Theo in Between: A 90s Coming-of-Age Musical with Heart, Humour, and Northern Soul writes Jhanvi Charkhawala.
Feeling stuck? Like nothing’s moving forward? Then this is your sign to shake things up — starting with a ticket to Theo in Between.
This August, British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT) makes its Leeds debut at the Carriageworks Theatre with the world premiere of Theo in Between — a vibrant new musical rooted in the final days of the 20th century but bursting with questions that feel utterly 2025.
Running for just four performances (Fri 22 & Sat 23 August, 2pm & 7.30pm), Dean Johnson’s production transports us to the fictional Northern town of Dulberry in 1999. While the locals are caught up in the annual harvest festival, teenager Theo is preoccupied with a far more personal quest: finding their long-lost father and, along the way, figuring out what it really means to be “a man” — or, more importantly, who they truly want to be.
Caught between their mother’s expectations, their friends’ assumptions, and the quiet pressures of small-town life, Theo’s journey unfolds with Northern warmth, sharp humour, and songs that linger long after the curtain falls. Drawing inspiration from Jordan Li-Smith’s Here You Come Again and Gareth Mattey’s Who is Molly Leigh?, the show explores gender identity, belonging, and the gloriously messy spectrum of teenage self-discovery.
“It’s an incredibly charming and poignant coming-of-age story,” says Johnson, “full of Yorkshire humour, infectious music, and moments that remind us of the extraordinary differences behind every ‘ordinary’ person.”
The cast features 37 young performers, each helping shape the production from its earliest workshops to final rehearsals. Performer Marissa Becker calls it “particularly special” — not least because she happens to share a hometown and school with one of the writers: “It shows how new musical writing crosses generations and allows us to find shared connection.”
Set in the pre-Google, pre-Instagram haze of 1999, Theo in Between offers both nostalgia for a slower world and space to reflect on the one we live in now. “The first time I read the piece,” Johnson says, “I felt nostalgic for the past and passionate about being part of a better future. I hope audiences feel the same way.”
With its mix of heart, humour, and Northern soul, Theo in Between is the perfect family outing to wrap up the summer holidays in style. Just don’t blink — with only four performances, this one’s going to fly.
Theo in Between plays at Leeds Carriageworks Theatre, 22–23 August. Tickets via the Carriageworks box office.