Critically acclaimed dark comedy, Don’t.Make.Tea. comes to Llanelli

Llanelli’s Ffwrnes Theatre will welcome critically acclaimed dark comedy, Don’t.Make.Tea. this month as Scotland’s preeminent disability-led theatre company, Birds of Paradise take to the stage on Friday 19th April at 7:30pm – the only Welsh date on the tour.

A witty ridiculing of the welfare state, the show explores a futuristic benefits regime through the assessment of the main character, Chris as she is forced to claim benefits. With bitingly satirical dialogue, and cutting-edge accessible staging interwoven through the show, Don’t.Make.Tea. confronts the lengths disabled people must go to in order to preserve themselves in an unjust system. In the year 2030, fiercely independent Chris has no choice but to give up her job when her condition deteriorates. Forced to claim benefits, she is paid a visit by the spirited ‘WorkPay’ employee, Ralph, who is tasked with assessing her suitability for aid under the new regime. As it becomes increasingly apparent that the new system Ralph places so much faith in has little intension of granting Chris the assistance she needs, she must confront just how far she must be willing to go to save herself.

Seamlessly blending the bleak realities of attempting to claim benefits with laugh-out-loud black comedy, Don’t.Make.Tea. is an intensely absurd, wildly entertaining illustration of a plausible near future. Birds of Paradise are thrilled to be bringing this production to audiences around the UK, after an acclaimed run at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre in 2022.

All performances are captioned and have creatively embedded BSL interpretation and audio description.

Bird of Paradise’s Artistic Director, Robert Softley Gale says, “We’re thrilled to be bringing back this hit production showcasing our dynamic approach to creatively embedded access and placing the stories of disabled people centre stage across the UK. This show feels frighteningly relevant to our lives right now.”

Birds of Paradise Theatre Company is Scotland’s leading touring theatre company employing disabled and non-disabled actors. Established in 1993, BOP became disability led in 2012 and now focuses on delivering work across BOP Theatre, BOP Development and BOP Strategy strands to have the widest impact locally and internationally. As BOP enters its 30th anniversary year, the company’s work continues to impact on the diversity of the wider cultural landscape, remaining world-renowned for integrating access into all its productions, and in developing work that addresses disability with honestly, integrity, and humour.

★★★★★ Laugh-out-loud comedy and psychological thriller – The Quinntessential Review

★★★★ Brings a laser-like focus to the current plight of disabled people in Britain – The

Scotsman

Tickets are priced at £15.50, £10.50 and £5.50 (‘Pay-what-you-decide’) and can be booked online at www.theatrausirgar.co.uk or with the box office on 0345 2263510