One of the best plays to come out of Nottingham is the Olivier-nominated Till the Stars Come Down – and it’s coming to Nottingham Playhouse for the first time this September.
The show is set in Mansfield, and follows a wedding night with all the drama that comes with it. It is penned by Shirebrook-born playwright Beth Steel, who we asked about her background in playwriting, how she wrote the play, and why you should go and see it.
If you’re looking for events in Nottingham, Till the Stars Come Down is playing at Nottingham Playhouse from September 5-26 (tickets from £14.50pp, nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk). For more interviews and events, subscribe to The Notts Edit to receive our articles in your inbox for free.
Till the Stars Come Down playwright Beth Steel on the Olivier-nominated play
By Eve Smallman
Photos by Sam Taylor
Tell us about your background in playwriting
Till the Stars Come Down is my fifth play; I wrote it whilst I was Writer in Residence at the National Theatre. My plays have been produced in London and Nottingham. Wonderland came to Nottingham Playhouse in 2018 and 2019.
How did the idea for writing Till the Stars Come Down come about, and what was it like writing it?
I really wanted to write a play where the whole thing takes place on the day of a wedding – the high-octane emotions, the rituals, the excitement... The fascinators! I thought a wedding would be an interesting way to explore community tensions through a family.
Why was it especially important for you to set it in Mansfield, and how did you make the setting distinctive?
It was instinctual. I adore family dramas, meaty ensemble plays, and the more specific you are with a setting in a story, the more universal it is.
What has the reception to the show been like so far?
The reception of the play genuinely took me by complete surprise. After opening, it almost immediately sold out its run at the National Theatre, and a run in the West End and 20 international productions have followed. It’s quite something to watch your play, as I did, in Tokyo being performed in Japanese.
It’s also Olivier-nominated – how do you feel about that?
The Olivier Award nomination was a beautiful thing – I do love a party!
Why are you looking forward to it coming to Nottingham Playhouse?
It’s a homecoming! Many people have said to me after watching the play that the family captured on stage was their family in real life, but the recognition for a Nottingham audience will be, I think, more profound.
What sorts of themes can people expect throughout?
I’m fascinated by change, and it’s one of the reasons I adore Chekhov’s plays, for it is his great subject. Now, as in Chekhov’s time, people have a sense of profound shifts up ahead... The world is changing, and we know it. How people respond to change – fear and excitement – interests me, and I have a lot of empathy for. Of course, there is also lashings of love and loss too!
Why should people go and see it?
It’s a full night out: cracking cast, beautiful and vivid production, and a story that will hopefully make you laugh and cry.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Just that I’m grateful to everyone who has booked a ticket!
Till the Stars Come Down is playing at Nottingham Playhouse from September 5-26 (tickets from £14.50pp, nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk).
🤳 Keep up with us on socials on Instagram and TikTok
✉️ Send stories such as press releases and feature ideas to editor@thenottsedit.com
💰 Want to feature your business in The Notts Edit? Email Eve Smallman at editor@thenottsedit.com to receive our media pack
☕ Enjoying The Notts Edit? Buy us a coffee on Ko-Fi and help fuel our words