Four people arrive to work the night shift in a meat factory. They meet for the first time. They are employed as cleaners by a temp agency. They are all on zero hours contracts. Every shift, they clean. Every four hours, they take a break. They drink tea or coffee together, read magazines, chat. As it gets light, they go home, or to another job. The cycle goes on. And on. Strangers. Until something stirs, until isolated people get too close to one another, too fast.
Through investigation, first hand experience and with the involvement of those on zero hours contracts, Alexander Zeldin’s brutally honest, darkly humorous play exposes the stories of an invisible class.
By Alexander Zeldin and written through devising with the company. Designed by Natasha Jenkins. First produced at the Yard Theatre, London and subsequently at the National Theatre.
“[Alexander] Zeldin’s script is a marvel of brevity… Beautifully observed.” Manchester Theatre Awards
“Gripping… By creating unique characters, it’s a compelling play about a difficult subject.” – Quiet Man Dave
★★★★ “A riveting and thought-provoking piece of theatre which [is] expertly acted by the incredibly strong ensemble of five actors… As real and a vital comment on the current state of the nation that you are likely to see. A startling piece of theatre.” – The Reviews Hub
★★★★ “Alexander Zeldin’s perception of life on the lowest rung of the employment ladder is precise, darkly comic and painstakingly accurate. Authentic, real, and at times, difficult to watch.” – Upstaged Manchester
“The finest play of the year so far, Beyond Caring is a real play for today, a slash-and-burn portrait of Brexit Britain. There are vivid, vibrant performances from a sterling cast and dark inklings of black humour… A brilliant work of theatre.” – Jildy Sauce
“The piece impresses through its steady refusal to really conform to dramatic diktat. A sobering piece.” – Postcards From the Gods
★★★★★ “Unforgettable” – The Times
“Beyond praise” – The New York Times
★★★★ – The Guardian
★★★★ – Time Out Critic’s Choice
★★★★ – The Telegraph
★★★★★ “A frighteningly real portrait of contemporary exploitation in the dehumanising and under-regulated world of agency work, Beyond Caring is vital, urgent theatre” – What’s On