Last Session by Steve Schalchlin at Tristan Bates Theatre

CliMar Productions presents The Last Session at the Tristan Bates Theatre, in Covent Garden, central London, from 25 Sep to 27 Oct 2012.

It has music and lyrics by Steve Schalchlin. Book by Jim Brochu. Additional lyrics by John Bettis and Marie Cain.

Directed by Guy Retallack, lighting by Richard Williamson and musical director is Tom Turner.

The Last Session is partly based on composer Steve Schalchlin’s own experiences and was written in an era in when AIDS was a terrifying and growing epidemic for which the treatment was largely experimental.

Set in a recording studio in 1996, singer/songwriter, Gideon is tired of being ill and ready to give up. He’s holding one last session to record the most important album of his life. To show his undying love to his partner, he plans to record a musical letter of farewell. For this last session, he reunites with some old friends and is joined by an unexpected visitor, who shares Gideon’s Christian faith and for whom Gideon’s sexuality changes everything. The Last Session tells Gideon’s story: of faith, love and hope and of the search for a reason to go on in the face of pain, indignity and adversity.

- by Darren Dalglish