The Departure – The Lion & Unicorn Theatre
In The Departure we encounter Lily, an emerging scientist returning from her mother’s funeral, who discovers Ross, a stranger staying in her flat seemingly without reason. We later discover that Ross knows Lily’s roommate Jules, who had offered him the flat, but a mix-up over the dates means the two strangers unexpectedly find themselves sharing the space. Ross is waiting for his new passport to arrive at the flat, before taking a flight to move to Australia for a job. Trapped together for the evening, they gradually begin to talk, revealing more about themselves and the grief they are hiding within.
Ross has learned to deal with pain through avoidance. He puts his problems into his pocket watch, compartmentalising them so that he can keep moving. Lily has become deeply anxious after ye...