"IT SHOULDN'T

BE LIKE THIS!"

This project dealt with the current homeless/housing crisis - 60 years on from ‘Cathy Come Home’ written by Jeremy Sandford during November1963.

We are indebted to those inspirational people who have talked to us from the Soup Run, Plymouth Access to Housing, Shekinah, and The Big Issue.

“IT SHOULDN’T BE LIKE THIS” was inspired by some of the stories we have been told about, and by, those who find themselves without a basic human right- a safe, secure and affordable place to call ‘home’.

The play was based on careful research and interviews.The 5 characters may be fictional, but their situations were not. 

This year (2023), the number of people sleeping rough in Plymouth has increased by 15%. The play aimed to recognise the work of charities and organisations working in our city under the ‘Alliance’ to render homelessness a rare, quickly solved, and unrepeatable state.

The play was performed at 11 venues across Plymouth and Saltash during

November and December 2023 and we are pleased to announce that we raised

more than £1000 for charities working with the homeless and vulnerable in Plymouth.

“The Streets of Plymouth”, which is used in the performance, was created and performed by Caroline Howard and Geoff Preece. It was inspired by Ralph McTell’s 1969 ballad “The Streets of London.”

The backdrop was created by Mary Toon and Anna Christie.

In March 2024 Script-In-Hand joined forces with Plymouth Proprietary Library's Writers' Group to create a performance for International Women's Day

"The Withered Arm"

Script-In-Hand’s presentation was a contemporary retelling of Thomas Hardy’s short story – “The Withered Arm” which was written in 1888 and set in Wessex, near his home town of Dorchester. We have transferred its location to Plymouth and the Tamar Valley

Script-In-Hand’s interpretation told the same story of two women from very different backgrounds – the daughter of a London politician and a Rumanian migrant worker. Their fates become entwined as a result of  the men who attempt to dominate their lives, leading to tragic consequences for an innocent child.

We raised £481 for TREVI from our performances, as well as also donating £40 to the Saltash Community Kitchen.

Many thanks to all those who donated so generously.

Our latest performance was inspired by a short play called “I knew they wouldn’t help…they never do” by Ruby Nation who was commissioned by the Neighbourhood Watch to write this piece.

Hence, we asked other local writers to contribute pieces about city life which particularly focused neighbours looking out for each other and the difference a stranger’s help can make.

Our title, “Matthew 22:39” was not intended to imply that only the Christian Bible focuses the importance of ‘loving your neighbour’ for this commandment forms a pivotal part of all major religions, in particular, Islam, which emphasises that ‘neighbour’ means anyone who needs you regardless of race, creed, gender or social class. The Qur’an centres on reciprocity of care and how this will create harmony and enable the building of better more peaceful communities. Buddhism likewise stresses the value of reciprocity with ‘light your neighbour’s candle and it will light your path too’. Buddha emphasises that Kindness is a profound state of being that stems from a genuine concern for the well-being of all sentient beings. 

Not only do all the world ‘religions’ command their followers to love their neighbour regardless of race, creed, gender or social status, but it is also integral to Humanism and Atheism. Hence it binds us together across the walls and divides which cause wars and terror; hopefully, such understanding, one day, will rid us of these walls. Like Blanche Du Bois, we all should be able to depend on ‘the kindness of strangers’.

After successful performances at seven venues around the area, we raised nearly £600 in donations. Most of this was given to charities nominated by the individual venues as well as a significant donation to Rethink Mental Illness Plymouth.