16th, 17th & 23rd July 2025
Kings Arms Theatre, Salford
When we speak about the big things in life, we often imagine dramatic, seismic events—the moments that define who we are. But sometimes, the truly life-changing things slip by quietly: a pause in conversation, the smell of toast in the morning, a glance across a crowded gallery. That’s where this play lives.
Originally developed during my MA in Playwriting at Salford University, The Big Things follows Grace and Malcolm through the twisting rhythms of a lifelong relationship—love, loss, parenting, and all the rituals, misunderstandings, and quiet recognitions in between.
This July, I’m thrilled that the play returns to the stage as part of the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival, with a brand-new production at the King’s Arms Theatre. With Jyothi Kuna directing and actors Jenny Jordan-O’Neill and Cameron Luke Saripalli taking on Grace and Malcolm, it feels like the piece has found a new heartbeat.
How It All Began: A Voice in an Exercise
Grace and Malcolm first arrived through a simple writing prompt during a workshop led by playwright Louise Page: write three or four pages of dialogue starting with the phrase “It’s over.” I didn’t expect much to come from it, but by the end of the exercise, I’d met two characters I couldn’t let go of.
The scene itself didn’t survive to the final script, but it unlocked something—something in their dynamic, the way they miscommunicated and circled each other, even in silence. I knew then there was a longer story to tell.
The Original Writing Exercise
(Written as part of an MA workshop exercise: “Begin with the phrase ‘It’s over.’”)
M (Whisper) it’s over.
W The tape?
M What?
No.
Us.
W Over what?
M What?
Keep your voice down.
W Down where? What are we over?
M Forget I said it. Later.
W Because I really thought you meant / it was the tape.
M Your voice. It’s too loud.
W Because I’d be really surprised if the tape ran out.
Because I—
M The tape didn’t run out. We’ve run out.
W Run out of what?
,
What?
M I no longer want to be in a relationship with you.
People are looking. Let’s talk about this later. I’m sorry I said anything.
,
W Is it because
I’m your
superior?
M You’re not my superior.
W I am the main breadwinner.
M If you have to speak, can you please whisper?
W I didn’t realise I was speaking loud.
M That doesn’t make you my superior.
W Speaking loud?
M The fact that you earn more.
W You’ve always had a problem about it.
M People are shushing us.
Can you forget I even mentioned it? We’ll discuss it later.
W You’ve always made such a big thing about it.
M I’m watching the show. He’s on next.
,
W It does make me more successful though. Does that threaten—
He nudges her. She whispers.
—your status in the relationship? because gender expectation is just a construct of a patriarchal society you know that.
M I was doing quite well if you recall.
W It’s not a competition.
M No it isn’t.
This is exactly what I mean.
Can I just point out that this is my angry face?
Can we just watch?
W You’re angry. I was enjoying the show and you’re angry.
,
There he is. Are you filming?
M Yes.
W Have you pressed record because last time you tried to film a family event we got two hours of my aunt’s
gusset under the table.
M That was a mistake. As you know full well.
W Does it say REC in red lettering on the top left-hand side of the screen?
M I know how to use a video camera.
,
W
I can’t believe they’re asking them to high-kick like that. In those skirts.
It’s obscene.
Who choreographed this?
Stop filming.
M
People are shushing you. That means you need to be quiet.
So, while that scene never made it to the final version, it brought the character tensions and dynamic to life.
A Spark from a Circuit Board – the value of writing exercises
The gallery scene in The Big Things was born from a writing exercise during my MA at a workshop at the Liverpool Everyman.
The task was to go into the city and find something that interested you. Then, to simply look at it for five full minutes—no writing, just observing and allowing thoughts to arrive unfiltered.
After the five minutes were up, you had to write for ten minutes straight, without stopping, while still looking at the object. The writing could take any form—prose, play, whatever—but it had to hold that object at its centre.
The outcome
I found a gallery—I can’t remember which—and stumbled across a computer circuit board framed behind glass. As far as I recall, nothing had been done to it. It was just mounted on the wall, under a plain sheet of glass.
But the longer I looked, the more I saw: the board became a city of buildings, a miniature skyline. I wrote about that in minute detail.
Bringing this to The Big Things
Later, while working on The Big Things, I was challenged to find scenes that showed why Grace and Malcolm were together. The earlier drafts leaned too heavily on conflict. Louise Page, who was mentoring me, couldn’t quite grasp what these two loved about each other.
I remember sitting in the quiet reference room at Manchester Central Library, drifting between shelves, hoping something would leap out and spark inspiration. Nothing did—at least not directly. But it brought back the memory of that exercise. That circuit board.
I’d read somewhere that galleries are often seen as slightly flirty environments—the distance you stand from the picture determines whether you’re looking at the artwork or checking someone out. That image stayed with me.
Knowing your characters
Grace and Malcolm, by that point, were fully formed in my mind. I imagined them at an art gallery, early on in their relationship, standing in front of that circuit board behind glass.
I knew exactly how Grace would react. And I knew then that this moment—quiet, odd, intimate—would be the perfect lens to show their connection. It became a frame to reveal what they love about each other.
Here’s the scene that emerged:
The Gallery
MALCOLM (Narrated)
It was Oscar Wilde who said that you love someone because they sing a song that only you can hear.
I never thought I’d hear that song again. But then came Grace.
Her live-wire coiled and lightning-soldered itself perfectly, collaring my eternally doomed-to-be neutral to the earth.
A plug, socketed.
I’m a slow burner. Slow is good.
A couple of days later – in a gallery. They whisper.
GRACE
What do you mean it reminds you of a communist state?
MALCOLM
Look at it.
GRACE
I can’t open my eyes any wider.
MALCOLM
You have to look beyond the shape.
GRACE
It’s a computer circuit board sprayed grey and framed behind glass.
It’s got a wooden frame that looks like someone has repeatedly dropped it down the stairs.
MALCOLM
It’s distressed.
GRACE
So would you be if you’d been repeatedly dropped down the stairs.
Christ, I’d be fucking livid.
He laughs. He holds her hand.
I just don’t see a communist state, Malcolm.
I hate this about art.
MALCOLM
It can’t just be what it is, can it? It wouldn’t be here if it was just what it is.
GRACE
I see the twenty-pence innards of a clapped-out PC.
The inert, upcycled contents of an old skip.
MALCOLM
What do you think it means, then?
GRACE
It means they can charge—NINE THOUSAND POUNDS?
He laughs.
I’m digging through the bin when I get home!
MALCOLM
Nine grand…
I think it looks like a view of Stalinist Russia from, like, a helicopter or something.
We’re the helicopter.
GRACE
We’re the helicopter?
MALCOLM
But in a computer. Like in Tron or Tron 2.
GRACE
I think you mean Tron: Legacy.
MALCOLM
Yeah. Tron Colon Legacy.
He hugs her.
It probably means something profound about helicopters… and skips.
Look at those—
GRACE
Transistors and RAM ports—
MALCOLM
Transistors and RAM ports—
All lined up like that?
Those are like Eastern Bloc… what-are-they-called—tenements. And water… silos.
GRACE
How many fingers am I holding up, Malcolm?
He laughs.
From Script to Stage
The script’s journey has been anything but linear. After dozens of rewrites, it was shortlisted for the BBC Alfred Bradley Bursary Award in 2016. That gave me the chance to work with producer Pauline Harris, who encouraged the inclusion of a narrator—a tool I’d usually avoid, but one that Malcolm’s voice took to naturally.
Though the radio version was never made, the experience helped shape the theatrical version that eventually enjoyed a three-week run at London’s Barons Court Theatre with Kibo Productions.
This new production marks another evolution—and, for me, a deeply personal return to the Fringe.
The Big Things: Meet the Creative Team
This brand new production is being brought to life by a brilliantly creative, experienced, and professional team.
Jyothi Kuna – director
“I’m particularly drawn to the play’s view of a modern family over a lifetime. That’s not something you often see in contemporary theatre—it feels pretty special to tell a story that’s simply about having a family.
The character of Grace really stood out to me. It’s wonderful to work with such a powerful female lead. I love that her differences with Malcolm are what ultimately bring them closer together.
We hope to inspire audiences to contemplate what it means to keep finding magic with someone—and how to nurture that, year after year.
I’m so excited to bring this tale to life at GM Fringe this year.”
Director Biography:
Jyothi is an actor, theatre director, writer, and performing arts lecturer, and she recently joined the board of trustees at Oldham Coliseum theatre. She is Artistic Director at Whatsthesketch Theatre in Altrincham, Festival Director of Altrincham Arts Festival, and a creative tutor with Factory International. Passionate about contemporary theatre, multi-disciplinary arts and culture for all, everywhere, she has over 20 years’ experience as a lecturer and examiner. She brings her drive for innovation, inclusion and sustainability to every project she touches.
Jyothi developed the monologue installation Reverb over the last eight years, collaborating with actors and poets across the Northwest. Focused on holistic performance, she uses improvisation and free play to explore key themes in text. She thrives on working with multi-disciplinary artists to create fresh, collaborative performance.
Jenny Jordan-O’Neill – Grace
“When Mike first asked me to read for Grace, I got two pages in and knew I needed to play her. I feel a real connection to her. I’ve got my own little routines and quirks—and I recognised some of that in her too.
But what really connects for me is the deeper meaning of the play. I’m currently studying Buddhism and meditation, and being able to speak Grace’s final thoughts about life—it’s brought something special for me.
I hope it helps audiences to see their lives clearly. To really notice that it’s the smaller things that are the most magic.”
Actor Biography:
Jenny is an actress based in Stockport, where she lives with her partner Tony and their two children, Jack and Harriet. Having grown up around theatre and TV production through her father, actor Seamus O’Neill, Jenny has built a strong foundation in stage work.
Her recent plays include Drayla Clay and the Following Day, which won the Shelagh Delaney Writers Award and was performed at Salford Arts Theatre. She previously played Melanie in Mike Heath’s FAITH at HOME Manchester during last year’s Manchester Fringe.
Jenny’s screen credits include Coronation Street (ITV), Cold Call (Channel 5), and Doctors (BBC).
Cameron Luke Saripalli – Malcolm
“I’d done an excerpt of Lungs at drama school, and when I read The Big Things, it reminded me of that kind of intimacy and rhythm. Malcolm’s a challenge—in the best way. He’s brought out a side of me I haven’t had a chance to explore on stage in a while.
He’s fierce and protective, but it’s his sensitivity I’ve loved playing most. The play’s message really moves me: how we go round in circles, through routines and tiny rituals. It feels very real, very human.
I think audiences might see something of themselves in this story.”
Actor Biography:
Cameron Luke Saripalli is a 31-year-old actor and musician, with roots stretching from the vibrant streets of Hyderabad to the stages of Manchester. Born to Indian and British heritage, his multicultural background pulses through his performances and original music.
He holds an MA in Acting from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and a BA from Staffordshire University. Whether performing Shakespeare, composing music at 2 a.m., or exploring layered identities, Cameron brings raw honesty and depth to his work.
He currently lives in Manchester and dreams of performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre, bringing fresh, diverse voices to the classical stage.
Why Now?
This is a completely new production, and I’m genuinely excited to be working with Jyothi, Jen, and Cameron. They’re bringing so much warmth and emotional honesty to the piece.
I’m still very fond of this play. I love Grace and Malcolm—and I hope this production helps them find a new, passionate audience.
The script for the play is available from WFTS Books – available as a single book or as part of The Two-Handers compilation.
🔎 Want to See The Big Things?
🗓️ Dates: 16th, 17th & 23rd July
📍 Venue: King’s Arms Theatre, Salford
🎟️ Tickets & Info: The Big Things (Shortlisted for BBC Alfred Bradley Bursary 2016) – Greater Manchester Fringe
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