Far Away

by Caryl Churchill

at Ambika P3

Overview | People | Gallery | Awards

It wasn’t so much the birds I was frightened of, its the weather. The weather here’s on the side of the Japanese. There were thunderstorms all through the mountains.

In 2025, we created the first site-based version of Caryl Churchill’s absurd, dystopian classic for the vast underground concrete bunker at Ambika P3. This was the first theatre performance in this extraordinary hidden space in the heart of London’s Westminster. 25 years after its premiere, Churchill’s pared back, absurd vision of authoritarianism and climate disaster was profoundly resonant in a Britain divided by factions and a rising populist right. Staged in the atmospheric spaces of Ambika P3, the production is nominated for the 2026 National Fringe Awards for Costume, Direction, Ensemble Performance, Lighting Design, Sound Design and Production.

5 - 23 August 2025

A co-production between University of Westminster’s Live Performance project and Lost Text/Found Space.

Caryl Churchill ©

  • "Prescient, deeply disturbing and naggingly unforgettable, it is probably time to acknowledge it as a 20th century classic."

    Plays International (★★★★★)

  • "McCutcheon’s production is truly immersive…she makes the venue serve the play and her use of the central space is ingenious."

    Plays International (★★★★★)

  • "The hats by Nicola Hewitt-George are wondrous, and Lucy Ann Harrison’s sound design hits all the right notes for such desolation."

    The Reviews Hub (The Reviews Hub (★★★★½)

  • "Lorna Dale, Samuel Gosrani and Lizzie Hopley excel in their performances, with the slither of romance between the milliners finely judged. Jack Hathaway’s lights are inspired."

    The Reviews Hub (★★★★½)

Principal Cast

  • Lorna Dale

    (Joan)

    A young woman with curly red hair and freckles, wearing a floral sleeveless top, standing against a plain, light-colored background.

  • Samuel Gosrani

    (Todd)

    A young man with dark hair and a beard, wearing a white tank top, silver necklace, and a tattoo of a mushroom on his left arm, standing against a plain white background.

  • Lizzie Hopley

    (Harper)

    A middle-aged woman with red hair styled in an updo, wearing a blue denim shirt, standing against a plain white background.

Core Creative & Production Team

  • Rebecca McCutcheon

    (Artistic Director)

  • Lucy Ann Harrison

    (Sound Design)

  • Nicola Hewitt-George

    (Set & Costume Design)

  • Jack Hathaway

    (Lighting Design)

  • Siobhan Bauer

    (Associate Producer)

  • Emma Lord

    (Production & Stage Manager)

  • Ben Lucas

    (Production Electrician)

Creative & Production Assistants

  • Jude Benning

    (Casting Associate)

  • Alexandra Palmer

    (Design Assistant)

  • Nicola Osayi

    (LX & Operations Assistant)

  • Rameethha Venkatesh

    (Audio Assistant)

  • Jack Young

    (Community Director)

Marketing & Communications

  • Yasmin Awoyemi

    (Digital Marketing)

  • Millie Long

    (Audience Development)

  • Jefferson Ramos Savellano

    (Print & Digital Design)

  • Juliete Harpur

    (BSL Translator)

  • Ellie Kurttz

    (Production Photography)

  • Isa Baccon

    (Videographer)

  • Martin Shippen

    (Press Lead)

  • Kelly Thurston

    (Marketing Lead)

Community Chorus & Ushers

Anna Andres, Marlen Armendariz, Rachel Brown, Isabel Cameron, Maria Frangeskou, Kieran Gupta, Alisha Khan, Katie-Rose Mannion, Joel Marquis-Kumba, Catriona McKenna, Carmen Miller, Zain Mohammed, David Ogbuehi, Tessa Olsson, Zach Omitowoju, John Quan, Haritha Raj, Varanya Saluja, Gui Sinning, Felicity Thompson, Alishba Tofiq, Dimitrios Vanos

Venue Support & Operations

Live Performance Project, University of Westminster: Mia Carrington, Valeria Perboni, Kendall Remington
Ambika P3: Niall Carter, Eleftherios Dimouliass

Partners & Support

  • University of Westminster Live Performance logo
  • Logo of Royal Holloway University of London with crest and text.
  • Logo of Arts Council England supported by public funding.
  • Text that reads 'The Camden Fringe' in bold black letters on a white background.
Silhouette of a person walking through a dimly lit space with chairs and a backdrop of a blue-lit curtain.
Two women, one young and one elderly, standing close together with the elderly woman’s arm around the younger woman’s shoulder, in a room with blue patterned curtains. A vase with dried flowers is on the dining table in the foreground.
A woman with blonde hair in a ponytail, wearing a yellow patterned blouse, is captured in profile against a blue sky with a few clouds.
A young woman standing barefoot in a dark room with spotlight lighting, wearing a white nightgown, gazing thoughtfully.
Interior of a building with a white wall, black painted letters saying "YOUR SOUL WILL EXPAND INTO THE SKY," and two people standing inside. There are wooden poles with wires, a staircase, and some plants on the floor.
Person wearing a top hat, large glasses with red and clear embellishments, a white shirt, and a colorful tulle cape, singing into a microphone on a dimly lit stage.
Man in camouflage jacket and backpack sitting in a room with blue lighting, looking at and using a smartphone.
A woman with long reddish hair kneels on the floor, appearing distressed with a worried expression, in a dimly lit room with blue lighting. She wears a white dress with lace details and is reaching out with one hand. There's a metal bucket in front o
A woman with red hair standing at a wooden table preparing string, with a man smiling and looking on in the background. The environment appears to be a dimly lit art studio or workshop with chairs and boxes around.
A middle-aged woman with light hair tied back, wearing a black shirt and apron, standing behind a wooden table, with a decorative branch in the foreground. The woman's facial expression looks contemplative or concerned, and the background is blurred
People working on a project involving a mesh structure in an industrial or workshop setting.
A theatrical performance or presentation taking place in a dimly lit room with an audience seated and watching two women on stage. The stage is decorated with sheer white curtains and soft, warm lighting, creating an intimate atmosphere.
Dimly lit indoor space with several tall, thin poles with horizontal bars, some illuminated with neon lights. A staircase leading to an upper level, with people standing and walking around. A large message on the wall reads, 'YOUR SOUL WILL EXPAND IN
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Production photography by Ellie Kurttz

  • Best Costume Design

    National Fringe Theatre Awards Nomination 2025

  • Best Direction

    National Fringe Theatre Awards Nomination 2025

  • Best Ensemble in a Performance

    National Fringe Theatre Awards Nomination 2025

  • Best Lighting Design

    National Fringe Theatre Awards Nomination 2025

  • Best Production

    National Fringe Theatre Awards Nomination 2025

  • Best Sound Design

    National Fringe Theatre Awards Nomination 2025