Actor Rupert Hill – perhaps best known for playing Jamie Baldwin in Coronation Street.- makes his play-writing debut with HUSK a dark twisting tale of violence, love, addiction and revenge delivered with a dose of black humour.
Running from 25-29 September at Hope Mill Theatre, Husk is directed by Hope Mill Artistic Director Joseph Houston with Hill also leading the cast alongside Danielle Henry, Daniel Poyser, David Crellin and David McCreedy.
Ray has just been released from a long stretch behind bars. Homeless and penniless he pitches a tent in a forest intent on seeking revenge on the man responsible for putting him behind bars. Through a series of flashbacks spanning over 30 years, it becomes clearer what exactly happened to Ray to send him on this journey…
In addition to his successful career as an actor, Rupert Hill has also written and directed several films. Husk, however, marks his playwriting debut and was partly inspired albeit unintentionally by his personal own experiences of alcohol abuse and addiction. As he explains:
“Three years ago I finally admitted to myself that I was a high functioning alcoholic and I decided that my life would be infinitely improved if I were to give up drinking. So I did. And I was right. The overwhelming sensation I had from sobriety was a profound sense of freedom! So much so that I got my young daughter to write the words “Free” on a piece of paper which I then got tattooed on my right wrist (my old drinking hand so I would always see the word if I ever picked up a glass again). I never set out to write a play about drinking or alcoholism, HUSK was intended to be an edge of your seat thriller because they’re so rare to see these days on stage. But in hindsight and somewhat subconsciously I think I did write a play about addiction. All the characters are in some sort of prison and they are seeking freedom and salvation. My sincere desire is that the play is a story about finding hope and love out of the bleakest of situations. We are never without hope. Even in these challenging times.”
Husk and Hope Mill Artistic Director Joseph Houston comments:
“When I first read Rupert’s new play HUSK, I was instantly hooked, It is a true page turner of a story and testament to Rupert’s superb writing. I can’t wait to work with Rupert and the amazing cast and creative team we have assembled to bring this piece to life on stage. It’s a real privilege to be able to create a brand new piece of writing and I look forward to audiences experiencing what I hope will be a thrilling, heartfelt, funny, dark theatrical roller coaster of a play, both at Hope Mill Theatre and at The Dukes in Lancaster.”
Husk runs at Hope Mill Theatre from 25-29 September
Press Night is Wednesday 26 September
https://hopemilltheatre.co.uk/event/husk/
