Q&A with El Blackwood, writer of NHS play Tending

Based on over 70 interviews with NHS nurses, Tending shares raw, real and often unheard stories. Through three characters—a palliative care nurse, a paediatric ICU nurse, and an A&E nurse—it explores the realities of nursing: why they chose it, what their days look like, and the emotional highs and lows which highlights the urgent need for reform and asks: who cares for the carers when the system is under strain? Ahead of the show’s London dates next week, writer and actor El Blackwood tells us more about its creation and what she hopes the audience will take from it

What inspired the creation of Tending?

Tending was inspired by hearing my best friend’s accounts of nursing day-to-day during Covid. Seeing the disconnect between clapping on Thursdays and the stories I was hearing about what was happening on the ground made me realise that there were so many stories that needed to be heard, and perceptions that needed to be challenged. This snowballed into the idea for a verbatim play, crafted from the words and stories of nurses, to bring a sense of truth and immediacy and to communicate what it is to be a nurse.

How does Tending highlight the challenges faced by NHS nurses, and what specific issues does it seek to bring to public attention?

Tending seeks to highlight the structural, psychological and day-to-day challenges of being a nurse today. We live in a world where caring is so often overlooked and certainly undervalued, and have an NHS that is on its knees and is being held up by people that are utterly exhausted. We owe nurses so much more. I wanted to also encourage people to think about all of our connections to care, the health service and ask the essential question: who cares for the carers?

What is the significance of the collaboration with The Cavell Trust, and how does this collaboration support nurses and healthcare workers?

The Cavell Trust is a phenomenal charity that does essential work for nurses, helping them through hard times. We shout about their work whenever we can, and have also raised money for them over the course of the project. In this way, we hope that we can connect people who care about the issues raised in the play with a concrete way of taking action.

How does verbatim theatre contribute to the impact and authenticity of Tending?

The verbatim nature of the play is essential for the authenticity of the play, as it is a play about nurses in their own words, and its impact. The impact is far greater in the knowledge that every story you hear on stage has been said to us in interviews.

What do you hope the audience will take from the show? 

I hope the audience will take away a greater understanding of nursing, experience something impactful collectively and talk to each other after the show!

Tending is at Riverside Studios from 15th April – 4th May. For more go to https://riversidestudios.co.uk/see-and-do/tending-156272/ . It also stops at Theatre Royal Bath on 11-12 April and The North Wall in Oxford on 1-2 May.