Last Orders in Musselburgh this weekend

Last Orders is an enthralling new work of dance theatre inspired by the bloody myth of Sawney Bean, the legendary 16th century Scottish cannibal.  It is a hallucinatory journey down the rabbit-hole, through subterranean caves and derelict nightclubs, to a radically different and unstable world of corrupted innocence where nothing is quite what is seems.

Al Seed (Conflux), director and choreographer of Last Orders, said:  ‘Last Orders is a series of collages, each of which consists of a symbolic interpretation of the themes involved in Sawney Bean’s tale. Through an evolution of events, including a birth, a death, story telling and the modern gameshow, where meaning is felt rather than explained, we have explored the metaphor of cannibalism. This is a show about the body and how its needs, sometimes terrible, can overshadow logic and conscience.’

Last Orders is the second production in a series of original, engaging and immersive works that bring dark themes and the horror genre to the stage; with cinematic techniques and cross-art form collaboration at their heart.  It is the follow-up to 2009’s The Red Room, acclaimed by critics and audiences alike.

For Last Orders David Hughes Dance Productions has brought together a diverse International company of performers.  Stuart Bowden, Matthew Foster, Lina Limosani, Martin Lindinger and Alex Rigg seamlessly merge their individual dance styles  (contemporary, breakdance, ballet) with dynamic physical theatre to create grotesque and monstrous characters that inhabit a chaotic underworld, swinging between the poles of ecstatic celebration and confrontation of their greatest fears.

Last Orders reunites the creative team behind The Red Room – director and choreographer Al Seed [with additional choreography from the Company], creative producer David M Hughes, lighting designer Alberto Santos Bellido and sound designer Guy Veale.  Alex Rigg of Oceanallover joins the team as costume and set designer; and as a performer.  Alex has collaborated with NVA and Theatre Cryptic and also creates large-scale figurative work with Trevor Leat for events such as the Wickerman Festival.

Last Orders is supported by The National Theatre of Scotland, Creative Scotland, Made In Scotland and The Traverse Theatre.

Photo : Alberto Santos Bellido