York community theatre tour will raise awareness of parental mental illness

The play will tour theatres, schools, and libraries in York 12 – 17 May 2025, with lunchtime and evening performances aimed at children, young people, and adults.

The performances will be accompanied by workshops, and educational resources will be made available that will help to spark open conversations about mental health.

How To Be A Kid is a play by Sarah McDonald-Hughes that follows the central character Molly, who cooks, cleans, gets her brother to schools. As each day goes by, she feels she gets to be less and less of a kid. Th play is a touching and funny story of family, friends, and fitting in.

The development of How to be a Kid has been supported by Arts Council England.

The tour locations will be announced in the new year, and tickets for public performances will go on sale in February.

A special gala performance will take place at the end of the tour in May.

Poor parental mental illness and serious mental illness is an issue that affects 1 in 3 children in every UK classroom. Children who have a parent with a mental illness often face unique challenges at school and at home.

Our Time Charity is the only UK charity dedicated to this issue – based on 20 years of listening to families, they have shown that, although the impact of the mental illness of a parent can be long lasting, relatively small interventions can make a big difference, and change the course of a young person’s life.

Through family workshops, professional training, and projects to increase awareness and understanding of the issue, Our Time is ensuring that the adults in a child’s life are better equipped to recognise and support children.

Dympna Cunnane, Chief Executive of Our Time Charity, said:

“We’re excited to be working with Next Door But One to introduce the complex and sensitive topic of parental mental health in a way that’s accessible for young people and adults.

“It’s vital that we find ways to reduce the stigma of mental illness, so that children and young people know how to ask for support when they need it.  

“Our work helps children to feel seen and heard – in our workshops, parents and children learn about mental illness together, through discussion, drama, and games. Often, KidsTime is the first place where young people have spoken about their parent’s illness.

Matt Harper-Hardcastle, Chief Executive and Artistic Director, Next Door But One, said:

“We know firsthand from our expansive arts participation programme, which engages over 1,300 young people every year in York, that theatre can play a vital role in helping young people to make sense of their own experience and access the support they need.

“Teaming up with Our Time felt like a natural fit for How To Be A Kid. Together, if we can help a young person to feel seen and heard through the theatre we make, and get our audiences to think about how they can support the ‘real-life Mollys’ in our community, then we’ve done our job!”

Anne Cowman, Senior Service Manager for Children and Young People’s Services at Bradford District and Craven Mind, said:

“Our Time's KidsTime workshops are transforming the way families navigate the challenges of parental mental illness. The monthly sessions we have been running in Bradford (BD3) for over a year now provide a safe, non-judgemental space for families to talk and learn without shame or stigma. Children get to meet other young people in the same situation, share experiences and, most importantly, have fun. We’ll be announcing three new workshops in Bradford District and Craven in the new year. It's fantastic to see the message of Our Time shared more widely via creative productions like this, tackling stigma and raising awareness of family mental health."

Further information on tickets will be shared in the new year. Media enquiries should be directed to office@ourtimecharity.org.uk

Photo credit: Next Door But One / James Drury.