A WOTTON mum of four has written a brave ‘warts and all’ play about her experience of cancer.

Jacky Tolfree recently recovered from breast cancer, following an initial diagnosis in 2017.

And now she has written Glass Cage, a moving and at times humorous exploration into the ‘emotional roller coaster’ from diagnosis onwards.

“It was a shock. I was just somebody with a normal life, with a family relying on me, and then I became ill,” she said.

“Everybody’s experience of cancer is different, but there’s universals too and I wanted to share my experience of getting though it.”

Although this is the first play she has created for adults, Jacky has written several plays for children and has run drama workshops too, as well as having a full time career.

When she came to pen Glass Cage, Jacky said: “I sat down to write it and it just flowed.”

The play will be performed at Under the Edge Arts over two nights by a group of Jacky’s friends.

The cast includes a combination of actors and newcomers to the stage, with Jacky as director.

Jacky herself is played by Sarah Hopkin and her husband, Mark by Ian Preston.

“The cast are amazing. And Sarah and Ian, who play Mark and I, have absolutely smashed it,” she said.

“When I first told people I was thinking about writing a play about my experiences, lots of people said, ‘if you do, I’ll be in it’.

“So I held a reading in the pub, and invited anyone who wanted to be in it to come along.

Performances take place on September 27 and 28 at 8pm.