Everything Theatre Reviews, interviews and news for theatre lovers, London and beyond
The Union Theatre
16 – 19 November
Four actors walk onto the stage. Uncast. With one story to tell. But who will tell it?
Our Last First follows the lives of A&B, as we watch them go through the firsts (and lasts) of their relationship, and meet the people along the way who alter their journey. Cast live at the start of each performance, each show is guaranteed to be unique, as relationships are.
Written without pronouns, genders, ages or physical descriptions of any kind, the play is designed to be played by any and every actor. For far too long romantic leads in theatre have all looked the same, not reflecting the society we live in. Everyone experiences love, it is universal, so why aren’t we seeing everyone represented on stage. “Our Last First” is changing that.
Writer Lucinda Coyle on the story behind the show
In lockdown one I was inspired by talking to a fellow actor who was fed up of being told by casting directors they ‘just didn’t look right for the role’ and was concerned by the lack of roles in particular for those who identity as non-binary. I then began to think what if a play was written to be played by anyone and everyone. A play with characters with no gender, no pronouns, no age, no physical descriptions of any kind. Just their words and thoughts. I then began to think of what universally connects us all; love. From that A&B were born, a couple with nothing particularly extraordinary about them. The play follows A&B, as we watch them go through the firsts (and lasts) of a relationship with each other. But I wanted as many actors to play these roles, to have the chance to be the romantic lead as opposed to being stuck cast as the “fat best friend”, so I decided to add in the live casting at the start of the show. As every relationship is unique, so is every show. The four roles are cast live in front of the audience at the start of each show, igniting the relationship we the audience are about to witness, and the two actors are about to explore.
Reviews for Our Last First
★★★★ A high-quality new play with love at its centre.
Everything Theatre
It is witty, ambitious and works well
The Reviews Hub
it’s an original and refreshing idea
Theatre Things
and one that it would be great to explore further.
