By Grace Hatchell
Some stories whisper rather than shout, and Sanctuary sounds like one of them.
Making its world premiere at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, the new play from debut playwright Jacob Sparrow arrives with an impressive creative team and two of Britain’s finest actors at its heart. Award-winning performers Matthew Tennyson and Richard Cant will star in the reflective drama, which explores memory, belonging and the lasting impact of prejudice.
Inspired by real events in a Suffolk village during the early 1990s, Sanctuary centres on plans to open an AIDS hospice that were met with fierce local resistance. As past and present begin to intertwine, one man is forced to confront memories he has spent years trying to bury. The result promises to be an intimate story examining community, identity and the search for hope.
The production brings together an enviable pedigree of talent. Matthew Tennyson, winner of the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer, has appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Donmar Warehouse and the Almeida Theatre, while Richard Cant’s distinguished career spans the National Theatre, the RSC and acclaimed television dramas including The Crown and It’s A Sin.
I love a big, flashy musical as much as the next person, but sometimes a quiet drama sneaks up on you like a seagull after your chips. Before you know it, it’s taken hold of your thoughts and you’re still talking about it days later. Sanctuary has that sort of promise written all over it.
Behind the scenes, director Josh Seymour also arrives with an impressive résumé, having previously served as Resident Assistant Director at the Donmar Warehouse before directing productions at Sheffield Crucible, Hampstead Theatre and Manchester’s Royal Exchange.
I rather like a Fringe debut that arrives with something meaningful to say. While plenty of productions promise spectacle, Sanctuary appears to be taking a quieter route, inviting audiences to reflect on how communities respond to fear, how memories shape us and what it truly means to feel safe. If it delivers on those themes, this could be one of those thoughtful dramas that lingers long after the applause has faded.
There’s another reason this production deserves attention. Sanctuary is the professional playwriting debut of Jacob Sparrow, winner of the inaugural Leodis Prize. Sparrow was part of the Royal Court’s Emerging Writers Group in 2025, and his first full-length play examines the legacy of shame alongside the absence of a clear blueprint for queer lives. It’s exactly the sort of new writing the Fringe was built to champion.
Grace’s verdict? If your Fringe schedule could do with a beautifully acted drama that swaps gimmicks for genuine emotional weight, Sanctuary might just deserve a place on it.
Sanctuary runs at Pleasance Dome (Ace Dome) from 5–31 August (excluding 17 August) at 4:00pm. Running time is 70 minutes.
Tickets are available from www.pleasance.co.uk
Preview: £8
Weekday: £12 (£11)
Weekend: £14 (£13)
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