''Ticker'' is a one person play written and performed by Tom Machell. In May 2019, it previewed at various London Theatre venues including

Theatre 503 Theatre503, formerly the Latchmere Theatre, is a theatre located at 503 Battersea Park Road in Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth, above the Latchmere pub. The venue is known for promoting the work of new writers. History The the ...

and The Bunker Theatre before heading to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The play premiered in August at

Underbelly Underbelly is the side of something that is not normally seen. Figuratively, it means a vulnerable or weak part, similar to the term Achilles' heel, or alternatively, a hidden, illicit side of society. This term could refer to: Business * ...

, Cowgate. In November 2019, the production transferred to Alphabetti Theatre in

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...

and in 2021 to The

Turbine Theatre The Turbine Theatre is a commercial theatre on the banks of the River Thames at Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth, which opened in 2019. The theatre was established as part of the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station. The inaugur ...

Battersea Power Station Battersea Power Station is a decommissioned Grade II* listed coal-fired power station, located on the south bank of the River Thames, in Nine Elms, Battersea, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It was built by the London Power Company (LPC) ...

. The play was printed by PlayDead Press and Produced By Fight In The Dog in association with United Agents. The play was directed and developed by Derek Anderson with original compositions and sound design by Holly Khan.

Plot

Ticker follows twenty-something Spencer, a Geordie millennial who is deeply in love with the inestimable Gabi. But Spencers life is torn apart by Gabi's untimely—and unexplained—death. How can he even begin to cope with finding himself suddenly a prime suspect and a chief mourner? Themes of outsider grief and loneliness meet black-humour and frank dialogue, exploring male identity, toxic aggression, and how not talking about things can eventually lead to self-destruction.

Reception and coverage

The play received a number of five-star reviews, with ''Narc'' magazine describing it as "dark themes of death, grief and loneliness are paired with satirical, playful black humour; expect sharp and witty dialogue delivered with emotion and vulnerability and executed in what is sure to be a stand out lead performance from Tom Machell." The Scottish ''Sunday Post'' posted an article about the play and the impact it had on getting young people to get their hearts tested. The play partnered with

Cardiac Risk In The Young Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) is a humanitarian charitable organisation helping to raise awareness of young sudden cardiac death (YSCD, SCD), including sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS, SDS). CRY was established in May 1995 by Alison C ...

to raise awareness and funds for the charity. The play was dedicated to Machell's friend Stephanie Mclean who died of a heart condition aged 24.

References

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Plays for one performer 2010s debut plays {{Improve categories, date=June 2023