National Tour 2015
Winner of 2013 Theatre Production of the Year at The Co-operative Respect ‘Loved by You’ Awards, Secret Diaries is a performance and education project.
Performance
Best days of your life. Right?
Declaring war on the girl stealing your best friend, striking a pose to Vogue, realising you’re gay and falling in love, facing rejection. But one day you’ll be happy in your own skin, laughing about pouring your heart onto a tear-stained page. Maybe…
As the Iron Lady stands and Iron Curtain falls, Hayley, her Dad and best friend Debbie struggle to find their way in an ever-changing world. To build a future, they must unpack their past. Papering over the cracks, uncovering secrets and lies, they find that the hardest box to open, is your own.
Secret Diaries charts the big stuff in life from teenage years to present day. Set to a soundtrack of 80s and 90s guilty pleasures, laugh, love and re-capture your youth with this honest look at the world through teenage eyes.
Education
Secret Diaries has two versions of the production, a 90 minute full length performance and a 60 minute compressed version for youth audiences aged 14+ with a strong Key Stage 4 and 5 educational package including a Teachers Training Day, Education Pack with pre- and post- performance lesson plans and post-performance workshop with the company.
Participation
For our general public performances we provide a Q&A with the company and have a British Sign Language interpreter as part of our core company who tours with us.
Touring Team
Writer: Sarah Emmott (née Evans)
Director: Rachel Moorhouse
Dramaturg: Chris Cooper
Hayley: Sarah Emmott
Debbie: Catherine Pugh
Dad: Michael Forrest
BSL Interpreter: Rachel Moffatt-Feldman
Production Manager: Richard Walker
Production Design: Lynsey Akehurst/Richard Walker
Main Image: Nathan McDowell
Production Images: Sam Ryley
Education Pack Design: Tamzin Forster
Our national tour was developed with New Wolsey Theatre and supported by Contact and The Lowry. Funded by Arts Council England, The Granada Foundation, and Equity Foundation and our Kickstarter backers. Supported by The Proud Trust, Educate and Celebrate, Genie Networks and Big Brum Theatre in Education Company. Development funded by Arts Council England, Manchester Pride, Taurus, The Co-operative, RBS andThe Proud Trust. Special thanks to Jennifer Jordan-O’Neill for early development and collaboration.