Off the Ground Theatre returns to the Hope Street Theatre this autumn, in their 30th year of producing theatre, with Gareth Farr’s powerful and poignant play, Britannia Waves the Rules. Carl Jackson is a young man from Blackpool who feels trapped by the small-town expectations around him. Longing for something bigger, he joins the army, searching for purpose, escape, and a sense of belonging.

But when he finds himself in the midst of modern warfare, the reality of combat and its consequences proves far from the glory he imagined.

Britannia Waves the Rules is a raw and unflinching look at the challenges faced by working-class young men in Britain today – the lure of escape, the brutal realities of conflict, and the difficult return home. Winner of a Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, Gareth Farr’s script has been praised for its honesty, humour and emotional punch.