About This Event

The Barclay's have a love like no other but a void they face every day, and no matter what decade it’s not getting any easier to fill. In the dawn of the post-war nuclear family and the 1960s sexual revolution, Anne’s infertility means she is suffocated by a society where she no longer fits. In the 1970s Pamela’s decision to adopt is shrouded in secrecy and shame. By the 1990s Melanies’s plight is a gimmick to promote soap operas and magazines. Even today Eloise’s desire for a baby is no easier to fulfil, and seemingly no easier to understand. This won’t stop the Barclay’s in their pursuit of happiness and defining what a family means on their own terms. Set across four time periods, Vacuum is a tender two-hander that explores the resilience of real love against joy and heartbreak. Questioning how much a couple can ever be expected to take, the Barclay’s are a testament to the old adage that if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. Adapted from the playwright’s award-winning research ‘Reproduction, Medicine and the Media’ and inspired by true events, this play uses dialogue from the real couples who inspired these stories.

Staying overnight?

Hotels within walking distance of The Kings Arms.

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