Her mother couldn’t accept she was different, and then she went no contact
Brad Sutherland’s The Girl in the Mask asks an important question: what happens when we stop listening to someone’s lived experience because we think we understand them better than they(Emma Riches) has always been different. She doesn’t understand why people expect her to behave like everyone else, and she’s never been very good at pretending that she does. But when her father dies and her mother tries to take control of her future, Amy finds a new way to escape: a mask, a new name and a YouTube channel called The Girl in the Mask.
As Amy’s rebellion brings her closer to Kieran (Edward Jobling), a young doctor who thinks he understands her, her relationship with her mother Celia (Laura Fitzpatrick) begins to fall apart. But is Amy finally discovering who she really is, or simply finding another mask to hide behind?
The Girl in the Mask is a darkly funny and moving play about autism, identity, mental health and the complicated relationship between a mother and daughter.
Part of the Lambeth Fringe Festival 2026, the play runs from 6–17 October, deliberately coinciding with World Mental Health Day on 10 October and this year’s theme, “Lived experiences heard: Real voices, real change.” The play explores what happens when someone struggles to make their voice heard — and what can happen when the people closest to them believe they know what is best for them.
Directed by Orsolya Nagy.
White Bear Theatre, 138 Kennington Park Road, London, SE11 4DJ.
Tuesday 6th – Saturday 17th October 2026 (Tues – Sat)
Performances 7:30pm
Tickets £16 / £14 concessions
Book online: whitebeartheatre.co.uk
For more information go to: www.maidenproductions.co.uk
