After the tragic attack at the Manchester Arena a year ago today (22nd May), there was an overwhelming feeling of coming together as a community. In true Mancunian style, the survivors and families of victims did what they could to rebuild their lives and soldiered on.
Friends and family of one of the victims, Martyn Hett, spoke about his love for life and his outgoing attitude, and as many people came forward with stories about the 29-year-old's joie de vivre, the hashtag #BeMoreMartyn was created.
Off the back of that, a stage play has been put on to commemorate the Coronation Street superfan's memory entitled #BeMoreMartyn: The Boy With The Deidre Tattoo.
The play, starring former Corrie actress Paula Lane, is being performed at the Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester from 21st to 26th of May, with all profits going towards Beacon Counselling, Beechwood Cancer Care Centre and Kidscan.
Producer Adam Zane spoke to HuffPostUK about what he hoped to achieve with the play, "We want the audience to leave inspired by Martyn and feel empowered because he didn’t just like things, he loved things. And he was proud of the things he loved."
He added that he had been inspired by Martyn in his own life, "Why not be more Martyn and just be myself? It’s about how he continues to inspire people."
The script of the play is made up from accounts by Martyn's family and friends, who have become characters in the show, as Adam added that they wanted to focus on Martyn - and not the attack.
"Those are their personal stories," he went on. "We never talk about what happened in the arena, we talk about Martyn’s life, not his death. That’s how we keep his legacy going on."
Actress Bridget Gallagher, who plays Martyn's friend Hannah, added to the publication that Martyn's outlook on life ties into how the people of Manchester responded to the attack, "That’s exactly what Manchester did. It wasn’t focussing on what was going on, it just felt like a coming together and a rebirth of people.
"Taking a minute to look at your own life and your own family and friends. The way all of Martyn’s friends reacted is the way the city did."
Martyn and the other people who lost their lives have also been immortalised in an honorary bench as part of Coronation Street's new set, which was installed in March this year.
On the 22nd May 2017, 22 lives were tragically cut short. The victims were Alison Howe, Angelika Klis, Chloe Rutherford, Eilidh MacLeod, Elaine McIver, Georgina Callander, Jane Tweddle, John Atkinson, Liam Curry, Lisa Lees, Marcin Klis, Kelly Brewster, Megan Hurley, Michelle Kiss, Nell Jones, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, Saffie-Rose Roussos, Sorrell Leczkowski, Wendy Fawell, Courtney Boyle, Philip Tron and Martyn Hett.
Our thoughts are with those affected by the tragedy. 🐝 ❤️