Dive into #Unit21, the brand-new show from our resident company, Dark Horse

Discover more about the empowering new show all about adulting from director Amy Cunningham

It’s a well-known story, young woman chased down a rabbit hole by the pressures of growing up, falls into a dystopian world with confusing rules and nonsense conversations, meets weird and wonderful characters and stands up to self-important dictator.

I’m sure we’re thinking of the same story, aren’t we? #Unit21.

#Unit21 is the result of conversations between the Dark Horse company, students, and staff about how to celebrate Dark Horse’s 21^st birthday which in the end, passed us by in the midst of the pandemic.

Luckily, conversations and explorations around what happens when a person turns 21 were already underway and the company were able to continue this work from home, with most of the R&D for #Unit21 taking place on zoom. Asking questions about adulthood like, ‘What are the expectations?’ ‘What are the rules?’ ‘Who decides them and who follows them?’ We spent months interviewing adults and young people, family members, friends, people from the learning-disabled community and beyond, using this research to inspire the development of the show and the live polling that audiences can access on their mobile phones.

A group of people crown around a woman in the centre. She looks sad. All of the group are wearing dark blue overalls.

A man with short hair and a beard wearing a dark blue overall suit.

#Unit21 is a form first for Dark Horse as the show uses integrated animation to make concepts more accessible to people with learning disabilities whilst also creating stunning visuals. The company have collaborated with games designer Richard Littlewood on both electronic score and animation.

To find out more about the thinking behind #Unit21 from the actors that have made it and see exclusive clips from the production, watch the video below.

This is a show that so many adults (or wannabe adults!) will relate to, uniting us all in our ordinary and extraordinary adulting successes and failures. It is dark, it is empowering and it is absolute permission to be the beautifully unique adult that you are (not that you ever needed it).

Dark Horse is a theatre company that makes, bold, progressive and visually impactful theatre led by learning disabled actors and theatre-makers. Our mission is for people with learning disabilities to have equal opportunities to train and work in live, recorded, and digital arts.

As resident company at Lawrence Batley Theatre, we’re excited to be starting the tour here!

#Unit21 will be on our main stage from Wed 22 - Thu 23 February. Click here to find out more and to book.