Accessible play Family First is infused with humour and heart

Leeds-based Rebel Roots Theatre Company wants to make the arts more accessible for actors and audiences.

- by Jennifer Cartwright

The play is created by Leeds Conservatoire graduates Tyler Pickles and Danté Thomas who are also part of the cast.

This is why they've created Family First, a play which is now touring in pubs and community venues across the UK.

This tale is heartbreaking and heartwarming - it'll make you laugh one minute and cry the next. Crucially, this is a reminder of why grassroots storytelling still matters.

Directed by Brandon Robinson-Connolly, Family First tells the story of the Merrow family, proud owners of Balor Bar.

For patriarch Malachy (Jack Moorby) and his wife Lizzie (Leannah Gardner), the bar isn't a day job, it's part of the family unit.