coming to conclusions, The Hope Theatre
Running throughout January 2026, Write Club is The Hope Theatre’s premier festival of new writing, dedicated to showcasing bold stories and expansive ideas. Designed to breathe life into the London fringe during the winter months, the festival provides a vital platform for up to thirty selected shows to make their debut. Under the curation of Joint Artistic Directors Laurel Marks and Toby Hampton, Write Club fosters a collaborative community by offering playwrights and theatre-makers multi-night runs, professional venue support, and dedicated networking opportunities.
To showcase some of the shows taking place, we will be publishing Q&A interviews with the creatives behind many of the shows. You can find all those currently published here.
Next up to take the hot seat is writer Molly MacAskill and actors Izzy Kate Ward, and Joe Reynolds, whose show coming to conclusions, a relatable queer coming-of-age story exploring identity and relationships from a student’s bedroom, will be at The Hope Theatre From Monday 19 to Wednesday 21 Janauary.
What can audiences expect from the show?
coming to conclusions is a coming-of-age story exploring how we find and lose ourselves in other people through the self-inflicted sexual chaos of a queer university student. From the comfort of her bedroom, we are with her through sex, situationships and spliff fuelled philosophical discussions. As people come in and out of her life and her bed, will they help her come to conclusions about her identity and her future?
The play is funny, heart-warming and super relatable. There’s multi-rolling, music and loads of steamy moments. While it centres a young queer character and their self discovery, her feelings and conflicts are universally relatable and we think that everyone will see bits of themselves in these characters. So expect to laugh, cry and leave the theatre with a cheeky smile.
Is Write Club going to be the show’s first time on stage, or have you already performed elsewhere?
Molly: This is our first time staging the play and it’s my first time writing one so I’m really excited to finally share this project with audiences. And the Write Club season is an amazing opportunity to do so as a first time writer. I cannot thank the Hope and Laurel Marks enough for their belief in the play and organising Write Club; creating a supportive space to share new work!
What was your inspiration behind the show?
Molly: I started writing the play during my third year at drama school. Feeling really unsure about my life after graduating, I started writing these characters going through similar uncertainty but dealing with it in very different ways. Over the last year, through performing at scratch nights and feedback from friends and mentors, those characters and stories became coming to conclusions. The play is also a reaction to Gen Z’s queer cultures, discourses and their exploration of non-monogamy and casual sex (or lack thereof).
What has been the biggest challenge in realising the writer’s vision for the show?
Molly: Our director Robyn Lexi and Assistant Director Ellie Drayton, have realised what I have written beyond what could have hoped for, especially in such a short run and with little to no budget. They are so good at what they do and I’m so grateful for the care and attention they’re giving to the project. It’s been a really joyful collaborative rehearsal room; I can’t wait for audiences to see their work and where the project will go from here.
What was it that drew you to this show and role?
Izzy: I play “3”, among a mix of other colourful characters that come in and out of “1’s” bedroom. I was drawn to this show because Molly’s writing felt fresh and current in our culture. The mix of farcical and naturalistic characters adds so much depth to the play with each influencing the central character in unique way which is very exciting as an actor.
As for playing “3,” I was intrigued by how different she is from me, which makes the role a great challenge. Plus, I love playing multiple roles which allow me to tap into different aspects of myself and my own experiences. It’s been so rewarding to be given the opportunity to multi role, a form I love so dearly.
What is it about your character that you most enjoy?
Joe: I like that “2” is always striving to be authentic to himself even if that means he seems boring or traditional to some. He has a strong sense of self – until a pretty girl pays him the smallest bit of attention in which case he’ll try to be whoever she wants him to be! He seems to be at peace with whatever the future holds for him and feels less pressure from it than other characters in the play; which is a fun contrast to play with and quite far from myself.
Are there any plans for what comes next after the show has finished its run– for you or the show?
No concrete plans just yet, but we are in conversations and this definitely won’t be the last you see of coming to conclusions.
If you had to describe your show as a colour what would it be, and why?
Either a deep red or hot pink. It’s electric, a bit sexy and full of all the feels!!
If you had to describe your show as a meal what would it be, and why?
The takeaway you order at the end of a big night out! Super satiating and eaten in bed, giving you a moment to reflect on what you’ve done.
If your show had a soundtrack, what songs would definitely be on it, and why?
Molly: Basically the entirety of Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. For me it perfectly captures the highs and lows of sapphic sexual self-discovery. Also Strange Girl by Laura Marling is a big anthem for the play; it’s about loving all your strangeness and contradictions and being content in your own company. Lots of MUNA, Kim Petras, FKA Twigs for their bold sounds and sexiness. But also Nick Drake, Leith Ross and Clairo for all their softness and vulnerability. Both those vibes live throughout the play.
If budget or reality was not an issue, what’s the one piece of scenery/set you’d love to have in your show?
We really wanted a trick bed that can flip over and has a trap door in it- akin to Marianne Eliot’s revival of Company. Why we want one will become clear when you see the show!
What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received during your career, and how has it influenced your work on this show?
Molly: Worrying about what people might think, or being embarrassed will only hold you back from your creative potential. It’s way easier said than done, but it’s a good mantra to keep that has really spurred me on through moments of doubt, insecurity or self-criticism.
What words of advice/encouragement would you give anyone thinking about doing Camden Fringe next year?
Molly: I don’t know who said this first but “to be cringe is to be free.” It’s impossible to make exciting theatre and sell tickets without putting yourself out there and doing things that you might find cringe.
Thanks to Molly, Izzy and Joe for their time. You can catch coming to conclusions at The Hope Theatre as part of Write Club 2026 from Monday 19 to Wednesday 21 Janaury.
