by Ed Fortune
Luke Thornborough is based in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland, New Zealand). He’s a writer and director who works in film, theatre, and short documentaries. His show, ALONE has been touring for three years now around Australasia and has come to the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time this year. We caught up with him to find out more.
STARBURST: What’s the pitch for ALONE?
Luke Thornborough: ALONE is a one-room tense sci-fi drama that is set in the not-too-distant future. In the deep reaches of space, two scientists have made a potentially monumental discovery, but will they be able to make it count? Will their faith in science or an almighty allow them to hold the ship together long enough to bring this seed of life back to a dying planet? It is a suspenseful multi-award-winning production that has been described as a combination of “Interstellar meets Waiting for Godot”. Inspired heavily by Star Trek, ALONE is a philosophical look at the human condition and how much faith we have in our own survival.
Why science fiction?
Science fiction offers such an amazing opportunity for writers to explore what it is to be human. All our hopes, fears, ambitions and cruelties can be delved into in such a rich and diverse genre. However, I wanted it to feel grounded and real. I worked extensively with scientists from the University of Auckland to make sure that the world was as true to life as possible. We also based our set design on the industrial look and feel of films like Alien to try and demonstrate a resource-poor world and create a sense of analogue nostalgia that the audience could relate to.
Feminism, climate change, and David Bowie. That’s quite a combination. Do they blend well together, and was that a surprise?
I worked closely with the two lead actors – Courtney Bassett and Kat Glass – for about a four-month period, where they fed back on the script. Indeed, Courtney suggested the writing prompt that inspired the whole production. The feedback from these two amazing actors, as well as the feedback I got from read-throughs, really led the script to a theme of feminism. The strife of working in male-dominated fields – the Airforce and Scientific research – was evident in all the feedback and research and was very eye-opening for me. As for climate change… well, I feel that the more awareness and seriousness we give to conversations about climate change, the more likely we’ll band together as a species to avert it. It is something I’m deeply passionate about – and the inability of our modern time to truly put aside our differences in order to save our world is played out by our two heroes in ALONE. As for Bowie… well, who doesn’t love Bowie?
Why theatre? What does theatre bring to this story that other formats don’t?
The show plays out in real-time, and I have worked hard to try and make a truly immersive experience – I believe that theatre really offers a sense of realism to the science fiction genre that is not always achieved by film. There are no panning shots of the stars… or spaceships gliding over planets… but these two actors will show you what it is like to be trapped in a little tin can… and what that can do to a person.
Why the Edinburgh Fringe?
Edinburgh Fringe holds a special place for us New Zealanders! It’s a long way for us to go, and it represents somewhat of a Holy Grail for us as so many have gone on to break onto the world stage as a result of success at the festival. I was blown away when Assembly offered us a slot for us to put on our show!
How different is Scotland from New Zealand?
I’ve only been here a few days, but I’ve got to say Edinburgh is absolutely beautiful. The history and the architecture are just a world away from back home. Also, the people here are wonderfully friendly and have been incredibly helpful in helping our small group of Kiwis!
There are thousands of shows at the fringe. Why should STARBURST readers seek this out?
This is a play that we’ve been crafting over the last three years – always with the goal of pursuing greater realism and moving audiences. The performers know these roles inside out and show after show, they pour their hearts and souls into ALONE. It is a chance to see sci-fi done with thought and passion and with a true love for the genre.
What are you looking forward to at the fringe?
I’m looking forward to seeing as many shows as I can! I’ve never seen a festival of this size before, and I can’t wait to jump right in!
What media are you currently enjoying?
I’m a huge fan of Interstellar, Alien, Arrival, Dune, Ex_Machina, and anything that takes you to another world while asking you very real questions about yourself!
Where can we see the show?
Assembly George Square Studios, Studio One – Aug 4th -28th at 15:20 – https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/alone
