Why ‘Who Cares‘?

Oh my days, there are SO MANY reasons why! There are an estimated 450,000 young carers in the UK who are hidden. This means they are caring for a loved one behind closed doors, unknown to services. They literally aren’t
receiving any support. Who Cares is for them. The show has been on two national tours, performed at the Edinburgh Fringe and it’s just been broadcast on BBC Radio 4. We want to find those unidentified young carers, get them the support they need and tell them – You are not on your own.

What’s the one thing (is there a one thing?) that individuals can do to support a young person caring for a loved one in the UK?

You’re spot on – there are so many things people can do to support a young carer. One third of young carers are from low income families. We want to get vital technology to these teenagers who need things like laptops and phones to fulfil their caring responsibilities. RIGHT NOW, we are trying to raise £5,000 to support young carers who are facing digital poverty.

The show has played at the Fringe and the UK House of Lords, which crowd is tougher?

I completely filled my pants at the thought of both audiences! Fringe theatre goers were scary coz I got the fear it was going to turn into Mean Girls. Decision makers at the House of Lords was terrifying coz it was like we had one shot to make some political change. It was totally fine though. On both occasions the young people and the power of their stories swooped in and saved the day.

What’s the one thing you know now that you wish you’d known at the start of this creative journey?

So many things!!! I think the biggest lesson has been to trust in the strength, power and resilience of young carers. Who Cares is based form 200 hours of interviews with Antonia-Rae, Ciaron, Kerry and Paige. Their voices are at the
heart of this play. These young people spoke their truth and it’s such a powerful thing.

LUNG specialises in verbatim scripts. What are the particular challenges of that method of writing?

If I had a pound for every time I went into an existential tail spin about making verbatim theatre, I’d be loaded. For me, the thing that keeps me up at night is whether the people whose story is being told are happy. With Who Cares it’s been so important that Antonia-Rae, Ciaron, Kerry and Paige have been involved in every step of the process. Casting, reading drafts of the script, choosing the songs in the show – you name it, they did it. A lot of challenges that verbatim theatre sometimes throws up have been resolved by giving autonomy over to these young carers. This has been the key to making the play so artistically exciting.

Verbatim scripts often focus on important stories, stories that involve a lot of heartache. Are there any lighter moments to be had along the way?

Even in some of the darkest moments in life, I think it’s human to find joy. There are so many light moments in ‘Who Cares‘. As well as focusing on the reality of caring for a loved one, the play gives an insight into the day to day drama of being a teenager. There is everything in this play from the crush of the morning school bus to failed dates at Nando’s.

How have the original contributors responded to seeing their lives on stage?

Ah it’s been amazing. Antonia-Rae, Ciaron, Kerry and Paige all did speeches when the show was performed at the House of Lords. For me it was so humbling and incredible to see these young carers not only standing up for their rights, but for the rights of young carers across the UK. I don’t want to steal their thunder though… If anyone wants to hear what they made of the play, check out the BBC Broadcast, they do a fantastic segment at the end…

What should be the one thing that people know about ‘Who Cares‘ before taking their seats?

This is real life. These are real stories. This is happening right now.

You’ve been a script reader for Leeds Playhouse, Chichester Festival Theatre; The Papatango Playwriting Prize. What are you looking for? What’s the thing most likely to set off an alarm bell or make you shout ‘NEXT!’ in you head?

For me it’s all about the story and the voice. Andrea Dunbar wrote her first play in the back of an exercise book. It’s not about having a polished script that is beautifully formatted. I think for writers, the main thing is having a story you are burning to tell. A story that can’t wait another second longer to be told. That is usually the most powerful thing.

What’s next for LUNG and ‘Who Cares‘?

LOADS. We are not slowing down. We have a sexy, high quality recording of the show and education resources to accompany it. This will be rolled out nationally in the autumn for schools to access for free. If any teachers or services that support young carers would like more information, click here!