Artwork by Studio Blue Creative
Fresh Ink: Hull Playwriting Festival 2024
Can We Be Friends?
Written by Hannah Scorer
Orla is six and wants to meet her dad. The other kids at school have dads, but she’s never met hers. Her mum says he wasn’t ready to be a parent. But surely he could just be her friend?
Crushed by single parenting and endless bills, Orla’s mum Rex is sick of it being so hard to just exist. Can We Be Friends? follows them both as they discover that family doesn’t always look the way we’re told.
Join us in the marquee at Stage@TheDock for a rehearsed reading of an early version of this new play, by Hull-based writer Hannah Scorer.
- The Sunday 21 July sharing of Can We Be Friends? will be preceded by an excerpt from Middle Child’s 2025 play, written by Sid Sagar, lasting approximately 10 minutes. Can We Be Friends? will be presented immediately afterwards.
About Hannah Scorer
Hannah works in public health communications and has previously worked as a journalist.
She started writing for theatre after taking part in the Middle Child Writers’ Group in 2019. Since then, she has written for the 2020 Middle Child panto and Out Loud scratch night in 2023.
She lives in Hull with her partner, child and dog, Luna; a setter-cross they’ve just adopted from Greece. Hannah enjoys being outside, fossils, over-thinking and rock climbing.
Guidance
Age recommendation: 16+
Running time: 1 hour 30 minutes (1 hour 45 minutes total alongside a first look at Sid Sagar’s play on Sun 21 July)
Content notes: Reference to post-natal depression. See content notes for Sid Sagar’s play for Sun 21 July.
Cast and Creative Team
Orla
Elle Ideson
Rex
Alice Beaumont
Pia
Sophie Clay
Various
Charlie Blanshard
Tickets
Pay What You Decide (£3-10)
You will be taken to the website of Hull Truck Theatre, who are managing sales, to book your tickets. See our FAQ for more information about Fresh Ink ticketing.
Saturday 20 July
3.00pm
Sunday 21 July
7.45pm (Presented with Van Man)
For help booking tickets, please contact Hull Truck Theatre box office on 01482 323638 or boxoffice@hulltruck.co.uk.
Seating and Access
Unreserved Seating
Seating in the marquee at Stage@TheDock is unreserved, arranged in rows facing a raised stage, and we kindly ask people to fill from the front upon arriving. If you need to sit in a particular place, such as near the front for lip-reading, please add a note to the access requirements box when prompted at checkout.
Essential Companions
A free, no-questions-asked additional ticket is available for any disabled audience member who requires an essential companion. To book, please order 2x standard tickets, then apply the essential companion discount code on the Event Summary ‘Basket’ page. This will then convert 1x standard ticket to a free one.
BSL Users
The Saturday 20 July performance will be signed by interpreter Vicci Akroyd. Seating with the best view of Vicci will be reserved for BSL users, who can do so by checking the “BSL user” box at checkout.
Wheelchair Users
To reserve a wheelchair space, please book a standard ticket and add a note to the access requirements box at checkout.
