Housemates, the true story of a 1970s Cardiff house share that helped end long-stay hospitals, plays the Northcott on 28 and 29 May 2027. Tickets £28, on sale.
Housemates, a play with a live band about a friendship that helped close Britain’s long-stay hospitals, is coming to the Exeter Northcott for two nights next spring. It plays on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 May 2027 at 7.30pm, and tickets at £28 are on sale now through the Northcott’s Housemates page.
It is a co-production between Hijinx, the Welsh inclusive theatre company that works with learning disabled and autistic artists, and the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff. The 2027 tour, from 16 April to 3 July, is the first time the show has played in England.
The true story behind it
The play is set in 1970s Cardiff. Alan, a young man with Down’s syndrome, had lived in Ely Hospital since childhood. In the words of the companies’ release, he “crashed into the life of Cardiff University student Jim”.
“All Alan wanted was to live in a house and be in a band,” the release says. “Jim wanted to make a difference in the world but didn’t yet know how. Together with their friends, they embarked on an experiment that challenged the system and helped spark the movement away from institutional care towards Supported Living.”
The companies describe what followed as “a global turning point in disability rights, transforming lives and changing how society thought about independence, choice and belonging.”
Tim Green wrote the play, and it is co-directed by Ben Pettitt-Wade and Joe Murphy. The music is 1970s classics, played live on stage by the cast.
Who is in it
The cast is made up of learning disabled, neurodivergent and neurotypical actor-musicians. Housemates was first staged in 2023 and came back in 2025, and several of the 2025 cast return:
- Gareth John as Alan
- Peter Mooney as Jim
- Emily Ivana Hawkins as Sally
- Matthew Mullins as John
- Richard Newnham as Dr Cooper
- Lindsay Spellman as Heather
- Eveangeleis Tudball as Julie
James Ifan (Birch) and Caitlin Lavagna (Sian) complete the line-up.
Gareth John had to learn a new skill for the part. “I really can’t wait,” he said. “My favourite song in the show is ‘Cum on Feel the Noize’ because I get to play the drums to it. I learned how to play the drums for the role. I’m excited to see Pete [Mooney], my friend, and the rest of the cast too, they’re good fun to be with. I just really enjoy it all.”
Why it is touring again
Ben Pettitt-Wade, Hijinx’s Joint Chief Executive and Artistic Director, said the return was driven by audiences.
“We are delighted to be touring Housemates again, visiting some new venues and parts of the UK, alongside opening at Sherman Theatre in Cardiff, where it all began,” he said. “Housemates has an incredible story to tell and does so with laughter, tears and a fair few punch the air moments. The show had an incredible audience reaction when we first opened and then toured Wales with it. It’s through audience demand and the impact the show has had that we are bringing it back. We can’t wait to bring this powerful piece of theatre to a wider audience.”
Julia Barry, Chief Executive of the Sherman Theatre, said the story began close to the theatre’s own doors. “Housemates holds a very special place in our hearts; a perfect example of how Sherman Theatre tells Welsh stories with a global resonance,” she said. “Its story originated a stone’s throw from our front door, and it’s been a privilege to nurture it from our original commission during our lockdown Heart of Cardiff series to a crowd, and critic, pleasing show created under our roof. It is a great pleasure to share this joyous co-production with audiences further afield, and with it an extraordinary slice of Cardiff history.”
What the critics said
The companies quote five-star reviews from The Observer (“A dynamic rock’n’roll riff on a global game changer in neurodivergent care”), The Stage (“a gloriously uplifting play, in a production that radiates warmth, wit and humanity”), the Morning Star and Buzz, and four stars from The Guardian (“an astounding story, entertainingly and movingly realised”).
Audience comments from the 2025 tour, gathered by the companies, run in the same direction. “We danced, we sang, we laughed our socks off and we stood and cheered at the end,” one reads. Another: “I sobbed, laughed and felt pure joy.”
The full 2027 tour
| Dates | Venue |
|---|---|
| 16 to 24 April | Sherman Theatre, Cardiff |
| 7 to 8 May | Ffwrnes, Llanelli |
| 13 to 15 May | Salisbury Playhouse |
| 20 to 22 May | Leeds Playhouse |
| 28 to 29 May | Exeter Northcott |
| 17 to 19 June | Derby Theatre |
| 30 June to 3 July | Bristol Old Vic |
The tour is supported by the Arts Council of Wales, Arts Council England and Innovate Trust. Dates and box office links for every venue are on Hijinx’s Housemates page.
What it means for you
- Booking: both Exeter performances are at 7.30pm, and every seat listed is £28, on the Northcott’s booking page. The theatre lists ways to save on the same page.
- How long: the running time is 80 minutes with no interval, according to the Northcott.
- Who it is for: the theatre recommends it for ages 14 and over. It warns that the production contains outdated terms for disabled people, ableism, strong language and description of abuse.
- Getting there: the Northcott is on the University of Exeter’s Streatham Campus. Bus and parking advice is on our Exeter panto page, and car park prices are on parking in Exeter.
The Northcott’s own production, the Beatles play Made in Liverpool, follows a few weeks later: see our story on that. For what is on before then, see what’s on in Exeter this month.
Have your say