In an ongoing collaboration, Proforca Theatre premieres James Lewis’ new play Lately, which will have a strictly limited season at its resident home, London’s Lion & Unicorn Theatre, from 28 April to 9 May 2020, with a press night on 30 April. Time to get booking!
“You’ve never been on your own, you always just thought you were…”
Cal & Alf. Callum & Alison. They were supposed to be part of each other’s lives forever, if only the universe had let it happen the way it should. But whoever they were before, they’re different people now. The universe that sent them spinning into free-fall throws them together again when the boy who ran away becomes the man that returns to face the music.
And the question that the universe needs to answer most of all now is: just whatever did happen to Callum Miles?
Lately is a story about the dreams we never realise, the places we can never leave and the people that bring us back down to earth again. It’s written by James Lewis and directed by Proforca Theatre artistic director David Brady, who have had previous acclaimed hits together with dystopian drama At Last (co-written with Alexander Knott) and Feel. After premiering at the Lion & Unicorn in March 2018 and touring, the latter returned in March 2019 to launch the theatre’s new regime under the management of David Brady.
David Brady directs Anthony Fagan & Gabrielle Nellis-Pain in Lately
Lately also reunites Brady and Lewis with actors Anthony Fagan and Gabrielle Nellis-Pain, who play Callum and Alison. They first appeared together for Proforca in Feel. Nellis-Pain also had her work showcased as one of the featured writers in Feel‘s companion piece Feel More, and Fagan returned to Proforca in At Last, which had two sell-out runs at Lion & Unicorn last year. This new premiere will be Fagan and Nellis-Pain’s first production as Associate Artists for the company.
Lately runs approximately 75 minutes (no interval) and contains adult themes, strong language and references to suicide. Further creative announcements will be made shortly.
Praise for previous shows
★★★★★ – “…a stunning piece. Seek this out, find it, watch it, and don’t stop thinking about it” – Everything Theatre
★★★★★ – “At Last is a powerfully moving play. It is also a terrifying parable for the age we live in” – View from the Cheap Seat
★★★★★ – “Directed with incredible pace, precision and heart-breaking realism… At Last is played by a company at the top of their game” – The Review Chap
★★★★★ – “An extraordinary evening’s entertainment as it hops between being ingeniously witty and soul-wrenchingly moving” – The 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” – My Theatre Mates
Bios
Anthony Fagan is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. His other credits have included Glitter Punch (Some Riot Theatre, Vault Festival), Will Power (Theatre N16), Romeo & Juliet (Union Theatre) and numerous pantomimes at Elgiva Theatre, Chesham and the Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne.
Gabrielle Nellis-Pain‘s other credits include Jekyll & Hyde (Arrows & Traps, London and tour), Boys (Stockwell Playhouse), Romeo & Juliet (Union Theatre) and other notable performances at the Edinburgh Fringe and Vaults Festivals. She is also part of Far Cry Theatre who are Associate Artists of the Lion and Unicorn Theatre.
David Brady is a critically acclaimed, award-nominated director and Artistic Director of the Lion & Unicorn Theatre. His previous credits include Feel and Feel More (Lion & Unicorn Theatre, King’s Head Theatre, The Space and tour), “Reading Gaol” (Lion & Unicorn Theatre and Theatre N16) and Off West End OffComm recognised “At Last” (2019).
