The Last Post
trumpet, electronics and text
The Last Post started life in 2014 as a collaborative new work by trumpeter Tom Poulson, composer Alistair MacDonald and director Susan Worsfold. The piece was commissioned by, and premiered at the St Magnus International Festival on the 19th June 2016. The 18-month creative period was an integrated artistic process, with performer, composer and director working collaboratively across all elements of the new work.
Part of the commission was to perform in the beautifully atmospheric Mess Hall of the Ness Battery, a former gun emplacement active during both of the World Wars that was situated on the outskirts of Stromness, Orkney. The mess hall's interior is almost completely decorated by a pastoral mural of the Kentish Countryside and gave a perfect setting to The Last Post's premiere.
Short excerpts from the world premiere
The Mess Hall of the Ness Battery
In 2017 The Last Post was been selected to be part of the prestigious Made in Scotland Showcase at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The Showcase demonstrates the best of Scottish made work in dance, theatre and music at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and with their support 5 performances of The Last Post were given at the Army Reserve Centre as part of Army@TheFringe in association with Summerhall.
