By Timothy X Atack
Directed by Tanuja Amarasuriya
The world’s about to end, so of course we’re throwing a huge party. There are thousands of people here: multiple dance floors, denialist splinter groups, lovers’ rifts and DJs giving body counts. No one can remember how long the party has been going, nobody knows exactly when the apocalypse will strike. But Eddie and Wen have just split up. What will the rest of the night bring for them… if not the end of everything?
Absolute Scenes is a play about the stupid and wonderful things that happen when we’re faced with the inevitable – featuring an ensemble of funny, desperate, surprising characters, and interweaving stories of the many ways people find hope and dignity in the face of total catastrophe.
Age guidance 15+
PLEASE NOTE:
If you are a single occupant, you can book a 2 seater table at the reduced rate of £16, using the code SOLOSCENES.
Please do not use this code if there are 2 of you as we need to know exact numbers in order to comply with current government restrictions.
The larger tables can host up to 6 attendees – there can be fewer of you but on them but no more than 6 to comply with restrictions.
This script requires some trigger warnings, especially for suicidal ideation. It also contains dialogue that could be interpreted as racist or xenophobic microagressions, and some sexual coercion, as well as a large amount of ‘strong’ language – but not as strong as you might expect, given that it concerns the end of all things.
Please note that this production also includes strobe lighting, flashing lights and Pyro, loud noises and haze. If you require any further information, please contact marketing@oldvic.ac.uk.
Ajani CabeyÂ
Alex Chard
Alexander Uzoka
Anna Tutton
Bill Caple
Camilla Eliot
Carlie Diamond
Chiara Lari
Eve Pereira
Evie Hargreaves
Joe Usher
Joe Welch
Josephine Brookman-Amissah
Joshua Hurley
Josh Williams
Luke Taylor
Max Guest
Patrick McAndrew
Phoebe Cook
Rebecca Hyde
Ruby Ward
Shivam Pallana
Tanvi Virmani
Tom Atkinson
Tom Moran
Victoria Hoyle
Yazmin Kayani
Writer Timothy X. Atack
Tim is a writer, composer and sound designer working in theatre, screen, audio, games and XR. His play Heartworm won the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting 2017 and his sci-fi eco-thriller series Forest 404 – the first drama to top the iTunes podcast charts – won the WGGB award for best radio drama 2020, as well as the Radio Academy ARIA for best fictional storytelling 2020. He is a co-founder of Sleepdogs along with Tanuja Amarasuriya, and resident at Pervasive Media Studio, Watershed. Projects with Sleepdogs include The Morpeth Carol – adapted as a BBC Radio 4 afternoon play and winner of the 2014 Radio Academy Award for Best Drama – The Bullet And The Bass Trombone, and Dark Land Light House, a sci-fi lighthouse story presented at Bristol Old Vic. For screen he was one of a team adapting the series Humans for Chinese TV. As composer/sound designer his work includes collaborations with Neil Bartlett, Raucous, Matt Lucas & David Walliams, Lucy Cassidy, and Chris Goode & Co. He writes regularly for the Big Finish official Doctor Who audio drama range, and is a member of the radiophonic pop group Angeltech.
Director Tanuja Amarasuriya
Tanuja is a director, dramaturg, writer and sound designer working in theatre, screen, audio, games and XR. She is co-founder of Sleepdogs, along with Tim X Atack. As director, her work includes with Bristol Old Vic (Dark Land Light House, The Bullet And The Bass Trombone and The Morpeth Carol by Tim X Atack, A Little Death by Vic Llewellyn and Check the Label by Eno Mfon), Improbable (The Paper Man) and Theatre503, directing Danusia Samal’s award-winning play Out of Sorts. Her sound design includes Selina Thompson’s award-winning salt., Chris Thorpe & Rachel Chavkin’s Status, and The Half God of Rainfall by Inua Ellams. As a dramaturg, she’s worked with artists including Sam Halmarack, Luca Rutherford, Lisa May Thomas and Raucous. She’s been a Leverhulme Arts Scholar attached to Bristol Old Vic, and is a resident at Watershed’s Pervasive Media Studio. She is currently developing a new narrative VR experience and has a short film in development with Lobufilms.
Assistant Director William Byam Shaw  Â
Assistant Director Jessy Roberts
Set Designer Charlotte Hurrell
Costume Designer Natasha Sadier       Â
AV Designer Ping Clarke-ng      Â
AV Operator Sophie Robinson
Lighting Designer Mary Bennett
Sound Designer Joe Waddington
Production Manager Ed Wilson  Â
Assistant Production Manager & Site Manager Leila Glen  Â
Stage Manager Kizzie Tims   Â
Deputy Stage Manager Caitlin Ravenscroft
Assistant Stage Manager Ellie Condon
Assistant Stage Manager Abbi Davies
Assistant Stage Manager Chris Davies
Assistant Stage Manager Tabbi Dodds
Prod LX Alastair Barrows         Â
Tech Team Adrianne Broadgate
Tech Team Willow Digweed
Tech Team Maisy Harbert       Â
Tech Team Dan Knipe
Tech Team Chris Monks
Tech Team Sophie Robinson          Â
Props Supervisor Frankie Dowers        Â
Props Assistant Elspeth Goodman       Â
Props Assistant Tom Gould     Â
Props Assistant Zoe Mackinnon
Props Assistant Jess Manley
Props Assistant Lola O’Donoghue        Â
Props Assistant Jess Way        Â
Head of Scenic Construction Andy Scrivens Â
Construction Manager Kirk Bishop       Â
Construction Assistant Jack Bain         Â
Construction Assistant Lewis Bamford
Construction Assistant David Bath
Construction Assistant Millie Edinburgh
Construction Assistant Jude Fullwood
Construction Assistant Adam Mulligan    Â
Supervising Scenic Artist Leri Tecwyn
Scenic Artist Rowan Batoctoy
Scenic Artist Gina Hammersley    Â
Costume Supervisor Evie Akerman
Costume Assistant Saskia Bath
Costume Assistant Ruth Ferns Duncan
Costume Assistant Laetitia Gorget       Â
Costume Assistant Maisie Higgins        Â
Costume Assistant Ruby Nex   Â
Costume Assistant Susie Pearce
Costume Assistant Angelica Robinson  Â
Costume Assistant Charlotte Rowen
Rehearsal Photographer Rhea Norwood
Covid Supervisor Alice Dillon
Covid Supervisor Beshlie Thorp
Front of House Manager
Leila Glen
Front of House
Miranda Sellers
Elliot Paris-Hamilton
Matthew Newcombe
Lydia Morgan