How to Fight Loneliness
By Neil LaBute, Directed by Lisa Spirling
Jodie and Brad seem like they have it all. The house in the suburbs, the nice car, the fully stocked bar. But when the couple are faced with a devastating crisis, they must enlist the help of a mysterious acquaintance from Jodie’s past.
In this timely, dark, and dazzling UK premiere, Tony Award-nominated Neil LaBute takes an unflinching look at how we navigate our lives when time is running out.
LaBute’s most shocking and tender play yet is directed by Stratford East’s newly appointed Artistic Director Lisa Spirling (Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial), from the producers of the 5-star Park Theatre hits Clybourne Park and The Shape of Things.
-
Evenings
19:30
Thu & Sat15:00
-
Duration
Approx 2 hours and 20 mins inc interval
-
Genre
Drama
-
Age guidance
14+
-
Content warnings
This production includes violence, strong language, terminal illness and death.
Content Warnings
This production includes violence, strong language, terminal illness and death.
The production directly explores themes of assisted dying/assisted suicide.
Gallery
In the press
"A welcome return to LaBute’s work"
The Stage
"Gets us to both think and feel"
The Times
"Further proof of LaBute’s talents as a writer"
All That Dazzles
"Nothing short of breathtaking"
The American
"A rich and intimate theatrical experience"
LondonTheatre1
"Justine Kehinde delivers an astonishing performance"
Broadway World
Cast and creatives
-
Justina Kehinde
Jodie
Justina Kehinde
Jodie
Justina is an actor, writer and director. She studied at the University of Cambridge, Associated Studios (DipMT) and ALT Actor Training.
As an actor her theatre credits include: The Mountaintop (Leicester Curve); Girl From the North Country (UK and Ireland inaugural tour); Best of Enemies (Young Vic); NHS The Musical (Theatre Royal Plymouth) and Passengers (Adelaide Fringe Festival).
Her film credits include: Tipping Point (Cherry Films) and BAIL.
Her TV credits include: Father Brown (BBC); The Sandman (Netflix) and Holby City (BBC).
-
Archie Backhouse
Brad
Archie Backhouse
Brad
Archie recently reprised his starring role as Erich Bagge in the critically acclaimed Farm Hall at Theatre Royal Haymarket. He also recently reprised his role of Man in Míriam Battye’s Strategic Love Play at Soho Theatre.
Last year it enjoyed sold out runs in Edinburgh and Soho Theatre as well as winning a Fringe First award.
His other theatre credits include: OFFIEwinning The Wonderful World of Dissocia (Stratford East); Telethon (TalkShow Theatre); Hunger (Arcola Theatre); The Listening Room (Crowded Room/UK Tour); There is a Field (Synergy Theatre/Theatre 503); The Outsider (Print Room at the Coronet) and The Gap in the Light (New Diorama Theatre).
His screen credits include: The Sandman (Netflix) and Save Me (World Productions/ Sky Atlantic).
-
Morgan Watkins
Tate
Morgan Watkins
Tate
Morgan’s theatre credits include: The Monkey (Theatre503); Desire Under the Elms (Lyric Hammersmith); Saved (Lyric Hammersmith); The Poetry of Dan Brown (Roundhouse); The Door Never Closes (Almeida Theatre); Mrs Reynolds and the Ruffian (Watford Palace Theatre); Mother Courage and her Children (National Theatre) and Motortown (RADA).
Film credits include: Chicken; Reawakening (Little Light Films); Napoleon (20th Century Studios); Doctor Jekyll (B Good Picture Company); Ire (Ascendent Films); Small City (Small City Productions) and A Little Chaos (BBC Films).
TV credits include: Under Salt Marsh (Sky); Noughts and Crosses (BBC); King Gary Series 2 (BBC); Sliced (Dave); Midsummer Murders (ITV); A Very British Scandal (BBC); Harlots (ITV); Informer (BBC) and Chewing Gum (Channel 4).
-
Neil LaBute
Writer
Neil LaBute
Writer
Neil LaBute is a writer and director for theater, television and film. Some of his work includes In the Company of Men, Your Friends & Neighbours, Some Velvet Morning, Bash, The Shape of Things, Fat Pig, Reasons to be Pretty, This is How it Goes, Ten X Ten and Billy & Billy.
He is also co-creator and show-runner of the words ‘hello’ and ‘beige.’
-
Lisa Spirling
Director
Lisa Spirling
Director
Lisa Spirling has been the Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Theatre503 London since 2016. She is the Creative Associate of Eleanor Lloyd Productions. Previously she was the coordinator of the JMK Trust Regional Director’s Program and a founder of Buckle for Dust Theatre Company. Productions include: Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial by Liv Hennessy (West End, ELP Productions & Eilene Davidson Productions, Olivier Nominated), The Boys are Kissing by Zak Zarifshan, Milk & Gall by Mathilde Dratwa, Wolfie by Ross Willis, In Event of Moone Disaster by Andrew Thompson (Theatre503); Jumpy by April De Angelis (Theatr Clwyd), Describe The Night By Rajiv Joseph, Ken by Terry Johnson, Pine by Jacqui Honess-Martin, Deposit by Matt Hartley, Fault Lines by Ali Taylor, I Know How I Feel About Eve by Colette Kane (Hampstead Theatre); Donkeys’ Years and Here by Michael Frayn (Rose Theatre); Hundreds & Thousands by Louise Ramsden (Buckle For Dust / English Touring Theatre / Soho Theatre); Cotton Wool by Ali Taylor ( Buckle for Dust / Theatre503). Lisa was the Associate Director for Neil Labute on the production of his West End play In A Forest Dark and Deep produced by Nimax.
-
Trish Wadley
Producer
Trish Wadley
Producer
Trish is a five times Olivier nominee, producing must see theatre in London, Australia, New York and Greece. She is currently presenting the Greek production of Prima Facie by Suzie Miller in Athens. Most recently, Trish co-produced FANGIRLS by Yve Blake at Lyric Hammersmith with Sonia Friedman Productions. Latest West End productions include A Mirror, Opening Night and the Bob Marley musical Get Up Stand Up! As lead producer, Trish produced the critically acclaimed Othello at Riverside Studios, a successful Off West End revival of The Shape of Things by Neil LaBute at Park Theatre and the Australian premiere of Tiny Beautiful Things by Nia Vardalos in Brisbane and Sydney. Othello and The Shape Of Things are currently streaming on Original Theatre. Following an extensive international career in Media as a Journalist and Director of Marketing, Trish moved into theatre working at The Bush Theatre and Kiln Theatre. She created FRESH LINES, a regular series showcasing emerging talent in the Salon of Spring Restaurant, Somerset House. She is a member of SOLT and UK Theatre, a Stage One Bursary recipient, Director of The Uncertainty Principle, a Trustee of The Britain Australia Society and Advance Ambassador for Australia. TRISH WADLEY PRODUCTIONS Theatre productions include: Prima Facie (Theatre Poreia, Athens); FANGIRLS (Lyric Hammersmith); Opening Night (Gielgud Theatre); A Mirror (Trafalgar Theatre – Olivier nomination); OTHELLO (Riverside Studios – Nominated Best Off West End Production, What’s On Stage Awards); Tiny Beautiful Things (Queensland Theatre, Belvoir Theatre); The Shape of Things; Clybourne Park (Park Theatre – Nominated Best Off West End Production, What’s On Stage Awards); Get Up Stand Up! (Lyric Theatre – Olivier Award Best Original Score or Orchestration); The Wider Earth by David Morton (The Natural History Museum – Olivier nomination); The Red Lion by Patrick Marber (Trafalgar Studios – Olivier nomination) and My Night With Reg (Apollo Theatre – Olivier nomination). For Defibrillator, as Executive Producer: A Lie Of The Mind (Southwark Playhouse); Speech & Debate (Trafalgar Studios); The Tennessee Williams Hotel Plays (Grange Hotel and Langham, London); Hard Feelings; The One Day of the Year (Finborough); The Armour (Langham, London) and Insignificance (Langham Place, New York). Currently in Development: The Hamlet Project (London); BURN by Chris Thompson; The Wider Earth by David Morton (International Tour) and a new commission with Suzie Miller.
-
Mona Camille
Set and Costume Designer
Mona Camille
Set and Costume Designer
Mona Camille is a stage designer from Seychelles and Germany, with a background in architecture. She works across theatre, live performance, film, and dance. Recent design credits include: Kim’s Convenience (Park Theatre and Riverside Studios); More…Ghost Stories by Candlelight (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse and East Anglia Tour); We All Know How This Ends (Theatre Royal Stratford East); L’Instinct de Mort (Avignon Festival and La Comédie St. Michel Paris); Milk & Gall (Theatre503); Camaleonte (Studio Goodluck); and Harmony (York Theatre Royal, Blue Elephant Theatre). As an associate designer, her credits include: A View from the Bridge (Headlong Theatre); Henry V (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse); Worth (Arcola Theatre); and Raya (Hampstead Theatre).
-
Chuma Emembolu
Lighting Designer
Chuma Emembolu
Lighting Designer
Chuma Emembolu is an Offie Nomiated Lighting Designer and has become one of the industries leading go-to designers for exciting and innovative professional lighting design. Chuma Emembolu trained at the Royal Shakespeare Company and has been a leading designer for innovative lighting for over two decades. Chuma in an associate tutor at RADA and in recent years he has been a guest lecturer for institutions including Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Theatre includes: The Great Privation (Theatre 503); Cavalleria Rusticana (Blackheath Halls); Snow White (Kenton Theatre); Owners (Jermyn Street Theatre); London Zoo (Southwark Playhouse), Semele (Blackheath Hall); Around The World In 80 Days (Theatre by the Lake/Hull Truck Theatre); Comedy of Errors (more or less) (Shakespeare North Playhouse/Stephen Joseph Theatre); Ruth and Six of Calais (Royal Academy of Music); Sir John in Love (Opera Holland Park); The Shoemaker (Wales Millennium Centre); For Black Boys Who Considered Suicide When The Hue Got To Heavy (New Diorama Theatre); Icarus (Tobacco Factory Theatres); Great Expectations (Playground Theatre); Aspern Papers, L’enfant (Royal Academy of Music); Here’s What She Said To Me (Belgrade Theatre/York Royal Theatre); Man of Mode (The Mack); The Night Woman (The Other Palace); Love, Poison Passion and Purification (Susie Sainsbury Theatre); Maggie and Ted (Garrick Theatre); Tales from Ovid (Swan Theatre) and Don Juan (Hoxton Hall).
-
Roly Botha
Sound Designer and Composer
Roly Botha
Sound Designer and Composer
Roly (they/them) is a composer and sound designer, and is an Associate Artist of The PappyShow. Theatre includes: Playfight (Soho/Bristol Old Vic/Belgrade/Roundabout); The Jungle Book (Theatre by the Lake); Rift (Immediate Theatre); Gunter (Royal Court); Dear Young Monster (Bristol Old Vic); Hir (Park Theatre); Gwyneth Goes Skiing (Pleasance); Truth & Tails (Chichester Festival Theatre); Tambo & Bones (Theatre Royal Stratford East); Shut Up, I’m Dreaming (National Theatre/School’s Tour); The Ultimate Pickle; A Sudden Violent Burst of Rain; Half Empty Glasses (Paines Plough); Orlando (Jermyn Street); BOYS (Barbican, Southbank Centre, touring); Coming To England (Birmingham Rep); WILD (Unicorn); Blowhole (Soho); Milk & Gall (Theatre503); Brother (Southwark Playhouse); and Warheads (Park Theatre – Olivier Nominated).
Knocking Pizza out of the Park
Whether it’s a catch up, pre-show meal or post show drink, we’ve got you covered.
Support Resources
Post-show support resources
PDF, 116.84kbFresh new shows
The Meat Kings! (Inc.) of Brooklyn Heights
The Gathered Leaves
(the) Woman
Help us thrive
As a registered charity, we rely on the generous support of individuals like you to fund our work.
Love Park Theatre?
Sign up to hear about events, news and offers.
Mailing List
w
We will use your data to keep you up-to-date with news, events and offers. For more information, please see our Privacy Statement.