Emmerson & Ward Productions presents
RUM
LONDON PREMIERE
Set pre manosphere, this impactful solo show exploring society’s expectation of men and the impact on their mental health, is back by popular demand
Written and performed by Joe Mallalieu (Coronation Street)
Directed by Tess Seddon (Say Yes To Tess)
WINNER: Broadway Baby Bobby Award (Edinburgh Fringe 2024)
UK TOUR 2026: Wednesday 22 April – Tuesday 9 June 2026, various times, 16+
RUM: an insult and a compliment; Having no care for the consequences of an action; Acting larger than life.
“Mallalieu’s storytelling is captivating and impassioned” ★★★★★ Broadway Baby
“Dazzlingly authentic” ★★★★ The Scotsman
“A blistering play” The Mirror
“A powerful, intimate play.” ★★★★★ The Reviews Hub
“This plaster will outlive me. I shape these rooms but in turn they have moulded me. Hiding secrets. Weak spots made to look strong.”
Returning to tour further across the UK, this moving solo show is inspired by playwright and plasterer Joe Mallalieu’s real-life experiences of the building trade. RUM received strong critical praise following a brief 2024 Edinburgh Fringe run where it captured the interest of TV producers (development discussions are well underway).
RUM follows Danny who has been plastering since he was a kid, he’s not scared of anything, he’s RUM. He’s been up all night and now he’s rushing to finish a job before he has to give the speech of his life. The biting play explores what happens when you lack the language or tools to speak about your emotions, interrogating how poor mental health, the celebration of violence and stigma around vulnerability often go hand-in-hand. The debut, which toured the UK last year capturing the interest of scores of non theatre goers as it went venue to venue, is written and performed by plasterer and actor Joe Mallalieu whose family have been in the building trade for three generations.
Writer and performer Joe Mallalieu said: “I think RUM pre-dates the Andrew Tate view point, it’s not born with the rise of social media or an uncertainty of what men should be or how they could grow up like we saw in Adolescence.
“It’s about how working class men have been growing up for generations. I think that’s why it did so well last tour, why we’re bringing it back and also why TV production companies have shown interest.”
Director Tess Seddon said: “‘When I first started working with Joe on RUM I was struck by the rich complexity of the main character of Danny. He feels love and loyalty so deeply and yet the only acceptable way to express it is through destruction and violence. He’s trapped by the very culture that he loves so much. Now four years later, the play is more relevant than ever. With the rise of the manosphere Danny’s story is happening on a massive scale as young men are learning limiting and hate filled ideas of what a man should be. I’m thrilled to be bringing such an emotional, funny and politically charged show on a nationwide tour at a time when conversations about masculinity are so badly needed.’ man who both wears the culture as a badge of honour and suffers within it.”
Lucas Whitehead, Head of Marketing and Partnerships, ANDYSMANCLUB, said: ”We’re proud to be supporting RUM, a no holds-barred take on mental health and suicide in the construction industry. It is no coincidence that britain’s most male-dominated industry has a problem with male suicide, and anything that artists, professionals or the public can do to shine a light on this is massively beneficial. 700 people a year take their lives in construction-related suicides. It is important to make noise about the importance of talking and openness and to create things that men who may be struggling can relate to. If this production can inspire one person to make a change in their life, and in turn prevent their suicide or suffering, then the production has done its job.”
Company Information
Writer & Performer Joe Mallalieu (he/him)
Director & Dramaturg Tess Seddon (she/her)
Designer Rūta Iribīte (she/her)
Lighting Designer Amy Mae (she/her)
Composer & Sound Designer Lee Affen (he/him)
Photography & Graphic Design Grant Archer (he/him)
Technical Stage Manager & Production Manager Tom Blackband (he/him)
PR SM Publicity
Assistant Producer Sasha Dowdy (she/her)
Producer Emmerson & Ward Productions
Web and social media links:
Facebook: facebook.com/Emmerson&WardProductions / Instagram: @emmersonandward / X: @EmmersonWard
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