A PLAY which delves into the lives of six young people with something to hide is coming to Bolton next week.

Peter Carruthers, from Horwich, has written Hidden with Laura Lindsay, and the play is coming to the Octagon Theatre on Wednesday and Thursday (FEB 12/13) as part of a 22 date national tour.

It reveals an intriguing puzzle of how the characters’ paths interweave and unravel in a modern urban world, exploring themes of constructed identities, connected lives and the need for secrecy versus the search for intimacy.

Peter, aged 35, said: “These are the things that I find fascinating.

“The things that you think if you let the world know about, people would think you’re a bit weird.
“It’s that gauge of what’s normal and what’s strange and who defines what that is.

“It’s about those things you keep hidden from the world because you’re not sure if they would go down well.”

Described as an insightful and darkly witty study of modern manners, the writers both appear in the production which has been staged at festivals including re:play at The Lowry, Salford Quays, and the Edinburgh Fringe in August.

Peter, a father-of-two, said: “We were lucky to get one of the top venues there.

“We had a sell-out run and really good feedback. Off the back of that, we managed to get a national tour.

“I can’t wait for it to come to the Octagon. It’s my hometown debut.

“It’s going to feel like a nice milestone.”

Laura and Peter met during training at Arden School of Theatre in Manchester, where they discovered a mutual love of new writing, an interest in human psychology and a shared dark sense of humour.

Peter, who spent seven years in the Royal Airforce as an aircraft engineer at bases in the UK, has written, produced and starred in three short films — Fall Out, to raise awareness of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Never Forget and Civvy Street.

Never Forget was selected for a feature length collection of short films called 50 Kisses, which is due for national release in February.

Civvy Street was commissioned by the NHS and Peter has further commissions in 2014 to raise awareness of mental health issues.

Hidden will be at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton, on Wednesday, February 12 and Thursday, February 13, at 7.30pm.