About

A new play by Sarah Nelson.

On a dark night, Jacob stands on a motorway bridge, wrong side of the railings. Liam, an off-duty paramedic happens to walk past. One man whose job it is to save people and one who has come to a moment in his life where he needs to be saved. What follows is an unexpected conversation, a purging of fears and regrets, as they finally open up about what has brought them to this moment and discover whether the time they spent together on the bridge might change them both forever.

The last decade has seen a growing conversation about men’s mental health, and an awareness that the power of men talking about how they feel can and does save lives. Yet still in 2022 suicide was the biggest killer of men under 50.

Bridge is a pitch-black comedy about the fragility of men trying to survive 21st century life. Exploring the pressures and challenges they face, the detrimental effect on their mental health and the power of talking to someone.

Starring Dean Smith and Tom Gibbons

Dean, a proud Yorkshireman, joined the cast of BBC1s Waterloo Road in 2008 and has since had an extensive career in British television. Including regular roles in Last Tango in Halifax, Still Open All Hours, Hollyoaks and The Village. He was the face of Yorkshire Tea for three years.

Tom, born and raised in Leeds, trained at the Oxford School of Drama and has since had a rich career in the industry. Credits include Doctor Who, The Driver, Body Farm, Young Dracula, Funny Cow and a regular role in BBC Radio 4’s The Archers.

Tom Gibbons and Dean Smith met in 2006 after being chosen to attend the BAFTA Award Winning ‘ITV Television Workshop’. The following year they were cast together in the lead roles of Dylan & Quinny for online drama Dylan Ogden. Since graduating from the workshop, the two have remained best friends to this day.

Sarah Nelson, playwright and director

Sarah’s first play was selected for The National Student Drama Festival while she was studying at Drama school. She is associate Writer/Director at the nationally renowned Oldham Theatre Workshop and a visiting lecturer in Theatre and Script writing at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and The University of Salford.

She was the 2019 winner of the INSPIRE award for Women in Film, Art and Media and her play, Letter to Boddah won the BOBBY award for Best at the fringe 2019. Recent credits include, The Night the Frost Fell, (Oldham Library) Three Times Table (The Queen Elizabeth Hall). She was one of BBC’s Northern Voices for 2020 and is currently writing and directing an original piece of outdoor theatre The Wrong Reindeer, for Oldham’s light switch-on. Sarah is particularly passionate about telling Northern stories and exploring challenging material with depth, compassion and humour.

Reconnecting with writer Sarah Nelson in 2021, the pair staged a production of Sarah’s award-winning play Letter to Boddah. Bringing everything full circle, in the audience on closing night was Dylan Ogden writer Mat Cooper with whom Tom and Dean have formed production company KindBoy Films with debut feature film ‘Sober’ due for release in 2024.

Tom and Dean were delighted to be approached by writer Sarah Nelson to develop Bridge. A project all three are very passionate about.

Book early to avoid disappointment!