TOURING THEATRE-IN-EDUCATION PRODUCTION VISITS ST. MARY’S

On Monday 10 March 2025, St. Mary’s was pleased to welcome Ever Unique Productions as part of their tour of Northern Ireland schools performing the play ‘I Love You, Mum – I Promise I Won’t Die’ by Mark Wheeler.

The play, which was attended by Year 11 pupils, is a powerful piece of verbatim theatre which tells the story of Daniel Spargo-Mabbs who tragically died in 2014 at the age of 16 from a drugs overdose.  The project has been funded by the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation, a drug education charity founded in 2014 by Fiona and Tim Spargo-Mabbs in response to the passing of their son.  The tour of Northern Ireland schools was planned in partnership with Sandra Larmour, the mother of Jeni Larmour from County Armagh, who tragically lost her life to drugs on her first day at Newcastle University in 2020.

Following the performance, pupils had the opportunity to take part in a workshop which highlighted that they always have a choice about the decisions they make.  Through the use of forum theatre, pupils explored strategies that they could use if they find themselves in a peer pressure situation.  The workshop raised pupils’ awareness of the risks associated with illegal substance misuse and provided them with key facts to help them make informed decisions in the future.

Thank you to the cast and crew from Ever Unique Productions for sharing this most powerful, emotive and thought-provoking performance with our pupils. 

Photograph details: Cast and crew from Ever Unique Productions (L-R Simon Sweeney, Martina McAfee, Hannah Reilly, Erin-Rose Martin, Tiarnán McCarron, Jonny Everett) pictured with some of the Year 11 pupils who attended the performance.  Included in the photograph are Mrs S. Higgins (Head of Year 11) and Mr G. Quinn (Senior Leader).