Cardiff’s pub theatre THE OTHER ROOM has announced its next show will be the debut play from a Port Talbot writer and the first production to be presented at Port Talbot’s new venue The New Plaza. DUMPY BISCUIT by Holly Carpenter will be directed by The Other Room’s Community Director Samantha Jones, features a Port Talbot cast and will run at The New Plaza 11th to 29th June.
Dumpy Biscuit is the unapologetically funny and fiercely authentic debut play by Holly Carpenter, following four friends as they navigate their friendship and sexualities in that famous steel-working town, Port Talbot.
“To be fair, I feel like, deep down I knew I preferred steak to chicken but like who orders steak or kidneys in Port Talbot?”
Skylar is back in their hometown, Port Talbot, after some time in London. They’re beginning to embrace their new queer identity and their view of the world has changed, but the same can’t be said for everyone. Megan, Jess and Courtney all have their own shit going on and the group’s enthusiasm for Skylar’s return quickly fades when old habits come into play.
With Jess’ boyfriend raising eyebrows, Megan’s flat raising noise complaints and Courtney’s behaviour raising Skylar’s heart rate, will the four PT powerhouses find a way to stick together? Or will a conversation about Ron Evans pies be enough to tip them all over the edge…
Writer and actor HOLLY CARPENTER originally presented Dumpy Biscuit as part of TOR’s Try Your Art Out (TYAO) programme in 2022. It sold at 90% capacity and The Other Room then commissioned Holly to develop the piece into a full length play. The original cast from the TYAO performance – Holly herself, Jalisa Phoenix-Roberts, Anna-Sophia Tutton and Georgia Warlow – will now all star in the new production and are all Port Talbot based and / or raised.
Holly told us…..
“I always knew I’d present some form of work with my hometown Port Talbot at the heart of it, but I had no idea how incredibly supported I’d be in doing so. The Other Room have been there every step of the way from TYAO, to helping me structure the play, to actually visiting Port Talbot in order to understand my references throughout.
Dumpy Biscuit was born out of a want to play around in a rehearsal room with some of my best friends so to have it grow in this way is incredibly exciting. I can’t wait to present the play we’re all working so passionately on, and it be the first performance in our hometown’s The New Plaza as well – and the best feeling is knowing that this is just the beginning.”
Artistic Director of The Other Room Dan Jones added…..
“At its core, Dumpy Biscuit is about home. What it means when you no longer belong to a town you once called your home, and what do we do when opportunities (or lack of) force us to hit the road?
This feels apt given The Other Room’s current situation. Many people have been asking what happens now, now that we have announced we will no longer be relocating with our friends at Porter’s. The truth is, we’re still working it out, but we are not short of ideas and opportunities, that much I can say.
We exist to serve the audiences of Cardiff – and keep an eye out for announcements on upcoming projects in the Welsh Capital soon. In the meantime we’re on the road – and like with Baba Joon we’re continuing to produce work in the area that inspired the story – maybe not TOR’s home forever, but undoubtedly the home of Dumpy Biscuit. Thank you to The New Plaza and Port Talbot for having us. And thank you to you, our audience for your patience and support.”
Dumpy Biscuit will be directed by Samantha Alice Jones, who is The Other Room’s Community Director and originally trained as a director through TOR’s Professional Pathways Programme in 2017.
Sam said….
“There has never been a more exciting for The Other Room. We have the absolute pleasure of platforming Dumpy Biscuit, a play that speaks to small industrial towns, speaking to people in a way that I’ve never heard before in Welsh theatre. The heartbeat of the Port Talbot patter runs through the script, presenting a dialect that is underrepresented and a group of a people in a small town that are rarely, authentically heard. The story speaks to the people of Wales and beyond: leaving a place of home and then moving back, identity, who we are, belonging, not being able to communicate. Themes that relate to a majority, and to an audience that we want to reach. Holly has captured an existence that will relate to many people on so many levels.
I am beyond thrilled to be directing Dumpy Biscuit by Holly Carpenter, the authenticity and importance of this Port Talbot-based story is essential, now.”
Tickets for DUMPY BISCUIT are available now from HERE.
- Preview Tickets: £5
- Tickets: £12 full price / £10 concessions / £5 Jobseekers / Universal Credit / £9 Community Discount.
- HYNT – Companion Ticket
To keep updated on The Other Room, you can follow the team on Instagram HERE, Facebook HERE and X (Twitter) @TORtheatre.
