Details

Spider is an irreverent fast-paced romp with a deeply flawed character at its heart. It explores themes of power, authority, and manipulation set against a backdrop of shifting social values. For years Frank Dowling has had his acting students in his thrall. But two decades after starring in the West End hit, Spider, his vigour is waning. Set in a London drama school, we watch his students develop over the course of a year, their training culminating in an improvisational game set in Epping Forest. Here, over a few hot days in June, the discipline learned in the rehearsal room rapidly starts to unravel. The play asks what happens when you deconstruct your heroes and watches as the superior male begins to lose his grip on power. An energetic adventure story, it will leave audiences guessing until the end. Spider was originally performed at South London Theatre in April 2023 with a run time of two hours and a cast of ten. For Bitesize Festival, the drama has been distilled into 60 minutes with a reduced cast of eight.

Cast/Performers

Jason Salmon (Frank Dowling), Saffy Andrews (Amelia), Scarlett Green (Erin), Shona Delvaille (Jema), Tom Boxall (Luke), Henry Burt (Mitch), Calla Cambrey (Nadine), Joel Gibson (Oscar)

Creatives/Company

Author: Jude Benning
Presented by: Cold Comfort Productions
Director(s): Jude Benning, Tom Watts (assistant)
Lighting(s): Fintan Davies, James Jackson (original production)