Set in his hometown, award-winning Sheffield playwright Leo Butler’s Living is a state-of-the-nation drama about all the years of our lives. It is an exciting and challenging production for the cast and creative team with 8 actors performing the roles of over 30 characters, spread across a timespan of 55 years.
The Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse at the Crucible Theatre is an intimate setting for what the writer himself describes as ‘the most ambitious and personal play I’ve written.’ The stage was set up as a living room for the entirety of the play, with the layout and props changing to communicate the progression of time from 1969 through to 2024. The sparse room was updated periodically with the latest technological advances, such as a VHS video recorder and a CD tower unit. Being from Sheffield, the many references to the City, including the village where I grew up, colloquial terms and time-sensitive reference points added to the feeling of familiarity.
Abigail Graham’s superb direction was key to the success of the multi-faceted storyline. Tasking eight actors to portray over 30 characters across a timeline of 55 years with only minor modifications to the set is no mean feat. The relevant date changes were projected across the plain OSB walls around the stage clearly and effectively. This was necessary as the timeline sometimes progressed a few days at a time, but then jumped by a few years. What was impressive was the smooth manner of switching conversations between characters and the enablement of costume changes. The use of lighting was an important component in this. The costumes and makeup were accurate and easy to associate with the relevant era. For the direction to work, the cast had to work together as a team, including updating the set. The 8-person cast was individually and collectively brilliant.
Ambitious is the perfect word to describe the expansive narrative. Set over 5 decades, the subject matter touches upon family, community, politics, addiction and money amongst other themes. Covering a period of time that oversaw dramatic social change, there were many easy-win, lighthearted, nostalgic references. But broad scripts need depth and this was where the production excelled. Each character had compelling stories that intertwine and resonate with familiarity.
As the story and decades unfolded, I found myself thinking how old I was at that moment in history and where had the subsequent years gone? Having been expertly navigated through the circle of life, the touching and emotional finale was a fitting and bittersweet ending. One of the aspects that stood out was the rich characterisation and how they developed and changed over the substantial time period. This showcased how well the script, acting, make-up, costumes and direction harmonised. Everything worked. The style and location drew comparisons to Chris Bush’s excellent ‘Standing at the Skye’s Edge’ and will appeal to fans of that production.
Living is an excellent theatrical experience, which would work well on a larger stage, but, for now, the intimate Playroom setting adds to the delicacy of the narrative. The production and acting are accomplished and complement the wonderfully sentimental and clever script, which examines the highs and lows of ordinary life with poignancy. It is a highly ambitious and personal work by Leo butler which hits all the right notes and one which I suspect he will reflect upon in years to come with great pride.
Production run (The Playhouse, Sheffield): Saturday 14th March – Saturday 4th April 2026.
Running Time: around 3 hours, including an interval.
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/living/dates
Reviewer: Matthew Burgin
On: Thursday 19th March 2026
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