A YOUNG woman who lost her partner to cancer will stage a dark comedy in his memory in Leeds next month.

Vid Warren and Tess Cartwright had been "head-over-heels in love, for over four years" when he was diagnosed with brain cancer aged 23.

Vid passed away 20 months later, in 2015.

The couple had managed to remain as positive as possible up to then in part thanks to Bristol-based Penny Brohn UK, a holistic cancer charity.

Tess, 32, said: “Vid was an incredible human being and we were a team.

"As we bounced between denial, hope and acceptance we used ‘tumour humour’ to diffuse the pain.

"Our determination to stay present and thrive with cancer was largely due to the charity’s positivity and techniques it taught through free retreats and courses.

"We lived from the heart and laughed in the face of death, which allowed us to stay in the present and enjoy the life he had left."

In Vid’s honour and to thank Penny Brohn, Tess and her theatre company Modest Geniuses will perform Dying to Please You at Open Source Arts Centre on Thursday, May 11 from 8pm.

The Arts Council England-funded production is directed by internationally-acclaimed director John Wright and previously sold out in Bristol.

Tess said: "We devised the mortally funny piece to explore the comedy behind death, dying and grief.

"Through music, dance and physical theatre, we aim to interpret the themes as gentle and ridiculous.

"The show asks - can we laugh in the face of death?"

Penny Brohn spokesman Ian Riddell added: "We thank Tess and her company for staging the show to raise awareness of cancer and how we support people.

"Every penny raised will help Penny Brohn continue to reach everyone needing our life-affirming help."

Tickets for Dying to Please You cost £10 - £8.50 concessions - and are available from brownpapertickets.com .

For more on Penny Brohn call 0303 3000 118, e-mail info@pennybrohn.org.uk or visit pennybrohn.org.uk .