503Live: Tapped

A garage. A flipchart. A pile of Club biscuits. T-shirts that don’t fit. And 3 people who are really stuck.

Tapped is a heart-warming comedy that explores the importance of connection, fulfilment and (lack of) hope. In Stapleford aka Stabbo, we meet Gavi, Jen and Dawn at an amateur self-help group who all share one commonality; they’re desperate for escapism.

Gavi wants to inspire his community. Which is tricky when everyone would prefer to just stay at home and watch Bake Off. Adamant to succeed, he starts hosting motivational meetings from his garage for his fellow Co-op colleagues. With the help of daily mantras, goal setting and repeatedly listening to Spandau Ballet, he believes he can change their lives for the better. However, when the only two attendees are bickering mother and daughter Dawn and Jen, it’s not quite the enlightening experience they all thought it would be. Dawn wants more from life, Jen wants a brand new life and Gavi just wants Jen in his life; but there’s only so much ‘positive visualisation’ they can all do before simply facing up to the painful reality of what’s really going on.

Tapped is a witty and sensitive portrayal of managing mental health within a family, highlighting the barriers we put up in order to put on a brave face, whilst having those all-important lightbulb moments, like realising Aldi really does sell everything.

Piers Black (Ransack Theatre, Catching Comets) directs the premiere of Katie Redford’s hilarious and honest debut play about eating too many biscuits, missed opportunities, big dreams in small places and how the idea of change is far easier said than done.. Presented by Theatre503 and Bethany Cooper Productions.