Life Out There

A desperate mission. An untested crew. A long shot no one expects to work.

Somewhere far beyond Earth, a barely-functional spacecraft drifts on a mission most people have already written off. The real scientists are doing the real work back home. Sent into the void: whoever’s left.

Clarke wants to get back. Baby won’t leave the ship. Witney is staying away from their mother. They were never meant to be astronauts. But they are what’s out there.

When something goes wrong in the silence of space, the crew are forced into a decision far bigger than they’re prepared for; a choice not just about survival, but about what kind of future is worth chasing across the galaxy

Written by Bruntwood Prize-winning playwright Tim Foley, Life Out There is a sharp, funny and quietly horrifying new sci-fi drama, exploring the ethics of space exploration, human selfishness, and the fragile hope that we can still change.

Co-commissioned through ThickSkin Theatre’s Supported Artist Programme, Life Out There will premiere at Lowry, Salford from 1-4 July 2026 before performances at The Engine Room, Wigan from 6-9 July and a special presentation at the iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory on 16 July, where the play will be reimagined as a live radio drama beneath spectacular star projections in the Space Dome. Developed with support from the National Theatre’s Generate programme, Lowry’s Artist Development Programme and the Arts Council England. 

Book for The Engine Room 

Book for Jodrell Bank