Ahead of the world premiere of The Last Picture in the Studio at York Theatre Royal in February, we caught up with Director John R. Wilkinson to find out more about the journey of bringing this brand-new play to the stage…
Tell us more about The Last Picture and what audiences can expect?
It’s a one person show told from the point of view of an emotional support dog called Sam, as he takes a school group on a trip to a photography exhibit. The photos depict a specific period of history in Europe, and the show really asks the audience to use their imagination as we explore these images together.
The clever thing is you never see any of the pictures physically represented on stage.
There is something joyous about the power of storytelling and in particular the mechanisms we can use in theatre to tell those stories, which differs from other art forms. For me, theatre sits between literature and film and there is something so exciting about how much you can create in the imagination of the audience even with just one or two objects on the stage.
I think theatre has a responsibility to create those opportunities for audiences to get an imaginative work out and this show absolutely provides that.
What did you think when you first read Catherine Dyson’s script?
I first read the script as part of the RSC’s 37 Plays Project, and it immediately struck me as a show we had to make at York Theatre Royal. Catherine’s voice is new and different, and I loved the blend of restraint and emotional depth in her writing. It’s intimate and thought-provoking and tells an important story that feels so relevant.
I was fascinated by how Catherine uses the device of the dog to shield the audience from the heavy subject matter depicted in the photos. It’s a really clever way of exploring an intricate topic.
How do you go about taking a script like this and turning it into a show?
So much of what is in the script is about how the photographs are conjured in the imagination. A period of Research and Development was important to give us a sense of how we can do that most effectively on stage.
As a director one of the first jobs, particularly on a new script, is to really get to grips with what the writer has in their head and download and digest all of that to come up with the blueprint for the show. When Catherine and I began to talk about staging the show we were instinctively aligned in how we wanted to approach this. From that starting point it’s then been brilliant to begin having conversations about design, sound, lighting, etc with our fabulous creative team and really getting to grips with how we stage the show.
The choice of performer is of course incredibly important too – for Sam, what the part calls for above all else is warmth and the ability to get the audience visualising the story as it’s being told. We will be announcing casting very soon and I am so excited to see what that person does with the role!
What is your favourite part about directing a show like this?
One of my favourite parts is assembling the team and finding people who would suit the project and work well together. I have been so lucky with the creative team we have on board, who are all exceptional and I know we will make something special. I can’t wait to see it come to life on the stage and to get into rehearsals in January.
It’s also so exciting to work on a brand-new play and to partner with ETT and An Tobar and Mull Theatre as co-producers and see the show go out on tour.
What would you like the audiences to go away from the production feeling/thinking about?
The show is supremely objective – it’s much more about what the audience want to take from it and for each person that will be quite personal. The world is a scary place, and I hope that the play really emphasises the power of empathy and how important it is to have these conversations. I think above all else I’d hope that audiences will go away feeling that they’ve had a communal experience that is unlike anything else they’ve seen before – and a chance to really exercise the power of their imaginations!
If you could describe the production in three words, what would they be?
Necessary. Enthralling. Powerful.
The Last Picture is at York Theatre Royal from 05 – 14 Feb.
Find out more information and book your tickets here.
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