Get 'We Need To Talk About Brenda' Back on Tour

Aim

Taking my one-woman show We Need To Talk About Brenda on a second UK tour to raise awareness of PMDD through theatre and conversation.

Theatre has the power to change lives.
It sparks conversations, challenges perceptions, and makes the invisible visible.

But what if your own body made you feel invisible?

What if, every month, without fail, you lost yourself entirely — your joy, your relationships, even your will to live?

This is the reality of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), a severe condition that affects 1 in 20 women and AFAB individuals. It is often dismissed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood.

I know this because I’ve lived it.

My Story

Hi, I’m Nichole Brown — an actor, playwright, and early-career producer.

In 2019, I was diagnosed with PMDD. After trying first-line treatments, I wrote 'We Need To Talk About Brenda' while going through medically induced menopause, trying to make sense of the symptoms I was experiencing, including self-harm and suicidal thoughts. I was 19.

After years of struggling with PMDD, I made the life-changing decision to have a hysterectomy at 23, including the removal of my ovaries, leaving me infertile.

This one-woman show is a darkly funny, sharp-edged comedy based on my true story. Through theatre, I want to give a voice to those battling PMDD and other misunderstood health conditions, breaking the stigma around menstrual and mental health.

The First Tour

On 10th April 2025, 'We Need To Talk About Brenda' made its debut at The Hub at St Mary’s in Lichfield, before touring to Lancaster, Birmingham, Leeds, and finishing in Salford on 10th May.

What I experienced on that tour is something I will never forget.

 What Audiences Said

"What a beautiful, raw and moving depiction this is of a condition that is widely unknown, even in the female community. The play is bold, funny, direct, honest and emotive.... I hope that she continues to inspire and captivate audiences with her unique style and talent and I can’t wait for her next instalment!”
 — Audience Member (Lichfield)

 “So who knew that a play about PMDD could be so riveting, funny and informative? I have to confess that I was a little unsure of how much I would actually enjoy it, but the whole audience in Lancaster was spellbound from beginning to end." Nichole Brown pulls a blinder as the writer and sole performer of this game changing play which deserves to be seen by all woman and by those men who want to understand women better!”
 — Audience Member (Lancaster)

 “Through humor, raw honesty, and moments of deep poignancy, Brown takes the audience on a rollercoaster ride through the monthly physical and emotional torment of living with PMDD. Brown is a huge talent, and this debut makes her one to watch. Her performance is hilarious, unflinchingly honest, and at times devastating. We Need to Talk About Brenda is more than a show. It's a necessary conversation. We absolutely do need to talk about Brenda”

— Audience Member (Birmingham)

 Through this show, I want to reach those who feel alone, to make them laugh, to make them feel seen, and to make them understand that help is out there. 

What This Tour Will Do

I want to take the show on a second tour to raise further awareness among audiences, reaching six more venues across the UK, including Scotland and Wales.

At the same time, this tour is a crucial step in my journey as a theatre-maker.

It’s about proving that stories like mine belong on stage.

With your support, I can:

• Raise awareness of PMDD and other underrepresented health conditions
• Break the stigma surrounding mental and menstrual health
• Continue to build my career as a producer, actor, and playwright, showing people with chronic illnesses and disabilities that the arts are for them too
• Continue to develop The Brenda Productions, a theatre company dedicated to creating opportunities for disabled and chronically ill artists

How You Can Help

Your donation, no matter the size, will help bring this production to life.

Whether you’re passionate about theatre that drives change or raising awareness of PMDD, your support will make a real difference.

If you’re unable to donate, sharing this page would mean just as much.

Let’s make some noise.
Let’s talk about Brenda.

Thank you for believing in this project.

Nichole Brown
Creator of We Need To Talk About Brenda

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 29th July 2026 at 10:29pm