Одноактная пьеса о последних часах жизни Эдгара По в Театре народа Кемдена

Not many plays start with the protagonist walking into the bar and ordering a brandy. But that’s the way Scott Robinson’s one-man show, Edgar A. Poe’s Last Call, begins. After greeting us and getting everyone to join him in a toast, Poe takes us into the darkened auditorium, primarily lit with three handheld flickering lanterns. Poe is badly dressed and carrying a large Gladstone bag and, even though he is quite a dour personality, there is a positive spring in his step as he is off to get married to his second wife. Except he isn’t. For this story is about the final hours of his life – not a spoiler, as it is in the blurb about the show – and, we get to spend it in Poe’s company as he reminisces about his life, while being distracted by voices of those that have gone before (voiced by Tina Marie Serra, James Smillie & Morgan DiTaranto). And it is a fascinating life. Considering he was on the planet for only 40 years, EA managed to fit a heck of a lot in, and Robinson’s narrative gives the audience a broad overview of the writer’s life and times during the roughly sixty-minute run-time. Unfortunately, this means our knowledge of each new character or scene in his life is quite shallow, with nobody really getting more than a few paragraphs in the tale, leaving me wanting more. Here’s the thing. I really didn’t enjoy Edgar A. Poe’s Last Call but, if I’m honest, I don’t really know why. Scott Robinson is a fantastic actor with a presence that commands the stage – or the bar – the moment he steps in or on. As part of the show, he recited Poe’s famous poem “The Raven”, and while – prepare to clutch your pearls in shock and horror – I thought the poem itself was overblown and downright daft in places, I could not fault the passion and splendour of its delivery. What a performer. And I have to admire Shannon Patterson’s direction, which was smooth, used the space well and enabled Robinson to really bring out the dark melancholy of the character. Jacqueline Scaletta’s lighting design was uneven. At times, I found the lights slightly overwhelming and intrusive – particularly the blue ghostly one – but at other times the lighting was perfect, and here I’m thinking of the single light on a non-moving glitter ball creating a wonderful effect of a hazy moon in a cloudless sky, stunning. Ultimately, while there were some great elements and faultless acting, Edgar A. Poe’s Last Call really didn’t work for me. I left the theatre not sure if I was disappointed or stupid to have not fully understood what I was seeing. Not a good way to feel. I’ve read that this is not a finished work, and I am pleased, as both the character and their story are fascinating, with a lot to tell. Maybe fewer facts and more emotional journey to what is Poe’s final night. All in all, while the story was not for me, I’m happy to acknowledge the skill of the production and its delivery. Review by Terry Eastham “Why will you say that I am mad?!?” Dragging a trunkful of demons, Edgar Allan Poe, stands before us bewildered, begging assurance – he is not mad. Audiences wander through the darkened corridors of Poe’s imagination, encountering midnight omens, tragic devotion, and the slow unravelling of the human mind as Poe faces his final hour. Writer and performer – Scott Robinson Voice of Virginia – Tina Marie Serra Voice of Roderick Usher – James Smillie Voice of Berenice – Morgan DiTaranto Director – Shannon Patterson Executive Producer – Kate O’Connell Lighting Design – Jacqueline Scaletta Sound Design – Allison Casey Assistant Sound Design – Kelsey O’Connell Costume Design – Jevyn Nelms Original Music – Dale Stuckenbruck Marketing & Social Media – Mary Delaney Morphew Graphic & Web Designer – Amanda Stone Wigs – Didi’s Hair Salon EDGAR A. POE’S LAST CALL Camden People’s Theatre, 11 to 15 August 2026 Presented as part of The Camden Fringe