Tending at Riverside Studios
The NHS sees approximately a million people in need of care and treatment each day, and nurses are often on the frontline. What impact does that have on those tasked with this extensive responsibility? And who cares for those who care? Writer El Blackwood addresses these questions and more in her play Tending, a 60-minute production that explores the lives of NHS nurses. Following a critically acclaimed run at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Tending has entered the London theatre scene with a run at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith.
Tending uses verbatim theatre; a documentary-style methodology whereby the script is constructed, and a theatrical world is built from the words and testimonies of real people. Indeed, to craft the playscript, Blackwood interviewed over 70 nurses of varying ages, backgrounds and nationalities, with the aim of spotlighting the lived experiences of nurses working for the NHS. The narrative follows three distinct characters, through whom the audience gathers a collective sense of what it is like to be a nurse. We learn about what motivated them to enter the profession, the emotional medley of joy, hilarity, anguish and grief that comes with working on a ward, and the difficulty in separating work life from home life. And how, for some, due to the immense pressure and unrelenting exhaustion, the compassion at the heart of caring can wane over time. All of these elements and the overwhelming impact of providing care to others were brilliantly presented by the strong performances of the cast, who were able to oscillate between the varying emotions with ease.
The play explores some of the frequent criticisms of the healthcare system, touching on issues such as waiting times and the lack of hospital beds, bureaucracy, staff shortages and financial constraints. We also hear about the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic and the solidarity of the nurses’ strikes. In these parts in particular, the emotional weight was intensified by the knowledge that the words and experiences that were being recounted are real and based on honest accounts. With so many heavy themes, the piece was thankfully filled with lots of humour and jokes. These lighter moments not only provided the audience a break from the sadness, but they also emphasised the camaraderie and fellowship between nurses and how the community that they build through laughter is able to support and sustain them through the tough times.
With frequent mentions of the mental effect of the relentless sounds of a hospital ward and the noises of patients and medical machines, the sound design could’ve been more compellingly utilised. This, in turn, would have heightened the emotional intensity of the narrative. On the other hand, the lighting design was brilliantly impactful, with the colours, shades, and overall ambience being in tune with the dialogue, which ensured that the audience was immersed throughout the short runtime.
In summary, Tending is a credit to the nurses it represents. The performance doesn’t try to lecture, persuade or influence, but purely offers a truthful representation and authentic insight into the lives of nurses in the UK. Reflective and funny, poignant and powerfully affecting, it is the type of play that will leave a lasting impression on the audience.
Sunny Morgan
Photo: Charles Flint
Tending is at Riverside Studios from 15th April until 4th May 2025. For further information or to book, visit the theatre’s website here.
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