Superb cast announced for gripping drama All At Sea by Alison Carr

Tue 25 Aug 2026

A stellar cast will bring Alison Carr’s mesmerising fictionalised new play All At Sea to life this autumn. Phil Corbitt (Kinky Boots) and Sarah Belcher (Hamnet) play Colin and Deborah a couple with spiralling debt, sky-high mortgage and seemingly nowhere to turn.

Drawing inspiration from the notorious ‘Canoe Man’ story, All At Sea premieres at Live Theatre Newcastle from Thursday 24 September to Saturday 10 October before transferring to Stephen Joseph Theatre Scarbrough from Friday 16 to Saturday 31 October 2026. This gripping dark comedy directed by Maria Crocker takes a deep dive into an audacious plan and an extraordinary deception.

The two-hander sees Phil Corbitt take on the role of Colin, a desperate husband whose mounting debt pushes him towards the unthinkable: faking his own death for an insurance payout.

Playing loyal wife and grieving widow Deborah is Sarah Belcher. Caught up in the desperate, daring scheme, deceiving family and forced to hold her nerve as they await the money, aware that one mistake could expose everything.

Phil Corbitt’s theatre credits include Sunny Afternoon (National Tour), Kinky Boots (Storyhouse Theatre), Mamma Mia (National and International Tour), Calendar Girls (National Tour), The Tempest (Northern Broadsides tour, Beijing and Shanghai) and A Streetcar Named Desire (Europe, Hong Kong, Japan Tours).

Sarah Belcher’s stage credits include The Crucible (Shakespeare’s Globe), Hamnet (RSC/West End), The March on Russia (Orange Tree Theatre), Medea (Almeida Theatre), Twelfth Night (Filter/RSC), The Accrington Pals (Royal Exchange), Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Comedy of Errors (RSC) and The Weather Man (Opera North).

Maria Crocker, director said: “I am so excited to welcome Phil Corbitt and Sarah Belcher to the All At Sea team. This sharp and witty play requires two expert actors to bring this extraordinary couple to life, and this casting has delivered just that.”

The creative team for All At Sea includes Hannah Sibai (Set design and costumes), Catja Hamilton (Lighting), Roma Yagnik (Sound design/composer) and Ziad Jabero (Composer).

All At Sea is presented by Live Theatre and Stephen Joseph Theatre in association with Laurels and supported by Newcastle based architects SPACE. Packed with tension, emotion and unexpected twists, fictional comedy-drama All At Sea promises to keep audiences guessing until the very end.