Cast for Eastern Angles’ Comedy Drama It Comes In Waves

East Anglia’s national touring company Eastern Angles, in association with The Seagull Theatre, have announced the cast for It Comes In Waves, a new comedy drama by James McDermott (Jab, Finborough Theatre/Park Theatre; EastEnders, BBC). A deeply personal production that draws from experiences of loss and the universal act of living with grief, It Comes in Waves is rooted in a coastal town experiencing significant change, as the loss of people, places and ways of life intersect.

Set in the fictional grief café in Lowestoft, the play brings together three individuals at different stages of grief, each negotiating how to move forward. Erin Geraghty (Angels; Birds of a Feather; The Tales of Beatrix Potter) plays Crystal, a recent widow attempting to re-establish a sense of routine and connection. Meg Artherton (Art Detectives, Acorn TV; Casualty, BBC) plays Jordan, a teenager who wants to approach grief with immediacy, resisting the idea that it must take time. Led by group leader Howard, played by Ben Nealon (Soldier Soldier, ITV; Eastenders, BBC; And Then There Were None, UK Tour), who creates space for others while avoiding his own unresolved experiences, It Comes In Waves explores how grief, acceptance, and understanding manifests in different ways.

It Comes In Waves draws on James McDermott’s own experiences following the death of his father during the COVID-19 pandemic, examining how grief is processed within a shared community space. The production places everyday conversation alongside moments of reflection. Directed by Eastern Angles’ Artistic Director and CEO Jake Smith, it allows humour and discomfort to sit alongside one another, while continuing Eastern Angles’ focus on touring new writing across the East of England with an emphasis on regional voices and settings.

Writer, James McDermott comments, It Comes In Waves draws on my own experiences of navigating grief after losing my father to COVID-19 in 2022. Whilst the play is personal, grief is experienced by everyone and many people lost something during the pandemic. I hope the play contributes to conversations around bereavement and how it is understood. The piece uses humour alongside these themes, reflecting the ways people often respond to loss.

Alongside the performances, selected venues will host grief writing workshops co-delivered by McDermott and a professional grief recovery specialist, offering audiences an opportunity to engage further with the themes of the play.

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