Yasmin Dawes to lead tour of Patricia Gets Ready (for a date with the man that used to hit her)

Casting has been announced for the UK tour of award-winning show Patricia Gets Ready (for a date with the man that used to hit her).

Fresh from its 5-star run in London and Edinburgh in 2021, the show will tour to venues across the UK this May.

Midlands born actor Yasmin Dawes (May Queen, Paines Plough; Education, Education, Karaoke) will now bring to life this striking show which aims to shatter the weathered stereotype of the ‘broken woman’ and instead presents a survivor in all her colours.

Written by Martha Watson Allpress, this production shines a delicate light on the realities of domestic abuse and those who experience it.

Patricia has spent a year crafting a kick ass speech while recovering from an abusive relationship. But, when she bumps into her ex on the street and accidentally agrees to dinner with him that night, she’s got some big decisions to make; what to wear? What to say? And whether or not to go? Join Patricia as she gets ready for the date, tells stories of her past, how it has affected her present and looks honestly at her future.

Tour dates

Tuesday, 10 May – Mercury Theatre , Colchester
https://www.mercurytheatre.co.uk/

Wednesday, 11 May – The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre, Hampshire
https://thespring.co.uk/

Thursday, 12 May – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford
https://www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/

Friday, 13 May – Harlow Playhouse, Harlow
http://harlowplayhouse.co.uk/

Tuesday, 17 – Sunday, 22 May – Brixton House, London
https://brixtonhouse.co.uk/

Monday, 25 May – The Dukes, Lancaster
https://dukeslancaster.org/

Tuesday, 25 May – Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate
https://www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk/

Wednesday, 26 May – The Lowry, Salford
https://thelowry.com/

Thursday, 27 May – Derby Theatre, Derby
https://www.derbytheatre.co.uk/

Writer Martha Watson Allpress said: “Patricia Gets Ready (for a date with the man that used to hit her) was written as a form of self-care. After exiting an abusive relationship, I knew I needed to do some healing, but had no idea how.

“Looking into self-care post trauma, a lot of what I found felt reductive; face masks, long baths, gin… So then I turned to movies, TV shows and theatre; trauma survivors in art were frail, apologetic and diminutive. But there I was, still funny, still enjoying sex, still functioning. And so I decided to stop searching and start creating.”

The production is directed by Kaleya Baxe (Paines Plough’s Trainee Director), influenced by years of working with domestic abuse charity Tender, with well-being practitioner Abs Sol, production stage manager Leon Smith, sound designer Beth Duke, set & costume designer Ella Clarke, poster illustration by Heedayah Lockman and publicity images by Xanthus.