855-FOR-TRUTH
Hope Theatre
11-22nd Feb 2025
“Having electrified audiences at Pleasance Theatre and Bristol Old Vic in 2024, 855-FOR-TRUTH is coming to The Hope Theatre for 2025. Where a dynamic love story and climate doomsday narrative collide, this gripping story of shared humanity, and our frustrated desire to fix our world and everyone in it, will explore how even the most polarising views can become similar. This incredible inquest into human nature will challenge audiences through exploring themes of faith, science and survival.
Set somewhere in the woods between Hilldale, Utah, and The End of The World, an 18-year-old religious cult member and young climate scientist meet. Meredith, raised in a Christian cult, believes the world will end in six days whilst Isaac, an outsider environmentalist, is racing against time to figure out The Project. The role of Isaac will be played by Max Raphael (The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Lionsgate; Slaughterhouse Rulez, Netflix) and Meredith by Molly Hanly (A Very Expensive Poison, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School; Rhubarb and Custard, Bloomsbury Festival).
With sharp wit, poetic pacing and profound intellectual exchange, this unlikely connection will unveil their conflicting worldviews, shaped by stories they have been told by patriarchal scientists and religious preachers. As they navigate their beliefs and uncover new truths together, Meredith and Isaac’s relationship will delve into the question of whether love can be the most revolutionary act in a world full of chaos.”
Review by Richard Lambert, 3 Stars
The marketing and synopsis for this show: “This incredible inquest into human nature will challenge audiences through exploring themes of faith, science and survival”…..is a lot to live up to! And to be honest, it doesn’t quite manage to score. It’s a 2 hour show with long drawn out sequences that would have benefited from a lot of pruning!
The audience are in traverse and the back row chairs have very limited view of the stage floor where a lot of the action occurred. This lack of visibility might have accounted for leaving the show at the end wondering what it had all been about. Perhaps the blocking was done for another venue and then not adjusted to suit this venue, or perhaps the director never watched the show from the back row with an audience sat in the front row?
But having said that, the set was really interesting. The lights were stark and moody creating an other-worldliness. And the sound was really good – with sound effects, background soundscapes and Springsteen tracks throughout most of the show.
The highlight and strength of this production comes from the cast. Very solid performances from both but particularly from Molly Hanly playing Meredith. The cast save the production and that’s what makes it worthwhile going to watch. It’s a show for performers, rather than the general public, to enjoy.
There is a fabulous 50 minute fringe show buried within this play.
Cast
Max Raphael
Molly Hanly
Writer Eva Hudson
Director Lydia McKinley
Designer Rhiannon Binnington
Photo credit: Robert Grooms
855-FOR-TRUTH
Performance Dates Tuesday 11th February – Saturday 22nd February 2025, 7:45pm
Running Time 90 minutes without interval
Location The Hope Theatre
207 Upper Street, N1 1RL
How to get there The nearest station is Highbury & Islington (Victoria Line, Overground and First Capital Connect) and Angel (Northern Line). The area is well served by buses and the routes 4, 19, 30 and 43 all run past the venue.
The nearest bus stop is Islington Town Hall.
Prices £18/£16/£10
Age Guidance 18+
Trigger Warnings Climate anxiety, inferred sexual and physical abuse, religious trauma.
Social media @gentlewomenproductionhouse
#855fortruth