A new play heading to Southwark Playhouse Borough this November is set to explore how manipulation can quietly take hold within a relationship.
Running from 11 November to 5 December, Relative Motion follows physics student Sam and aspiring novelist Paul, whose chance meeting on a London commuter train develops into an unexpected romance. As their relationship deepens, however, small compromises and shifting power dynamics begin to reveal a much darker reality.
Written by British-South African playwright Stephanie Greenwood and directed by Wiebke Green, the production examines coercive control through the stories people tell themselves about love, memory and perspective, asking how easy it can be to miss the moment when a healthy relationship begins to change.
One of the play’s more unusual ideas is its use of Isaac Newton’s theories of motion. Rather than serving as a science lesson, they become a way of exploring the momentum, actions and reactions that shape relationships, offering an unexpected framework for the emotional journey at the heart of the story.
Greenwood has spoken about drawing inspiration from her own experiences while writing the play, explaining that she wanted audiences to genuinely invest in Sam and Paul’s relationship before beginning to question it. By doing so, Relative Motion reflects the reality that coercive control often develops gradually rather than through obvious warning signs.
While the subject matter is serious, the production combines moments of humour, romance and psychological tension to tell a story that’s both emotionally engaging and thought-provoking.
With conversations around emotional abuse and healthy relationships becoming increasingly prominent, Relative Motion promises to offer audiences a timely and compassionate exploration of a subject that is often difficult to recognise until it’s already taken hold.
11 November – 5 December 2026
Southwark Playhouse Borough
Get tickets here!
