Critically acclaimed show tackling male isolation comes back 'home'

For generations, the idea of 'Northern grit' has been a badge of honour.

- by Benjamin Jackson

“What people actually need is for someone to ask, ‘Are you okay?’ and mean it.” A poignant moment from Northern Rascals’ Sunny Side.

It conjures images of resilience, hard work and communities pulling together through tough times.But, for young men navigating modern life, that same stoic mindset can often become a dangerous, isolating trap.

It is exactly this tension that sits at the heart of Sunny Side, the critically acclaimed production from Leeds-born dance-theatre company, Northern Rascals.

Following a national tour, the production is finally returning to Leeds and Bradford for its final curtain calls.

For co-director Anna Holmes, bringing this working-class narrative back to West Yorkshire is a profound, full-circle moment.