LATE COMPANY to Transfer to the West End this August

Following its critically acclaimed and sold-out European premiere at Finborough Theatre in April/May 2017, Stage Traffic's production of Late Company, by the award-winning playwright Jordan Tannahill, will transfer for its West End debut at Trafalgar Studios 2 for a strictly limited run from 21 August - 16 September 2017, with press night on Thursday 24 August.

A successful middle-class couple's lives are irrevocably changed after their teenage son is mercilessly bullied for being gay. In an attempt to "move on" they invite his chief tormentor, and his parents, to a dinner party.

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.

Jordan Tannahill, playwright said, "I wrote Late Company in the wake of an incident in my hometown of Ottawa, Canada that touched me deeply as a gay youth in my early twenties. It was a piece I intended to share with my group of friends; a means of venting anger and seeking some kind of reckoning. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would make its way to West End. It is an honour to share this production with London audiences."

Proudly in support of the new production CEO of CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), Simon Gunning explains, "Late Company is a powerful play that centres around the highly difficult themes of bullying, suicide, sexuality, and family dynamics. These themes are insightfully handled; there is a sensitivity and awareness that does not shy away from a harsh reality. CALM is proud to support a show that starts the conversation of stigma surrounding mental health, as well as the dark side of social media and high-school hierarchy. Suicide is the biggest killer of young men in the UK, and those who are bereaved by suicide face a brutal journey. This confrontational play is beautifully cast, acted, and directed; and will certainly help to spread the word about the devastation of suicide."

The production is directed by Michael Yale, with set and costumes by Zahra Mansouri, lighting by Nic Farman and sound by Chris Prosho. The full and original cast for Late Company will be reprising their roles in the production including Todd Boyce (Michael), David Leopold (Curtis), Alex Lowe (Bill), Lucy Robinson (Debora) and Lisa Stevenson (Tamara).

CAST BIOGRAPHIES

Todd Boyce's (Michael Shaun-Hastings) theatre credits includes The Exorcist (Birmingham Rep), The Last of the Boys (Southwark Playhouse), Hamlet (The Young Vic), The Women of Lockerbie (Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond), Glyn and It (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford), Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf (South Australian Theatre Company), The Normal Heart (Sydney Theatre Company), Limited Edition (Sydney Dance Company), Lovers from Hell (Ovalhouse), Dr Faustus (Sydney Theatre Company) and The Exonerated (Riverside Studios). His TV credits include Mr Selfridge, Sherlock, The Crown, In Clear Sight, Coronation Street, Spooks, Beaver Falls, Hollyoaks, Adventures Inc, Broken News, Comfort Zone and The Restless Years. His film work includes Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, In Clear Sight, Kick Ass 2, The Gatekeeper, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Everest, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Spygame, Jefferson in Paris, The Punisher, Blue Ice, Penelope and The Delinquents.

David Leopold's (Curtis Dermot) theatre credits include Muted (Bunker Theatre), Burnt Part Boys (Park Theatre), Soho Young Playwrights (Soho Theatre), Little Sure Shot (Theatre Royal Bath), Uncle Vanya (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Polar Bears (West Yorkshire Playhouse) and The Crucible (West Yorkshire Playhouse).

Alex Lowe's (Bill Dermot) theatre work includes Fatal Attraction (Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Changeling (Young Vic), The Girlfriend Experience (Royal Court Theatre/Young Vic), Blue Orange (Watford Palace Theatre), The Missing Hancocks (The Assembly Rooms Edinburgh), The New Power Generation (Live Nation), The Trial of Dennis the Menace (Purcell Rooms), The Barry from Watford Show (Watford Palace Theatre), The Tempest (Stafford Castle) and Uncle Vanya (Renaissance Theatre Company). His TV work includes Open All Hours, Unforgotten, Cheap Cheap Cheap, The Job Lot, Pompidou, Barry's Bucket List, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, The IT Crowd, Casualty, Peep Show, Peter Kay Project, Lead Balloon, French and Saunders, Bremner Bird and Fortune, Saxondale, The Thick of It, Documental, New Tricks. His film work includes The Devil Outside, Grimsby, My Week with Marilyn, Haunted, Much Ado About Nothing and Peter's Friends. Alex's radio work includes Barry's Lunch Club, Before They Were Famous, Clare in the Community, Trapped and The Brothers.

Lucy Robinson's (Debora Shaun-Hastings) theatre work includes Waste (National Theatre), The Hard Problem (National Theatre), Handbagged (Vaudeville Theatre), Sweet Bird of Youth (The Old Vic), In the Next Room (Theatre Royal Bath), Cause Celebre (The Old Vic), Blithe Spirit (Nottingham Playhouse), Happy Now? (Gate Theatre), Macbeth (Octagon Theatre, Bolton), An Ideal Husband (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester), Top Girls (Octagon Theatre, Bolton), The Hypochondriac (West Yorkshire Playhouse) and The Miser (Chichester Festival Theatre). Her film credits include Highway to Dhampus, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Bridget Jones, The Edge of Reason and The Biographer. Her television work includes Cold Feet, The Hollow Crown, Call the Midwife, Being Human, Missing, Doctor Who, New Tricks, The IT Crowd, Holby City, Coronation Street, Doc Martin. Rosemary and Thyme, Casualty, The Royal and Lewis.

Lisa Stevenson's (Tamara Dermot) theatre includes Warhorse (National Theatre), Measure for Measure (Royal Shakespeare Company), Richard III (Royal Shakespeare Company), A Streetcar Named Desire (The Young Vic), Romeo and Juliet (Globe Theatre), Henry V (Globe Theatre), Autumn and Winter (Globe Theatre), The Mikado (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough), Boston Marriage (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough), Comfort Me With Apples (Hampstead Theatre), Hayfever (Oxford Stage Company), Factors Unforeseen (Orange tree Theatre, Richmond), Comedy of Errors (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Rita Sue and Bob Too (Out of Joint), Explicit Polaroids (Out of Joint) and King Lear (Bristol Old Vic). Her television work includes Dixi, Obsession: Dark Desire, EastEnders, Doctors, Holby City, Murder in Mind, The Message, Casualty, The Bill, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, John Judge Deed, Keen Eddie and Heartbeat. Her film credits include Dead House Six and The Football Factory and radio work includes Listening to the Dead: Ruby's Shoes/Tuesday's Child, Being Brave and Listen to the Words.

For more information visit www.latecompanywestend.co.uk.

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