We’re so proud of one of our former amazing residents, Tyrell Williams, who has written a play which opens at the Soho Place on Tottenham Court road on 15 March.
His inspiration for ‘Red Pitch’ came from his childhood and the experiences he and his friends shared on the football pitch on the Aylesbury estate where he grew up. It’s a coming-of-age story which explores the challenges faced by Omz, Bilal and Joey as they navigate change while holding onto their hopes and dreams, with all three aspiring to be footballers. It explores the good and bad of the regeneration happening on the estate, with one of the friends excited to have a new home that’ll suit his grandfather’s needs better, mixed with the uncertainty felt by the others.
Tyrell Williams is one of the many people who experienced mentoring and support from our social economic investment manager Chris Cotton over the years – something he considers really beneficial and invaluable in relation to his growth as a person and as an artist. Tyrell also considers Chris a vital research tool for his play Red Pitch and expresses his gratitude at every opportunity.
It’s common for communities to have a mix of excitement and worry when regeneration is happening around them, and that’s why we’ve put so much effort into engaging with young people to ensure their needs are met on our regeneration projects and supporting them in their ambitions.
Tyrell has always loved writing and studied creative writing and journalism at Middlesex University. He explored various forms of theatre and had a brief stint of acting before deciding he preferred to be behind the scenes. He is a firm believer in writing what you know and the play started off as a 10-minute piece looking at memories from his childhood. He entered it into a festival in 2018 and it clearly resonated with audiences as Tyrell took home the Audience Choice award.
Director, Daniel Bailey and Tyrell extended it to an hour-long play at Ovalhouse Theatre (Brixtonhouse Theatre). A few years later it debuted as a professional play at the Bush Theatre in 2022; Tyrell was invited back a year later, enjoying two sold out runs before securing a transfer to the West End.
Now the five-time debut award winning play is headed to Soho Place, running from Friday 15 March till Saturday 4 May. You can find out more and book tickets here.
Photo credit: Helen Murray.
