Award-winning play about inappropriate teacher-pupil relationship gets its premiere

It's not a subject that sits easily with many people, but the taboo relationship between a pupil and her teacher forms the subject of the next play to be staged by Dirty Protest. 

Parallel Lines was penned by Penarth playwright Katherine Chandler and scooped the inaugural Wales Drama Award in 2012. 

Since then it has been developed into what promises to be a gripping production through a series of workshops run by Katherine and the play's director Catherine Paskell, and is set to open at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff on 20 November. 

The play takes place amid the aftermath of the alleged relationship between 15-year-old Steph and her teacher Simon, and explores themes of class, relationships, truth and family, as accusations about the pair circulate and their parallel lives collide.

Katherine told me that the idea for the show came from wanting to explore how the character of Steph, who comes from a damaged background, may be judged by people who wouldn't understand or know her and her life, as well as the dramatic potential offered by the illicit relationship. 

She said: "I think it became about a teacher-pupil relationship as a way of bringing two separate worlds together in a realistic way. 

“The discussions in the workshops and then rehearsals have been really interesting and sometimes heated. 

"Steph's age seems to make a difference to a lot of people but then throw the fact that Simon is her teacher in the mix and everyone's opinions change. It's been fascinating.

"I also wanted to explore issues of class because I'm from a working class family and work in a middle class profession. It's something that people pick up on a lot so I think it must be interesting to people."

The company began workshopping the play in spring of this year and that process has led to the script being redrafted several times after both Katherine and Catherine tested out some aspects which worked better than others.

Katherine added: "It has the essence of the original draft. I've cut into it and sharpened the story and dialogue. 

"I've been left to write and rewrite on my own really with a bit of dramaturgy from Tim Price but I think it's refreshing to have that control over your own work. 

"I think Catherine and I work well together, we had great fun casting and she creates a lovely relaxed rehearsal room with masses of creative freedom so the actors and I have felt able to contribute to the process."

Catherine said she felt compelled to direct the play because of the quality of the writing and the strength of Kath's voice within it, as well as its exploration of truth, class and power in today's Cardiff. 

"The play is dramatic, contemporary, gripping and very funny - it's highly entertaining and I was on the edge of my seat reading the script, wanting to know what happens next, so I was excited by the opportunity to bring this to audiences. 

"I'm from Cardiff, as is Kath and Parallel Lines is a very Cardiff play: the Cardiff voice is strong throughout it and it feels very relevant to Cardiff audiences. It also has four roles and three of these are for women, something that is rare in theatre. 

"I love that the female, Welsh voice is so strong in this drama - both because this provides exciting opportunities for the amazing female talent we have in Wales and also for our audiences. 

"Our capital city is changing, as are all our urban centres across Wales and the UK. This play examines how we live together and interact. 

"With the recent news stories about inappropriate relationships between adults in positions of power, and children and young people, Parallel Lines examines these themes in a different, exciting way." 

The play is likely to create sides and will raise question marks for the audience about what exactly has happened between the pair.

As Catherine says: "It's the kind of play that pulls the audience along with it, through all the twists and turns and I hope they will be entertained, laugh and cry." 

The cast works as an ensemble and features recent RADA graduate Rachel Redford from Penarth as Steph, Casualty and Holby City actress Jan Anderson as Melissa, Stella actor and playwright Gareth Pierce as Simon and Newport-born Call The Midwife actress Lisa Diveney as Julia.

Parallel Lines is at Chapter until Sat 30 November. For more information visit the Chapter Arts Centre website.