Who looks after you and who do you look after? I’ve been thinking about family trees and who’s around when it all hits the fan. I’m not sure that the family trees I see in the history books tell us much about care and for me, they don’t really reflect my experience. I think they might not for other people either. They don’t make visible care, abandonment, or trauma. They don’t always make visible the babies that were lost or the friends that stepped up when things get tough. 

 

My family tree is complicated. With adopted siblings, unplanned babies, and some things we just don’t talk about. 

 

Between me and my siblings we have Scottish, Russian, Iranian and New Zealand heritage so our family is diverse. Since the death of our single mother our care networks are complex: with absent fathers (biological and adoptive) falling off the radar, sisters become fathers, carers become the people needing care and friends becoming vital to our survival. 

 

I wonder if your family is a chosen family or the one you were born into?
 

Loose Ends was presented in Leeds as part of Compass Festival. We worked with Dreaming Methods to create a digital version of the piece so it is accessible to audiences from home, a hospital bed, in between shifts or whilst carrying out caring responsibilities. You can find that here.

 

If you would like a conversation about booking Loose Ends, please email producer@politerebellion.co.uk today.