Headlong, National Theatre, HOME & Exeter Northcott presents

People, Places & Things

By Duncan MacMillan, Directed by Jeremy Herrin with Holly Race Roughan

An intoxicating play about surviving in the modern world.

Following a critically acclaimed, sold-out season at the National Theatre and in London’s West End, People, Places & Things will tour the UK this autumn with a new cast to be announced.

Written by Duncan Macmillan (1984, Every Brilliant Thing, Lungs) and directed by Headlong Artistic Director Jeremy Herrin (This House, The Nether, Wolf Hall/Bring Up the Bodies), People, Places & Things is designed by Olivier and Tony Award winning designer Bunny Christie (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.)

Emma was having the time of her life. Now she’s in rehab.

Her first step is to admit that she has a problem. But the problem isn’t with Emma, it’s with everything else. She needs to tell the truth. But she’s smart enough to know that there’s no such thing.

When intoxication feels like the only way to survive the modern world, how can she ever sober up?

★★★★ “You pay closer attention to the breadth of the play and just how hardworking a company this is – juggling multiple physically demanding parts. Strong stuff.” – Sunday Times

★★★★ “A startlingly good central performance by Lisa Dwyer Hogg… Rather brilliant… A genuinely remarkable show.” – Manchester Theatre Awards

★★★★½ “Will live long in the memory. Heart-wrenching, brave, bold, and beautiful. For anyone addicted to theatre this is one play you really don’t want to miss.” – The Reviews Hub

“The experience is more than just the story, and even more than the stunning performance of [Lisa Dwyer] Hogg who carries the whole play on her shoulders… [The] production is particularly effective in the intimacy of HOME, a must-see while it is here in Manchester. Spectacular.” – British Theatre Guide

★★★★ “Gains new resonances… People, Places & Things stands up to scrutiny with a new cast.” – The Stage

★★★★ “Duncan Macmillan’s excellent script has moments of surprising lightness, with some very funny observations on the mind of an addict… Lisa Dwyer-Hogg is outstanding… Highly recommended.” – Morning Star

★★★★ “[Director Duncan] Macmillan does a superb job at plumbing the depths of addiction and confronting a number of difficult themes… HOME feels like the perfect venue to host such an affecting and confining play.” – The Arts Shelf

“Fantastically engaging… Lisa Dwyer Hogg is a triumph as Emma… Left us emotionally drained but quietly optimistic.” – Manchester’s Finest

★★★★★ “A gripping and intense piece from the get go… Lisa Dwyer Hogg is exceptional… The ending of the play is compelling.” – Underdog Reviews

★★★★★ “Bold, thrilling and utterly absorbing…  A brilliant piece of modern theatre… If you only see one play this year, make sure it’s People, Places & Things.” – Frankly My Dear

“An uncomfortably raw portrayal of the limitless mental and physical, real life obstacles one has to overcome in the face of addiction… As bitterly comedic as it is harrowing.” – TouchPaper Reviews

“… A central performance as vivid as the one by Lisa Dwyer Hogg… She has the energy and dexterity required to spend two hours as a protagonist who is always hiding behind sophistry and facades.” – Weekend Notes

★★★★★ “Lisa Dwyer Hogg [gives] the role an emotionally charged performance that strips the character bare… Playwright Duncan Macmillan’s dialogue is quick, witty and contemporary… A powerful production that resonates with modern life.” – Sincerely, Amy

“Lisa Dwyer Hogg delivers a wonderfully brittle, fractured addict trying to survive her many demons.” – Live Art Alive

★★★★ “A startlingly good central performance by Lisa Dwyer Hogg… Rather brilliant… A genuinely remarkable show.” – Northern Soul

“Emma’s story is developed with strength and courage by Lisa Dwyer Hogg and is as much a reflection on living in 2017 as it is about what it means to be an addict.” – Performance in Motion

“Lisa Dwyer Hogg gives an incredible performance as Emma… She animates and embodies Duncan Macmillan’s words with skill and control.” – Afroanalysis

“Lisa Dwyer Hogg [is] particularly convincing in playing a character who is constantly isolated, and lost in her own world…  Really made the audience think about what it means to be alive.” – Mancunion

“A compelling and often darkly funny story… A brilliant, moving and memorable play.” – Unrestricted Views

“Theatre of this quality is a privilege to watch, worth every penny of the ticket  price and every second of your time.” – Rapport Manchester

  • Running time 2 hours 20 mins (including a 20 min interval)
  • Recommended age 14+
  • This show contains strong language, flashing lights, smoking, depiction of drug taking and themes of a distressing nature
  • No latecomers for on-stage seats

£10 Preview
Fri 22 Sep

£12.50 Preview
Sat 23 – Tue 26 Sep

£24 – £10 (conc. available)

£10 tickets available for unreserved seating on the stage for all performances