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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).

(The full script for The Lifesavers is now  available direct from Oberon Books (£ 8.99))

Production History

Keith Bartlett ........................................The Senator

Gina Isaac...................................................... Cathy

Laurence Mitchell, .......................................Robert

Ed Hughes........................................................Mark

Rupert Simonian .............................................Jack

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

Fraser's View  The first draft of  this play is dated 1997- so it took nearly twelve years  to reach production. Obviously, I'd like to think the play was simply ahead of its time, but the truth is a bit 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 workshopping and reading by the Caird Company, directed by Paul Robinson at the Jerwood Rooms in Southwark. 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 we got into this mess? I didn't agree with either sentiment, but none of the play's fans had the will, or clout, to make it happen, so other projects took over i.e. 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 2008, 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. We discovered 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 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 our faith in humanity - in the likelihood of our neighbours being kind - suddenly seems urgent.

The Lifesavers, was narrowly pipped for TMA Best Play of 2009. From a shortlist of three, The Lifesavers lost out to Lucy Prebble's all-conquering Enron, for this award, given at the Lyric Hammersmith in early November. It was great to have the play - and its production - included in such exalted company, the other play being Chris Good's King Pelican at Plymouth. Very fitting too that both Paul Robinson (Director of the play and Co- Artistic Director of Theatre 503) and Dee Evans (Mercury Theatre, Colchester - who co-produced it) were present to hold Fraser's hand and practice their rictus smiles. Better luck next time, guys...

Reviews Clipped

'...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 ... 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 Theatre 503  should be rightly proud." (UKTW)

"PR's finely pitched production...compelling...watch this play" (Reviewsgate)