Ad Infinitum’s acclaimed production Last Rites will take to the main stage at Bristol Old Vic from 15–19 July 2025, with a press night on Wednesday 16 July at 7.30pm.
This non-verbal solo show, co-created by George Mann and Ramesh Meyyappan and performed by Meyyappan, explores the transformative power of grief and parenthood through the eyes of a Deaf man.
Combining physical storytelling, dynamic projection, and a bass-heavy soundscape, Last Rites follows Arjun as he journeys from the UK to India to perform his father’s funeral rites—rituals never passed down due to a lifetime of silence between them.
“How do you honour an ancient Hindu ritual that was never passed down?” the creators ask. “In life, his father refused to learn sign language. In death, Arjun must find a way to say goodbye.”
The show is shaped by the creators’ own experiences of losing their fathers and becoming fathers themselves. It weaves memory, identity, and unspoken truths into a rich tapestry of shared memories and complex relationships.
Ramesh Meyyappan performs multiple intergenerational characters, supported by creative captions and integrated BSL, making the show accessible to deaf, Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing audiences.
Co-creators George Mann and Ramesh Meyyappan said, “Bringing Last Rites, a universal story told through the eyes of a Deaf man, to Bristol Old Vic—one of the most prestigious regional main stages in the UK—feels really special. We both love Bristol and share a connection to this wonderful community; it’s exciting and means such a lot to us to have the chance to tour our work here.”
They added, “Bristol is George’s home, and Ad Infinitum’s home too—the company’s relationship with the city and with the theatre goes back to 2012 when we first toured Translunar Paradise to Bristol Old Vic’s studio, before permanently relocating the company to Bristol in 2015.”
Following its Bristol run, Last Rites will tour to Bradford on 22 July as part of Bradford City of Culture 2025, and then to Edinburgh Festival Fringe at Pleasance One from 18–24 August as part of the Performance Created in England: Here & Now showcase.
A post-show discussion will take place on Friday 18 July, featuring Ramesh Meyyappan and Bristol-based Deaf artist David Ellington. The event will be conducted in BSL and translated into spoken English.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
