Port by Simon Stephens

Port is a beautifully crafted play about longing and belonging.

Set in Stockport, UK, from 1988 to 2002, Port follows Racheal Keats, as she navigates a fractured family and the struggle to carve out her identity. We watch her grow up in a town she doesn’t like with a family in tatters and a future she cannot picture. As those she loves begin to let her down or leave her behind, can Racheal find the strength to make her own way in the world?

Directed by Nigel Tuner-Carroll, this Australian premiere is more than just a powerful script – it speaks directly to those who have left small towns for bigger cities, or anyone who has grappled with the pull of their hometowns. Port invites you to reflect on your own journey, the search for belonging, and the nostalgia that never quite fades.

Port was first commissioned by the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, and first performed there on 12th November 2002. It was written whilst the writer was on a Pearson Residency at the Royal Exchange Theatre.