Love and violence collide in a story that examines the cause and effect of a child committing an atrocity

Written by Abigail Hood | Directed and dramaturged by Kevin Tomlinson

Park Theatre, Park 90 27 July – 20 Aug

With a cast of six, this new contemporary play explores the need for love and the powerful forces at play behind random acts of violence. Set across two decades, it opens in 2006 Glasgow where troubled teen Kayleigh escapes her abusive mother through her friendship with Zoe. As the two flirt, play dare and fantasise about running away together to the Isle of Muck, the adults in their lives intervene – for right or for wrong – and lead them towards disastrous consequences. Drawing on extensive research into children who have committed violent acts, Monster asks can past mistakes ever be forgiven or forgotten, and if those raised by monsters can ever heal or are fated to become monsters themselves.

Writer Abigail Hood said, “The starting point for Monster was a desire to understand what it is that causes a child to commit an appalling act of violence and, having done so, how they go on to live the rest of their life. Such questions led to extensive research into the lives of Mary Bell, John Venables, Robert Thompson and other minors whose abhorrent acts of violence have shocked the world. I found myself looking at a vicious circle of abuse and the impact of abuse upon young people. This brought me to ask if / how, as a society, we can prevent such things from happening and question if we are failing our young people. It is my aim that Monster keeps us asking these questions, in the hope that other families can be spared the grief inflicted upon them by such acts and save the children who commit them from themselves.”

Veritas and Kepow are pleased to be returning to Park Theatre with their production of Monster, following the successes of their previous shows; Spiral (2018), Beneath the Blue Rinse (2019) and The Answer (2019).

Veritas is a UK based theatre company specialising in challenging and provocative new writing. The company seeks to give a voice to new British writers who have something to say about the world we live in today. The themes and actions within these new plays may be highly amusing or highly disturbing but – either way – are always based on a desire to tell the truth as the writer sees it. Hence the name of the company; Veritas (the goddess of truth in Roman mythology).

Park Theatre presents exceptional theatre in the heart of Finsbury Park, boasting two world-class performance spaces: Park200 for predominantly larger scale productions by established talent, and Park90, a flexible studio space, for emerging artists. In nine years, it has enjoyed eight West End transfers (including Daytona starring Maureen Lipman, The Boys in the Band starring Mark Gatiss, Pressure starring David Haig and The Life I Lead starring Miles Jupp), two National Theatre transfers, twenty-five national tours, six Olivier Award nominations, has won multiple OffWestEnd Offie Awards and won a Theatre of the Year award from The Stage. Park Theatre are grateful to all those who have donated to the Park Life fund, supporting the venue through the pandemic.