"I can't believe that I got so emotionally attached to the characters... I was completely immersed in their story." Scratch performance audience member
Baby Hurts is a new narrative led musical which promises to stand out for its raucous wit and emotional depth, featuring original songs - sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hilarious - and uncompromising performances.
The project is inspired by the Director’s own traumatic experience of becoming a mum for the first time and is further drawn from the real life stories of other mothers, collected during a series of workshops over six years.
SAMPLE SONG SELECTION:
"Characters were brilliant, lovely music, relatable script... made us laugh and then got us in the feels. Awesome!" Scratch performance audience member
Becky can’t wait to be a mum. The perfect mum. She revels in the giddy anticipation of an idyll, shaped by TV, movies, magazines, friends and family. But when things go wrong, she’s hurled into a new reality.
Struggling to adapt to this unexpected version of motherhood, she is forced to grow up, to grow into a better version of herself - able to cope with the relentless turmoil of a life far removed from the fantasies concoted by a little girl.
Almost broken, Becky eventually finds the strength to cope, to accept her life as it is, and embrace the complicated delights of being mummy to a child with additional needs.
CLIPS FROM OUR WORK IN PROGRESS SCRATCH PERFORMANCE - SEPTEMBER 2025
"It's been on my mind this past week - I've re-lived it a dozen times and I still can't get through it without crying" Scratch performance audience member
Baby Hurts began development in 2019 after husband and wife team Nick Forshaw (Writer & Lyricist) and Alix Cazalet (Director) decided it was time to talk about the hidden lives of parents, like them, who are living with the legacy of traumatic birth experiences and the challenges of building a life with, and for a child with long term care needs.
In September 2025, with funding from Arts Council England, we staged work in progress Scratch Performances of Baby Hurts for a public audience. The feedback was heartfelt and extraordinary; deciding to tell this story - and in this form - truly resonates with people both inside and outside of the experience. We feel duty bound to keep telling it.
"BABIES HURT" (Scratch)
Treadboard is a collaboration of creative professionals, bringing together many years of experience producing work across a spectrum of disciplines and styles with the aim of distilling our skills to produce high quality, engaging and memorable theatre. With an emphasis on music, comedy and character we tell stories in a manner that will surprise, enthral, challenge and delight!
Director: Alix Cazalet
After graduating from Mountview, Alix worked as an actor for several years before sidestepping into directing. Alix has a passion for musical theatre, new writing, comedy and audio, working as a freelance director, teacher and facilitator across the South East. She is an NYT Associate, a NT Connections Director and a LAMDA/audition coach. Director credits include Hairspray, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Macbeth, Chicago, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Little Shop of Horrors, Running Backwards, Safety First, The Lamplighter (audio & concert versions) Giggle! Wiggle! Plop! (workshop & tour) and Alternate Reality - part of Unwritten, a new writing initiative produced by Winchester Theatre Royal. Assistant Credits: Toad of Toad Hall; Macbeth; Ordinary People; Cinderella’s Wellies; Jeb: The Fame and the Fury (animation).
Writer/Lyricist: Nick Forshaw
Nick is a multi award-winning writer and director, with over twenty five years’ experience working across a broad range of projects including feature films, commercials, music videos, television productions and musical and theatrical events. His first animated feature film as writer and director is currently in production. He wrote and directed the children’s TV show The StoryMonster and has accumulated an online audience of nearly 100 million with his JEB series of animated short films. Baby Hurts is his second stage production since veering off towards screen writing after university.
Composer: Eden Tredwell
Eden is an award-winning songwriter, composer, lyricist and writer, working in both pop and musical theatre. Known for her genre versatility and catchy hooks, she has found success in everything from Japanese-inspired musicals to alt-pop tunes. Based in London, she is particularly interested in work that embraces queer themes, humour, camp and magical elements. Credits include 'The Glamification of Loki' (Southwark Playhouse), 'Galaxy Train' (The Other Palace), 'The Canterbury Tales' (Half Cut Theatre), 'The New Kid' (Aberdeen Arts Centre) as well as releases with Universal, Supernature and Good Soldier.
Composer: Joelle Sahar
Joelle is a Los Angeles–based singer, songwriter, and composer whose work celebrates hope, empowerment, and cultural beauty. A Music Composition graduate, she has written two original musicals, Hollywood Ghost Story and Ré, and collaborated with Miles Copeland and the Bellydance Superstars. Her music, featured in international sync and licensing projects, blends cinematic storytelling with Arabic and pop influences. Joelle was selected as a finalist for Disney’s Mulan theme, recognised for her ability to create melodies that inspire and uplift audiences.
Scratch Performance Cast
Jacob Hutchings as Matt / MC / additional characters
Laura Sillett as Anna / additional characters
Moa Myerson as Becky
Samantha Nixon as Mrs Dagnell / Susan / additional characters
Shaun Mendum as Dan
Copyright © Alix Cazalet, Nick Forshaw
