A courageously energetic piece of dance theatre, tackling grief, depression and isolation. This piece is currently being recreated for dance film. 

It is 3a.m. in a cafe on the last road to nowhere. In this cafe there is a waitress. She has no name, past or future and only the radio to drown out the silence.

A 65 minute high energy dance theatre piece receiving 5 star reviews and sell out audiences at Edinburgh Fringe 2018. With an eclectic soundtrack, performance poetry and aerial silk, 3 a.m. Waitress is a haunting road movie soundtrack to loneliness, detachment and the brief moments that bring us back to life. Merging Physical Theatre and Dance with Aerial Circus, all held together by Performance Poetry, our 3am Waitress is at breaking point, the point at which things must change or she will implode, self destruct. The work explores the damage done by solitude, the tenderness of unexpected connections and the ultimate peace that comes when we accept the world as it is. We are never sure if what we are seeing is real, or a scene from a movie, whether it's the beginning of a story or the end. We know nothing about our waitress except that she seems to be stuck in the same place at the same time and if she stops, the world may stop too.

‘The distinctive creative tension that shapes Rogueplay's artistic focus,

courageously tackles difficult and highly personal themes in 3am Waitress.’ 

(Orit Azaz; Independent Producer)

'The finale, featuring a striking aerial silk performance and a single word uttered by the 3am Waitress, leaves me in a charged state of vitality and reverie. I will be thinking about the meaning of that word for some time. ***** ‘ 

(Joanne Harrison; SG Fringe)

The set for 3a.m. Waitress is a simple diner that becomes littered with old trees and sugar. A stranger enters. Is he real or is he a ghost? A memory? It doesn’t matter. The moon appears, the world is ending outside and all our waitress can do is sweep, retune the radio and wait for the clock to finally tick past 3am.  Think Elliot Smith, think long Texan roads that stretch as far as the eye can see, think wind in your hair, sun beating down on your face, think rain, lots of rain.

Set to an eclectic soundtrack combined with an original piece of poetry, the 3a.m. Waitress is listening to the world end, one song at a time.

‘A truly touching performance, finding hope in the most desolate of times and places.’ (Audience Member)

Development & History

This piece revolves around a performance poem written by RoguePlay’s Associate Creative Director and acclaimed Performance Poet, Lorna Meehan. 

In May 2016 Lorna's sister passed away due to a long term heart condition. She was her protector, best friend and sometimes, an infuriating tease.  After the funeral Lorna had a psychotic episode and a subsequent breakdown and was diagnosed with reactive depression and anxiety.

Over time she began to see how the grief and the depression were two separate things. The grief was a fact that could not be changed and eventually it would loosen its grip and become  more manageable.  The depression was utter despair, nameless fear and every negative thought pattern ever had on a constant loop merged with nonsense and doubt. Her body and mind were at war and reality became alien. Lorna got better with time and started getting creative again, trying to give language and shape to the unexplainable.  Mental health is fragile and misunderstood, particularly in a society that is constantly telling you that you must be happy all the time or you have failed in some way.

The 3 am Waitress is lost, haunted, confused, stuck in her own fantasies and nightmares. Yet she can also find joy, connection, creative expression and finally, self acceptance.  At some point in our lives, we will have to confront our own darkness, but we don't have to face it alone.

The piece tour ready, runs for 65 minutes and involves two performers, one male, one female. 


Please contact us for a Producers Pack and booking. 

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3am Waitress


Director: Kim Charnock

Spoken Word Artist

& Co-Director: Lorna Meehan

Performers 2017: Anna Fooks

                             Tim Clarke

Performers 2018: Laura Vanhulle

                             Tim Clarke


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