The Last Audition at TheSpace On The Mile

Written and performed by Paul Shearman and directed by David St John, this solo show follows a once-celebrated Shakespearean actor as he prepares for what may be his final role, with his rehearsal on an empty stage turning into a reckoning as his memory falters and his past collides with the present. Inspired by Shearman's personal family experiences of dementia and paralleled with themes of ageing in King Lear, the piece blends humour, vulnerability, and storytelling with classic Shakespeare to examine identity and memory loss. The production represents dementia not as an isolated experience but as a shared journey, exploring the quiet courage required to keep going when everything familiar begins to fade. The show has previously toured to Beijing, Adelaide, and New York, where it received the NYC Fringe Extension Award, and makes its UK premiere at Edinburgh Festival Fringe.