AIDS, Isolation and Memory: Jacob Sparrow's Debut Play 'Sanctuary' Arrives at the Edinburgh Fringe
A debut play about a young man who withdraws to a remote country house after an AIDS diagnosis has opened at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, staged by one of the festival's busiest presenters.
'Sanctuary,' written by Jacob Sparrow and directed by Josh Seymour, is a two-hander — a play performed by two actors — now running at Pleasance Dome (Ace Dome) in Edinburgh, presented by Pleasance Theatre Trust (WhatsOnStage). The production is categorised under Theatre in the Pleasance ticketing system and is the world premiere of the script.
Sparrow is better known behind the scenes than on the page: his day job is as a casting director for the National Theatre, making 'Sanctuary' his first produced play (WhatsOnStage). Before reaching the Fringe, the script won the inaugural Leodis Prize, a new writing award whose first edition recognised Sparrow's work (Pleasance; Edinburgh Fringe).
The cast is Matthew Tennyson and Richard Cant, both familiar faces on British stages (WhatsOnStage). The official Fringe listing describes the play as exploring memory, belonging and community, with past and present intertwining as one man is forced to confront memories he has long suppressed (Edinburgh Fringe).
The story itself is spare and serious: a young man, diagnosed with AIDS, retreats from society to a remote country house. What unfolds there between two people is the engine of the play (WhatsOnStage).
Pricing reflects the Fringe's tiered structure. An early performance on 5 August 2026 at 16:00 carried a full-price ticket of £8.00, while a later slot on 27 August 2026 at 16:00 is priced at £12.00 full price and £11.00 for concessions — valid for anyone under 18 and registered students (Pleasance; Pleasance).
What makes 'Sanctuary' stand out in a Fringe programme running to thousands of listings is the path that brought it here. A first-time playwright, working in a profession — casting — that is itself invisible to most audiences, has had his debut script picked up by a major Fringe presenter, directed by an established hand, and placed in the hands of two performers with substantial track records. The Leodis Prize, now in its inaugural year, gives the production a stamp of recognition before a single Fringe audience member has taken a seat.
