Sunderland plays to tackle sex and death

Sex and death in Sunderland: Duo of plays feature city in dramatic light
Writer-in-Residence Rob YoungWriter-in-Residence Rob Young
Writer-in-Residence Rob Young

Both comedies, titled A Play About Sex and A Play About Death, will be read by Sunderland University students Thomas Hagel, Leigh Thomas and Rachel Otterson after they were penned by the university’s writer-in-residence Rob Young.

The former play is about a shy woman who doesn’t like sex while the latter is about a night out in Sunderland where “the only thing that dies is your boredom.”

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Rob previously wrote the first online play for the Royal Shakespeare Company and Google that appeared on 25 million tweets, trended fourth in the world and won two Lovie Awards (internet Oscars).

He is the university’s first writer-in-residence, a post which means he gives lectures and helps budding writers to create plays and websites.

Rob, who has written for TV and film companies for the past 20 years, said: “The North East is full of wonderful stories and I can help people share them. “When I was a kid no one helped me, so I’m passionate about helping the young.

“There are some brilliant kids at the University of Sunderland who deserve all the help they can get. I’m a bloke from Shields, who failed his English exam. then went on to write for some great film companies. I can show them that if I can do it, anyone can.”

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•Both plays, which are not suitable for children, will be read from 6.30pm on Friday, November 18 at Room 118 in the Priestman Building, Green Terrace.

All are welcome to attend but free tickets should be booked from [email protected].