Many friends tell me this is possibly a subject to avoid. Honestly, they are almost certainly correct. The Troubles, Bloody Sunday, and many events related to conflict in Northern Ireland are incredibly contentious. However, I believe theatre has a fundamental role to play in not just portraying these contentious events, but sharing the stories and experiences of the people that were indelibly changed by them.

I should start by saying, quite firmly, that I will not be advocating for any particular view. I don’t see that as being my role, and I most certainly do not think that a writer/editor who was born in Coventry and lives in London has any real stake or understanding of the complexities of politics on the island of Ireland. It is incredibly important to me that I write responsibly, even in era full of irresponsibility.

Indeed, in efforts to educate myself I have spoken to people that were there. Whether civilians who remember groups fighting on local streets, armed forces members who were sent to serve in Northern Ireland, or people with experience studying Home Rule and the sectarian links to conflict in Northern Ireland.

When creating this play I will be focussing on three key strands. Experience, Testimony, and Inquiry. This will allow me to create work that remains faithful to the lived experience of those impacted, whilst exploring the ideologies and politics that fuelled the violence and unrest. This collected verbatim ‘evidence’ will then be presented in the script, asking the audience to make up their minds.

Covering two inquiries, decades of anger and grief, and seemingly endless political posturing this play will seek to ask one question. What does justice look like, over fifty years later?