Photo Flash: BE PREPARED at the Edinburgh Fringe

Production images have today been released of writer-performer Ian Bonar in Be Prepared, which will premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the first season of Underbelly Untapped.

Be Prepared is Bonar's first full-length play, and has been developed at the RSC's Studio Theatre The Other Place. By turns poignant and gut-wrenchingly funny, Be Prepared is based on Bonar's own experiences and includes verbatim extracts of his grandfather's memoir. The production is directed by Rob Watt, with lighting design is by Elliot Griggs and sound design by Alex Crispin.

'Imagine seeing everything played out in your head in glorious f-ing technicolour... and then opening your mouth, and all that comes out is mixed-up nonsense and spit and dribble.'

Tom's dad is dead. Mr Chambers needs a funeral director. Tom is not a funeral director.

Conversations become confused. Mr Chambers' mind begins to disintegrate. As their memories intertwine and unravel, Tom connects to his father in ways he had never expected.

A heartbreaking, hilarious new play about one man struggling to remember while another tries to un-forget.

Ian Bonar's acting credits include Interlude in Prague, New Blood, Black Mirror, Southcliffe, Spectre and Atonement, as well as stage work such as The Witch of Edmonton and the Roaring Girls season (RSC), The Blackest Black (Hampstead Theatre) and Brilliant Adventures (Royal Exchange). He is a member of the Orange Tree Writers Collective and his second play, St Anthony, was recently longlisted for the Bruntwood Prize.

Rob Watt is a director and theatre-maker whose credits include Party Trap by Ross Sutherland (Shoreditch Town Hall), A Lie (Soho Theatre / Norfolk & Norwich Festival / Latitude Festival) and Standby for Tape Back-Up (Summerhall / Bush Theatre / Soho Theatre / Shoreditch Town Hall / UK tour). He formerly produced participatory work for young people as Youth Programme Manager at the National Theatre.

Web: bepreparedplay.com | underbellyedinburgh.co.uk

Photo credit: RICHARD DAVENPORT

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