about Tending, including how to secure tickets, can be found here.
Photo by Rob Laughter via UnSplash
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