Why I’m Done Making Trauma My Business — and Choosing Joy Instead
For most of my producing career, I’ve worked in the subsidised theatre sector — and I’ve been proud to do so. It’s where I learned what kind of work matters to me, what kind of artists I want to champion, and how powerful theatre can be as a space for reckoning and repair.
But somewhere along the way, I began to feel boxed in. A pattern emerged. The work I was making — and the work being programmed — seemed stuck in a loop of pain. Identity, racism, trauma. Lived experience mined for grant applications, marketing hooks, and justifications for why a story matters. And more often than not, that trauma had to come from someone racialised, someone ‘othered.’
I’m proud of the work I have done in the subsidised sector and the brilliant artists I’ve supported along the way. But personally, I’ve grown tired of the endless application writing, the justifying, the limited frames of thinking. I’ve outgrown it. For me, the conflation of trauma and artistic integrity has taken its toll. I found myself unable to imagine stories of joy, hope, connection. I no longer want to be in a cycle where my value — or the value of the artists I work with, is tied to our wounds.
Following My Instincts
After years working within a narrow creative frame, I want to trust my own compass and work on something bigger. Work that excites me artistically and commercially.
I want to make work that brings joy, awe, and imagination to the stage. I want to delight, charm, inspire — not challenge or provoke. I want to entertain current audiences with fresh stories that captivate contemporary multicultural Britain. And I want to reach new audiences who don’t already know what to expect when they walk into a theatre.
That’s why I’m moving into commercial plays, adaptations, musicals — with the right partners and mentors behind them. Not because I’ve given up on politics or values — but because entertainment is political. Because joy, ambition, and commercial viability are things that I am most drawn to right now. Because I want to work in a space that lets us grow. There’s a gap in the market — and in the imagination — for stories that are culturally rich, emotionally uplifting, and commercially viable. That’s the space I want to occupy.
A Bigger, More Joyful Vision
And now I know I can. In its first year, my company, RHP, turned over an impressive £150,000 — not just a strong start but a clear signal of what is possible when creative vision is matched with entrepreneurial strategy and focus. This early success indicates untapped demand for my work — it’s proof of a strong foundation and being ready for scalable growth. A different kind of producing is not only possible, it’s already in motion. With the right partners and investors, RHP is poised to deliver both commercial success and lasting cultural value.
Building on this momentum, I’m now focused on developing bold, contemporary work that captures the humour, pace, and contradictions of modern multicultural Britain — smart adaptations, original musicals, and cross-genre collaborations for wide, diverse audiences.
I’m drawn to work that’s vibrant and accessible, rooted in strong storytelling, but not afraid of spectacle or play. I’m looking at popular novels, independent films, and music catalogues. I’m connecting with collaborators across theatre and music as my new portfolio of commercial projects takes shape — building a model that supports joy-led storytelling at scale.
Think heart-warming romcoms for the millennial girlypops or a jukebox musical charting the rise of Grime: from pirate radio station to global phenomenon.
I’m so excited to take my first steps in this new, expansive direction, with a business model designed to bring my bigger ideas to life — while continuing to support the development of new artists through RHP’s Community Interest Company.
If you’re an established artist or investor, and this vision speaks to you, get in touch.
- Rafia