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About
Nearing 40, painfully shy, and emerging from a toxic break-up, Leah forms a punk band inspired by Lynn from Alan Partridge.
As she takes to the stage with no musical ability, will this gig push Leah further over the edge, or help her regain her confidence and find the hope she needs to move on?
A funny, farcical and poignant new play, exploring the impact of abusive behaviour, the power of friendship and how silliness can be healing.
Lynn Faces is a new play by multi award-winning writer Laura Horton, following her Fringe First-winning show, Breathless.
Quotes & Reviews
Praise for Lynn Faces
★★★★ 'Lynn Faces is not a piece of gig-theatre, it is a tremendously triumphant play about rebuilding a life in tatters... enormous fun!' - British Theatre Guide
'Laura Horton’s terrific gig-play is a scrappy antidote to the fringe’s earnest shows about serious subjects. She converts rage into a darkly comic and tender piece about surviving domestic abuse that makes us wince one moment, then marvel at women’s resilience the next.' - The Observer
★★★★ 'Has a depth and poignancy to it, rarely achieved in new writing… they belt out Lynn inspired songs Partridge fans will delight in… as more theatre’s shy away from experimental and genuinely original writing, it’s still great to see work that is refreshing and different. BACK OF THE NET!' - Neurodiverse Review
★★★★ 'Tackles a challenging subject with delicate humour... There is so much to like about this play: the wincingly true words, the painfully bad songs with such truthful lyrics, Madeleine MacMahon’s engaging Leah who gives such a truthful and charismatic performance... There is a moment where a huge revelation occurs which kept the audience in rapt silence and almost tearful.' - Theatre Weekly
BOP Exceptional Theatre Award Winner
The Company
Credits
Writer - Laura Horton
Composer & Musical Director - Anna Wheatley
Director - Jessica Daniels
Producer - Naomi Turner
Co-commissioned by New Diorama Theatre, Norwich Theatre and Theatre Royal Plymouth.
About the Artist
Laura Horton is a multi award-winning writer and was the first playwright Laureate of Plymouth from 2020-23. Her debut play Labyrinth Diet was an OFFCOMM winner in 2021. Her follow-up Breathless was awarded the Pleasance Regional Partnership. It won a Fringe First, was a finalist for the Popcorn Award and was shortlisted for other prestigious prizes. The show enjoyed runs at Soho Theatre and 59E59 Off-Broadway in 2023, where it was New York Times critic’s pick. She has written several short plays. Her first short film, A Summer of Birds, was Toast of the Fringe winner in 2021.
Laura presented her play Lynn Faces at Edinburgh Fringe 2024 where it won the BOP Exceptional Theatre Award. Laura co-wrote and directed Ciderella at Barbican Theatre Plymouth in December 2024. An associate of The Space, Laura launched digital projects Hidden by Things and Theatre Stories, for which she was in The Stage100. Laura was on BBC Voices South in 2023. Laura also runs Bad Sex Writing workshops and shows. She is represented by United Agents.