Grounded: A Bold New Play Exploring Grief, Resilience & The Power Of Community
This May, Grounded, a poignant and remarkable new play born from a collaboration between professional theatre-makers and community participants with lived experience of grief and isolation, will premiere at Alphabetti Theatre (21–24 May 2025).
Set in the shadow of the pandemic, Grounded weaves together themes of loss, connection, and quiet resilience. At its heart is an evocative dual narrative: a woman (Zoe Lambert) grappling with personal tragedy, and a sentient house (Christina Berriman-Dawson) that mirrors her solitude. Blurring the lines between theatre, live music, and experimental soundscapes—including compositions played on water glasses and a rare Yaybahaar instrument—the production finds humour and humanity amid darkness. Grounded is a play co-produced by Alphabetti Theatre and new North East company, Albatross, supported by Newcastle University, the UKRI and ESRC.
A PLAY ROOTED IN LIVED EXPERIENCE
Developed through long-term workshops with individuals processing grief, Grounded channels raw personal stories into a collective artistic vision. The play invites audiences to connect with their own experiences, and each other, in deeply human ways. The writing is laced with humour and interwoven with an original score realised through sound experiments. It is a play full of life, even as it honours grief.
Karen Underhill, one of three composers on the play, shared: "This play has allowed me to take ownership of my story. It's given me a creative way to process what felt unprocessable. To have my voice, and the voices of others like me, heard in this way feels vital."
Edward Cole, Artistic Director at Alphabetti Theatre, said: "We are incredibly excited to be working with Albatross and proud to be able to share this beautiful new play, Grounded. Grounded acts as a cornerstone to our Spring Season and tells a story that will unite audiences in joy, warmth and a shared understanding of something we all went through—but many have yet to fully process. We're incredibly thankful to Newcastle University, the UKRI and ESRC for allowing us to go on this journey, and we believe the play will act as a beautiful example of what can be achieved when creativity and research work hand in hand."
