FCUK’D: New Show By Hull Writer And Director Niall Ransome To Open In London

It is estimated that around 100,000 children run away from home every year. Hull-born Niall Ransome, member of Olivier Award-winning Mischief Theatre Company, explores this important issue in FCUK’D: an alternative show for the festive period, backed by Hull UK City of Culture 2017.

Dealing with themes of abandonment, loyalty, family, and the real experiences of young working-class lads in Britain today. Drawing on his experiences of growing up in Hull, in FCUK’D Niall tells the brutal and heartfelt story of a teenage boy who kidnaps his younger brother in an attempt to flee his decrepit council flat and escape his daily encounters with the authorities.

With only each other to rely on and with nowhere to turn, the boys must keep on the move to avoid being found and the consequences that this entails. This one-man show, written entirely in verse, switches between the innocence of childhood and the very real struggle of being fcuk’d by an unfair system.

Niall said: “For me, writing about what you know was a great starting point and I’m interested in voices you don’t often hear in the theatre. Everyone has a right to their story being heard. I thought a lot about my own experiences at school in Hull and some of the young lads I grew up with.

“We cast judgement when we don’t know the full story. We ignore someone on the street or on the tube. A headline in a newspaper does enough to warrant a strong reaction about someone but without reading it we don’t fully understand. We don’t take the time. We all have stories to tell, we’re all worthy and important and I feel that in a world of blockbuster movies and special effects we have a responsibility to still tell stories of real people.”

Martin Green, director of Hull 2017, said: “It is important to us that we support and champion those people from the city who are thriving in the arts, to show that this is a creative and vibrant city with its own culture and its own stories to be told. Niall’s timely work is firmly rooted in his own experiences in Hull and gives a voice to those who are often unheard in the theatre.”

Fitting with The Bunker’s ethos of nurturing a performance environment, there will be post-show events for every show including dance responses, spoken word responses, music, director and producer panels. Details of the post-show events will be announced shortly.