Calling all StageSiders, welcome back to another review here at StageSideUK. This time around, we are talking about a production of Bears, Bears, Bears at Contact Theatre in Manchester, seen on Friday 8th May, 2026!
Last year I had the pleasure of popping over to Bolton Octagon to see my first Divided Culture Co production, Yen. I came away giving it five stars, blown away by how the cast and crew handled a challenging topic in such an intimate space.
It is theatre that makes you feel all emotions, think deeply about topics and go away in awe at the story that has just unfolded. I would have happily watched more. (Read the rest of my review here.)
When an email dropped into the StageSideUK inbox offering tickets to see and review their next production, I jumped at the chance with high hopes for another excellent play.
And they didn’t disappoint…
About the Play
If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise…
Remember that viral social media debate about being left alone in a forest? The one that asks if, as a woman, you’d feel safer with a man or a bear? Well, this play explores exactly that in a thrilling 3-person play full of relationship drama, eerie subtext, and spirited comedy. Oh, and there’s some bears.
Bears, Bears, Bears follows feminst Jen and her partner, Jake, after committing a violent act in the middle of the woods. The artist in Jen finds ways to express herself through bear stories, old and true, that might help answer which would be safer, man or bear?
Written by Natalie Beech and directed by Connor Goodwin, this dynamic duo pull off a “wild and electric drama that explores power dynamics within relationships, nature vs nurture, and what it means to be a feminist” (to use the words from the play’s description – might as well since they knock the nail right on the head).
Bears, Bears, Bears Review
The Writing
Divided Culture Co, in their commitment to offer original work and champion new artists, the team set up an opportunity for writers to submit work that could be made into a full DCC production. Natalie Beech was the 2025 winner of the playwriting prize leading to the creation of Bears, Bears, Bears at Contact Theatre. Knowing some of the work that DCC have previously produced, it is no surprise that this winner was witty, thought-provoking and everything you could want as a play-first devising process. I’m sure Connor Goodwin had a truly rich and flourishing soil for the performance to grow from.
What I particularly loved about the writing was the around-the-fire storytelling that somehow found a way to verbalise all the thoughts and feelings I’ve had as a woman and as an artist. Sometimes I swear lines were verbatim from previous things I’ve said about being a freelancer, or about wanting to look after myself before I can settle down and even think about looking after someone else. I have a bunch of Gemini friends too (IYKYK).
The Performance
Jenna Sian O’Hara was the confident and often wild Jen. Her delivery and comedic timing sold the show from the first line and kept us hooked, questioning everything we knew as the story progressed. She was the personification of the fun, feminist and free-spirited woman that I always wished I could be.
Jordan Akkaya’s Jake was the slightly awkward nice guy. Everything about him seems non-threatening – just a standard guy making his way through life. His portrayal really makes you question why it is always the man that’s depicted as the bad guy in the story. Surely a man like Jake is harmless compared to a bear…
The character of Jodie, played by Shifaa Arfan is honestly a breath of fresh air between the tumultuous relationship of Jen and Jake. She’s relatable and bubbly. It’s almost as if Jodie represents us as the audience member, giving us some sort of sanity as everything else begins to unravel.
Connor Goodwin (director) did a brilliant job of bringing the quick-fire dialogue and seemingly-rambling monologues to life with the audience brought along every step of the way. You could tell the team really allowed space for play in the rehearsals, letting the awkardness and dark comedy shine through in a completely natural way. The switches between scene and audience interaction, and between each scene change were slick, making use of the space itself for constant ongoing action.
The Scenography
The story and performance really were the powerhouse of this show but I’ve got to mention the scenography. Initially is was “just” a square of bark, a few log seats and logs placed in a campfire shape. Simple and effective for the intimate black box space, setting the scene for an around-the-campfire storytime. The bark gave a satisyfying and atmospheric crunch underfoot and offered the opportunity for the floor to become more unkempt as the show went on. I enjoyed that the campfire logs themselves were spikey and reminiscent of a medieval weapon too, adding another layer of danger. The raw nature aesthetic was ideal for this show. I don’t think it needed anything else. I would be interested to hear about any thought process around ecological sustainablity, especially with the materials use (I’m a big advocate of sharing more about what is being done to inspire others as a Co-director of Ecostage).
I’m not sure I could choose a favourite part of the production but arguably one of the best was the use of the space to elevate things further. From the doors and echoey hallways to fully using the blackout in the black box capabilities with the disco ball. Honestly I’ve never felt so impressed by a disco ball and round of applause for the choice of night club music, I was definitely lip syncing along.
Star Rating
It’s two for two for these Divided Culture Co plays I’ve seen. Two brilliant performances. Two well-deserved five star reviews.
There is probably so much more I could talk about. Somehow, and I’m not sure how to explain it, this show did so many theatre things that would normally bug me, maybe because they aren’t excuted right, but this team did them so well. Overall, it was a poignant and dynamic performance that I would recommend literally anyone to go see. I hope that once they show finishes in Manchester, there will be opportunity for further performances up and down the country. It is a series of small relatable moments, including women’s bathrooms and wine glass placements, that getting you thinking about much bigger issues.
Accessibility
The website shares the various content warnings including strong language, references to violence, audience interaction, use of theatrical haze and loud noises. I would argue that the use of storytelling and expression does a great job at dealing with these in a light but powerful way. There is also a age restriction at 16+.
In regard to the venue’s accessibility, the show is in Space 2 that is wheelchair accessible and has no armrest seating. The website offers a good selection of information about seat sizing, assisstive listening and dog policies. Find out more about the venue’s accessibility via the Contact website.
Value for money
This was absolutely worth the money. The max ticket price is £16.50 and well worth that. Plus for students, access and other concessions, there is a reduced prices at £11.50.
Contact Theatre also offers ‘pinch’ pricing, tickets at a lower rate to anyone feeling the pinch, with no eligibility checks. For this production, there are a limited number of pinch tickets available per performance. To purchase The Pinch Ticket, simply use code ‘PINCH‘ at checkout.
The show continues at Contact Theatre from Wednesday 13th May to Saturday 16th May, including a post-show Q&A on the Wednesday and relaxed performance on the Thursday.
Have your say!
Have you seen Bears, Bears, Bears or any other Divided Culture Co productions? Let me know in the comments and let’s get a discussion going.
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Featured images have been referenced and are used in line with fair usage, in the copyright act. All photos were provided by Divided Culture Co.
Jonathan Harper