World Premiere of Powerful New Play Bad Lads Announced by Graeae and Live Theatre
Graeae Theatre Company, in association with Live Theatre, unveils national tour tackling historic abuse at Medomsley Youth Detention Centre.
Groundbreaking disabled-led theatre company Graeae has announced the world premiere of Bad Lads, a searing new play by acclaimed writer Mike Kenny, in collaboration with Newcastle’s Live Theatre.
The production will debut this autumn at Live Theatre before embarking on a national tour, coming to ARC on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th November.
Directed by Graeae’s Artistic Director Jenny Sealey, Bad Lads is based on the harrowing real-life testimonies of men who were held at Medomsley Youth Detention Centre in County Durham during the 1980s.
Promoted at the time as a “short, sharp shock” for young offenders, the facility was later revealed to be a site of sustained institutional abuse and trauma.
The play sheds light on the untold stories of the boys, now men, who endured brutal treatment behind closed doors. Forty years later, Bad Lads explores the lasting impact of that abuse and questions a justice system that failed them.
At a time when calls for truth and accountability grow louder, this production serves as a powerful demand for recognition and change.
Jenny Sealey, Artistic Director, said: “I have been with the Bad Lads men’s stories since 2021. They have been holding them for over forty years. It is time for them to be heard and for this living history of government-funded brutality to be out in the public domain.
“We are very privileged the men have trusted Graeae to take care of them, yet not shy away from the truth.”
In keeping with Graeae’s commitment to accessible and inclusive theatre, all performances of Bad Lads will be audio described, creatively captioned, and presented in a relaxed environment.
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