Layla's Room
by Sabrina Mahfouz
"Mahfouz’s poetic script fizzes with energy... FIVE STARS"
The Independent, "Chef" review
"A blistering way with language… this is how theatre can take you anywhere in your imagination... FIVE STARS"
The Herald, "Clean" review
For Layla, every day is a battleground.
The pay gap, the thigh gap, over-sexed pop and selfies that are photoshopped – they’re just part of the world she lives in.
But that world is about to change.
While breaking out of her bedroom – and with drama, comedy, poetry and music as her weapons – Layla breaks down and makes sense of the realities, difficulties and absurdities of teenage life in the UK today.
Collected from a bespoke national survey, the voices of a thousand UK teens are brought to life in Layla. Their ambitions, concerns, role-models and regrets are woven together by award-winning Sabrina Mahfouz and Theatre Centre, offering a hard hitting yet hopeful story of how girls just wanna have fun–damental human rights.
Layla's Room will be touring schools and venues throughout September - November 2016.
If you're interested in Laylas' Room visiting your school please contact admin@theatre-centre.co.uk
Venue Tour Dates 2016
LONDON – Redbridge Drama Centre - 15 September
BRIGHTON – Brighton Dome – 22 September
MAIDENHEAD - Norden Farm Centre for the Arts - 27 September
PLYMOUTH – Barbican Theatre - 7 & 8 October
CARDIFF - Sherman Cymru - 11 October
KENT – Marlowe Theatre - 20 October
LONDON – Southbank Centre - 22 October
YORK – York Theatre Royal - 1 November
LANCASTER – The Dukes – 8 November
Sabrina Mahfouz is currently writing plays, poems, librettos and TV for Paines Plough; BBC3; Kate Whitley; Futures Theatre, Clean Break, Theatre Centre and Aakash Odedra. She has been a Sky Arts Academy Scholar for Poetry, a poet in residence for Cape Farewell and an Associate Playwright at the Bush Theatre.
Her creative work has been recognized with a number of awards including a 2014 Fringe First Award; a 2013 Sky Arts Futures Fund Award; an Old Vic New Voices Underbelly Edinburgh Award and a Westminster Prize for New Playwrights. Her new poetry book, How You Might Know Me, is published by Out-Spoken Press.
Praise for Sabrina Mahfouz’s work:
“Mahfouz’s poetic script fizzes with energy” ***** - Chef review, The Independent
“A blistering way with language… this is how theatre can take you anywhere in your imagination” ***** - Clean review, The Herald
“Clean is sensational… the best writing on the fringe” ***** - Clean review, The British Theatre Guide
“A really substantial piece of writing… [Mahfouz] speaks lyrically and powerfully” **** – Dry Ice review, The Times
As this commission develops, more information will be included here. Please subscribe to our mailing list to keep up to date with our latest news.
User comments (2)
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Wow what a performance! Would definitely recommend seeing this piece. The students were enthralled from start to finish.
Comment left by: Trinity School, Newbury - 29.09.2016 16:22
This performance was very entertaining. It made us cry and laugh and we thoroughly enjoyed this.
Comment left by: rachel and lucy - 29.09.2016 11:43