Last Rites – Shoreditch Town Hall
Devised and performed by Ramesh Meyyappan, this 65-minute work covers a broad swath of one family’s history. Beginning with one man’s arrival in India, accompanied by his young son, on a journey to lay his estranged father to rest, Meyyappan, the solitary performer, alone on stage throughout the show but for the most minimal of props, embodies all three generations.
His performance is physically impressive and well directed by co-creator George Mann. An early comedic interlude depicting a series of cooking mishaps especially allows Meyyappan’s gifts to shine. Although rife with comedic moments the overall tone of the show is sobering, and it takes its subject matter seriously. As Meyyappan performs rituals over the body that is in turns both his own and his imagination’s, audiences are...