Lesbian Stage Play The A Word Tackles Hidden Abuse in New London Run

Coercive control can be invisible – even to friends. This summer, a powerful new staging of The A Word brings that hidden truth to three London theatres.

First staged in 2023, The A Word has been re‑imagined for 2025 by best‑selling author, filmmaker, and playwright Jade Winters. The new version draws audiences deeper into the quiet, insidious reality of emotional abuse – and how even the closest friends can miss the signs.

Opening at the Golden Goose Theatre on 23 August, before moving to the Drayton Arms Theatre (14–15 September) and the Bread & Roses Theatre (9–10 November), this intimate and quietly devastating drama explores what happens when love turns controlling, and silence becomes as dangerous as words.

At its heart, The A Word is an intimate look at emotional abuse inside a lesbian relationship – a story rarely told on stage with such closeness and restraint. Brooke lives under the quiet tyranny of coercive control, while her friends’ concern grows in the face of confusion, evasions, and unspoken truths. In this world, silence can be as dangerous as words.

‘When The A Word was first staged, I knew it had something important to say,’ says Winters. ‘This new version pulls you closer to Brooke’s life – close enough to recognise the signs in your own world, or in a friend’s, and to see just how far someone can fall without you realising.’

With her acclaimed novels read by audiences worldwide, Winters has built a reputation for creating honest, relatable stories centred on women’s lives. Now, she brings that same emotional depth to the stage, offering a rare and unflinching portrayal of coercive control in a lesbian relationship.

Performance Dates:
Golden Goose Theatre – 23 August
Drayton Arms Theatre – 14–15 September
Bread & Roses Theatre – 9–10 November

Tickets:
Golden Goose Theatre – https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/the-a-word/the-a-word/e-erokga
Drayton Arms Theatre – https://www.thedraytonarmstheatre.co.uk/tickets/the-a-word
Bread & Roses Theatre – https://app.lineupnow.com/event/the-a-word