Waterside Arts will present its first in-house production with Clothes Swap, a new play written by Liam Mansfield and directed by Nathaniel J Hall, opening in June 2026.
The venue in Sale, Trafford, is stepping into producing to champion original homegrown stories and support new writing from the region.
Set in a queer youth club, Clothes Swap is inspired by a real clothes swap at an LGBTQ+ young people’s charity in Trafford, where Mansfield volunteered.
The play is directed by Nathaniel J Hall and produced by Waterside Arts, having originally been developed by Green Carnation Theatre.
Clothes Swap follows a group of queer young people navigating identity, belonging and the chaos of becoming themselves, set in October 2025 against a backdrop of rising anti-trans and anti-queer rhetoric.
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At the heart of the story is a fiercely protective but emotionally drained youth leader, alongside an outsider whose suspicion threatens the group’s fragile sense of safety.
The cast includes Nicole Keri, David Carpenter, Abel Hanson, Naomi Ricci and Lindsay Eavis.
This is Mansfield’s debut play and explores the joys and struggles of being a queer teenager, with a focus on gender, self-expression and community.
Liam Mansfield said: “I wanted to capture the joy of a clothes swap, where young people can try out new styles and explore identities in a way that might not be possible at home. The play shares these experiences of young queer people – highlighting the chaos, fun, and struggles of being a teenager. Just like in life, the characters are a little messy at times, nobody is perfect, and they’re all trying to find out how and where they fit in.”
The development process involved workshops with young people in Trafford and Knowsley, in collaboration with Rainbow Reflections and the Proud Trust.
Mansfield added: “The play became a way to explore gender in a world that was appearing more and more binary and divided. By exploring this through a naturalistic setting, I hope that audiences can both enjoy themselves and learn a little something about the real people behind the debates. I also wanted the characters to feel real, not caricatures from the news, so that the story can leave a lasting impression on audiences.”
Darren Adams, Creative Producer and Venue Manager at Waterside, said: “It’s an incredibly bold and exciting moment for us to be putting on Clothes Swap. We have a phenomenal creative team in place and a story shaped with care, love and community at its heart. Producing work in-house allows us to champion stories that matter, and Clothes Swap is a perfect example of why this step feels so important. At a time when debates around safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people are becoming increasingly divisive, ‘Clothes Swap’ offers something different. It doesn’t lean into culture wars or conflict; instead, it unfolds gently, sensitively and movingly, giving space for empathy and understanding. ”
Adams also praised the return of director Nathaniel J Hall, saying: “This is our second collaboration with Nathaniel J Hall. In 2018, Waterside Arts commissioned a play written and performed by Hall called ‘First Time’. It was a huge success that played a big part in inspiring our shift toward producing our own work. Nathaniel brings a huge amount of heart, insight and creativity to Clothes Swap.”
Nathaniel J Hall said: “I cut my teeth directing youth theatre shows, and Liam’s play mirrors my experiences watching young people’s joy as they discover their weird and wonderful tribe – the script is full of so much delicious energy and creative possibilities, I jumped at the chance to direct it! Clothing is the main metaphor and message; queer people often code-switch using clothes, toning down for safety or glamming up to express gender euphoria and joy – I’m definitely hoping to see plenty of fabulous queer fashion on display! The play is full of humour and heart too, sensitively exploring the impact of rising queer-phobia on LGBTQ+ lives, so it’s educating and destigmatising important issues as well as entertaining people. I hope queer audiences feel seen and feel joy, and I hope others gain empathy and insight.”
Clothes Swap runs at Waterside Arts from Wednesday 3 June to Saturday 6 June 2026.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
