Performance History
The Last Chair by Ian Townsend
Performance Reviews
What’s On Stage 5 Stars!!!!! Review by Malcolm WallaceManchester’s 24:7 Theatre Festival continues to present a diverse range of short plays celebrating new writing. As with all festivals it has its highs and lows. However, nestled into the programme is The Last Chair, an utter gem brilliantly written and directed by Ian Townsend.
A man sits on a chair and contentedly observes his surroundings. Invading his quietness is a woman who wants to sit down. It’s soon seems that this one chair is the only chair left in the world. Two people and one chair. Just as it seems a resolution is reachable a huge spanner is thrown into the works putting the problem back to square one.
It’s an unashamedly absurd but very clever piece of silliness based around the simplest of premises and this is why it succeeds, as it doesn’t try to be anything more than what it is.
All three performers are uniformly excellent. Karl Lucas as the Man has an extremely animated face and some of his expressions speak volumes. Hayley Fairclough is superb at manipulating her voice to deliver her lines in the funniest way possible and Stephen King plays the third invader of the space with assurance and warmth. All three are talented comedic actors and clearly relish the excellent script they are working with.
There is no set to speak of, other than two chairs and it’s a credit to all involved that such a simple piece of theatre should prove so utterly captivating. The Last Chair is a sheer joy to watch and totally unmissable!
British Theatre Guide Review by David Chadderton (2009)
Ian Townsend's absurdist comedy, which seems to hark back to the great N F Simpson in style, is based on the premise that there is only one chair left in the world, as all of the others are occupied and no more will ever be made.
It opens with 'Man' sitting quietly on a chair for quite some time, before 'Woman' enters saying she has been looking for days for a chair as she would like a sit down. They dance around with words and repetition, with 'Man' offering 'Woman' his chair and her not sure whether or how she should sit on it. The problem seems to be solved when Tom, a chair maker, arrives with another chair so that they can both sit down – but what happens if Tom wants to sit down too?
This unreal situation is matched by unreal performances that are sustained superbly by the three performers – Karl Lucas as 'Man', Hayley Fairclough as 'Woman' and Stephen King as Tom – without becoming annoying as they could so easily do. The slick, honed dialogue is matched by some slick, well-paced direction from the author with only a few bits of comic business that don't really come off.
It is fun, entertaining and well-performed.
UK Theatre Network Review by Caroline May
Ian Townsend burst on to the 24:7 scene last year with the filthy farce Granny Must Die, but in 2009 he’s moved into the sophisticated arena of absurdist comedy with The Last Chair. A lone chair is centre-stage. On it is a man in a suit - just sitting. Along comes a woman in an evening dress who tries to prise him from his chair - she’s had a hard day, fancies a sit down, and as it happens there are no more chairs in the whole world.
This simple premise is the opportunity for a writer with a keen ear for the northern vernacular and a real love of language to showcase his skills, as well as creating a comedy double-act for Karl Lucas and Hayley Fairclough. The cross-talk, patter and slapstick recall the golden era of comics like Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson and Morecambe and Wise.
