Creative team and affiliates

Triptych Theatre

Triptych Theatre is a company that has rapidly gained a reputation for bold, psychologically intense work rooted in dark humour. Founded, written, directed, performed and collaborated by Benny Ainsworth, Sally Paffett and Michael Parker, their standout production, VERMIN, was a cult hit at the Edinburgh Fringe 2022 before transferring to the Arcola Theatre and more recently, the Park Theatre. It earned multiple Off West End nominations, including Sally Paffett winning for Best Lead Performance in a Play. Their previous shows also include AN AUDIENCE WITH STUART BAGCLIFFE. They are joined by Meurig Marshall, a multi-award winning cinematographer; highly experienced in narrative drama, who will be vital in supporting the dramaturgical and technical development of this piece. With HEART TO THE BONE, Triptych are looking to build on their collaborative creative model, bringing together writer, performer, director and technical team to shape a theatrical language that honours the testimonies entrusted to them.

Baroness Anne Marie Rafferty DBE

Baroness Rafferty is one of the most distinguished figures in UK healthcare policy and nursing. A Professor of Nursing Policy at King’s College London and a former President of the Royal College of Nursing, she has championed the use of research to influence health policy throughout her career. As a crossbench member of the House of Lords, Baroness Rafferty has used her platform to bring national attention to issues of staffing, safety and the psychological burden carried by NHS workers. Her career has long reflected a belief that systems must care for their carers, and that failure to do so damages not only individuals, but public health at large. She was the driving force behind the creation of Heart to the Bone, initiating the collaboration between Triptych Theatre, NHSCheck, and King’s College. Deeply moved by the qualitative interviews conducted with NHS staff during the pandemic, she recognised that the moral and emotional trauma within them demanded a public, human response, not just academic reporting. Her vision was to translate these testimonies into a work of theatre that could carry their emotional truth and provoke real reflection.

NHSCHECK

NHSCHECK is the largest study ever conducted into the mental health of the NHS, inclusive of agency and non-clinical staff. Led by King’s College London and involving over 23,000 participants across eighteen NHS Trusts, the programme was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to track the psychological wellbeing of healthcare workers in real time, from hospital porters to senior clinicians. Unlike most research of its kind, NHSCheck combines quantitative surveys with in-depth qualitative interviews, offering both statistical insight and rich, human stories. One of its most striking findings is that over 28% of NHS workers reported experiencing morally injurious events; moments where they felt forced to act against their values, often leading to PTSD-like symptoms, burnout, or emotional detachment. It was this revelation that prompted a sub-study: 50 recorded interviews exploring the lived experience of moral injury in detail. Heart to the Bone draws its text verbatim from these interviews. NHSCheck provided not just the data, but the ethical framework and trust relationships that made this theatrical translation possible.

Professor Sir Simon Wessely

Sir Simon Wessley is one of the UK’s foremost experts in psychological trauma, occupational mental health, and public health policy. A Consultant Psychiatrist and Regius Professor of Psychiatry at King’s College London, he is also a former President of both the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal Society of Medicine. He has spent much of his career researching the psychological toll of high-stakes professions, from the military to emergency services, and was instrumental in bringing the concept of moral injury into the UK healthcare conversation. As Principal Investigator of NHSCheck, Sir Simon has overseen the largest study ever conducted on NHS staff mental health, leading a national effort to understand the real human cost of working through the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.

Neil Greenberg

Professor of Defence Mental Health at King’s College London, Neil Greenberg is a specialist in trauma and psychological resilience, with a particular focus on high-risk occupational groups. His expertise bridges military and healthcare contexts, shaping our understanding of moral injury and system-level burnout.

King’s College

A global leader in medical and mental health research, King’s College London is home to some of the UK’s foremost thinkers on psychological trauma, health policy, and care systems. Their support has been essential to the creation of Heart to the Bone.

Arcola Theatre

Arcola Theatre is a leading Off West End venue based in Hackney, known for bold new writing, exciting international work, and socially engaged theatre. Since 2000, it has championed diverse voices and pioneered sustainable production, being committed to new voices and urgent stories, becoming a key fixture in London’s cultural scene.