Benched

Directed by Nicholas Barton-Wines
Produced and shot by Fergus Cruickshank

Synopsis

Scotland, 8pm, Summer. A bench at the beach, overlooking the sea. A man, Andrew, nervously awaits an imminent arrival: the man he has been sleeping with. Upset, he doesn’t know what will happen next when he is joined by an awkward, remorseful, and anxious Lewis who needs to set the pair on a new path before returning to celebrate his marriage to his new bride.

LEWIS
I’m sure you understand I can’t stay long for obvious reasons but –

ANDREW
I’ve missed you.

A short film shot in Summer 2019, Benched takes a snapshot look at the pressures of heteronormativity and the masks we wear. Nature meets nurture in this subtle, tender excavation of following someone else’s path.

Inspired by Jon McNaught’s Kingdom, a graphic novel, in which Jon propels his narratives by “imbuing each tiny moment with a flowing, rhythmical splendour of its own.” The aim of the film is to tell of the rich history between Lewis and Andrew through the subtle and the unsaid. The process is similar to a devised theatre production, with the focus on history and movement to map out the script.

The film is due to be released in mid-2021.

Nicholas Barton-Wines

Originally from Essex, Nicholas is now based in Glasgow after training for his BA Acting at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He is currently studying for his MA in Art and Social Practice at the University of Highlands and Islands alongside his work.

Nicholas makes theatre that is movement-based and uses allegory as a lens to explore the themes of community, grief, and responsible use of power. He is interested in collaborative models of working that flatten hierarchies and blend artforms. He believes strongly the audience is an integral part of the conversation in theatre, and he places huge value in ensemble working. Moving beyond 2020, he will develop tender, ambitious and moving performances that boldly places elements of participatory work in the framework of the production.

Benched is his first film production.