I heard lots of good things about ‘Monster’ when it was first staged a few years ago, so I was really pleased to hear that the play – which won much acclaim for its creator Abigail Hood – is headed for a run at Seven Dials Playhouse. 

Directed by Kevin Tomlinson, the play tells the story of a teenager who kills a child, and focuses on the difficult themes that necessarily emerge from that.

This new production features some new cast members as well as some from the original staging, and the playwright herself in the role of protagonist Kayleigh. 

I’ve spoken to Abigail before about a different work, and I thought it would be great to catch up and find out more about her work on creating this one, as well as her hopes and plans for the future.

CM: To start, can you tell us what happens in the play – who is it about and where does the story take us?
AH: ‘Monster’ follows Kayleigh, a troubled teenager growing up in Glasgow in 2006, and looks at the forces that shape her life and the fallout from a single, violent act.

The first act focuses on navigating an abusive home and growing closer to her friend Zoe, while dreaming about escaping to the Isle Of Muck. But with mounting pressures, circumstances eventually push Kayleigh into committing a horrifying act of violence – killing an infant.

The play also follows the child’s parents; in the first half full of hope and excitement, and in the second half showing their lives shattered by grief, loss and the ripple effects of trauma.

Using a dual timeline, the play moves between showing Kayleigh as a vulnerable teenager and Kayleigh as an adult living with the lifelong burden of what she did.

This allows the audience to see her first as a victim before she becomes a perpetrator, spotlighting how a single moment of violence can shadow everything that comes after.

At its heart, the play is about love, trauma, guilt and the ways society shapes – and sometimes fails – its most vulnerable.

CM: What themes do you explore through the play?
AH: ​​The play explores themes of violence, trauma, guilt and the long-term impact of a single terrible act.

For me, ‘Monster’ is also about responsibility, empathy and the uncomfortable grey areas we don’t often want to look at. I wanted to explore what happens when a child does something unforgivable – how do we respond and what does that say about us as a society?

The play also asks questions about justice and forgiveness: is it ever possible to forgive and what does rehabilitation look like? At the same time, it’s about the people left behind – the families trying to cope with unimaginable loss.

The theme that resonates most with me personally is empathy. Even when confronted with horror, I think it’s vital to look at the human being underneath, from victim to perpetrator, to ask how they got there, and to consider what might have prevented it.

CM: What was the inspiration for the play? What made you want to tackle this subject in particular?
AH: The inspiration came when I first read about Maxine Carr, the woman who gave a false alibi for Ian Huntley after the Soham murders.

What struck me was how she was able to go on and build a new life afterwards. It made me think about guilt and how, when the crime is so serious, that burden probably never lifts.

From there, I began to wonder what it must be like for someone who committed a terrible crime as a child. That led me to the case of Mary Bell, who at just eleven years of age killed two young boys.

I read two biographies about her: one written at the time of her trial and another decades later, when she was living under a new identity as an adult and mother. Her story horrified me, saddened me and yet moved me deeply.

I became fascinated by the contradictions it raised: How can someone be both victim and perpetrator? What happens to them in the years that follow? Can there ever truly be a way forward for those left behind?

‘Monster’ grew out of these questions. In the play, we meet Kayleigh before the crime, witness the murder just before the interval, and then, thirteen years later, see the lasting impact on everyone involved.

My aim was to explore these questions and ask whether anything could have prevented such a tragedy.

CM: So it sounds like you did a lot of research when writing the piece?
AH: Yes, I did a great deal of research. I read biographies and autobiographies, newspaper articles, spoke to psychologists and criminologists, watched documentaries, and listened to podcasts – gathering as much insight as I could into a wide range of cases, looking at both perpetrators and victims, before I began writing the play.

CM: I have to say that when I have heard about cases like these, I usually feel sorry for the perpetrators, as well as the victims. Is that a common response, do you think?
AH: I think responses are mixed. Often, perpetrators are vilified, as in the case of John Venables and Robert Thompson, and given the nature of the crime and the irreparable, unimaginable damage caused to the victim’s family, it’s easy to see why.

But I also think many people, while seeing the act as monstrous, consider what led someone to commit it and feel some sympathy for the perpetrator – sadness that they couldn’t be saved from themselves.

In the case of Kayleigh, the fictional perpetrator in ‘Monster’, I felt it was important for the audience to see that she was a victim until the moment she commits her act of violence – at which point she becomes a perpetrator.

Seeing that crossing of the line is, I think, very compelling, because the audience are – I hope – torn. They have liked and felt sympathy for this feral, abused child and suddenly she has done something abhorrent, ruining so many other lives.

That tension, that chaos in our heads, is exactly what I wanted the play to explore.

CM: Children who kill do seem to provoke a lot of attention and public outrage, don’t they? Do you think it’s because they are rare?
AH: Yes, thankfully. I also think it’s because the idea of a child taking a life is inherently horrifying. It’s almost impossible for most of us to comprehend, and as a result, we feel compelled to search for an explanation.

I believe it’s this combination of shock, revulsion and the very fact that we live in a society where such a thing can happen that drives public outrage.

CM: The play was first performed a couple of years ago. Have you made any changes to the play since then? Is this production different in any way?
AH: Yes, the play has evolved in its staging and some of the dialogue.

In the original production, there was a very violent scene between Kayleigh and her mother, but for this run, I’ve kept all the violence off stage and removed that scene. I felt that suggesting the violence is enough for the audience to understand what happens, without needing to witness it directly.

I’ve also used this opportunity to tweak some of the dialogue. What’s most exciting though is that with this run we welcomed new actors into the company, bringing a completely fresh energy.

They ask different questions, notice different details and push the material in new directions. The mixture of returning cast members – who know the play inside out – and new voices is creating a real spark in rehearsals.

Working with the new actors has shifted the dynamics, and as relationships change and choices evolve, the play feels alive in a new way.

CM: What prompted this new run – and are there plans for the play beyond it?
AH: I wanted the play to have another run, to reach more people and start conversations about important issues – violence, trauma and how we, as a society, respond to them.

We have also taken the opportunity of this second run to form a partnership with Advance, a charity that helps women and girls who experience violence and abuse, which can in some cases lead to their being trapped in a cycle of abuse and criminality.

Advance helps them break this cycle and regain control of their lives. As part of our work with this charity a number of young women will participate in workshops led by workshop leaders from Advance before watching the play.

There will also be post-show Q&A sessions with representatives from Advance on Thursday 2 and Thursday 9 Oct.

This run has also given me the chance to revisit the material, refine it, and explore it with new actors, which brings fresh perspectives to the story.

Looking ahead, while nothing is confirmed, I hope the play might tour or have further performances so more people can engage with the questions it raises.

CM: What’s next for you after this run?
AH: First, a holiday! After that, I’m looking forward to new projects. I’ve already written another play, so I’m excited to see where that might go, alongside other creative opportunities that come up.

CM: And more broadly, what are your hopes and aims for the future?
AH: In terms of acting, I’d love to continue working in theatre, taking on roles that challenge me – some Shakespeare would be wonderful. I’m also interested in television or film work, perhaps a gritty drama.

On the writing side, I aim to develop and write more plays, continuing to explore stories that matter to me.

‘Monster’ is on at at Seven Dials Playhouse from 24 Sep to 18 Oct. See the venue website here for more info and to book tickets. 

LINKS: sevendialsplayhouse.co.uk | x.com/abihood1 | veritastheatre.co.uk | kepowtheatre.co.uk