“Late Company is a hard-hitting, gripping depiction of issues that are ever-present in modern society”
In the intimate space of Trafalgar Studios 2, Late Company opens with married couple, Debora and Michael Shaun-Hastings, making the final preparations in their dining room for what appears to be a dinner party, although the audience is unsure of the exact occasion. Following the arrival of Bill and Tamara Dermot and their teenage son, Curtis, it becomes clear that the Shaun-Hastings’ son, Joel, committed suicide following homophobic torment from his peers, including Curtis. This gathering is not your average dinner party, but an awkward chance for reconciliation and closure.
The discomfort of the situation is made clear from the start, with all actors playing this well, most notably Lisa Stevenson as Tamara Dermot, whose agitated, sometimes comedic, attempts at small talk are cut short when Lucy Robinson as Debora Shaun-Hastings exclaims “Let’s just start!”. What follows is the sharing of memories of Joel and his achievements. Michael shows off medals and certificates won by his son, whereas Debora presents, with fondness, “photos that capture him”- a painful, yet beautiful reflection of a mother’s love. The piece escalates dramatically from here, with emotion-fuelled outbursts and revelations about Joel and the part the internet and social media had to play in his ordeal.
Zahra Mansouri’s set is naturalistic and adds to the believability of the piece, as does her costume design. This, along with the intimacy of the space, allows you to be pulled in to the action and feel as though you are in the dining room with the two families.
Robinson portrays grieving mother Debora’s raw emotion excellently and her delivery of a letter written to Curtis, displaying her heartbreak, is a standout performance of the production. David Leopold’s Curtis captures teenage awkwardness extremely well. Initially reluctant to take part in the discussions and keeping largely quiet, he begins to show remorse as the production progresses, culminating in a very effective closing sequence.
Director Michael Yale’s production is exceptionally well acted and the tension created from the themes of cyber- bullying, suicide and parental responsibility is, at times, broken by welcomed comic one-liners. Late Company is a hard-hitting, gripping depiction of issues that are ever-present in modern society and is greatly thought-provoking.
As part of the Finborough Theatre’s celebrations of Canada’s 150th birthday, Canadian playwright Jordan Tannahill, “the hottest name in Canadian theatre”, will debut his play, Late Company, at the Finborough Theatre, for a strictly limited season from 25 April – 20 May 2017, with press nights on 27 April/28 April.
One year after a terrible tragedy; 2 sets of parents, one dead son, one living son. Who is to blame?
A suburban dinner party for closure after 17 year-old Joel commits suicide. The guests; his heartbroken mother and father, his so-called tormentor Curtis, and his parents.
Far from finding the peace they seek, the dinner strips bare their good intentions to reveal layers of parental, sexual, and political hypocrisy.
Written with sensitivity and humour, Late Company explores restorative justice, cyber bullying, and the ever-changing complexities of parenthood in the 21st century.
The full cast for Late Company are: Todd Boyce (Michael), David Leopold (Curtis), Alex Lowe (Bill), Lucy Robinson (Debora) and Lisa Stevenson (Tamara).
Jordan Tannahill (writer) is a Canadian playwright and filmmaker and has been described as “the future of Canadian theatre” by NOW Magazine. His work has been presented in theatres, festivals, and galleries across Canada and internationally.
Jordan’s plays have been honoured with various prizes including the 2014 Governor Generals Award for Drama for his book Age of Minority: Three Solo Plays, the 2014 John Hirsch Prize for directing, and Dora Awards for ‘Outstanding New Play’ for rihannaboi95 in 2013 and Concord Floral in 2015. Concord Floral also received the 2015 Carol Bolt Award and was shortlisted for the 2016 Governor General’s Award for Drama. In 2016 Botticelli in the Fire & Sunday in Sodom won the Toronto Theatre Critics Award for ‘Best New Play’ and it’s production at Canadian Stage received the Dora Award for ‘Outstanding Production’.
Jordan is currently working on new projects with the National Theatre (UK), the National Film Board of Canada, and the Stratford Festival.
