Proforca Theatre Company reunites the team behind its acclaimed hit Feel for the premiere of At Last, which opens the autumn/winter season at London’s newly relaunched Lion & Unicorn Theatre. Plan ahead and get booking!
At Last will run for 11 performances only from 10 to 22 September 2019, with a press night on 12 September. It’s co-written by Feel‘s James Lewis and Alexander Knott, whose Hedgehog premiered at the Lion & Unicorn last month care of Boxless Theatre, and helmed by Proforca artistic director David Brady with associate director Jess Barton.
A dark, brutal, almost verbatim-style selection of interconnected monologues, At Last tells the “what if” story of the aftermath of ten years of a totalitarian right-wing regime in the UK. It is a searing search for redemption and reconciliation in the rubble of a broken society, whilst questioning who we are when everything that makes us human is stripped away.
“We don’t know how to forgive, we only know how to forget.”
The old world has fallen and something brave and new has taken its place.
Out of the fire and rubble and the ashes something new is born. A chance to learn about the past and to discover who we were to save the future. A chance to find hope anew, or to tear open wounds which will never close again.
This is the story of ten years of hate. Ten years of oppression and anger when we gave ourselves up to the dark.
A story of the mother who fought for her broken sons, and the father that stood in judgement. The daughter willing to pay the ultimate price for freedom, the man who stood by and watched and the woman that listened.
This is the story of when the world went mad.
It is time to tell the truth.
At Last.
The cast for Proforca’s premiere production features: Melissa Phillips (Grace), Anthony Fagan (Colin), Gemma Wray (Nikki), Demelza O’Sullivan (Marie), David Angland (Danny), Michael Faulkner (Jack), Malcolm Jeffries (John) and Ciaran Lonsale (Sam)
As with Feel, At Last will be accompanied by a response piece featuring the “expanded universe” of the story. At First, written by Hannah Bates, will be staged at specified performances.
Proforca took over management of the Lion & Unicorn Theatre earlier this year, relaunching as a hub for new fringe talent and associates. It officially opened under the new regime in March with special performances of Feel, returning to London after a short tour, and an industry launch event chaired by Mates co-founder Terri Paddock.
Praise for Feel
“An extraordinary evening’s entertainment as it hops between being ingeniously witty and soul-wrenchingly moving” – ★★★★★ Spy In The Stalls
“Feel is a wonderful play about the emotional brutality of knowing that it is our imperfections that make us. I came away moved to tears by this simple and beautiful play” – Plays To See ★★★★★
“James Lewis’ writing is raw and unforgiving… Feel as a play is a joy to watch. And Proforca Theatre is a company to watch too” – Spy In The Stalls