The effect of being told you’re loved is very powerful. But what happens when that love becomes an invisible threat? Lou is a 28-year-old primary school teacher who’s wholly aware the audience are watching her. She wants to show them exact moments in her relationship, breaking down the progression of coercion as Lou journeys from freedom to being trapped.
Coercive control is an issue not widely recognised and yet its side effects kill up to three women every week in the UK. Each moment of the play has been inspired by real women and real stories.
Ruckus gained critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022, and during the London transfer to Southwark Playhouse. Ruckus received a number of 4 & 5 star reviews, a WhatsOnStage nomination for Best Off-West End Production, first finalist for the Popcorn New Writing Award which was partnered with the BBC Writersroom, an OFFIE nomination for Lead Performance in a Play, shortlisted for the Filipa Braganca Award and won a Lustrum Award for “unforgettable performance and new writing”.
Production Photos
Reviews
“Important play which takes us inside the head, and life, of a trapped woman”4 rating
“It is a precise, pressure-cooker production of a thrilling and thoughtful one-woman play”4 rating
“Rarely is there an account as raw and honest as Ruckus gives, and it’s a testament to the writing”5 rating