A team of Central’s MA Applied Theatre students led by Dr Nicola Abraham and Jo James, Nurse Consultant at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, have collaborated with NHS patients on Auchi Ward at Hammersmith Hospital to create an immersive radio drama entitled ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’.

The project started as an applied theatre and outreach project working alongside the staff and patients of Auchi Ward to write and create a collaborative film based on narrative ideas generated through one-to-one bedside storytelling and devising on the Ward.

In early March, as the project was due to start filming, the global COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the project taking a unique turn. The film project was quickly shifted to a radio drama which, although framed as a science fiction romance, also incorporates unique insights that are reflective of patients’ lives and experiences on Auchi Ward.

The resulting radio drama, entitled ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’ is a demonstration of ingenuity, creative thinking and adaptability, and has been described as a ‘love letter’ to the staff at Hammersmith Hospital.

Stream ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’ online.

What Goes Around Comes Around was created in collaboration between Central’s MA Applied Theatre students and the patients on Auchi Ward, Hammersmith Hospital. It was directed by Soobie Whitfield, Joy (Jingyu Luo) and Daniela Parga-Cruz and features the talents of the following cast of volunteers, who graciously gave of their time and energy in order to facilitate the completion of this work under unprecedented circumstances:

Dr Nicola Abraham (Lecturer, Applied Theatre Practices at Central) – Sound Editing

Mark Cunningham (Production Technician at Central) – Narrator

Dr Sylvan Baker (Lecturer, Community Performance Applied Theatre at Central) – Brando Russo

Alison Rogers (MA Applied Theatre student at Central) – Violet Russo

RJ Andrews – Joseph Russo

Nicola Fisher (BA (Hons) Drama, Applied Theatre and Education student at Central) – Marianne

Lizzie Lister (MA Music Theatre student at Central) – Sylvie

Jessica Morgan (MA Applied Theatre student at Central) – Tomasina (Tom)

Leanne Twiddle (MA Applied Theatre student at Central) – Nurse

Izabelle Lee – Waitress