A “hilarious and not-so-holy story of hope, coming together and finding your feet when your world is turned upside down”, Folk by Tom Wells is to have its première at Birmingham REP.
Folk features Winnie who is no ordinary nun. She is a swearing, smoking Guinness fan who loves a sing-song with Stephen. She lives life to the fullest. But a shock discovery changes everything.
Stephen has lost his job—and his way. Finding solace in music, he knows he must start again—but how? Outspoken teenager Kayleigh is in charge of her life. But when unexpected circumstances lead her to Winnie and Stephen, they start a journey that will transform their lives for ever.
Wells said about the play, “I used to be in a folk band with my dad, sister and a couple of other people. We practised on Friday nights in the social centre of the Catholic Church in Withernsea—a coastal town in East Riding and the setting for Folk.
“I love folk music—it brings people together. I’m interested in characters who’ve slipped through the cracks of a community and the kind of grass roots community work that lots of people like Sister Winnie do, which is undervalued by lots of people in political office but which is really important in smaller communities like Withernsea.”
Wells’s play The Kitchen Sink won him the most promising playwright prize at the Critics’ Circle Awards in 2011. His play Jumpers For Goalposts—“a comedy about football, friendship and finding your way”—premièred at Watford Palace Theatre in 2013 and toured the UK.
The cast for Folk is Patrick Bridgman (Stephen), Chloe Harris (Kayleigh) and Connie Walker (Winnie).
The REP’s associate director Tessa Walker directs. Bob Bailey handles set and costume design, lighting is by Simon Bond, composition and musical direction by James Frewer and sound design by Clive Meldrum.
Folk runs in the Studio at the REP from Thursday 14 until Saturday 30 April (press night Tuesday 19 April).