Cast announced for Alan Harris’ Sugar Baby at Alphabetti Theatre

Casting has been announced for Sugar Baby at Alphabetti Theatre.

The Newcastle upon Tyne venue will present the comedy caper by critically acclaimed writer Alan Harris from 20 September – 8 October 2022.

This will mark the North East premiere of the one-man show that lets audiences into Marc’s world.

Marc spends his time avoiding his mum, disguising his cannabis plants with fake tomatoes, and bailing out his old man, who owes £6,000 to local loan shark Oggy. When Marc meets Lisa for the first time in years, things get even messier because Lisa wants Marc and Oggy wants Lisa. Marc just wants to survive the day.

Marc will be played by Newcastle Theatre Royal Project A graduate Ben Gettins who recently starred in Down the Lines at The Customs House in South Shields as part of their Takeover Young Writer in Residence.

Ben Gettins said: “When reading the audition material, I instantly felt like this production was something I wanted to be a part of. The comedic but very relevant capers, which this play entails, reflects the antics of certain working-class people trying to get by.

“Everyone will know one of these characters. I feel like I grew up around them; this made me feel like it was something I’d be very proud to represent.”

Director Natasha Haws added: “Sugar Baby has been on my ‘please can I direct this’ list since the day I read it. It’s warm, weird, and hilarious. And quite frankly unlike anything I’ve directed before.

“Although I’m not Welsh, I recognise Fairwater in my home town of Shields and it’s characters. It would be very easy to fall into stereotypes, but Marc is human, unpolished and has a real love for the people around him. Oh and Billy the seal, obviously.”

For more information and tickets, visit