Lecturer's theatre show opens

A production by an LJMU lecturer, based on the lived experiences of children who have a parent in prison, opens in theatres this month.

8 Hours There and Back is written by Sarah Hogarth, a senior lecturer in Drama at the Liverpool Screen School, with All Things Considered Theatre.

The production draws on children’s stories collected by Time Matters UK, an organisation founded by Dr Lorna Brookes, Reader in Parental Imprisonment. Time Matters UK supports children who are impacted by parental imprisonment, providing group and individual support to young people across the UK.

It’s been an absolute privilege to work with the incredible children and young people from Time Matters UK. They are articulate, passionate, and hilariously funny! As a writer, it was a joy to draw inspiration from their words and experiences—so many thought-provoking and dramatic stories. This is such an important topic, and we often hear, 'No one thinks about the children.' Well, 8 Hours There and Back is our answer to that!

Sarah Hogarth, lecturer in Drama

I have been working with children impacted by parental imprisonment for over 15 years and am so incredibly proud of their bravery and advocacy work. I have had the pleasure of literally watching these children grow up which has been a privilege.

Dr Lorna Brookes, Reader in Parental Imprisonment

The tour opens at Liverpool’s Unity Theatre on 13 and 14 September, before a series of dates throughout September and October. You can buy tickets from the Unity Theatre website.

Look out for a feature on 8 Hours There and Back on BBC North West Tonight next week.