Sexy But Psycho
A new comedy theatre production by Lucy Mellors
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single woman in possession of a good feline is always in want of a husband."
Since time immemorial single women have lived with the fear of dying alone. Lady Ursula Penelope Ingram Noseworthy the Sixth knows the answer to this is simple – marriage.
Following her (mis)adventures in courting, relationships and taking back power through fervent self-expression, Sexy But Psycho is a survival guide to dating, from Regency England to 2027.
Sexy But Psycho is the new hard-hitting comedy from award-winning writer, songwriter and comedian Lucy Mellors, featuring Love, Power, Trauma, Taylor Swift and Cats.
With humour, music, pop references and powerful storytelling, Sexy But Psycho begins in an initial Regency England setting to deliver a searing inspection of dating, relationships and asks how and why some women still minimise themselves to fit into unhealthy relationships.
Sexy But Psycho: The Burning
Although ultimately an uplifting experience, we expect Sexy But Psycho to remind some audiences of their own difficult experiences. We want to provide a positive cathartic experience to empower our audiences. Audiences will be invited to write down and then shred their own experiences of control, manipulation or harassment.
Our team will gather the shredded paper and in April 27 we will hold The Burning at Spinney Hollow creative woodland. At this live art event, which audiences can attend and will also be filmed, we will deliver a short performance which culminates in the burning of the paper and the planting of an indigenous tree within the ash. This is designed to provide a positive outcome at the end of those negative experiences.
Workshop participants from Gosport will be invited to attend and, if they wish, will burn their own writing. They will also wear celebratory headdresses, made from natural materials and created within the participatory programme.
As part of the R&D, Lucy has tested ideas for Sexy But Psycho at scratch events at Chichester Festival Theatre, Mayflower Studios Southampton and Spinney Hollow, Hampshire. Audience feedback from these has included:
“It made me feel seen.”
“It was hilarious and so much fun to watch but really highlighted how scary and awful modern dating can be, especially for women and people really need to talk about it more."
"Strong and captivating"
"Bonkers but powerful"
"I've laughed so hard... seeing a women's point of view for dating through the medium of a Bridgerton-style lady was thought provoking and insightful"
"Brilliantly delivered"
"Lu’s wit and satirical voice makes every moment special"
“The Regency/Bridgerton angle feels like a strong and potentially playful hook for our audiences… You also mentioned Lucy’s work with a domestic abuse charity as a source of inspiration. That feels like an important and sensitive underpinning to the piece… One of our priorities is meaningful engagement with students, particularly around themes such as healthy relationships and navigating dating culture so [this] could be a strong point of alignment.” Manya Benenson, Lakeside Arts Nottingham
Reviews and feedback for It is I, Seagull
“So clever. It kept me rapt from start to finish. Epic! Fun!”
“One of the best Fringe shows I've ever seen"
"Imaginative! Genuinely engaging. So clever"
"High energy and insanely creative"
"Beautifully written and performed”
“Made me laugh and cry. Stunning"
“Lucy Mellors' incredible solo show, It Is I, Seagull, was the highlight of our 2025 programme. It was one of the most inventive, funny, touching and skilfully performed pieces of theatre I have seen in a long time. Our audience was treated to something really special, and I can't wait to see what Lucy produces next.” - Adam Fuller, Front Room Theatre, Weston-Super-Mare
Sexy But Psycho Creative Team
Lucy Mellors, Lead Artist, Writer and Performer
Lucy Mellors is an award-winning theatre maker, writer and opera singer. She is committed to making theatre accessible to everyone and in shining a light on the harmful practices within the industry.
From 2022-25 her show It is I, Seagull toured around the UK and to Australia, earning five-star reviews, a ‘Best of Theatre 2025’ award at the Adelaide Fringe and baffling some people who didn’t expect to watch someone singing Queen of the Night dressed as a cosmonaut, eating steak and pissing everywhere.
Lu created IS OPERA BORING? in collaboration with the Phoenix Theatre and boogie-woogie pianist Mark Hoare, which is intended to be a merry gateway drug into the world of opera and a celebration of music, therapy and intergenerational and cross-genre friendship. The production enjoyed a sell-out run at the Phoenix, and performances at The Arc, Winchester and Southampton’s first ever Fringe Festival.
Alongside her own productions, Lucy is the co-writer of The Jane Austen Fan Club which has just completed a successful ACE-funded tour of the south. She is also a comedy consultant, writer and performer of other people’s stuff if it looks fun enough. She also manages Gosport Creates, a participatory arts programme for women in Gosport.
Lucy has a Masters with Distinction in Opera Performance from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and has worked with English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, Grimeborn Festival, Mid Wales Opera and Longborough Festival Opera before making her own shows.
Serena Manteghi, Director
Serena is an award-winning theatre practitioner, facilitator, and performer known for her extensive work in new writing and non-traditional storytelling.
As a dramaturg, Serena has supported artists as part of the Theatre503 Writer’s Programme. She has worked alongside Lucy Mellors on both It is I, Seagull and the R&D of Sexy But Psycho.
She is the recipient of the BankSA ‘Best Theatre’ Award for Build A Rocket, BankSA ‘Best Theatre’ Award for Eurydice, ‘Honourable Mention’ by Critics Circle Award for Build A Rocket, and she was shortlisted for the Norman Beaton Fellowship Award.
Serena was a founding ensemble member of the awarding-winning Belt Up Theatre and has worked with a range of different companies including the RSC, Soho Theatre, Zendeh, Song of the Goat, Gecko and Les Enfants Terribles. Serena is also an accomplished singer and voice artist.
She regularly lends her voice to The Guardian Weekend Podcast and a range of video games and audiobooks.
Serena in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice
Serena in Ministry of Lesbian Affairs, Kiln Theatre rehearsals
Lizzy Leech, Designer
Lizzy is a theatre designer. She trained in Theatre Design at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School where she was awarded the John Elvery Prize for exceptional design work. Prior to this she studied English Literature at Warwick University. In 2020 she became an associate of New Diorama Theatre.
She is an associate of Cove Park, being the first ever theatre designer to be awarded a fully funded residency. She used her time in Scotland to explore the notion of being a Productless Designer within the context of the climate emergency. She is currently developing this work further, focusing on sustainability, locality and eco-dramaturgy though a year-long period of research funded by Arts Council England.
Lizzy has designed projects across the UK with venues including The New Diorama, The Roundhouse, Leicester Curve, Theatr Clwyd, Royal and Derngate, Traverse Edinburgh, Sheffield Theatres, Northern Stage, Hull Truck and Bristol Old Vic.
An experienced assistant designer, she has worked on a number of productions at The National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, the Globe Theatre, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre and Manchester Royal Exchange.
She has designed projects, mentored students and led sessions as a visiting lecturer on many projects at RADA, LAMDA and RCSSD.
As part of the R&D for Sexy But Psycho Lizzy created costume concepts which she will work into final pieces for the show.
Boudica by Tristan Bernays. Design by Lizzie Leech
A Girl in a School Uniform (Walks into a Bar) by Lulu Raczka. Design by Lizzie Leech
Kate Mellors, Composer and Sound Designer
Kate is a graduate of the BA (Hons) Jazz Studies degree at Leeds Conservatoire and works from Hampshire as a vocal artist, composer and facilitator.
Performing highlights include with the Michael Garrick Jazz Sextet, (Mr Smith’s Apocalypse, Sheffield Cathedral, live on Radio 3 for FUSE Festival (The Glenn Miller Project with Matthew Bourne) and more recently with a capella group Polly Gone Wrong as part of the Daylight Music series at Union Chapel.
Kate works regularly within the Collaborative Vocal Improvisation world (CVI). She is the composer for two of Lucy’s cross-genre shows: It is I, Seagull and Sexy But Psycho, incorporating opera, comedy and multi-genre musical influences.
Kate uses song writing to connect with the things we can’t quite get to the bottom of: how can we be more comfortable with sitting in discomfort? How can we be successful but let go of perfectionism? How can we be a bit nicer to ourselves?!
She works in the local community with many different humans, including running a female voice choir in the woods, and choirs for adults with additional needs, adults in recovery, and projects with young people in care.
As part of this project Kate will undertake some further training in Sound Design, particularly use of Logic Pro and QLab.
Cheryl Baldacchino, Stage Manager
Cheryl is a Dorset-based freelance creative with over 35 years of experience. Her work spans stage management, production management, and producing, underpinned by a deep understanding of how to deliver ambitious, high-quality projects. She also brings experience in artist development and fundraising.
Cheryl spent 8 years working in schools across Somerset and Dorset, supporting SEND students through creative learning. During this time, she also contributed to the teaching of English, Drama, and Music across all key stages, helping to inspire confidence, creativity, and self-expression in young people.
Her recent and current work includes stage managing The Jane Austen Fan Club (South West tour, directed by Lucy Mellors and Vic Briggs), production managing Walk of the Dandelion (South West tour, directed by Luke Brown), and Events Producer at Pavilion Dance South West.
Stage management credits include Chichester Festival Theatre, Nuffield Theatre Southampton, Mela Festival Southampton, Salisbury Playhouse, and Guildford School of Acting.
Yasmin Stephens, Workshop Facilitator and Project Manager
Yasmin is an artist, photographer and performer who works with people of all ages, in all sorts of settings, to explore, play and express themselves. Since 2022 she has co-facilitated 118 Gosport Creates workshops, engaging over 1,212 women in creative activities including writing, drama and photography.
Kate Hadley, The Burning Artist and Q&A Facilitator
Kate is an applied theatre practitioner, out of the box thinker and general champion of ALL people having access to creative practice. As Artistic Director and co-founder of BearFace Theatre she enjoys creative collaboration and using theatre to be part of the solution.
Kate is the leader of Spinney Hollow, a creative community based on Hampshire woodland. She will curate the live art event.
Nikki Disney, Artist Wellbeing Practitioner
Nikki Disney is a Drama Therapist, Clinical Supervisor and advocate of Wellbeing in the Arts. She is the founder of Stage Weight, an organisation concerned with artist wellbeing and mental health. She has worked with well-known organisations on implementing safeguarding procedures and trained artists on boundaries and wellbeing and safe care.
Nikki is an Associate Lecturer on the MA in Drama Therapy at Derby University. She has worked with Lucy since 2022, supporting her wellbeing whilst she has turned traumatic experiences into autobiographical productions.
Glen Jevon, Photographer and Videographer
Glen is a photographer, cinematographer and editor, specialising in creative photography. He worked as a television cameraman and programme maker for over 20 years, including as Head of Broadcast for a Sky Digital Channel. His has appeared on BBC1, Sky Sports, ITV channels and all sorts of places in between.
Glen worked with Lucy on It is I, Seagull, including filming and editing the music video for I’m Gonna Be The First (Woman in Space).
Rachel Mars, Peer Reviewer
Rachel is a performance maker, stage and screen writer. Her stage work is text and action based. It is observational, often referencing and sending up modes of popular culture, and interweaves personal reflection with universal questions, those of politics and place.
Rachel’s recent theatre commissions have included Soho Theatre, HOME Manchester/The Entertainment Group, Leeds Playhouse, The Junction, Cambridge; Royal Court Tottenham; Fuel Theatre and Ovalhouse.
Residencies include The Orchard Project and Asylum (NY), Playwrights Centre (Minneapolis), Horizon Showcase (UK) and Cove Park (UK).
Recentawards include: Blood Play which was selected for National Playwrights Conference, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center Summer Season ‘24, Shortlisted for Women’s Prize for Playwrighting and a Semi Finalist for Jewish Play’s Project Prize (US)
She also won a Total Theatre Award for Our Carnal Hearts and theOxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust Award for Roller.
Rachel has been a fellow at the Birkbeck Centre of Contemporary Theatre UK. She teaches workshops on University courses and artist development programmes in the UK, Canada and the US and has been a regular contributor to 'Pause for Thought' on BBC Radio 2. Her work publications including‘Performance in An Age of Precarity’, ‘DIY Too’, and ‘Stages of Resistance’.
Sue Dickinson, Production Manager
Sue brings over thirty years of extensive experience in arts leadership and production management to the team. Most recently, Sue served as Interim Director & CEO and General Manager at The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre. Her background in high-level production includes managing major exhibitions for the V&A (Opera: Passion, Power and Politics and You Say You Want a Revolution?) and Exhibitionism: The Rolling Stones at the Saatchi Gallery. A long-standing fixture in the London theatre scene, Sue spent nearly a decade at the Royal Court Theatre as Deputy Production Manager for the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs. Her diverse career spans production management for the Young Vic and various independent collectives, stage management, and even a directorial stint at HMP Norwich .With roots in stage management and box office—beginning at Chichester Festival Theatre—Sue’s 30-year career reflects a deep, multi-faceted commitment to the arts.
Sophie Fullerlove, Producer
Sophie Fullerlove is a Cultural Consultant and Producer. She has a special interest in creating programmes that attract new audiences to theatre and performance.
From 2013 – 2022 Sophie was Director and Chief Executive of The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre in Havant. Under her leadership the venue became known for its innovative and experiential programming. Projects included a partnership with Paines Plough that saw the theatre turn into a nightclub for a gig-theatre performance presented alongside internationally renowned DJs, developing the UK’s first Play Artist in Residence Scheme, commissioning a cultural playground in a regional shopping centre and developing free walkthrough immersive Christmas story experiences with companies including Little Bulb and Angel Exit Theatre.
As a Cultural Consultant Sophie works with organisations on strategic projects and development. Her clients include Creative Forest (formerly Folio), Culture in Common, Wiltshire Creative, Blue Apple Theatre and BearFace Theatre.
As a Freelance Producer Sophie has produced Christmas shows at Northern Stage, Queens Hall, Hexham, Theatre By the Lake and ArtsDepot. In 2023 she was Associate Producer for the UK tour of Michael Morpurgo’s I Believe in Unicorns by Danyah Miller Storyteller.
Since 2023 she has worked with Lucy Mellors as a producing mentor, with a special focus on financial management. Given the scale and profile of venues within the tour, Sophie will produce Sexy But Psycho. This will enable Lucy to step away from admin and management, giving her space to focus on making accessible, considered, intentional theatre.
Alice Gilmour, Access Consultant
Alice Gilmour has spent the last fifteen years working in making the arts more accessible. She works as an audio describer for organisations including the Royal Ballet and Opera, The Tate, Channel 4, and Opera North, and is a pioneer in integrating recorded audio description directly into live performance. She is also an experienced captioner, regularly captioning productions across the Yorkshire region.
Alice led access provision at Opera North for nearly a decade, during which she developed the company’s first relaxed and dementia-friendly performances. She is deeply committed to supporting smaller theatres in strengthening their own access offers, providing training, guidance, and shared resources.
She hosts Making the Arts Accessible, a podcast featuring conversations with leading figures in the field. Alice is also a regular speaker at industry events - including Plasa in London (March 2025) and DMLab in London (October 2025) - and works as an access consultant for a wide range of organisations, from venues and production companies to theatre-design studios.
Bryony Kimmings, Peer Reviewer
Bryony Kimmings is an multi award-winning performer, writer and theatre maker. She is known for her autobiographical contemporary theatre productions including I’m a Phoenix, Bitch, Credible Likeable Superstar Role Model, Fake It Till You Make It and, most recently, Bog Witch. The Guardian have described her as “an artist of exceptional integrity, compassion, imagination and guts”. Bryony and Lucy met when Lucy attended Bryony’s week-long workshop on Creating Autobiographical Theatre. Bryony will work with us as a freelance Peer Reviewer, attending a performance and offering creative feedback on our production.
Jonny Wharton, Sound Design Mentor
Jonny is a composer and sound designer from Bristol.
With a wide range of expertise in production, composition and performance (including guitars, piano/keys, drums/percussion, bass and vocals) Jonny works in various fields and genres within music and pays his skills and passion forward in teaching a new generation of musicians.
Jonny has scored and sound designed for numerous theatre, film, gaming and other media projects. Recent credits include:
Christmas Lights (Filskit Theatre, UK Tour 2025), Aurora (Filskit Theatre / Theatre Royal Bath 2025). Maria in the Stars (UK tour 2025), Songstar (Electric Azimuth, 2024), Dayzee and the World of Tomorrow (Quirk Theatre 2024), Kids Write Songs (Filskit Theatre, 2024), Five Children & It (Quirk Theatre, 2023), King Arthur (Le Navet Bete, 2023), Mary the Pigeon Who Never Gave Up (Quirk Theatre, 2022) , Rhia and the Tree of Lights (Quirk Theatre, 2021), Jack, Jill and the Landfill (Moth Physical Theatre, 2022), POT (by Ambreen Razia, 2018), Wonder Girl (Ovalhouse, 2018), Diary of a Hounslow Girl (by Ambreen Razia, 2016 theatrical production / 2018 Audible book).
Jonny will support the project by mentoring Kate Mellors, supporting her to develop and improve her sound design skills. He will provide 8 days of mentoring across the project.
Theatre Partners
Chichester Festival Theatre
CFT is one of the UK’s flagship producing theatres. We will hold the tech rehearsals at CFT and will open with two performances in The Nest. Their technical team is also providing the lighting design. Overall, CFT’s in kind contribution to the project is worth £3,600.
Mayflower Studios, Southampton
Lucy has been supported by Mayflower Studios since 2022. They contributed support in kind to the R&D of Sexy But Psycho and are continuing to support the project via rehearsal space and producing and marketing support in kind.