Tending

A heartbreaking, hilarious and very human play sharing the experience of the nurses on the frontline of the NHS. 

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A heartbreaking, hilarious and very human look at the experience of the nurses on the frontline of our health service.



Based on over 70 interviews with nurses of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities, Tending immerses you in their day-to-day lives. It asks an essential question: when the system’s under pressure and lives are on the line, who takes time to care for the carers?



El Blackwood is an actor, writer and producer. El trained as a playwright on the prestigious John Burgess Playwriting Course (2021-2022) and as an actor with Identity School of Acting (2021-2023) and the Orange Tree Theatre Young Company (2022-2023). El is also the co-founder of Offshoots Theatre, which platforms and connects emerging creatives while raising money for the Trussell Trust. In 2023, she founded El Blackwood Productions and wrote the award-winning play, Tending. Tending achieved critical and commercial success at Edinburgh Fringe 2023, and was invited back for a month-long run at Underbelly in 2024. El was selected as one of eight playwrights to be a Brixton House ‘housemate’, winning a funded week-long run in October 2024.



CAST: 3 actor (1M, 2F/NB)

DURATION: 60 minutes