Join us for a special matinee performance of a play about Apsley Cherry-Garrard

Following her acclaimed play Shackleton's Carpenter, award-winning playwright Gail Louw returns with The Antarctican, a compelling new play that retells one of the greatest stories of resilience to advance science and exploration: Captain Scott's 1910-1913 Terra Nova expedition to the South Pole through the eyes of Apsley Cherry-Garrard.

Drawing on Cherry-Garrard's memoir, The Worst Journey in the World, and historical research in collaboration with Brad Borkan, the show focuses on the youngest member of Scott's team, now in his late fifties, while he relives the infamous journey through Antarctica's winter to Cape Crozier, the friendships that sustained them, the scientific discoveries they pursued, and the devastating events that led to the deaths of Captain Scott and his polar party.

The Antarctican explores the two sides of oneself – the brave, young and "cheery" Antarctic explorer, who could find humour and positivity in the most dire circumstances, played by Stephen Smith, and the ageing man, haunted by decisions said to have cost the lives of his friends, performed by Chris Barritt.

Full of humour and tales of one of the most extraordinary adventures in history, The Antarctican brings a remarkable true story to the stage in an intimate psychological drama about memory, survivor's guilt, friendship, ageing and the burden of written history. How can one live with the choices they make, the myths created, and the people lost along the way?

Join us for this matinee performance exclusively for UKAHT supporters, which includes programme, festive after-show refreshments and a Q&A with Gail.

Description supplied by the event organiser.