INTERVIEW: Director JULIA STUBBS on hit show STILL HERE returning to London at Golden Goose Theatre 2 – 6 September
In Mari Lloyd’s acclaimed 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. This award nominated play returns to London with the original cast after a successful tour in South Wales.
LPT: Delighted that this show is getting a second London run. We wondered how you felt when you read the script for the first time, what really struck you about Mari Lloyd’s play?
Julia Stubbs: Thank you, we’re so happy to be bringing this show back to London. When I first read Mari’s script, what really struck me was that it was just so well written, so good!! I was also struck by how truthful it felt. It captured that very particular energy of being 18 — restless, angry, funny, fragile — and gave it such a sharp, authentic voice. I immediately knew these characters were going to resonate with people, not just because of the humour but because of the raw honesty underneath it. As soon as I finished the first read, I asked the person who’d given me the script for Mari’s contact details, and I got on a Zoom with her and said, ‘I want to direct your play’.
It’s been a hit with audiences and critics, what is it about the story that gets under the skin?
I think it’s because Mari has written something both specific and universal. These are two young people in a small, Welsh ex-mining town, but their struggles with identity, family, and mental health speak to anyone who has ever felt lost or unheard. The story lingers because it feels recognisable and deeply human.
What are the main themes and how important are these to you?
For me, it’s about youth, resilience, and the search for connection. Rhys finds his outlet in boxing, Yasmin feels unmoored in the world, and both are trying to navigate relationships with parents who don’t really “see” them. These themes of identity, belonging, and mental health are vital ones to explore on stage right now.
As a director, how did you approach the premiere at Jack Studio Theatre?
The play is almost entirely interwoven monologues, so my focus was on clarity and intimacy. I wanted Mari’s words to land, unadorned, and for the audience to feel close to these characters. That meant a minimalist staging, where the performances and the text were always at the centre.
What has changed over the course of its performing life?
The play has grown richer with time. Touring in South Wales gave us the chance to hear it against the backdrop of the communities it reflects, and that deepened the performances. The actors have lived with the characters for long enough now that they feel second nature, but having said that, they still discover new moments even now, which comes when working on such a well-written script.
Image: Emma Kaler as Yasmin and Phillip John Jones as Rhys
The show has the same cast, which might be a blessing or might result in the show becoming stale. How do you keep things fresh?
With Phillip and Emma, it’s never stale! They bring such vitality to Rhys and Yasmin, and so every performance feels alive because they listen and respond in the moment. We also spend rehearsal time rediscovering the text, digging into the beats again so that it continues to feel immediate and vibrant.
We wondered how audiences in London and in Wales reacted to the play. Have you noticed a distinct difference between them?
Audiences in South Wales connected immediately with the cultural details and the sense of place. In London, the reaction was more to the universality of the themes. But what unites both is that people come away saying, “I know someone like Rhys or Yasmin.” That recognition is what keeps the piece resonant.
As you’re bringing it to Golden Goose Theatre in Camberwell, we wondered if you have a particular connection to South London, personally or as a company?
Yes, very much so. The show premiered on the London fringe, and I’ve directed a number of South London productions. Venues like the Golden Goose, and the Jack Studio Theatre where the play premiered in 2023, are vital for developing new work — they’re intimate, welcoming, and give audiences the chance to be really close to the action, which suits STILL HERE perfectly.
How are you staging the play at Golden Goose Theatre?
We’re keeping the staging simple and immersive, with minimal set so the audience feels drawn directly into the characters’ worlds. The intimacy of the Golden Goose space will heighten that — it allows us to really focus on the words, the rhythm of the storytelling, and the power of the performances. The staging has changed slightly since the premiere when we had a raised area which represented a ropeless boxing ring. As we prepared the revival earlier this year for the South Wales tour, we reimagined the space, and the boxing ring became represented by rope, which I think makes the audience feel even closer to the characters.
As a director, what’s going to be the hardest part for you? Is there something that you’ve learnt as a director during the run?
The hardest part is always keeping it as fresh and urgent as the very first night. What I’ve learnt is that sometimes restraint is the director’s most powerful tool — to let the words breathe, to trust the actors, and to allow space for the audience to bring their own experiences into the story. I also operate the light and sound for the show, which is something I started doing during the premiere run and so I’ve seen it from that perspective as well, which has been, and continues to be, fascinating. I suppose I had really fallen for these characters and their story and wanted to feel connected to them beyond when my role as director would end, and so operating has allowed me to experience each show – and Phillip and Emma’s incredible performances – and see it develop and that’s just a total joy.
Do you have a favourite scene in the show or favourite moment?
There’s a moment in the middle of the play when Rhys’ anger explodes and he repeatedly punches the fridge in his kitchen whilst Yasmin waltzes to the music in her head. It’s a wordless moment where even though they are in their separate worlds, they are somehow connected with each other, and it always gets me.
Finally, what are you most looking forward to sharing with audiences?
I’m most excited for new audiences to spend time with these two extraordinary young people — to laugh with them, feel for them, and maybe see a bit of themselves in them. It’s a play that stays with you, and I can’t wait to feel that ripple of connection in the theatre again.
Published 23rd August 2025
Still Here Productions in association with 20 South Street & Grey Swan presents
STILL HERE
Golden Goose Theatre,
Camberwell
2 - 6 September
Tues - Sat 7.30pm
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.
Following widespread acclaim since its 2023 London premiere, STILL HERE returned in 2025 with its original, award-nominated cast for a celebrated South Wales tour. Now, this powerful piece of new writing—hailed as “a heartfelt triumph”—comes back to the London Fringe for a limited run at the Golden Goose Theatre.
