WHAT happens when you have the feeling that you are disappearing?
Rhys wants to be a boxer while his father wants to learn Welsh. Yasmin is living with her nan while her mother wants to be looking over the plains of Uganda. The children can’t speak to their parents, and the parents don’t understand how their children are feeling.
In Mari Lloyd’s moving and sharply funny play, we see the world through the eyes of two sparring 18-year-olds in a small Welsh ex-mining town as they try to comprehend the actions of their parents and begin to realise, they have bigger things to fight for.
Told through interwoven monologues, the play captures the uncertainty of growing up and the search for connection. It touches on themes of mental health, family struggles, and finding strength in unexpected places. Rhys sees boxing as more than a sport—it’s his way of controlling his emotions and fighting for his place in the world. Yasmin feels lost, unsure of where she belongs. Their stories reflect a broader experience of young people searching for identity and purpose.
The play’s minimalistic yet immersive staging highlights the emotional weight of their journeys creating a powerful production about youth, identity and resilience.
Playwright Mari Lloyd, who grew up in the Rhondda Valley, brings a personal touch to the script and directed by Julia Stubbs, the production encapsulates its sharp writing, youthful energy and will draw audiences into the characters’ inner worlds.
The play stays with you long after the final moment.
Playwright, Mari Lloyd, grew up in the Rhondda Valley and still has family living there. She is now based on Merseyside and after working in the NHS for more than 20 years, began writing. Mari has had her plays ‘The Match’ and ‘Last Tango at St. Leonards’ at the Liverpool Write Now Festival, ‘Three Women’ at the Manchester 24:7 Festival, and ‘Elegy’ at the Liverpool Fringe Festival. Her plays ‘Evidence and Charity’ have also been in showcases on the London Fringe and ‘Looking Out for Jack’ was longlisted for the celebrated Papatango New Writing Prize. Mari stays grounded and sane by engaging with a local boxing gym.
Director, Julia Stubbs, runs 20 South Street, a creative space for collaboration in theatre and with Mari Lloyd runs Still Here Productions. Julia directed STILL HERE’s acclaimed premiere on the London fringe in 2023. Her recent directing credits on the London fringe include the revival of Sparks by Simon Longman (Upper Hand Theatre Company), the premiere of ‘What I Really Think of My Husband: Thomas Hardy and his Wives’ by David Pinner (And Tomorrow Theatre Company) and the national tour of ‘Seven and a half Years’ by Mark Glentworth (OffFest Nomination 2023, MMGMUSIC Productions).
Once again playing Rhys is Phillip John Jones an award-winning Welsh working-class actor and writer who won an ‘It’s My Shout’ Best Actor Award for his role as Jack in ‘Packaged’ for BBC Wales. Recent credits include ‘Blood On Your Hands’ (Offie Nomination for Lead Actor in a Play 2024, Patch Plays/Southwark Playhouse), and ‘The Welsh Dragon’ (Theatre Iolo/Chapter Arts Centre). His debut film ‘Bwl Boy’ was screened by BBC Wales in 2022 and was nominated for best screenplay and best drama and Dog Hair, his debut full-length play, appeared as part of Vaults Festival 2023.
Returning to the role of Yasmin is Emma Kaler, an Indian/Welsh actress from Cardiff. Recent credits include the short films Grandfather Rights (BBC Wales) and ‘Searching For Lily’ (Blue Moon Productions), Shireen in the ‘Torchwood’ radio series Suckers (BBC), Harper Collins Publishers audiobook ‘The Halfways’; BBC’s Bitesize; and ‘The Tucker’s’ on BBC1. Emma also attended the 76th Cannes Film Festival in 2023 on their Young Performers Opportunity.
Reviews for STILL HERE:
★★★★ “Mari Lloyd’s poignantly funny play about two teenagers trying to find their way in an unforgiving and uncertain world is a real treat… Emma Kaler is beautifully nuanced as Yasmin, strong and sharp on the surface but always on the move, trying to find the way to escape her feelings… Phillip John Jones is wonderful as Rhys – sardonic and naïve at the same time… Director Julia Stubbs skilfully takes Lloyd’s smart script and interweaves the stories of the two damaged teenagers seamlessly” FAIRY POWERED PRODUCTIONS
“Mari Lloyd writes with genuine insight and emotion, incorporating light-hearted jokes to loosen the script from getting too heavy. Her characters are realistic, genuine and likeable – their flaws explained with ample backstory to ensure the audience remain on side… Director Julia Stubbs allows the focus to stay solely on the actors and the script – the empty stage, minimal sound and lighting taking a backseat to allow the words to fully take hold… Emma Kaler (Yasmin) and Phillip John Jones (Rhys) are absolutely fantastic actors, each performing their monologues with heart-felt emotion… This is an endearing, enjoyable script performed by two wonderful actors with a long future ahead of them. Whether you’re a young adult finding your place in the world, or of an older generation struggling to keep up with life’s many changes – this show works for all” THE REVIEWS HUB
“Mari Lloyd’s words take centre stage, delivered by two assured, talented young performers… In Still Here, Lloyd has captured some of the emotional turbulence of adolescence… Lloyd has crafted the moving and often sharply funny narrative almost entirely from monologues… Phillip John Jones and Emma Kaler’s performances are moving and true. Kaler’s Yasmin has a just-controlled, riled energy, later showing strength and kindness, whilst Jones’s gentle Rhys is painfully lost, his feigned bravado falling away to reveal his fallibility. When their fight is over, they are changed but they are still here.” BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE
“Mari Lloyd’s new play covers a lot of ground and director Julia Stubbs draws splendid performances from Phillip John Jones and Emma Kaler as the two troubled teens… I found myself very keen to find out what happened next to the two kids we’d grown to respect a lot and even love a little.” BROADWAY WORLD UK
“Mari Lloyd brings her real-life experience of the Rhondda and of boxing in a gym to the fore… there is more than enough here to have expectations of future fireworks from Mari Lloyd and her two actors.” LONDON PUB THEATRES
STANDING AWARD NOMINATION for both actors
“Phillip John Jones’ Rhys is all ‘wrist and hip’ swagger but with an underlying uncertainty and naivety. And there’s the anger – Jones shows that he can move through the gears of emotion whilst still thinking about the audience and their reaction to him. Emma Kaler as Yasmin has a lovely light touch and she shows real confidence in her work, her connection to the character and to the audience helps underpin the action.” LONDON PUB THEATRES
Still Here Productions in association with 20 South Street and Grey Swan presents STILL HERE by Mari Lloyd and supported by The Unity Theatre Trust and the Arts Council of Wales’ Night Out scheme.
For more information, visit the company websites www.stillhereproductions.co.uk | www.20southstreet.co.uk.
South Wales Tour (free post-show discussion afterwards):
| Thursday 13 March at 7.00 pm Soar Centre – Sparc | Valleys Kids Tylacelyn Road, Penygraig, Tonypandy, CF40 1JZ*supported by the Arts Council of Wales’ Night Out scheme TICKETS: £5 | £2Email for bookings: [email protected] | Website: www.sparc.wales |   |
| Friday 14 March at 7.30 pm Stiwdio 1 – Park & Dare Theatre Station Road, Treorchy, CF42 6NL TICKETS: £11Box Office: 03000 040 444 | Website: www.rct-theatres.co.uk |  |
| Saturday 15 March at 7.30 pm The Studio – Blackwood Miners’ Institute High Street, Blackwood, NP12 1BBTICKETS: £15 | £13Box Office: 01495 227 206 | Website: www.blackwoodminersinstitute.com |  |
| Friday 21 March at 7.00 pm Moondance Studio – YMa Stryd Taff, Pontypridd, CF37 4TS TICKETS: £8 | £6Box Office: 01443 490 390 | Website: www.ymaonline.wales |  |
| Saturday 22 March at 2.30 pm & 7.30 pm The Studio Theatre – The Riverfront Theatre & Arts Centre Kingsway, Newport NP20 1HG TICKETS: £13.50Box Office: 01633 656 757 | Website: www.newportlive.co.uk/Riverfront |  |
| Thursday 27 March at 7.00 pm Porter’s Theatre, Cardiff Porter’s Theatre – Porter’s Cardiff, Barrack Lane, Cardiff, CF10 2GS | On the corner at the end of Barrack Lane and Hill Street – opposite the old Debenhams TICKETS: £12 | £10Website: www.porterscardiff.org/theatre |  |
| Friday 28 March at 7.00 pm Cwmavon Village Hall Cwmavon Road, Pontypool, NP4 8XH*supported by the Arts Council of Wales’ Night Out scheme TICKETS: £5Box Office: 07770 687 627 | Email: [email protected] Website: www.cwmavonvillagehall.weebly.com |  |
| Saturday 29 March at 7.00 pm Tylorstown Welfare Hall East Road, Tylorstown, CF43 3DA*supported by the Arts Council of Wales’ Night Out scheme TICKETS: £8 Box Office: 01443 730 534 | Website www.tylorstownwelfarehall.co.uk |  |
