Stacey Cullen on bringing Overwhelm to Lion and Unicorn Theatre
Working Progress Collective, in association with Lion & Unicorn Theatre, presents Overwhelm, a new play written and directed by Stacey Cullen. Overwhelm delves into the complex realities of male loneliness, mental health, and the challenges faced by young men today.
Stacey Cullen has crafted a narrative that explores the struggles of three young men in the West Midlands, navigating their personal battles and societal pressures. Overwhelm promises to be a thought-provoking and timely exploration of contemporary masculinity. We caught up with Stacey to find out more.
Where are you playing and why that venue?
We will be at The Lion & Unicorn Theatre, from 8 -12 April. We actually brought our last production, Sessions, to the Lion & Unicorn last year and developed a really lovely relationship with the Artistic Director, David Brady and his right-hand human, Nance Turner. When they saw Sessions, they saw something in us as a company and decided to take us on as Associate Artists. Honestly, we couldn’t be more grateful to be taken on by such an incredible venue, filled with even more incredible people.
What was the inspiration behind the show?
This is difficult to answer, simply because there are so many things that have inspired it. My own journey with my mental health. My partner’s journey with his mental health. A childhood friend of his, who he’s tried to help for quite some time, struggling with addiction issues. And a deep fascination with our current political climate, as it relates to masculinity, male loneliness, incel culture, and feminism.
The show follows three young men — Jake, Miles, and Riley — each struggling with their own issues, but equally struggling to talk about it, to reach out in the way that they really need.
How long have you been working on this play?
Funny enough, I only started putting pen to paper in October 2024 – but the idea had been simmering in my head for quite some time. We actually sat down with David after our run of Sessions at the Edinburgh Fringe and he asked us, “so… what’s next?” We laid out some scripts that we’d already written, as well as some works-in-progress… then I slipped in this idea. He was excited about it, we were excited about it, so we chose to go hard-mode and put it together in six months time.
Is the version coming to the Lion & Unicorn how you originally envisioned it or has it changed drastically since you first put pen to paper?
Honestly? It’s changed more than I ever expected it to. In my experience, all scripts morph and evolve as you write them. You get to know the environment better, the characters reveal themselves to you over time. But this one really tested me.
Day one, I was envisioning a one-man show, where we only really see Jake. Then it became a two-hander about two flatmates. And then it became… well, we’ll call it an enhanced two-hander, I suppose. It’s way more experimental than anything I’ve ever written in the past, which I suspect may polarize audiences.
What is your favourite element of the show?
As an American by birth (I feel the appropriate amount of shame surrounding this, promise), it was really fun and interesting to write lads from the West Midlands. I absolutely adore the region and the dialect, so it was great to live in that world while writing. When we held auditions, an actor who was born and raised in Hinkley said he could tell someone from the Midlands had written it — that was a massive point of pride for me. With that said, I think it’s the experimental bits that I love the most. But you’ll have to see it to understand what I mean!
Are there any plans for what comes next after the show has finished its run– for you or the show?
We are hoping to take the show to the Buxton Fringe Festival this summer. After that, who knows! A small tour through the Midlands would be incredible. We’ve done Edinburgh in some capacity for the last two years running, so it’s definitely time for a break from that – but maybe 2026. And you can pretty much always find us at The Lion & Unicorn. It’s very much our London theatre home.
What do you hope the audience thinks after watching the show?
With any show, I always hope that the audience leaves wanting a conversation. Please come see it with a friend and have a discussion about it afterwards! In my opinion, it’s the job of theatre to make us ask questions, to make us uncomfortable, and to make us reconsider what we think we know. If we can make that happen, even for a handful of audience members, I’ll feel like we’ve done well.
Will you be frequenting the bar after your show, and if so, are you hoping people might stay to ask you about the show?
Without a shadow of a doubt, yes. Both myself and the team always welcome questions and a conversation from/with audience members. And!!! We’re really excited because we’ve actually teamed up with a charity called MANUP?, who do incredible work around male mental health, offering services to men in need, advocating for policy change, and funding research as well. Their CEO, Dan Somers will actually be joining us on Friday, 11 April for a post-show Q&A, along with Dr. Susie Bennett, whose research into male mental health is funded by the charity. It’s such an honour to have them come along. I can’t wait to see what kind of conversations we’re able to have with audience members when they come in.
Is there a particular group of people you’re hoping will connect with it?
Absolutely. We’re hoping that young men will come see the show – particularly young men in their teens and twenties – and feel seen by it. And maybe, just maybe, they’ll feel a little safer opening up to someone about the challenges they’re facing.
How do you believe different demographics might perceive the show differently?
This is probably the thing I’m most nervous about. The show takes on a pretty nuanced stance regarding male loneliness, which is certainly a divisive topic at the moment. And written by a woman, no less! But hopefully it sparks conversation, rather than drawing more lines in the sand. Time will tell.
If your show had a soundtrack, what songs would definitely be on it, and why?
It actually does! And you can visit it here.
What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received during your career, and how has it influenced your work on this show?
A rising tide lifts all boats. As artists, we need to be taking care of one another, and using the stepladders that we’ve gained along the way to help others climb up with us. With this show in particular, the material is quite heavy — so it’s my biggest priority to ensure that our cast and crew are looking after themselves, not carrying that home with them at the end of each day. Kindness, to yourself and to others, is paramount.
Thanks so much to Stacey for talking to us. Overwhelm plays at The Lion & Unicorn Theatre from 8 to 11 April.
The performance on 11 April will include a post-show Q&A with MANUP? CEO & Founder Dan Somers, as well as Glasgow University researcher Dr. Susie Bennett.
