{"product_id":"scratching-the-surface-illuminated-2026","title":"Scratching the Surface (Illuminated 2026)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e‘Scratching the Surface (Illuminated 2026)’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e is Mark Wheeller\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"AR-SA\" dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003es powerful verbatim Theatre in Education play about self-harm, teenage isolation, family fear and the difficult but vital act of talking openly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003eCommissioned by Alderbrook School, the original play was created from interviews with Rob, a former student who had self-harmed, his family, school staff and young people with first-hand or second-hand experience of the subject. Their words are woven into a flexible ensemble piece that is honest, theatrical and deeply human, moving between humour, fear, confusion, love and hard-won understanding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003eThis \u003cstrong\u003e‘Illuminated 2026’\u003c\/strong\u003e version revisits the play ten years on. It reframes the original material with a new opening, an update on Rob\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"AR-SA\" dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003es life, and a clearer sense of hope and perspective. Rob is no longer defined by his previous mental health struggles, and that knowledge changes how the story is heard. The play still confronts the subject directly but now does so with an even stronger emphasis on safety, support, family impact and the importance of conversation. Rather than offering easy answers, ‘Scratching the Surface (Illuminated 2026)’ shows how self-harm can become \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"AR-SA\" dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e“\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003ethe elephant in the room”, hidden by silence, fear, misunderstanding and shame. It also shows how listening, speaking and being taken seriously can begin to change that.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Default\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12.0pt 0in;\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003eIdeal for schools, youth theatres, PSHE contexts, drama festivals and ensemble performance work, the play offers rich opportunities for stylised staging, physical theatre, direct address and discussion. It is a challenging but compassionate piece that invites young people and adults to look beneath the surface, recognise distress, and understand why opening a conversation can matter.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Times Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times Roman';\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Default\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12.0pt 0in;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003eThis play is an revised updated version of 'Scratching the Surface'.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Default\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12.0pt 0in;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003ePLEASE SEE 'MORE INFORMATION' for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSafeguarding Notes for Schools and Youth Theatres\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mark Wheeller","offers":[{"title":"Preview E-Script","offer_id":56968952873346,"sku":"PW-1077","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"E-Script","offer_id":56968952906114,"sku":"SE-1077","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Printed Script (A5)","offer_id":56968952938882,"sku":"SA-1077","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Script Copying Licence","offer_id":56968952971650,"sku":"SL-1077","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0909\/7003\/0466\/files\/NobandageStScover_ccc6daad-4d39-4e42-a952-6976614b1fc5.png?v=1791391648","url":"https:\/\/www.stagescripts.com\/products\/scratching-the-surface-illuminated-2026","provider":"Stagescripts Ltd","version":"1.0","type":"link"}