PROMPTED by the response to their two performances of No Kidding? for the York International Women’s Festival, York company Real People Theatre want to extend the play's impact.

"The show was attended last Friday night by the Lord Mayor, Cllr Barbara Boyce, together with the Lady Mayoress, Mrs Val Clark, and the Sheriff, Mrs Gill Brian, and in an almost full house their response and that of the audience was heartfelt and totally supportive," says artistic director Sue Lister.

"The second performance, last Saturday afternoon, was even more crowded and many people urged the group to continue offering the show as a springboard for discussion of the very important issue of ageing without the support of nearby children."

Among the audience comments, Sue picked out one in particular, which said: "Superb. Moving. Wonderful acting. Deep silences, especially after the haikus. It put together many things I have thought about – altogether, so powerful. I will think about what more I can do in my community and by speaking out and joining AWOC."

AWOC stands for Ageing Without Children, whose York group is co-ordinated by Sue Lister. "I'm determined to make these invisible millions visible," she says. "There is a growing number of older people ageing alone without the support of nearby children. It’s all part of the loneliness and isolation picture and needs to be recognised, put on the agenda, discussed, planned for and solutions found."

Sue and Real People Theatre now have scenes on offer from No Kidding? that can be booked individually for small groups or as a whole for larger events or you can pick and mix from the scenes below, she says.

In Sundays, two ageing women sit alone at home wondering how to fill in a long and lonely “family” day; Christmas and other festivals can be lonely too.

In the comedy sketch My Name Is Brian, a lonely woman deals with a scam phone call purporting to fix her computer, and In Time Of Need, a woman collapses in town and is taken to A&E by a friend. She does not want to notify her next of kin and is worried about her cat; there is no-one to care for her when she is discharged from hospital.

York Press:

"Feeling cut off, left out, lonely, vulnerable": Real People Theatre address ageing without children in No Kidding? 

A Scattered Family is a monologue by a woman whose adult children are now living far away. "As parents you want them to live their own lives, but…" she says. Another monologue, Grief Of Childlessness, shares thoughts on how not being able to become a mother can blight your life.

Under Pressure presents two scenes with audience intervention. In the first, a daughter is about to tie the knot and tells her mother that the couple have decided not to have children. In the second, 30 years later, the mother has been living with the daughter “temporarily”, but the time has come to suggest a care home.

In Correctional Rape, a young Kenyan woman shares her story of how her family organised rape to cure her of being a lesbian and how a child resulted; In Broody Men, Rob expresses the sadness of being childless from a man’s point of view; especially poignant on Father’s Day.

Audience Interactions asks what could be happening, utilising three statues: a woman upset about a greetings card; a woman with a doll; a woman clasping a mug.

"After each scene, the audience will share their own experiences, look for how to cope and raise awareness of the AWOC issue from a wide variety of viewpoints. What are we going to do about it?" says Sue, who can be contacted on 01904 488870 for more information on bookings.

"We want to inspire people to take action on behalf of all those living alone and feeling cut off, left out, lonely, vulnerable...with the risk of present or future mental and physical health problems."

The AWOC York peer support and discussion group meets on the second Wednesday of the month in the private room at the Cross Keys on Goodramgate, alternating between afternoons and evenings. Again, ring Sue Lister for more info and the speaker list.