Whole by Emma Spearing

Story-telling, immersive soundscapes, song & striking imagery. An exploration of grief & identity.

A quest to fill the space inside.

‘My sister smells of woodsmoke, warm earth, oranges and dust.’

Whole is a solo show about two people, one of them is on stage the other isn’t. In some parts of the world people believe that twins share a soul, so how can you be a twin alone? It is a brutal wander through the shadows of a bluebell wood at dusk, a map of a life written across two bodies. A dive into the depths of what happens when you lose part of yourself. It is a raw, tender, messy love story, a wound splashed in whiskey and haunted by ghosts.

Using autobiographical story-telling, immersive soundscapes, song and striking visual imagery Whole is an exploration of complex grief, identity and belief systems. Brutally honest and tender this is a deep dive into what it means to lose the person who makes us whole.

Written & performed by Emma Spearing & made in collaboration with Naomi Dawson – Set & Costume design (Young Vic, Kneehigh, Royal Court) Kristina Hjelm – Lighting (RSC, Gecko) Dominic Kennedy – Sound (Paines Plough, Theatre Clywd) & Award-winning theatre maker Jamie Wood -Director & Collaborator

“Whole is a profoundly moving exploration about what it takes to go it alone in the wake of tremendous loss and grief. Emma is a consummate performer, warm and honest, and her writing sparkles effortlessly before cracking our hearts.”
– Haley McGee, Theatre maker + Founder of Solo Show Creator Labs.

Suitable for ages 15+

Supported by Arts Council England, Metal, & winner of Troop New Ideas award seed commission from Cambridge Junction.