HUSK by Rupert Hill
Directed by Joseph Houston
Husk is a dark, twisting tale of violence, love, addiction and revenge delivered with a dose of black humour.
Ray has just been released from a long stretch behind bars. Homeless and penniless he pitches a tent in a forest.
Beth and her husband Clark are spending the summer at her Dad’s house overlooking the sea near Blackpool.
Are they really being terrorised by a mysterious couple? Or is it a fabrication of the father’s increasing dementia?
Content Advice
Strong language, drug use, references to sexual violence.
AGE GUIDANCE: 14+
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More about the writer, Rupert Hill
In addition to his successful career as an actor, Rupert Hill has also written and directed several films. Husk, however, marks his stage writing 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.”
Pricing
Lower Seats: £20
Balcony Seats: £18
Balcony Standing: £12
