Limavady's Roe Valley to host poweful new play on suicide, grief and hope
A powerful new theatre production is coming to Limavady next month, tackling the often-unspoken themes of suicide, grief, and mental health in a reflective and emotionally sensitive way.
A reflective play, ‘Forever & Ever’ offers a vital space for community conversation and raises awareness of the issues surrounding suicide.
Written and produced by Jonathan Burgess, the one-act drama is set in a mortuary and centres on a final, imagined conversation between a woman and a young man who has taken his own life.
A quiet room. A body on the table. A voice that shouldn’t still be speaking.
When Jennifer, a mortuary make-up artist, begins preparing the body of a young man who has taken his own life, she doesn’t expect him to sit up and speak. But John’s not quite ready to go…not yet.
Trapped in the space between life and death, these two strangers begin a final, unexpected conversation. This intimate new play explores grief, regret and the question that lingers for so many families left behind by suicide…why?
The play is emotionally sensitive and contains no graphic scenes or inappropriate language. Post-show learning resources will also be available to help audiences reflect on the themes safely and constructively.
Jonathan Burgess said: “Forever & Ever is about creating a safe space for conversations we often avoid. It’s a gentle exploration of the deep impact of suicide on the people left behind.
"The play doesn’t seek to explain suicide, but to show that even in the face of profound sorrow, there is a way to find peace and hold on to love and memory.
"This production is intended as a quiet, hopeful piece for anyone who has ever felt the pain of this kind of loss.”
The free performance will take place at the Roe Valley Arts Centre on October 3. Advised for audiences aged 16 and over, free tickets can be booked via EventBrite here.