BETWEEN THE ACTS

THEATRE • ADAPTATION • NEW WRITING

Adapted by Dr Eleanor Lybeck
Dramaturg & Directed by Jen Heyes

Co-produced by SideLong Glance & CutToTheChase Productions
World premiere June 2025 @ ACCA Brighton

Overview
A bold new adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s final novel. Set in a near-future immigration removal centre in the North West of England after a climate catastrophe, this powerful stage adaptation reimagines Between the Acts as a story of displacement, resistance, and memory.

About the Production
Reimagined for the stage by Dr Eleanor Lybeck (Senior Lecturer in Literature, University of Liverpool) and directed by Jen Heyes, this production relocates Woolf’s final novel to a near-future immigration removal centre in the North West of England, following a catastrophic flood that has reshaped both geography and national identity.

Within the centre’s confines, an ensemble of detainees stage a fragmented pageant—echoing Woolf’s original structure—exploring themes of displacement, collective memory, and nationhood through performance, ritual, and resistance. The adaptation combines the lyricism of Woolf’s prose with the urgency of physical theatre, immersive sound, and tightly choreographed ensemble work to transform studio or flexible spaces into a liminal world where past and present collide.

Performance Concept
An ensemble of detainees stages a fractured pageant inside the centre—using ritual, protest, and performance to reclaim history and identity. The piece is designed to tour university theatres and studio spaces and can be adapted for flexible staging and immersive settings.

Touring
Available for university touring in Spring and Autumn 2026/27. The performance runs in small & mid-scale venues, studio or flexible spaces, and is suitable for collaborative projects, workshops, and post-show discussions exploring literature, climate, migration, and performance.

Creative Team
Adaptation: Dr Eleanor Lybeck
Director & Dramaturg: Jen Heyes
Production: SideLong Glance & CuToTheChase Productions
World premiere: June 2025, ACCA Brighton

Audience Response
“Absolutely brilliant adaptation and reframing of Between the Acts. And so timely (of course).... Staging, acting, all wonderful. Both poignant, and anger-making, and at times hilarious! Really hope to hear the play will be staged somewhere for a proper run.” — Mark Hussey, Emeritus Professor, PACE University, New York; editor of the Cambridge edition of Between the Acts

Practical Information
Running time: Approx. 75–90 minutes (no interval)
Suitable for: University theatre spaces, studio theatres, festivals

Technical notes: Flexible set, immersive sound design, ensemble cast; requires adaptable lighting rig and deep, clear sound system. Technical rider available on request.

Booking & Enquiries
If you would like to discuss touring or a campus engagement, please contact the producers:

Email: Eleanor.Lybeck@liverpool.ac.uk  info@cuttothechaseproductions.uk