ENDLESS SECOND Comes to The Edinburgh Fringe

W and M are thrown together as scene partners on the first day of their Drama degree. Their off-stage relationship soon develops into a real-life love story. Amateur dramatics free, their romance unfolds without incident and in the haze of young passion; they meet the families, go away together and carry one another through the stresses of their degree. They listen to each other. They respect each other.

One drunken evening changes everything. One unheeded word. W says "no". But M doesn't stop. In the aftermath, W struggles to process what has happened to her. How could it be rape? He loves her. He couldn't have done that.

Endless Second explores consent within relationships and how two people deal with the trauma of rape- a rape that fundamentally alters the nature of their relationship. The play examines how we talk about sexual assault and aims to create a safe dialogue about consent and responsibility. Cut the Cord, follow their critically acclaimed runs of Kinder K and I Run, presenting the world premiere of this sensitive and timely two-hander. The play was written with the help, support and advice of charity The Survivor's Trust

Staged with the aspiration of pushing for change, writer Theo Toksvig-Stewart explains:?"I wrote Endless Second in response to a number of conversations I had with female friends where they disclosed personal accounts of sexual assault and harassment. I then became interested in the active role men can play in the conversation through ownership of responsibility after watching a Ted Talk by Thordis Elva and Tom Stranger. I hope this play can add to the conversations around consent and help raise awareness of the different and complex aspects of our common experience, so they become easier to identify, and hopefully, prevent."

Theo Toksvig-Stewart is no stranger to the intersection of art and activism; son of Sandi Toksvig and Peta Stewart, his upbringing has ensured that he has long been aware of the vital role of culture in the political landscape.

Theo - Writer & M - is an actor and writer who trained at Drama Centre London. This production with Cut the Cord is Theo's first fully produced work. As an actor, Theo's theatre credits include Silver Lining (English Touring Theatre), Beyond the Blue (Cut the Cord), The Croydon Avengers (Maya Productions), N89 (Matchstick Theatre), The Institute of Nuts (Matchstick Theatre). His television & film credits include: EastEnders (BBC), Destroyer of Worlds (Pumpkin Monkey Pictures) and The Painting (Bertie Samengo-Turner).

Endless Second also stars Madeleine Gray, as W, who graduated from the MA Acting course at Drama Centre London in September, as well as music composed by award-winning singer, songwriter, theatre maker and music producer, Sarah Carton, and is directed by award-winning Danish director Camilla Gurtler.

Endless Second runs from 31st July - 26th August (not 13th) at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. For tickets and more information: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/endless-second

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