Written by playwright Mary Mazzilli, Lightstreams tours 11 venues across England this October following its premiere at the Mercury Theatre Studio, Colchester.
A powerful new drama inspired by the real-life testimonies of migrant health and social care workers will tour England this autumn, bringing one of the defining untold stories of recent years to stages across the country.
Produced by Lumenis Theatre and Turnpike Productions, Lightstreams premieres at the Mercury Theatre Studio, Colchester on Thursday 8 October 2026 before embarking on a national tour culminating in a 3-night run at Theatre 503 in London.
Written by playwright Mary Mazzilli, Lightstreams tells the deeply human story behind the people who cared for Britain during a time of unprecedented crisis.
Maurice and Hermia have left everything behind to build a life in the UK. Maurice takes immense pride in his work as a care worker in a residential home, while Hermia struggles with isolation, motherhood and raising their two-year-old son alone. When a global crisis forces Maurice to live inside the care home to protect vulnerable residents, the family is torn apart by impossible choices. Four years later, with new restrictions threatening migrant care workers once again, they are left asking whether the sacrifices they made were ever truly recognised.
Developed from interviews with migrant care workers across London and the South East, Lightstreams explores racism, belonging, mental health, family separation and the extraordinary emotional burden carried by those who looked after society when it needed them most.
At its heart lies a simple but urgent question:
When society asks so much of those who care for us, who cares for the carers?
Playwright Mary Mazzilli, who moved to the UK from Italy at the age of 18, drew on both extensive research and her own lived experience to create the work.
“I wanted to give voice to the people whose stories were often overlooked. During the pandemic we called care workers heroes, but many migrant workers returned home exhausted, isolated and forgotten. Lightstreams asks audiences to look beyond the headlines and see the human beings behind the uniforms.”
A graduate of the Royal Court Young Writers Group and the Soho Theatre Writers Attachment Programme, Mary Mazzilli is a playwright and Senior Lecturer in Drama and Literature at the University of Essex. Lightstreams was developed with support from Arts Council England and longlisted for the Theatre503 International Playwriting Award 2024/25, with earlier staged readings presented at Lakeside Theatre Colchester, Omnibus Theatre London and Shepherd’s Bush Studio. Drawing on extensive research and lived experience, Mazzilli’s writing gives voice to communities whose stories are too often overlooked.
Richard Bland is an East Anglia-based theatre director, dramaturg and facilitator, trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Over the past decade he has built a reputation for directing bold new writing with emotional depth and authenticity. His recent credits include The Clacton Three by Sarah Baxter at Colchester Fringe Festival (2025), Dirty by Han Morgan at the Mercury Theatre (2024), and Wasted by Kae Tempest at the Wardrobe Theatre (2023). Later this autumn he directs The Picture of Dorian Gray, a new musical by Olly Medlicott at the Mercury Theatre.
The production has been conceived not simply as a touring play, but as a catalyst for conversation. Alongside performances, Lumenis Theatre is working with local communities, care organisations and educators to create opportunities for dialogue around migration, care, mental health and workforce wellbeing.
Director Richard Bland said:
“Every family has been touched by care. Whether through aging parents, grandparents, illness or disability, we all rely on people whose work is too often invisible. Lightstreams reminds us that behind every act of care is a person with a family, hopes, fears and sacrifices of their own. Our aim has been to create a production that is both intimate and immediate, allowing audiences to connect with these deeply personal stories and leave with a renewed appreciation of the people who care for us every day.”
Alongside the performances, the production will offer opportunities for deeper engagement through post-show discussions.
With migration continuing to dominate political debate and the social care workforce facing ongoing challenges, Lightstreams arrives at a moment when its themes feel more relevant than ever.
Tender, intimate and ultimately hopeful, this moving new play celebrates resilience while asking audiences to reconsider who belongs, who is valued and what we owe the people who care for us.
Lightstreams was developed with the support of Arts Council England through National Lottery funding.
Lightstreams will be at The Atkinson 21 October, 7pm.
Book your tickets here.