A coming-of-age story about growing up queer in rural northern England is being performed at Brewery Arts.

Too Much World at Once is a poetic story of a boy transforming into a bird. It touches on themes of family and belonging, mental well-being, gender identity, and the climate emergency.

The play is written by young playwright Billie Collins and presented by northern theatre company Box of Tricks. 

Billie, from the Wirral, fwrote Too Much World at Once aged just 21 on an early-career development programme for North West playwrights PlayBox. Joint Artistic Director of Box of Tricks and Director of the play Adam Quayle read the first draft in one sitting and knew instantly that it was something special.  

The play follows fifteen-year-old Noble who transforms into a bird on his birthday. Thousands of miles away, his sister Cleo is stationed on a remote island with the British Antarctic Survey, and Noble needs to reach her.  

A lyrical, theatrical journey that spans continents and lives, Too Much World at Once is an urgent coming-of-age story which unpacks the impact environmental concerns can have on mental health, particularly for younger generations. 

The play is taking place on Wednesday, March 29.