The Play: The Original Musical Production That Pulled Young People Back From The Edge – Now The Searing First YA Novel By Brian Montgomery, In A Groundbreaking Series Destined For TV

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK“, The Play by Brian S. Montgomery is a raw, heart-wrenching YA novel—born from real trauma and two hit live musical productions—that transforms pain into purpose, giving at-risk young people a powerful voice through creativity, mental health support, and belonging.

The Play

The Play by Brian S. Montgomery is a gripping young adult novel that draws directly from the author’s own experiences of childhood hardship and decades of dedicated work with vulnerable youth. This powerful debut in a planned 15-part series explores themes of humanity, redemption, and second chances, confronting tough realities like knife crime, gang influence, bullying, cyberbullying, truancy, exclusion, and mental health challenges. Through its narrative, the book demonstrates how structured creativity, accountability, and a sense of belonging can replace chaos with purpose and isolation with opportunity, actively helping to reduce antisocial behavior, disengagement, and early offending.

From Personal Trauma to a Life-Changing Project

The story centers on Harry Groves, who at ten years old already felt invisible to the world. Bullied at school and navigating a violent, unstable home environment, he took on the responsibility of protecting his younger autistic sister, Sara, and her beloved one-eyed teddy bear. When tragedy struck and Sara was lost due to those meant to safeguard her, the devastating loss ignited a deep, enduring grief in Harry. Years later, he channeled that pain into something transformative: The Play, a raw and fearless youth musical that gives young people like him a chance to step forward, rehearse, perform, and finally be heard.

What begins as a personal outlet evolves into much more. The project incorporates trauma-informed mental health workshops, creating safe spaces for participants to address issues such as bullying, racism, loneliness, domestic violence, gang pressures, grief, anxiety, anger, and the deep need for belonging. Through creativity and shared experiences, young people build understanding of themselves and others in ways that traditional systems often fail to provide.

A Multimedia Movement Beyond the Page

The Play is far more than a novel. It originated as an original musical production featuring 18 songs written by Montgomery himself. Two live productions have already been successfully staged, captivating audiences and participants alike. The initiative has expanded into an interactive, youth-led program that engages schools, youth hubs, and community organizations across the UK. Young people don’t just observe—they actively participate, developing discipline, teamwork, and a sense of positive structure. Even those who have caused harm, including bullies or young offenders, find pathways to take responsibility, rebuild their identities, and regain trust through commitment and contribution.

The project addresses pressing contemporary issues, including youth mental health, emotional resilience, gang pressures, knife carrying, antisocial behavior, early offending, underage vaping, alcohol use, identity, racism, and peer pressure. It bridges youth work and creativity, offering early intervention before problems escalate.

The Author’s Journey: Lived Experience Meets Professional Expertise

Brian S. Montgomery brings authenticity to every aspect of The Play. Raised in South London, he faced family breakdown, instability, homelessness, and exposure to normalized violence and gangs. Undiagnosed dyslexia and mental health struggles compounded his challenges, leading to addiction and isolation. Writing became his turning point, allowing him to process trauma and transform it into something meaningful. His earlier self-published work, Degsy Hay: A Juvenile Redeemed, reflects similar themes of redemption from a tough upbringing.

Over more than 30 years, Montgomery has built a respected career backed by qualifications including a Master’s degree, a Graduate Diploma in Health and Safety, certificates in Community Services, Mental Health, and Alcohol and Other Drugs, plus Mental Health First Aid training and qualifications as a Trainer and Assessor.

He founded The Hay Patrollers, a youth crime-prevention initiative that provided mentoring, structured training, and employment pathways for at-risk young people, including those with prior involvement in the law. By patrolling shopping centers and engaging communities, the program visibly reduced antisocial behavior while offering positive visibility and accountability.

Funding the Future Through Storytelling

With limited resources for preventive youth programs, Montgomery uses his creative work to sustain and expand efforts. The novel The Play (Book One), along with related releases like TY, aims not only to entertain but also to generate support for future musical productions and workshops targeting ages 10-21. Proceeds help ensure the initiative’s growth and accessibility.

A Vision for Hope and Lasting Impact

Narrated in Harry’s raw, honest, and often humorous voice, The Play celebrates broken kids discovering strength, forming chosen families, and realizing survival is not the end of their stories. Every character carries a tale worth telling, emphasizing that every young person’s experience matters.

With momentum building from live productions and rising interest in television adaptation, The Play has become a genuine movement. It speaks to pain but centers on hope, courage, and the profound change possible when young people are given space to speak and be seen. Once the curtain rises on their stories, there’s no turning back. This is a call to action through art—one that is already changing lives.

Find more from Brian Montgomery now:

Kindle: https://amzn.to/479uojN

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4qREuwU

There is also a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the musicals: https://gofund.me/b63bd3e93

Find out more at www.brymonpromotions.com under Youth