10. The Plays (8): The Lifesavers

Synopsis What if the world had changed? What if parenthood was forbidden? What if you broke the rules? A couple desperate for a baby. A boy who has seen too much. Watching  over all of them are the saviours, policing us into being human, protecting us from a world riven  with fear. They call themselves the Lifesavers.

Plunging us into a frighteningly paranoid parallel world, the play explores what happens when a society pursues the goal of a safe society to its logical conclusion. In an era of atrocity, the play asks simply, how should we live?

Cast Five (four male; one female).

Production History

The Lifesavers had a three-week run (27th January-21st February) at Theatre 503 the play was transferred to the Mercury Theatre Studio, Colchester, where it ran  from 24th February to 7th March.

Directed by Paul Robinson for Theatre 503 in association with the Mercury Theatre, Colchester ; the cast included Keith Bartlett (the Senator), Gina Isaac (Cathy), Laurence Mitchell, Ed Hughes and Rupert Simonian (Jack).

Design was by Helen Goddard; Sound by Richard Hammarton; Lighting by Emma Chapman

Frasers View The first draft of this play is dated 1997- so it took nearly 12 years to reach production. Obviously, I'd like to think the play was simply ahead of it's time, but the truth is a bit more more complicated. The National Theatre originally commissioned the piece for the NT Workshop, before the RSC picked it up in 2000 for a workshop and reading at The Other Place, Stratford, directed by Kate Hall. It was then given a further week's workshop and reading by the Caird Company, directed by Paul Robinson at the Jerwood Rooms in Suffolk. The play (Then called R Babylon) was clearly provoking a lot of interest, but also some nervousness. Wasn't the play's vision of social collapse and brutality a bit far-fetched? Didn't it need a first act explaining how we got into this mess? I did not agree with either sentiment, but none of the play's fans seemed to have the will or clout to make it happen, so other projects took over- Breakfast with Mugabe in the case of the RSC, a further commission, eventually, with the NT. Maybe this would turn out to be one of those plays that opens doors for other stuff, but never gets to fly itself.

In 2007, with Paul Robinson now established as co-artistic director at Theatre 503, the opportunity came to look at the play again. By this time, Paul and I had worked on two productions together, and he was kind enough to want a third. Great credit to him for persuading me to revisit the script, working with me as I honed it for 2009, and for giving the play such great productions. First, in London and then, in Colchester, everything - script, design, company, sound, direction- came together, in such a balanced way. In the process a new partnership was forged between 503 and the Colchester Mercury Theatre, and we discovered, I think, a play that speaks very much to our time. Maybe it's because the current financial crisis has knocked our confidence so much, or because so many appalling cases of brutality to children have come to light in recent years, or perhaps it's the slow-burn consciousness of crises in Rwanda, Bosnia and elsewhere, but the play no longer feels far-fetched in the slightest. The question of how we live when we've lost faith in humanity-in the likelihood of our neighbours being kind-suddenly seems pretty urgent!

The full script for The Lifesavers is now available direct from Oberon Books (£ 8.99; www.oberonbooks.com ).

Clipped Reviews

'... a fiercely intelligent writer and this is a gripping play...good performances all round... Paul Robinson's production wracks up the tension to terrific effect...' (The Guardian)

'...absorbingly creepy and provocative...a shuddering energy catching the mood of our own uncertain times' (The Times)

'...remarkable and unpredictable ...deftly handled  by director Paul Robinson...balanced and surprising...'  (The Stage)

'...a refreshing and thought- provoking production'  (WhatsonStage)

'Paul Robinson's direction is tight, level-headed, powerful and startling. The sort of new writing and powerful production of which Theatre503 should be rightly  proud' (UKTW)

'PR's finely pitched production...compelling...watch out- and watch this play'  (Reviewsgate)