Yorkshire


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1708" height="2560" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/04/Martha-Godber-by-Kim-Hardy-1-scaled.jpeg" alt="Martha Godber " class="wp-image-7956" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/04/Martha-Godber-by-Kim-Hardy-1-scaled.jpeg 1708w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/04/Martha-Godber-by-Kim-Hardy-1-200x300.jpeg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/04/Martha-Godber-by-Kim-Hardy-1-683x1024.jpeg 683w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/04/Martha-Godber-by-Kim-Hardy-1-768x1151.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/04/Martha-Godber-by-Kim-Hardy-1-1025x1536.jpeg 1025w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/04/Martha-Godber-by-Kim-Hardy-1-1366x2048.jpeg 1366w" sizes="(max-width: 1708px) 100vw, 1708px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Pic by Kim Hardy</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tell-us-about-your-new-play-jesse-north-is-broken">Tell us about your new play, Jesse North is Broken</h2>



<p>I wrote the show last year and I wanted to write something that put a strong female voice at the forefront of the narrative and to create something that felt like it had ownership and presence and that centred a woman in a way that didn’t feel limited. The roles for female actors are often boxed in – timid woman, sexualised woman, those kinds of tropes. But we can be everything – full-bodied, complex, even masculine. That range is important to show. I also wanted to create something that can use language and be visceral, something that felt more expansive. I wanted to have ownership of the stage and the narrative.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-the-play-evolve">How did the play evolve?</h2>



<p>Originally, I set it across one night in Hull and the care theme wasn’t attached to it. I wrote it in one sitting, which felt quite instinctive and immediate. I’m interested in spoken word and things rolling off the tongue. Rhythm and flow really appeal to me. Also, the character has ADHD and OCD, so it made sense to do it in that way &#8211; quickly, with a sense of momentum, and often rhyming. The form reflects how the character thinks and processes things, so it felt natural to let the language move like that. The care theme wasn’t there at the start. I became interested in writing about care workers because my grandparents had end-of-life care, and I saw that world up close. It stayed with me. I started thinking &#8211; can I marry these two things together – this character and that world? That’s when it became clear that Jessie would be a care worker.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-much-research-did-you-do-into-the-care-sector-while-developing-jess-s-character">How much research did you do into the care sector while developing Jess&#8217;s character?</h2>



<p>I did a bunch of interviews with women care workers, which was really important. I wanted it to feel grounded and truthful. I’m really interested in creating work around social and political issues and I think theatre can be a great lens to look at those things. The research helped make sure it wasn’t just an idea but something rooted in real experiences.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-has-your-upbringing-in-hull-shaped-your-perspective-as-a-writer-and-performer">How has your upbringing in Hull shaped your perspective as a writer and performer?</h2>



<p>Growing up in Hull, you are surrounded by these issues, so it naturally feeds into what you want to say and represent. I want to reflect that honestly. At the same time, I am aware of the privileges I’ve had as well. It’s about holding both of those things and still feeling like it’s important to have your say and contribute your voice</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-you-mention-your-privilege-of-course-your-dad-is-renowned-playwright-john-godber-we-were-trying-not-to-mention-it-how-has-he-influenced-you">You mention your privilege. Of course, your dad is renowned playwright John Godber (we were trying not to mention it&#8230;) how has he influenced you?</h2>



<p>My dad’s work is such a big influence on me – he’s great. It’s always been there, and it naturally shapes how I think about theatre and storytelling. I never fought against it. When I was a kid, I was off the walls all the time – a really hyperactive kid. I always wanted to perform and express myself and it happened quite naturally. Acting and dancing came at a young age and my mum and dad did try to put me off it because it’s an extremely hard industry but I still wanted that ownership and that creative outlet.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tell-us-about-the-godber-theatre-foundation"><strong>Tell us about the Godber Theatre Foundation</strong></h2>



<p>The Godber Theatre Foundation is a charity that supports people from Hull, which is a place with limited opportunities. After drama school, I moved back to Hull and I started the foundation in 2020, when everything had slowed down and I had more thinking space because nobody was working. I’d graduated from LIPA (Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts) in 2018 and I was thinking about what to do with my privilege, whatever that may be, and how I could use it to support others.</p>



<p>The foundation helps young people from Hull who have lived and grown up there. We support them through drama school training, both financially and through mentoring – that includes funding for headshots and other essentials. I mentor all the students personally and help them build industry connections. We’re also lucky to have the company attached, so they can access their first jobs and opportunities.</p>



<p>I’m really proud of it. We’ve had people like Prince Kundai in the West End, as well as people going on national tours and students working in film and TV. It’s about giving them a helping hand and opening doors that can otherwise feel closed. Acting is such </p>



<p>Acting is such a gatekept industry – people get signed through agencies and it often works like a spider’s web, so access and connections are everything.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-did-you-choose-to-premiere-the-show-in-york">Why did you choose to premiere the show in York?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1100" height="560" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/04/aef8ff_f296a58f4ebe4b40831aac65e45c7044mv2.jpg" alt="Jesse North is Broken by Martha Godber" class="wp-image-7957" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/04/aef8ff_f296a58f4ebe4b40831aac65e45c7044mv2.jpg 1100w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/04/aef8ff_f296a58f4ebe4b40831aac65e45c7044mv2-300x153.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/04/aef8ff_f296a58f4ebe4b40831aac65e45c7044mv2-1024x521.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/04/aef8ff_f296a58f4ebe4b40831aac65e45c7044mv2-768x391.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" /></figure>



<p>York Theatre Royal is an amazing venue that I’ve performed in before as an actor. It just wouldn’t have made sense to premiere outside of Yorkshire. Hopefully, the show will go on to have a future beyond this and I’d love to take it to other Yorkshire venues but for now the York Theatre Royal has the technical capacity and space the show needs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-made-you-want-to-bring-in-a-director-rather-than-direct-it-yourself">What made you want to bring in a director rather than direct it yourself?</h2>



<p>I need someone on the outside and I don’t think I’m skilled enough to do it all myself. That would be naive. Millie Gaston is an amazing director and has just finished working in the West End. She’s also one of my best friends, so there’s a lot of trust there. It’s a vulnerable thing being in your own work, so having someone you trust in that role is really important.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-hull-mean-to-you-now-both-personally-and-creatively">What does Hull mean to you now, both personally and creatively?</h2>



<p>There is something so special about Hull. The people are amazing and kind. I used to live down on the docks and I loved it – it’s gorgeous, with a real sense of community. There are amazing local businesses and the music scene is incredible. I wrote a short film set in Hull in 2024 called <em>Right Here in Hull</em>. Two members of the foundation are acting in it and it’s going to the festival circuit, which is exciting. I’ve got another project in development alongside that. <em>Spiders</em> is a play set in a nightclub in Hull and that’s also going out into the world. I’m always going to have a soft spot for the place.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Jesse North is Broken is on at </strong><a href="https://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/show/jesse-north-is-broken/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>York Theatre Royal</strong></a><strong> from 11-14 May&nbsp;</strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://yorkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/whats-on/april-days-of-egg-citement-over-easter-and-beyond/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Spring fever! 40+ things to do in Yorkshire in April</strong></a></li>



<li><a href="https://yorkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/arts-culture/heres-looking-at-you-kid-yorkshires-best-indie-cinemas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Here’s looking at you, kid – Yorkshire’s best indie cinemas</strong></a></li>



<li><a href="https://yorkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/arts-culture/the-hills-are-alive-touring-musicals-coming-to-yorkshire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>The hills are alive! Touring musicals coming to Yorkshire&nbsp;</strong></a></li>
</ul>


Muddy Meets: Martha Godber

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