Middle Child Theatre Company presents Biting Point, a site-specific production performed in car parks across North England. This compelling show, written by Sid Sagar and directed by Paul Smith, examines how anger can turn good people ugly.
Biting Point will tour from 10 May to 22 June, with further dates to be confirmed. The press night is scheduled for Tuesday, 13 May at 6pm at the Fruit Market Multi-Storey Car Park in Hull.
The production asks how to be a good person in a world determined to incite anger. It centers around a road accident involving John, a white British delivery driver, and Anita, a British South Asian property manager. Both characters have grown up in the same city, experiencing similar and differing frustrations of modern life. When they collide at a roundabout during rush-hour traffic, their anger boils over, leading them to react in unexpected ways. Commissioned in 2023 prior to the 2024 riots, Biting Point is a timely exploration of race, anger, and how our experiences can turn us into people we don’t want to be.
On arrival, audiences will be given a cup of tea, blankets, and headphones to hear the dialogue and sound design alongside the ambient noise around them. Seating will be arranged around the set, depicting the moment of the crash.
Playwright Sid Sagar said, “I’m so excited to be working on this play with the bold and brilliant Middle Child, premiering in the city that inspired it. It is driven by a desire to find goodness in a difficult and uncertain world, and I hope it will resonate with audiences in Hull and beyond.”
Middle Child Artistic Director & CEO, Paul Smith, added, “Sid’s beautiful writing approaches such a timely topic with real care, while the car park setting, original soundtrack and detailed sound design combine to create a thrilling live event which challenges people’s perceptions of theatre. In the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life, car parks are spaces primarily associated with frustration and stress. Biting Point animates these ever-present concrete mazes with a stunning piece of new writing that will change how we view the people around us. The show will be made even more special with a pre-show experience, featuring original writing from Jay Mitra and Grace Waga Glevey. If you’ve ever honked your horn in a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam, or cursed the reckless driver who didn’t indicate in time, then join us in a car park near you to meet two characters who know exactly how you feel.”
Sid Sagar is an actor, playwright, and screenwriter from an Indian background. His recent acting work includes The Crucible at Sheffield Crucible, Ballet Shoes at the National Theatre, and Cabaret in the West End. As a writer, he has trained with Soho Theatre Writers’ Lab, the INSPIRE scheme at Hampstead Theatre, the London Library Emerging Writers Programme, and the Channel 4 Screenwriting Course 2023. He’s currently writing plays for the Almeida Theatre in London and BBC Radio 4, developing two crime dramas for television with Mammoth Screen, and has previously been part of writers’ rooms for Channel 4 and CBeebies. His first short film, Baked Beans, was produced by BFI Network and played at various festivals in the UK and internationally. He’s based in London. Biting Point is his first full-length commission for the stage.
Middle Child is a new writing theatre company rooted in Hull. They bring people together for unforgettable experiences full of big ideas and have built a reputation for being at the forefront of gig and event theatre with shows including Modest, There Should Be Unicorns, The Canary and the Crow, All We Ever Wanted Was Everything, and Weekend Rockstars. Taking a snapshot of Hull to explore universal themes of underrepresented Britain that resonate nationally, they support artists from all backgrounds and walks of life. From their Fresh Ink: Hull Playwriting Festival to their Theatre Library and renowned workshop programme, they provide accessible routes into the industry.
Running Time: 75 mins, no interval | Suitable for ages 14+
Content warning: strong language, alcohol use, racism, a dying parent, and references to the riots of 2024.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
