Luton-born playwright brings supernatural thriller home for Halloween
AWAKEN comes to Luton Library Theatre, 30 October 2026.
Luton-born playwright and 5D Theatre CIC founder Cheryl Prince brings her debut play AWAKEN to Luton Library Theatre on 30 October - a story rooted in women’s history, Bedfordshire and the supernatural.
Blending history, mystery and the supernatural, AWAKEN is a gripping thriller spanning two lifetimes.
In 2023, Sarah Reynolds, a medium and palliative care nurse, is called by Henry Husk’s daughter, Liz, to care for the dying Henry. As unsettling memories begin to surface, Sarah is drawn into a mystery that reaches back to the witch persecutions of 1653.
As past and present collide, long-buried truths emerge, challenging everything Sarah believes about history, justice and the women once condemned as witches.
Part historical drama, part supernatural thriller, AWAKEN shines a light on working-class women and the largely erased world of cunning folk healers. Partially written in Canting - the lost language that predates Cockney - it reclaims the wisdom, healing and resilience of the women history branded as witches.
A Homecoming
For Cheryl, bringing her debut play AWAKEN to Luton is particularly significant.
“I was born in Luton, so bringing my debut play back to my birthplace feels like a real homecoming. I’ve always wanted to help put Luton back on the map for exciting, ambitious arts and theatre, and working this year as Associate Artist with Revoluton Arts, and being part of some exciting Luton community-led theatre events, helped turn that ambition into reality,” says Cheryl.
“AWAKEN is ultimately about the stories that get lost, the women who were silenced, and what happens when those stories refuse to stay buried. It’s also an opportunity to shine a light on the women who were persecuted as witches in Bedfordshire, and to bring their stories back into the conversation.”
AWAKEN was originally developed with support from Arts Council England, Park Theatre, Beacon Arts Centre and The Actors Temple. A site-responsive adaptation of the 1653 storyline was later commissioned by Revoluton Arts and the Luton Create Fund for Luton Henge Festival 2026.
About 5D Theatre CIC
The Stage of Awakening
5D Theatre is a Luton and London-based Community Interest Company, founded in 2022 by multidisciplinary creative Cheryl Prince. A working-class actress, writer, producer and devised theatre-maker, Cheryl creates multidimensional theatre that champions untold stories and explores how storytelling can create social change.
AWAKEN is the first play in a trilogy currently at various stages of development, exploring the possibility of bringing magical realism back into the modern world.
This year, 5D Theatre has developed community-led and site-responsive work, presented SPEAK LOW, RISE HIGH at St Mary’s Church in Luton and developed the 1653 storyline of AWAKEN for Luton Henge Festival, bringing storytelling and performance into the heart of local communities.
Content Advisory
AWAKEN contains references to sexual violence, abortion, suicide and the persecution of those accused of witchcraft.
Recommended for audiences aged 14+.
For further information:
www.5dtheatre.co.uk
For press queries:
Cheryl Prince - [email protected]
To book AWAKEN - 30 October 2026 | 7.30pm
Luton Library Theatre
3rd Floor, Luton Central Library
St George’s Square, Luton
LU1 2NG
EARLY BIRD: £15 when purchased by 30 September 2026