Francesca Amewudah-Rivers and Nadi Kemp-Sayfi star in the thriller-come-romance, which, following sold-out success in the Bush Theatre’s Studio, moves to the Bush’s main house in an upscaled production, presented again with Jessie Anand Productions.
‘An engrossing exploration of repressed sexuality, self-discovery, and the search for belonging’ – The Voice Magazine
‘Deeply entertaining. Combines the sweetness of a contemporary queer rom-com with the dark underbelly of body horror’ – Broadway Word
Tender by Eleanor Tindall continues the Bush Theatre’s strong history of play and artist development by transferring to the theatre’s main house, the Holloway Theatre, from 9 July to 1 August (press night 13 July). Subverting expectations of queer love stories, this sold-out success, first seen in 2024, tells a thrilling story of two women who find each other without knowing they were looking and will star Francesca Amewudah-Rivers (Critics’ Circle Theatre Award winner for Jamie Lloyd’s Romeo and Juliet) and Nadi Kemp-Sayfi (currently appearing in Sherlock Holmes at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre).
Tender Producer Jessie Anand said, ‘I am so delighted to have the chance to dig deeper into Eleanor Tindall’s knotty, exhilarating play this summer. Director Emily Aboud’s enthusiasm and vision for the production have only grown since 2024, so I have no doubt that she and the creative team will create something extraordinary as we transfer to the larger Holloway Theatre at the Bush. We’re lucky to have the brilliant Nadi Kemp-Sayfi returning as Ivy, and we can’t wait to see a fresh interpretation of Ash from award-winning talent Francesca Amewudah-Rivers.’
Jessie Anand Productions, in association with Broccoli Arts and Bush Theatre, presents Tender
Writer – Eleanor Tindall
Director – Emily Aboud
Set and Costume Designer – Alys Whitehead
Lighting Designer – David Doyle
Sound Designer – Ellie Isherwood
Intimacy Director – Tommy Ross-Williams
Production Manager – Titch Gosling
Company Stage Manager on Book – Nikita Bala
Producer – Jessie Anand Productions
Associate Producer – Broccoli Arts
Cast – Francesca Amewudah-Rivers and Nadi Kemp-Sayfi
9 July – 1 August
Monday – Saturday at 7.30 pm
Wednesday matinees – 15, 22, 29 July at 2.30 pm
Saturday matinees – 18, 25 July & 1 August at 2.30 pm
Relaxed Performance – 22 July at 7.30 pm
Captioned Performance – 25 July at 7.30 pm
Audio Described Performance – 29 July at 7.30 pm
Press Night – 13 July at 7 pm
Thriller-come-romance Tender transfers from the Studio to the Bush Theatre’s main house in a new production.
The dazzling and moving play by Eleanor Tindall (Before I Was A Bear, Soho Theatre), described as ‘an engrossing exploration of repressed sexuality, self-discovery and the search for belonging’ by The Voice Magazine, is directed by Emily Aboud (Lady Dealer, Bush Theatre). The cast are Francesca Amewudah-Rivers (Romeo and Juliet) and Nadi Kemp-Sayfi (Sherlock Holmes).
‘My daydreams are just her now. She is in every corner of my brain, waiting.’
Ivy has life sorted; she’s got a flat, a boyfriend, and she knows exactly where it’s all headed. Except there is this thing that she tries not to think about. The thing she left in her childhood bedroom.
Ash should be having the time of her life. But, fresh out of a bad relationship, she’s full of things she can’t leave behind. And there’s something off about her new flat. The wallpaper pulses, and sometimes it sounds like a heartbeat.
Two women. A chance encounter that tumbles into infatuation. And an undeniable force waiting just out of sight, ready to wreck it all.
By turns thrilling and surreal, Tender promises to subvert your expectations of queer love stories. Playing for a strictly limited run, this upscaled production reunites the original creative team behind the 2024 sold-out Studio hit.
London-based writer Eleanor Tindall’s play What If Orpheus Was Four Sad Women was one of the five plays shortlisted for the 2024 Verity Bargate Award, longlisted for the 2025 Bruntwood Prize, and is under commission at Soho Theatre as part of their ReDraft Scheme. Previously, Eleanor’s debut play, Before I Was A Bear (Soho Theatre), gained her a nomination for ‘Best Writer’ at The Stage Debut Awards in 2020. She has been a member of various writers’ programs, including Soho Theatre Writers Lab, and was part of the BBC Voices cohort in 2024. Eleanor’s adaptation of Macbeth, produced by the Donmar Warehouse, toured schools across Camden & Westminster and reached over 3500 young people. Tender was a finalist for the Ambassador Theatre Group’s Playwriting Prize in association with Platform Presents.
Emily Aboud is a Trinidadian theatre director. She was shortlisted for RTST Peter Hall Award in 2025 and 2023 and shortlisted for the JMK Award in 2021 and 2022. She is a recipient of the Evening Standard Future Theatre Award. Recent credits include: Nine Sixteenths (Brixton House); Disco Inferno (National Youth Theatre); Sweet Charity (Mountview); Flip! (Regional Tour, Soho); Lady Dealer (Paines Plough Roundabout / Bush); SPLINTERED (Soho main house, also writer – shortlisted for the Tony Craze Award); Salt Slow (RCSSD); BOGEYMAN (Edinburgh Fringe 2022, also writer); Pink Lemonade (Bush). Associate and Staff Director Credits include: The Harder They Come (Stratford East) and The Story (National).
As a Caribbean theatre maker, her work draws inspiration from the political community theatre she grew up making in Trinidad – a combination of music, movement, direct audience address, and theatricality.
Francesca Amewudah-Rivers plays Ash. Francesca won the Ian Charleson Award in 2025 for her performance as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (Jamie Lloyd Company / West End). She also won the award for Best Newcomer at the 2025 Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards. Other theatre includes: The Line of Beauty (Almeida); School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play (Lyric Hammersmith); Macbeth (Shakespeare’s Globe); The Kola Nut Does Not Speak English (Bush Theatre). Screen work includes: Bad Education, Jobless (short), Earl Grey, and Notice Me (short). Francesca trained with the NYT Rep Company.
Nadi Kemp-Sayfi plays Ivy. Nadi’s theatre includes: Sherlock Holmes (Regent’s Park Open Air); Cymbeline, Hakawatis, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Hansel and Gretel (Shakespeare’s Globe); Julius Caesar, The Whip, A Museum in Baghdad, King John (RSC); 101 Dalmatians, Between The Two, Three Wheels on the Wagon, The Witches’ Promise, Under The Stars (Birmingham Rep); Macbeth (Donmar Warehouse); Tender, Hijabi Monologues (Bush Theatre); Macbeth (ETT); Bedroom Farce (Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch). On television, Nadi has appeared in EastEnders (BBC) and Charity Shop Sue (Sky Arts). On the radio, Nadi has appeared in The Archers (BBC) and Words and Music (BBC).
Tickets for Tender are priced from £15 (concessions available) and can be booked at bushtheatre.co.uk or at the Box Office on 020 8743 5050.
