Distance by Alex McSweeney is an intense, dramatic experience as we follow the journey of Steve on an express train to Manchester Piccadilly station and through a series of flashbacks begin to understand his mental illness. It is moving , thought provoking and a cry for help for all those who suffer from such illness and have contemplated suicide. The shocking statistics that suicide is the biggest killer of under 45's in the UK and that 75% of all UK suicides are male provide the context to the new play.
We meet Steven, played with a frightening intensity by Adam Burton as he jumps from the top of a building and then quickly reset to the train journey that preceded that moment. Here he meets an old friend, Alan (Abdul Salis) who he discovers is on the train for the same job interview . After their initial awkward meeting , Alan can sense something is not right, but initially is more concerned about his preparations for the interview. Steven is intellectually superior and better researched but he willing helps Alan.
