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    Interview: Feeling Very Old With Degenerate

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    This Is Not A Test on new show Degenerate

    Degenerate is a show about what happens when a 40 year old mother of two finds herself in the last chance saloon of midlife. Which is worrying considering some of us here at ET are past our 40s – suddenly we feel like we’re about to be put out to pasture. Or worse…

    But having got over our shock at discovering we’re clearly past our best, we still thought we should check in with This Is Not A Test to ask them more about the show that they describe as “a stand-up show that explores the bloody and surprising parallels between a Victorian vampire and a menopausal woman past her child bearing prime.”

    Let’s deal with the elephant in the room straight away. Are you really telling us over that 40 means we’re past our prime? How very dare you.

    Hahahaha! Controversy AND elephants straight out of the gate. Feels like a great start to us! 

    The best answer we can give is: age is just a number…right?

    Can we assume you are not spring chickens yourself then? Is some of this written from personal experience?

    Oh, how the tables have turned! You can definitely assume that at least half of us at Degenerate HQ are in that category. Write what you know they said…but make it a party.

    Ok, we’ll overlook the slight on our ages for now, what can you tell us about your 40 something in Degenerate? Why is she feeling like she is in that last chance saloon? What is she searching for in it?

    Oh man, we’ve really gotten ourselves into a bit of a pickle with this one, haven’t we. Who knew age could be so divisive?! I guess we did… but should we just kiss and make up? Or would that be too forward?

    But seriously, good question – that’s exactly what the show is about. We’re exploring why midlife feels like a last chance saloon and why hitting 40, combined with looming perimenopause can make the eternal life of the vampire look pretty appealing. As for our heroine, she’s searching for immortality!

    We often mistakenly think of fringe theatre as full of early career creatives, do you feel this can create a barrier to older participants? 

    We’d have to say you’re not wrong! Look around you. Early career creatives do tend to be young. Youth is where you are supposed to take risks, ask difficult questions, but we think middle age is just as exciting a moment to take those chances and start those conversations.

    So, yes, we’re “older” early careerers. We’ve spent the last decade having babies, careers and making theatre and don’t think those things are mutually exclusive. But the truth is, it is hard to have a family life and a creative life in functioning parallel. How does she do it all?? She doesn’t. She has A LOT of help. The upside though is we have had to become amazing at balancing, multitasking and staging an epic party without having a hangover!

    And there is talk of Dracula, is this literal, are things going to get a little scary or is Dracula a metaphor for the monster at the door?

    Come and see…if you dare (insert maniacal laugh here). If we told you, we might have to shove a wooden stake through your heart. And we would NEVER want to do that. We like you too much already. So come for the party, stay for the surprises.

    You promise shows with stand-up comedy, audience participation and improvisation, are we going to experience all this in Degenerate?

    We do and you are! It’s gonna be a wild ride. As we like to say: we promise everything, and nothing, all at once.

    The show is clearly labelled as a WIP – is this its very first outing, are you frantically writing it up to the last minute then?

    This will be the very first outing with Degenerate. The seed of this show came from a previous show of ours and has developed from there. We should add that we would never consider any of our shows to be ‘finished’ products but that is what makes it so exciting. So, frantically writing? No. Ever evolving? Yeah, we’d say so.

    So is it more stand up than play?

    Good question. It’s hard to say. The best way to describe it is somewhere in the surreal venn diagram where standup, comedy and theatre meet.

    Will there be a mic stand on the stage? And if so, will it only be used for the stand-up sections? Ask us in private why we hate mic stands on stage in plays!

    We hear you.

    Bad news though, there may be a mic stand… 

    But seriously, don’t leave a girl hanging. You must spill the tea about the mic stands! 

    Now we’re all dying to know!!

    We’ll tell you when after the show, promise… Moving on, and to show we read all our press releases received, did one of you really overdub a European supermodel! Please, do tell us more.

    Um you guys ARE good. 

    Yes, it is true, Maria did overdub a European supermodel for a bra company. This was when she was living the glamorous life in New York. She showed up for a voice job, was taken to a room with a massive movie screen and shown a scantily clad lady prancing around in her pants. They said to Maria – Can you make it seem like your voice is coming out of that body… Ouch. Know your strengths, right…?

    And let’s wrap things up, tell us why we should all be heading on down to 2Northdown later in August to see Degenerate?

    That’s easy – because we’ll show you a *bloody* good time!  – see what we did there? In all seriousness though, who doesn’t want a little under an hour of escapist fun? Times are dark, but we like living in colour! Or Color. Depending on where you’re from.

    Our thanks to the team at This Is Not A Test for a very fun chat. Come see us later and we’ll fill you in about the mic stands.

    You can catch Degenerate at the following dates:

    22/ 23 August @ 7pm. 2Northdown – Camden Fringe 2022. 2 October @ 9pm. The Bread and Roses Theatre – Clapham Fringe17 NOvember @6pm. Etcetera Theatre – Black Box Festival

    Further information and bookings here. More

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      Guest Post: Abuse of Power Isn’t Always So Black and White

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      Clayton Black on Daybreak Theatre’s Malpractice

      New stage play, Malpractice, explores the abuse of power by the authorities from the perspective of two individuals driven by personal tragedy. We asked Clayton Black to tell us more about this new thriller that is heading to Bread and Roses Theatre in May.

      Malpractice is a play that explores what happens when the people we trust to serve, defend and represent our best interests betray their values and duty to serve their own agendas.

      The last few years have presented many high profile cases that typify this ‘abuse of power’ and privilege at varying scales: from the seemingly perpetual lies, scandal and double standards for which certain members of the political class remain largely held unaccounted for, to tragic events such as the murders of George Floyd and Sarah Everard by law enforcement officials. These scandals have reverberated around the world, creating a palpable sense of fury, solidarity and igniting a movement that demands change and justice. But these are just the cases that made headlines and successfully occupied our collective social consciousness and attention span for a sustained period of time. Make no mistake: for every Sarah Everard and George Floyd, there are many more men, women and children whose names we’ve never heard and whose stories were never told. Their loss will forever remain a hole in the hearts of those who loved them. For the rest of us, they are little else than footnotes in humanity’s dark history.

      Whilst Malpractice is not directly inspired by or even addresses any of these events, I have certainly been influenced by them in its creation. But where Malpractice significantly departs from these real-life events is that it does not seek to recreate and re-vilify them. Rather, my intention has been to create new scenarios where the abuse of power committed by the two main characters – a lawyer and detective – are nested in the context of personal tragedy: heinous acts motivated by greed, hate and blatant disregard for human life are easy to hold in contempt and reject, but we rarely see in black and white when people are driven by grief and suffering. Humans have an instinctive response of empathy and compassion that enable us to find reason and justification in even the darkest and brutal of acts. Looking at the world today, it’s easy to conclude that the laws that are meant to be a reflection of our ethics, morality and values are written and enforced by people who often have the knowledge, means and position to escape consequences of their actions. Malpractice asks the audience where the line between vengeance and justice exists and, if presented with such exceptional personal circumstances and the position and power to evade consequences, how they would see fit to act.

      Whilst Malpractice can’t help but be a commentary on wider society but really it’s a manifestation of my personal cognitive dissonance. When I read the news each day, I am sometimes shocked to find myself simultaneously overwhelmed and desensitised to the dystopian reality humanity is creating for itself on a daily basis. Most of the time I experience an overwhelming sensation of resignation and reluctant acceptance: I tell myself “that’s the way the world works”, “some things will never change” and “go along to get along”.

      But there are moments when I – a generally mild-mannered person who has never demonstrated a meaningful ounce of political or social activism – grow weary of this pattern. There are moments I wonder at what point tacit acceptance of the social paradigms that enable such abuses of power make me an accomplice. Like many of us probably do, I like to imagine that if presented with opportunity, I would behave and act differently. But no man is an island: how many of us know the hearts and minds of anyone well enough to say that, under the right circumstances, we can’t be either bought, broken, corrupted or cowed?

      The production is written, directed, produced and starring Clayton Black, who plays the lawyer. He is joined by the talented Fiona Munro and Mike Younis, who play the detective and the victim, and together provide the emotional core and moral ambiguity of the play. Philip Gill, Carol Morgan and Richard Bobb-semple the prosecutor, judge and public defender who represent institutions and values of society being undermined and manipulated by ‘bad actors’.

      Malpractice is a drama/thriller for the modern day that blends topical world events with compelling characters and motives, and unabashedly dives head-first into dark subject matter that intends to slightly unsettle viewers. The play itself is completely impartial and dispassionate and offers no judgement of the actions of the characters: it is left to the audience to form their own conclusions based on their own values and beliefs.

      As always, our thanks to Clayton for his time in writing this guest post.

      Malpractice is being performed at the Bread & Roses Theatre in Clapham from the 17th-21st May, 2022. Further information and bookings can be found here. More

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      Interview: A Simple Question? Or Maybe Not So Simple?

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      Who You Are and What You Do, Bread and Roses. 22 March – 2 April

      It’s easy to miss the Bread and Roses Theatre if you aren’t looking for it, tucked away as it is off the busier roads around Clapham. But for anyone who has had the pleasure of going, it is an absolute treat. This pub theatre is another amazing place to find fresh new work, brilliant new ideas and quite possibly the stars of the future. So we are always more than pleased to find time to catch up with them and find out what they are up to next.

      And right now, what they are up to is getting ready to bring us Who Are you and What You Do, a play that asks ‘are we defined by our actions, or the lessons we learn from them?’ Presented as a tableaux of interweaving stories about the social pressure to be happy all of the time, each night sees the play run in a different order.

      We caught up with the play’s writer, Hugh Dichmont (HD), director Tom Ward (TW) and producer from the in-house team at Bread and Roses, Natalie Chan (NC) to find out more.

      So what can you tell us about the play?

      NC: Who You Are and What You Do presents a tableaux of interweaving stories about the social pressure to be happy all of the time. There are stories about love, family relationships, the jobs that we do and the joys and pressures it gives us, conflict, resolving conflict, and how those different elements of our life insect.

      The play is made up of interweaving stories, which are played in a different order each night – doesn’t that risk affecting the flow of the whole evening?

      HD: For sure the actors have a challenge on their hands! But I love writing plays that do that… and the performers seem to love it too. Even without knowing about the switching order, I think our audience will see a stage of actors pushing themselves, excited to be discovering the play scene by scene. Hopefully it will be magic. They’re doing an incredible job. They will bring the flow, with their energy.

      We hope different audiences from different nights will take away different things, that all encourages reflection, empathy, and cohesion. 

      And how will you be deciding the running order each evening?

      TW: We have a system randomising it but still keeping it in order and one that the team can work with, come and join us for the show to find out more!

      The play is about that pressure to always be seen as happy; is social media going to play a big part in some of the stories?

      HD: This is a good question, come and see the show to find out!

      The play very much talks of the different versions of self we present, consciously or otherwise, depending on situations. Twitter or Facebook aren’t named, but this absolutely can be interpreted as an interpretation of online discourse. A play about 21st century happiness… what would it be without exploring technology?! This isn’t limited to The Internet, though. Social media, to some extent, is just a magnifier of what humans have been doing since the dawn of time. Let’s just say the script presents a near-future take on present day problems.

      The play was the winner of Bread and Roses Theatre’s 2019 Playwright Award, what was it that made it stand out?

      NC: As far as we know, we’ve never seen a script where scenes are written in a way like this one, where we can run the scenes in a different order and it presents a different, but equally brilliant experience for the audiences. We thought this was incredibly clever and fun, hence it stood out to us.

      Also the play was so different to the other winning plays and those from the previous playwriting awards.

      Do you feel the play answers any questions about our search for continuous happiness, or is it a case of holding the mirror up to our lives and making us think deeper about it?

      HD: The play definitely doesn’t offer solutions. It’s a piece full of characters who are simultaneously likeable and unlikeable; victims and complicit, a range of ages and backgrounds, from different walks of life. As ever with theatre, it is the grey stuff that powers the action- the messiness of being alive, relating to others, and coming to terms with your place in the world.

      And what is it that makes you happy?

      NC: For me, it’s the ability to find positives in most of the things we do that makes me happy. For example even if something (work or life) isn’t going so well, I remind myself what I’ve learnt from it. Of course – good theatre and making good theatre is definitely one.

      HD: It’s a cliche, but the pandemic has changed everything- In the last year I became a parent for the first time, then my own dad died. I wouldn’t say these events have changed my perspective on things… more that every day I’m a bit sadder and a bit happier than I was 12 months ago. Seeing my play on, after a two-and-a-half year wait, is definitely powering me through grey days!

      Thanks to Hugh, Tom and Natalie for their time to chat with us.

      Who Are You and What You Do plays at the Bread and Roses Theatre from 22 March to 2 April. Further information and bookings via the below link. More

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      Interview: Every (100) Paintings tell a story

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      Author: Everything Theatre

      in Features and Interviews

      25 August 2021

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      Makespace Productions talk about the making of 100 Paintings

      This five part interview was first broadcast on Runn Radio on 25 August 2021. The interview was with writer, Jack Stacey, director, Zachary Hart and Jane Christie who plays Breatriz in the show.

      Part 1: Jack Stacey on what 100 Paintings is all about.

      Part 2: DIrector Zachary Hart on what’s involved in making the play.

      Part 3: Jane Christie on her character within the play and how the play has developed

      Part 4: Working together as a team

      Part 5: More about 100 Paintings

      100 Paintings @ Bread and Roses Theatre

      Set in an absurd dystopian future, ‘100 PAINTINGS’ tells the story of a young artist and his mother struggling to survive in the crumbling Savoy Hotel. Battling with mountains of unpaid hotel bills, the young artist has three days to produce one-hundred original paintings and deliver them to the new hotel manager or he and his mother face being turned out onto the street. With hilarious distractions coming in full force, the young artist struggles to keep on course to meet the deadline, but help often comes from the most unexpected of places…

      The play is currently on at Bread and Roses Theatre until Saturday 28 August. You can book tickets here More

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      Interview: Aaron-Lee Eyles on “I Didn’t Want This, I Just Wanted You”

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      We’re always looking to highlight those interesting little plays that can so easily be overlooked, yet are the lifeblood of fringe theatre. So when Aaron-Lee Eyles contacted us about his upcoming play, based on the real life story of a man who won $31 million on the lottery, we thought it would be great to chat with him to find out just why he decided this was a story to turn into a musical.

      Hi Aaron, so first things first, give us a quick synopsis?

      The play is about a Home Depot worker and family man Billie-Bob Harrell Jr, who won big on the lottery. The months that followed surely changed his life, but not in the way you might think! What was meant to be a life-changing miracle turned into a tragedy of misery and deceit. The play has been devised by the cast alongside Director/ Composer Rob Hardie and myself as Writer/ Director. A wild, surprising, musical tale that recounts the compelling true story of Billie Bob Harrell and his (mis)fortune. 

      Many recent shows we’ve seen have been set firmly in the here and now, but it looks like this play is something much more set in make-believe. Or have you really won $31 million?

      The play is set in Texas 1997, but our world is a little wild and abstract -but it is a true story, Billie-Bob Harrell Jr. really did win $31 million!

      What was the start point for you then?

      For some time I’ve been keen on making a play based on a lottery winner and the consequences that come with such sudden financial gain. After researching further I discovered Billie-Bob’s story and was amazed by how it was already so fantastical and tragic, I knew that this was the one.

      You said the play is “devised by the cast alongside director and writer” – as the writer, is it an easy thing to watch others change your story?

      I’m incredibly excited to work alongside our cast and co-director Rob Hardie on this project. My own ideas going into rehearsals are only going to be refined and improved by collaborating with the group. I’m credited as ‘Writer’ as I will be contributing a large amount to the text and will be responsible for writing up our script as we go but its very much written by all of us!

      We haven’t even touched upon the fact it’s also a musical, was that always the plan when you started writing?

      Yes! We always planned for this production to have a musical element. Rob and I worked together last year when he wrote original music for my play ‘Freaking Free Mark DeFriest’ – this time we aim for the music to be more lyrical and used to show characters change of emotions and relationships. We also have a fantastic cast with great musical talents, so I can’t wait to see what comes from that.

      So what style of music are we going to hear?

      We’re going to have a mix of styles- there will certainly be some ‘musical chaos’. Rob Hardie, our musical director, says that you will for sure be hearing a blend of country and folk music with a bit of southern rock.

      The show is only playing for a few dates in July, does this mean it’s still a work-in-progress? 

      This is a brand new play and these performances will be the first! But it will be a complete and finished item- we have a couple of dates next month and we are just so very excited to be working again.

      What are your hopes for the show once it’s completed this initial run?

      We do hope to bring the show back, if the demand is there of course! We’ll take on any feedback given and are already thinking about a potential return in the winter. A lot of work and commitment is going into this run so we don’t want that to be the end of it for sure!

      ========================================

      Our thanks to Aaron for his time. I Didn’t Want This, I Just Wanted You is currently scheduled to play:

      Bread and Roses Theatre on 4 July at 2pm and 12 July at 7pm & 9pm. Tickets available here

      Guildford Fringe Festival on 8 July at 7.30pm. Tickets available here More

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      Venues: The Bread and Roses Theatre

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      As theatres begin to re-open everywhere, we thought what a good time to actually dig a little deeper into some of the wonderful fringe venues hidden away throughout London, and the people who make them tick.

      First up then is The Bread and Roses Theatre. The theatre can be found above the pub of the same name, right in the heart of Clapham. It’s just a short walk from both Northern line and Overground stations, so there really is little excuse for not checking it out.

      Need further reasons you should go? Well, we thought why not ask someone right at the heart of what they do to tell us more.

      Hello there, shall we start with introductions?

      Hello, I’m Velenzia Spearpoint, the Artistic Director of The Bread and Roses Theatre

      Ok, we know where to find you, but what’s the size and layout style of your space?

      We’re an intimate, 40-60 seat venue above the Bread and Roses Pub in Clapham. We have a flexible auditorium so productions can be staged end-on or as a thrust. For I and the Village (showing at the time of the interview), it’s in a thrust. Currently, we’re opening a reduced capacity welcoming 20-25 people each night, so it will be slightly different, but we very much hope you’ll come on this adventure with us. 

      What type of shows do you usually put on? 

      For the shows we produce ourselves, we choose from our Bread and Roses Playwriting Award every two years, after reading through around 500 submissions by talented writers. You can find out more here

      The play we’re reopening with, I and the Village, sheds light on the Direct Provision System, for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Ireland. It sheds light on life behind years of waiting, unable to work or make any personal progress. I and the Village explores the consequences of long term confinement in a system designed to be flawed. A story of longing, survival and hope.

      For all other shows, they are produced by visiting companies and we share the risk by offering a transparent box office deal. Artistic quality and representation of our societies’ real diversity are at the heart of the theatre’s programming with a focus on new writing, underrepresented voices, distinctive work and the development of new work and opportunities. If you’re interested in bringing a show, find out more here. 

      What can people normally expect to pay to see a show with you?

      We are always aiming to keep prices as affordable as possible, for work in progress shows and our Clapham Fringe Festival, it can start from as little as £5, for full length show it tends to be a maximum of £15. 

      You’re above the pub, would you recommend it as a nice place to come pre-show for a drink and bite to eat? And post show to chat about what you’ve just watched?
      The kitchen is ran by the Uk’s first gourmet corndog company ‘Twodogs Down‘, American comfort food at its best. The pub has two beer gardens front and back and plenty of space inside to enjoy pre-show drinks. With happy hour Monday to Friday between 4pm and 7pm, it’s £4 on selected beers and wines. The pub also offers free live music on weekends, with genres ranging from blues, folk, reggae and more. 
      We’re sold, we’ll get our order in now.

      Any particular highlights from your past shows? Any actors or shows start here that are your “they played here first” stories you tell everyone about? 

      Jamie Beamish who’s gone on to work in big tv shows, such as Bridgerton and Derry Girls bought his Cat The Play, co-written with Richard Hardwick, to us in the first year we were open in 2015. 

      What are the plans for the coming months then, what exciting shows have you got lined up for us?

      So apart from our very own playwriting award winner 19/20, I and the Village by Darren Donohue opening on the 25 May 2021, we’ve got an exciting line-up for the months ahead, highlights include:Stray Dogs by an aspiring up & coming Producer Justin Treadwell.There’s a trio of improv events, including where you can see Pippa Evans: And many many more, check out the full programme here & follow us on social media to be the first to hear.

      So tell us just why we should all come along to see a show at The Bread and Roses? What’s your unique selling point? 

      As we briefly mentioned, we want to champion theatre-makers at all stages of their career and are one of the very few venues in London that operates in the business model (box office splits with no hidden fees) that we do. Obviously, we all still know far too well that starting out in theatre-making is very challenging, but audiences can come in the knowledge theatre-makers are being nurtured and supported as much as possible in the process.

      Finally, and quite possibly the most important question of all, how comfy are your seats?

      Haha, good question

      Thanks, we thought so too, we’re going to ask everyone this in the future.

      They’re okay, all chairs rather than stalls, so should be fairly comfy. 

      Our thanks to Velenzia for her time to chat about the theatre. If you’d like to see shows we’ve previously reviewed at the venue, you can find them via the below link. Please do also give the theatre a follow on their social media channels, it really does help. You can find them all below as well. More