Declan, a one-person play written and performed by actor Alistair Hall, has been programmed by Underbelly for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. The surreal tale of isolation and sexual discovery in rural Wiltshire hooked viewers online during lockdown.
The play has since been developed for live audiences with director Billy Barrett, co-founder of award-winning theatre company Breach (After The Act) who will direct the show for its upcoming Fringe debut.
Set in a Wiltshire suburb, Declan is a fragmented, surreal solo show. As childlike outsider Jimbo recalls the disappearance of his best friend Declan, he is plagued by the ghosts of the past. With a hazy grasp on reality, Jimbo searches through his fractured town for Declan and along the way makes troubling discoveries about his own childhood.
Declan gripped live audiences during a short run at Camden People’s Theatre last winter and the play has been expanded and developed for its Fringe premiere.
Writer and performer Alistair Hall said: “I feel it’s the right time to bring Declan to Edinburgh. The piece has had time to develop since its digital debut and director Billy Barrett has helped create a new, fully-charged production that feels alive and sensory.”
Director Billy Barrett said: “Alistair’s play has gripped and intrigued me ever since I encountered it as a short, sharp burst of nightmarish storytelling online during lockdown. It’s been a delight to collaborate with him and unlock further discoveries about this visceral piece.”
