Learning how to dive
By Brendan Murray
Three people. One uncertain future.
A play by award-winning writer Brendan Murray about love, lies, loss and what comes next.
Damn Cheek’s multi-award-nominated production of Brendan Murray’s Learning How To Dive returns to theatres in autumn 2026.
“Pure theatre at its absolute best. An awesome night.“ – ★★★★★ – London Theatre1’s 5-star review
Where and when
Thursday 22 October 2026, 7.30pm
Peace Cottage, Hoddesdon
55 Lord St, Hoddesdon EN11 8NA (get directions)
Get tickets on TicketSource
Friday 23 October 2026 at 7.30pm
Oddfellows Hall, Dorking (part of Mole Valley Arts Alive)
270 High Street, Dorking RH4 1QT (get directions)
Get tickets on TicketSource
Sat 24 October 2026, 7.30pm
Lantern Theatre, Brighton
77 St James’s Street, Brighton BN2 1PA (get directions)
Sun 25 October 2026, 5pm
Lantern Theatre, Brighton
Get tickets on the Lantern Theatre website
Tickets cost £14 to £18.
About the show
What do you say when you answer the door to a man you’ve never met before?
Especially when you’ve known him for 30 years?
Where do you start? Where does it end?
And how about discovering your husband of 50 years is not who you thought he was? What then?
By turns tense and tender, Learning How to Dive tells the story of 3 people and the shared loss they find themselves facing.
Praise from the show’s first run
Damn Cheek first performed Learning How to Dive at the White Bear Theatre in Kennington in February 2026.
“Plunges the audience into immediate intrigue” – ★★★★★ – Theatre Weekly’s 5-star review
“Pure theatre at its absolute best. An awesome night.“ – ★★★★★ – London Theatre1’s 5-star review
“Much more than a work of fiction.“ – ★★★★★ – Pride FM
“Moving, uncomfortable, and funny.” – ★★★★★ – BecomeUnmuted’s 5-star review
“Redolent of Alan Bennett or Victoria Wood.“ – ★★★★½ – The Reviews Hub’s 4.5-star review
“A thought provoking and very well done play“ – ★★★★½ – Familes Who Love Theatre
“A story that knows how to find beauty in difficult moments“ – ★★★★ – London Theatre Review’s 4-star review
“Nuanced, sensitive, lyrical“ – ★★★★ – London Pub Theatres Magazine’s 4-star review
“Moving and quietly uplifting” – ★★★★ – Everything Theatre’s 4-star review
“Focussed, and assured“ – ★★★★ – theatre-news.com’s 4-star review
“As heartbreaking as it is charming“ – ★★★★ – Jack The Lad’s 4-star review
“Every word and action has been chosen carefully“ – ★★★★ – Lost in Theatreland’s 4-star review
Listen to a short interview about the play with writer and performer Brendan Murray:
Team
Learning How to Dive is written by multi-award-winning playwright Brendan Murray, described by The Guardian as “one of the country’s most compassionate dramatists”. Brendan’s awards include The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Award for Best Play for Children & Young People.
Directed by Willie Elliott, the show also stars Damn Cheek Co-Artistic Directors Darren Cheek and Karen Spicer.
Darwill Bren
Set, Sound and Lighting Design
Featured in…
For more about the play, check out these links:
Our partners
We’re delighted to be partnering with Hallmark Catering Equipment Hire for Learning How to Dive. Their generosity and support for this production is very much appreciated.
We’re also grateful for the support of Mole Valley Arts Alive.
