The stage adaptation of best-selling author Matt Haig’s Reasons To Stay Alive from Sheffield Theatres and English Touring Theatre, with text by April De Angelis and directed by Jonathan Watkins, comes to HOME Manchester 29 October – 2 November 2019.
At 24 Matt’s world collapsed under the weight of depression. Reasons To Stay Alive is the true story of his journey out of crisis; a profoundly uplifting exploration of living and loving better. The first theatrical adaptation of Matt Haig’s frank and funny bestseller – which stayed in the British top 10 for 46 weeks – this play with music and movement, directed by Jonathan Watkins, celebrates what it means to be alive.
The cast comprises Bolton-born Phil Cheadle, familiar to TV viewers from appearances in Harlots, Dark Angel and Silent Witness, as older Matt; Macclesfield-born Chris Donnelly, part of Andrew Hilton’s award-winning Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory theatre company in Bristol with roles in a whole host of William Shakespeare plays, as dad; Janet Etuk, making a swift return to the city after appearing in the recent Manchester International Festival production of Tao Of Glass at the Royal Exchange Theatre, as Andrea; Mike Noble, currently appearing on TV in The Capture, as younger Matt; Dilek Rose, recently seen on TV in BBC2’s MotherFatherSon, as Dawn, Jenny, and Rose; and Connie Walker, who grew up in Rochdale and Oldham, and is a TV regular in series such as Holby, Coronation Street, Vera, Scott & Bailey, Hollyoaks, and Doctors, as mum.
Director Jonathan Watkins’ credits include Kes (Sheffield Crucible Theatre and UK tour) and the first dance adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984 for Northern Ballet (UK Tour and Sadler’s Wells Theatre, May 2016). He was also the movement director in the Manchester International Festival production of The Machine, about chess player Garry Kasparov’s battle with super-computer Deep Blue, in 2013.
PERFORMANCE CALENDAR
Tue 29 October 2019, 19:30
Wed 30 October 2019, 19:30 (press night performance)
Thu 31 October 2019, 14:00
Thu 31 October 2019, 19:30
Fri 1 November 2019, 19:30 (Caption sub-titled performance)
Sat 2 November 2019, 14:00 (Audio-described performance)
Sat 2 November 2019, 19:30
TICKETS £12.50 (concessions £5-£10.50)
