BY TIM FOLEY

DIR. PIERS BLACK

Created by Ransack Theatre

Toured the North West, Summer 2026

A desperate mission. An untested crew. A long shot no one expects to work.

Somewhere far beyond Earth, a barely-functional spacecraft drifts on a mission most people have already written off. The real scientists are doing the real work back home. Sent into the void: whoever’s left.

When something goes wrong in the silence of space, the crew are forced into a decision far bigger than they’re prepared for; a choice not just about survival, but about what kind of future is worth chasing across the galaxy.

Written by Bruntwood Prize-winning playwright Tim Foley, Life Out There is a sharp, funny and quietly haunting sci-fi drama exploring the ethics of space exploration, human selfishness, and the fragile hope that we can still change.

Life Out There premiered at The Lowry, Salford in July 2026. It was been co-commissioned through ThickSkin's Supported Artist Programme and Made at The Engine Room. Developed with support from the National Theatre’s Generate programme, The Lowry’s Artist Development Programme and the Arts Council England.

The show premiered at Lowry, Salford from 1-4 July 2026 before performances at The Engine Room, Wigan from 7-9 July and a special presentation at the iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory on 16 July, where the play was reimagined as a live radio drama beneath spectacular star projections in the Space Dome.