Absolute Hell

By Rodney Ackland

Performed by BA (Hons) Acting

Designed & produced by BA (Hons) Theatre Practice

Set in bomb-blasted London in the immediate aftermath of WW2, Rodney Ackland escorts us through the rubble to La Vie En Rose – a faded Soho drinking den where its proprietor - Christine Foskett – and her devoted members drink into the darkness, night after night. Desperately seeking any company but their own, this disreputable community of lost souls and bruised lovers lie, fight and seduce their way towards an unknown future. But as the shell-shocked fabric of the club itself slowly crumbles around their ears, the time to call ‘last orders’ draws near…

By arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd.

There are frequent loud noises, infrequent gunshots, a replica firearm, infrequent flashing lights, discussion of sensitive topics including the Holocaust and PTSD, homophobic language, scenes of a sexual nature.

Showtimes - Central

Please note: Due to the announcement of industrial action, the performances on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 November have been cancelled. All ticketholders have been notified by email. Please contact boxoffice@cssd.ac.uk if you are a ticket holder and have any further queries.

• Wednesday 23 and Saturday 26 November 2022, 7.15pm
• Saturday 26 November 2022, 2.00pm

Approximate running time: 2 hour 30 minutes

Location

Embassy Theatre, The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

Director Robert Styles*

Set Designer Yimei Zhao**

Costume Designer Cara Evans*

Sound Designer Kieran Lucas*

Assistant Sound Designer/Sound No 1 Nathan Friend**

Lighting Designer Max Sharp**

Assistant Lighting Designer Conor Costelloe**

Movement Director Vanessa Ewan^

Intimacy Coordination Vanessa Ewan^

Fight Coach Jonathan Larson*

Accent Coach Carla Collins^

Voice Coach Claudette Williams^

Production Manager James Thompson^

Stage Manager Rebecca Elsey**

Deputy Stage Manager Lauren Cleobury-Bradford**

Assistant Stage Manager (Book Cover) Emily Cox**

Technical Assistant Stage Managers Anjalee Kumar**, Joshua Sparks**, Thomas Quine**

Costume Supervisor Alice Lessing*

Production Sound Engineer Grzegorz Staniewicz*

Chief LX Kelsey Guidera**

Lighting Programmer Leon Leitner**

Crew Jiamin Chen**, Sara Eeg Jonasmo**, Arial Fiske-de-Gouveia**, Autumn Fletcher-Smith**, Tayla Hanrahan**,  Phyllida Hickish**, Valentina Miranda**, Isabella Sarmiento-Abadia**, Lou Wright**

FOH Manager Martin Juul Sorensen^

BA (Hons) Acting Course Leader Claudette Williams

BA (Hons) Theatre Practice Course Leader Dr Kathrine Sandys

* Visiting Professional **BA (Hons) Theatre Practice ^Staff

Special thanks: NegEarth, WhiteLight, Phil Burke, James Smellie, Gary O’Donnell, Stuart Porter, Vendy Pospisilova, T&P Workshop, T&P Technical, SJ Roberts, Hampstead Theatre, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Dawson, Bethany Fulcher, Sarah Cleobury, Peter Rice

Tobias Abbott - Douglas Eden / PC Molson /GI

Tom Casey - Cyril Clatworthy

Grace Darling - Doris

Antonia Ganeva - ‘Bill’ / Mrs Pratt

Cat Gannon - RB Monody

Harry Gupta - Siegfried Shrager

Mia Khan - Elizabeth

Celeste Koetsier - Julia Shillitoe

Nicki Li Marsh - Lettice the Treacle Queen

Toby McLellan - Maurice Hussey

Saskia Mollard - Madge / Cook / Fifi 

Alexander O’Malley - Hugh Marriner

Alice Pryor - Mrs Marriner

Anna Rawlings - Christine Foskett

Dane Williams - Sam Mitcham / GI

Tom Ray Williams - Butch / Nigel / DI Roach/ GI

Callum Sharp (Professional) - Michael Crowley/ GI