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The Small Hours by Katherine Soper

A black and white photograph of a pair of hands holding some salt, which is falling between the fingers. There are coloured lines radiating from the hands.

The Small Hours by Katherine Soper

It’s the middle of the night and Peebs and Epi are the only students left at school over half-term. At the end of their night out, former step-siblings Red and Jazz try to navigate their reunion. With only a couple of hours until morning, Jaffa tries to help Keesh finish an essay. As day breaks, Wolfie is getting up the courage to confess a secret to VJ at a party. 

Their choices are small yet momentous. The hours are small but feel very, very long. And when the night finally ends, the future is waiting – all of it.

Cast size: 8 – 12


Why I wrote this play

‘I wanted to write about the differences between adolescence and adulthood and explore whether snapshots of our lives as adolescents can illuminate the people we eventually become, as well as the way time can feel like a wide-open expanse when you’re young. Ultimately I wanted to write a piece that paid tribute to the small yet momentous events and choices of being a teenager, while showing how those fit into the larger shape of a life.’ 

Katherine Soper

Katherine Soper is a playwright. Her first play, WISH LIST, won the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, The Stage Debut Award for Best New Play, and caused Katherine to be nominated as Most Promising Playwright at the Evening Standard Awards.

Wish List was performed at the Manchester Royal Exchange & Royal Court, directed by Matthew Xia.