About us
News and stories
Press releases

Child Bereavement UK partners with 201 Dance Company for UK tour of Michael Rosen’s Sad Book

Child Bereavement UK has partnered with Brighton-based 201 Dance Company who are touring their critically acclaimed adaptation of Michael Rosen’s Sad Book in Spring 2025.

The show, which premiered at the Edinburgh Festival, is inspired by Michael Rosen’s award-winning Sad Book in which he writes about his sadness about the death of his son Eddie, how it affects him and some of the things he does to try to cope with it. The compelling adaption is a visually inventive and moving story of navigating grief in the midst of everyday life.

Commenting on the show, Michael Rosen said: "It's miraculous to see something I've written transformed into what I'll call a dance drama. It feels like watching myself from the outside in and I'm totally moved by it."

Sad Book is directed and choreographed by 201 Dance Company Artistic Director, Andrea Walker, renowned for presenting emotional, evocative pieces with cinematic production design. Andrea describes reading Sad Book as being the first time he felt his own mental health and experience of grief were directly ‘spoken to’ and the company is honoured to be trusted by Michael to adapt such an important piece of work.

201 Dance Company is presenting the Sad Book tour in partnership with Child Bereavement UK and The HERA Project.

Selected tour dates, including the Hackney Empire will feature live, in-person narration from Michael Rosen.

The Old Market, Brighton
Tuesday 11and Wednesday 12March 2025 - 7.30pm
Tickets from £18

Norwich Playhouse
Friday 14and Saturday 15 March 2025 - 7.30pm
Tickets from £17.50

The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury
Friday 28and Saturday 29March 2025 - 7.30pm
Tickets from £17.50

Hackney Empire, London
Wednesday 2April 2025 - 7.30pm
Tickets from £12

Tickets: 201dancecompany.com/sadbook

Running time: 55 mins plus additional programme of post-show discussions, suitable 12+

Audience notice: Contains distressing themes, themes of loss, flashing lights. This production seeks to create a safe space. If at any point during the show you experience difficult or distressing feelings, there will be a trained listener on hand that you can speak to privately, free of charge.

Latest

What helps you when someone is unkind or jokes - Junior Youth Ambassadors
How can I support a child or young person when someone important to them has a serious illness?

Bereavement specialists share ways to support a child or young person when someone important to them has a serious illness.
What I wish my friends knew about grief - Junior Youth Ambassadors
Download our PSHE lessons on loss and bereavement

Download our free PSHE lessons and resources for schools on loss and bereavement for Key Stages 1-4. These have been developed by teachers and bereavement support workers.

What helps you when someone is unkind or jokes - Junior Youth Ambassadors
How can I support a child or young person when someone important to them has a serious illness?

Bereavement specialists share ways to support a child or young person when someone important to them has a serious illness.
What I wish my friends knew about grief - Junior Youth Ambassadors
Download our PSHE lessons on loss and bereavement

Download our free PSHE lessons and resources for schools on loss and bereavement for Key Stages 1-4. These have been developed by teachers and bereavement support workers.
Free online bereavement training for schools

Free online training modules | 20 minutes | Access immediately
PSHE lessons on loss and bereavement

We offer free PSHE lessons for schools on loss and bereavement for Key Stages 1-4. These have been developed by teachers and bereavement support workers.
London Landmarks Half Marathon | 4 April 2027

London | Charity places available
Ask Me: Education | Resources for bereaved young people
Supporting bereaved children and young people with SEND

Online training | 1 day | Dates available
Ask Me: Education

Bereavement plans and resources to help students feel seen, understood and supported in education.

Supporting bereaved children and young people

Children and young people grieve just as much as adults but they can show it in different ways. Find out how you can help them and more about child grieving.
Children's understanding of death at different ages

Guidance on children's understanding of death at different ages and stages of development.
Explaining to a child that someone has died

Guidance on explaining to a child that someone has died.
Explaining death and dying to children

Guidance for teachers and parents on talking to children about death and dying,
Grieving for a child

No parent expects to face the death of their child. See our resource for support and guidance on grieving for a child.
When a grandparent dies

The death of a grandparent is often a child or young person’s first encounter with the death of someone important. Parents have a great deal to manage when their own parent or carer dies.
Child Bereavement UK training

Child Bereavement UK designs and delivers training for professionals in health and social care, education, the emergency services and the voluntary and corporate sectors, equipping them to provide the best possible care to bereaved families.
Contact us

Contact details for our Helpline, departments and services.
Adults bereaved as children

How being bereaved as a child can affect your life as an adult and where you can find support.
When your baby dies

When a baby lives only a short time or dies before birth due to miscarriage, SUDIC, stillbirth or a painful decision to end the pregnancy, people may assume that the loss is not important. This is simply not the case.