INSPIRE & CONNECT
MATT: THE STORY CONTINUES
After powerful performances and a growing audience response, MATT returns in 2026 for an expanded theatre tour across Great Yarmouth, Peterborough, Boston, Cambridge and Colchester.
Written, directed and performed by Peter Dewar, MATT is a raw, emotional and deeply human theatre production exploring depression, anxiety, addiction, shame, family, survival and hope.
Based on real-life experience, the show follows one man’s fight to survive while revealing the impact mental health struggles can have on the people who love him most.
This is not just a theatre show.
It is a conversation.
A story of survival.
A reminder that even in the darkest moments, hope can still be found.
Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
2026 Tour Dates:
Great Yarmouth
St George’s Theatre
Wednesday 30 September 2026
Peterborough
Key Theatre
Friday 9 October 2026
Boston
Blackfriars Theatre & Arts Centre
Tuesday 27 October 2026
Cambridge
J3 Studio, Cambridge Junction
Thursday 19 November 2026
Colchester
The Headgate Theatre
Friday 27 November 2026
The Next Stage - Workshops/ Showcase
The Next Stage was a successful 38-week community drama programme created and delivered by Reflect Productions GY CIC in Great Yarmouth, with funding through National Lottery Awards for All.
63 participants over 38 weeks, 57 reporting improved wellbeing.
The programme provided a welcoming, inclusive and supportive environment in which local people could explore theatre, storytelling and creative expression. It was designed to make participation accessible to people who may experience barriers such as anxiety, low confidence, social isolation or challenges connected with their mental wellbeing. No previous acting experience was required, and participants were encouraged to contribute at their own pace.
Across the 38 weeks, the group explored improvisation, storytelling, character development, scene work, movement, script development and collaborative performance. The regular sessions gave participants time to build trust, develop confidence, share ideas and work creatively with others. From the early introductory activities through to rehearsals for the final performance, the programme placed equal importance on the creative process, personal contribution and the sense of connection developed within the group.
The programme was completed successfully and culminated in The Next Stage Community Showcase, bringing together work developed throughout the project. The showcase celebrated the participants’ creativity, commitment and progress while giving the group an opportunity to share its work through live performance. The filmed showcase also provides a lasting record of the programme and its achievements.
The Next Stage demonstrated the value of sustained, accessible community theatre. It created regular opportunities for people to meet, collaborate, express themselves and take part in a shared creative experience. It also demonstrated Reflect Productions GY CIC’s ability to plan, manage and deliver a long-term funded community arts programme from initial engagement through to a final public outcome.
The successful completion of The Next Stage has strengthened our commitment to making theatre accessible to people who may not ordinarily have opportunities to participate. We are proud of what the group achieved and remain committed to building on this work through further inclusive theatre, storytelling and community-engagement opportunities in Great Yarmouth and the surrounding area.
Here are just a few quotes from some of the workshop participants:
"Taking part in the workshop gave me a safe space to express emotions I had kept hidden for years. Through acting, I found the confidence to speak openly without feeling judged."
"For the first time in a long while, I felt genuinely listened to. The workshop reminded me that my experiences matter and that my voice deserves to be heard."
"The workshop showed me that mental health does not have to be discussed in a cold or clinical way. Creativity can open conversations that might otherwise feel impossible."
"This workshop gave me confidence not only as a performer, but as a person. I discovered strength in myself that I did not know was there."
The Next Stage was made possible thanks to National Lottery players and funding through National Lottery Awards for All.
The filmed showcase celebrates the creativity, collaboration and commitment of everyone involved in the 38-week programme.
WATCH THE SHOWCASE VIDEO BELOW 👇
Voices of Great Yarmouth
Community Stories on Mental Health
Reflect Productions GY CIC is proud to be delivering Voices of Great Yarmouth: Community Stories on Mental Health, a new community documentary project funded and supported by Norfolk Community Foundation through the Love Norfolk Fund 2026.
The project is taking place from June to September 2026 and is now in its filming stage. Local participants have been selected and are currently taking part in filmed conversations, sharing personal experiences, reflections, and stories connected to mental health, resilience, recovery, isolation, support, and community in Great Yarmouth.
These stories will help shape a short documentary film, which will be shared at a free public screening in Great Yarmouth, followed by an open community discussion.
Voices of Great Yarmouth has been created to provide a safe, respectful, and supportive space for local residents to speak openly and honestly about their experiences.
Through shared storytelling, the project aims to:
- reduce stigma around mental health
- encourage open conversations
- help people feel less alone
- strengthen community connection
- highlight the real voices and lived experiences of people in Great Yarmouth
We believe that hearing real voices from within our own community can be powerful. By sharing lived experiences, we hope this project will help create greater understanding, compassion, and connection across Great Yarmouth.
More details about the screening date, venue, and how to attend will be announced soon.
🎭 Matt – A Powerful Story About Mental Health, Hope, and Recovery
A raw, emotional, and unforgettable theatre experience that brings mental health struggles into the spotlight – with honesty, humanity, and hope.
Matt is a powerful, original theatre production written and directed by Peter Dewar. Inspired by real-life experiences, it tells the story of one man’s battle with depression, addiction, and suicidal thoughts – and the fight to find his way back.
With hard-hitting scenes, spoken word, and physical theatre, Matt doesn’t shy away from the darkness – but it also offers something rare and vital: hope.
Following a successful 2025 tour across Norfolk and Suffolk, Matt is now available for schools, theatres, and community events across the UK.
In Proud Partnership with Norfolk and Waveney Mind
The work we do would not be possible without the extraordinary support of Norfolk and Waveney Mind. Their belief in our mission has strengthened our ability to reach young people, families, and communities with stories that speak openly and honestly about mental health.
Their support for our Matt - Norfolk & Suffolk 2025 tour did more than help us perform — it helped us open doors to conversations that are often too hard to start, create moments of connection for those who feel alone, and deliver theatre that gives people the courage to speak, seek help, and feel seen.
Norfolk and Waveney Mind is a lifeline for countless individuals across our region. Their dedication to mental health awareness and community wellbeing amplifies everything we stand for at Reflect Productions GY CIC.
We are honoured to stand alongside them, united by the belief that sharing stories can save lives, and that through collaboration, we can create lasting, meaningful change.
Contact Reflect Productions GY
Send Reflect Productions GY a message if you have any inquiries about our services