NEO, Inc (Hyunjae Lee) presents
The Last Man
Book & Lyrics: Jishik Kim
Music: Seungyeon Kwon
Dramaturg: Jethro Compton
Director: Daljung Kim
Line Producing and General Management by Gary Beestone Associates
Friday 8 May to Saturday 6 June 2026 at Southwark Playhouse Elephant
A mysterious virus spreads across the globe. Cities fall silent. The undead roam.
Daljung Kim directs a new adaptation of cult Korean musical The Last Man by Jishik Kim and Seungyeon Kwon, with dramaturgy by Jethro Compton — a gripping one-person rock musical, part gig, part existential thriller and part social commentary, in which the eponymous survivor appears to be the last human alive following a zombie apocalypse.
A lone survivor seals himself inside bunker B-103 after a mysterious virus wipes out humanity, but as isolation takes hold the line between survival and living begins to blur. Now he must decide, is survival enough? Or should he open the bunker door?
Driven by a live rock score, dark humour and psychological tension, The Last Man tells an intimate and thrillingly suspenseful story of survival, resilience and what it takes to remain human in a frightening and uncertain world.
After winning numerous awards in Korea as a web musical, this popular work is now preparing for its third run. It has been staged not only in Seoul but also in China, building a devoted following and establishing itself as a cult hit. Newly reimagined for English-speaking audiences, this UK premiere invites audiences deep into the bunker to experience up close one person’s struggle to hold on to hope, connection, and humanity.
Daljung Kim is a Seoul-based director with a prolific career spanning film, musicals and plays. His recent work focuses on developing and directing original Korean musicals such as this production and Mahogony and Gloomy Sunday. His other stage credits include the successful Korean productions of An Iliad, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and The Spitfire Grill.
Jethro Compton is an award-winning Cornish director, designer, independent theatre producer, and a writer for stage and screen. His directing credits include for his company Jethro Compton Productions The Bunker Trilogy and The Capone Trilogy, and his own writing, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Frontier Trilogy, Sirenia, Wolf’s Blood, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Cast and further creatives to be announced shortly. The running time is approximately 1 hour 40 plus interval. Age guidance is 14+
LISTING INFORMATION
Southwark Playhouse Elephant
1 Dante Place
London SE11 4RX
Closest Tube Station:
Elephant & Castle (Northern Line & Bakerloo Line)
Take the Shopping Centre exit.
Box Office
Online https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/the-last-man/
No Booking Fee Online or by Telephone
By Telephone 020 7407 0234
Box Office Tickets are available from: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/the-last-man/
Performance Dates & Times: Friday 8 May to Saturday 6 June 2026 – Monday – Saturday: 7pm, Thursday and Saturday Matinees: 2.30pm.
Captioned performance, Tuesday 26 May: 7pm.
Ticket Prices: from £24 Standard | from £19.50 Concessions | Previews £16 | Pioneers’ Preview £10
Age Guidance: Recommended for ages 14+. The Last Man’s depiction of solitary survival in a harsh and confined environment might make certain scenes in the production feel psychologically unsettling for some audience members
Southwark Playhouse
Southwark Playhouse is a registered charity that delivers a year-round programme of entertaining and enriching work. Southwark Playhouse operates two separate venues ‘Southwark Playhouse Borough’ and its newest theatre ‘Southwark Playhouse Elephant’ which opened in January 2023. Southwark Playhouse has always prided itself in telling stories and inspiring the next generation of storytellers and theatre makers, where support for the community has been rooted at the core of the organisation.
Website: southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
BlueSky: @swkplay.bsky.social
Facebook: SouthwarkPlayhouse
Instagram: @swkplay @thelastman_uk
Tiktok: @thelastman_uk
YouTube: southwarkplayhouse
