WRITTEN BY: JAMES LEWIS
DIRECTED BY: DAVID BRADY

Noun. shatterbox (plural shatterboxes) A device for mechanically pulverizing a sample of material, used by scientists.

A man wakes up confined to a cage in a clandestine facility.
The cage will only open when he tells the truth.
The only thing that will save his life is a desperate act of compliance.

A woman is assigned to a cage in a clandestine facility.
The cage will only open when she uncovers the truth.
The only thing that will save her life is the ultimate act of defiance.

The only problem is that neither of them knows quite what the truth is, and neither of them knows quite how far each of them will go to discover it before time runs out.

The Shatter Box is a rollercoaster dystopian cat-and-mouse tango of interrogation, confession, staying alive and lying through your teeth from the critically-acclaimed Offie-Nominated team behind Flashbang (2022), Lately (2021), AAAAA (2021) & At Last (2019) which will open the Autumn / Winter season at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre this September.

CONTENT ADVISORY: Contains strong language, adult themes and discussions & depictions of violence and torture.

PRAISE FOR PROFORCA THEATRE COMPANY

PRAISE FOR “THE SHATTER BOX (2023)
STANDING OVATION FINALIST - BEST DIRECTOR [DAVID BRADY] - LONDON PUB THEATRES

★★★★★ ‘intense dystopian drama, with an astonishingly clever reveal’ - LONDON PUB THEATRES

★★★★ "a certified hit by Proforça Theatre Company, this razor-sharp show heightens the stakes of truth or consequence. - THE DESKBOUND DRAMATIC

★★★★ "There’s excellent potential here, and a very engaging and exciting production" - SALTERTON ARTS REVIEW

"...The cast – Fred Wardale, Gabrielle Nellis-Pain, Lauren Ferdinand, Nick Hardie and Melissa Phillips – are stellar" - JK SEES

PRAISE FOR “LATELY” (2021/23)

OFFIE NOMINATION (OFFWESTEND.COM) - BEST NEW PLAY
STANDING OVATION NOMINATION - LONDON PUB THEATRES - FRED WARDALE (ACTING PERFORMANCE)

★★★★★ “The play has more than earned its ‘Offie’ nomination” - Breaking the Fourth Wall

★★★★ “It’s a tough show full of tough themes, but it has a heart as big as the moon over Thailand” View from the Cheap Seat

★★★★ “Lately is beautiful moving storytelling. It’s real life. It’s excellent theatre” - London Theatre Reviews

★★★★ - “Lately is a sensitive, possibly triggering, realisation that to save yourself, you can’t save others.” - West End Best Friend

★★★★ “The beautiful lyrical script was a pleasure to hear. The work is cleverly circular with a lot of ground covered in between” - London Pub Theatres

★★★★ “A beautiful and personal drama, Lately’s themes of wanting to escape both physically and mentally from your life are relatable of so many levels” - Everything Theatre

★★★★ “This is such an exquisite and sensitively written play I would happily have spent another evening in its company - View From the Outside

★★★★ “When given such extremely fine treatment as it is here, this thoughtful and moving play certainly demands to be seen.” - London Living Large

“Writing, direction & performances of the highest quality, with a story thats infinitely relatable.” - Theatre Things

PRAISE FOR “FLASHBANG” (2023)

★★★★★ - “...a piece of such raw, masculine, emotional piece of theatre...Proforca delivered a fun, real love song dedicated to the modern British male & the concept of bromance..It's an absolute stunner of fringe productions in 2022 for me!" - West End Evenings

★★★★★ - “James Lewis’s luminous script is an affable, affectionate ode to lad hood & the working class” - Lost in Theatre-land

★★★★★ - “Proforca has taken the beauty of normality and shone an unlikely spotlight on it. It is poetry, pain, pleasure & a pure joy to behold" - MyTheatreMates

★★★★ - "…truly engages the audience with good writing, and amazing acting. Proforca Theatre is able to bring a dramatic twist while fully celebrating the charm of small-town life-long friendships…” - Always Time For Theatre

★★★★ - “..full of the usual Proforca magic; wonderful writing alongside expertly delivered performances…an emotional examination of how young men deal with unexpected grief" Everything Theatre

★★★★ - "Very few theatre companies bring the real alive on stage. Proforca is one of them. They are able to dramatise ordinary life using ordinary people, creating brave, vivid theatre” - London Theatre Reviews

★★★★ - “A searing but beautifully written play about the importance of friendship that feels incredibly realistic thanks to a superb cast” - Theatre Weekly
★★★★ - "An authentic exploration of growing up as a guy in a small town with your best friends. It is truthful, visceral and packed with talent and potential.” - Longstaff Reviews

★★★★ – “a piece that is resplendently energetic and poignant” – London Pub Theatres

CAST:

KNIGHT: FRED WARDALE
REINA: GABRIELLE NELLIS-PAIN
BISHOP: LAUREN FERDINAND
CASTLE: NICK HARDIE

With the Voice Of:  MELISSA PHILLIPS AS KING

PRODUCTION TEAM:

WRITTEN BY:
DIRECTED BY: David Brady
ORIGINAL MOVEMENT BY:
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: David Brady
MARKETING DESIGN: Proforca Theatre Company
PUBLIC RELATIONS: TBC
ADDITIONAL MARKETING: TBC
PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHY: Ross Kernahan

 THE PRODUCERS WISH TO THANK: