We are thrilled to announce the cast and creative team for Clean Break’s upcoming touring production, Scenes from Lost Mothers, which will be presented at educational and professional settings in February and March 2025.
Clean Break and the University of Hertfordshire co-commissioned acclaimed playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti (Elephant, Birmingham Rep) to write the play, using Dr Laura Abbott’s research project Lost Mothers, as well as contributions from Birth Companions’ Lived Experience Team as inspiration. The play explores the multiple challenges faced by women who spend their pregnancy awaiting the possibility of separation, and those who are compulsorily separated from their babies.
Our three-strong cast are all participating in Clean Break’s Acting Traineeship programme. The cast includes Claire Bayley, who performed in scenes from Orlando at Clean Break’s 2024 Members Festival, for which she also on the role of Member Producer. Ro Florence is an actor who recently graduated from LAMDA, after taking part in the Young Artist Development Programme with Clean Break in 2019/20. Completing the cast is actor and performer Shabina Cannon, who featured in Clean Break’s 2024 Big Give Christmas Challenge campaign film.
Alongside their acting skills, our cast members bring with them valuable insights and perspectives from their own lived experience of, or being at risk of, criminalisation. With rehearsals underway, we are excited to begin the tour and see where our Acting Traineeship leads these three talented performers.
Scenes from Lost Mothers is directed by Anna Herrmann, Clean Break’s Artistic Director (Catch, UK Tour) with Neetu Singh as Assistant Director (The Valley of Queens, Midlands Arts Centre). Set and costume design is by Jida Akil (Community, Birmingham Rep & Tour) with Holly Khan as Sound Designer and Composer (Dreaming and Drowning, Bush Theatre) and Corinne Meredith as Movement Director (Ballet Black, the Young Vic, DanceWest). Lisa Cochrane is Company Stage Manager (Songs of Nobodies, Ambassadors Theatre).
Performances of Scenes from Lost Mothers are available to book throughout February and March 2025, for professional and educational settings.
