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    Interview: Lining up with Emilia Teglia

    Emilia Teglia chats about On The Line

    Writer and Director Emilia Teglia has developed On The Line with participants from Camden’s Action Youth Boxing Intervention. It plays at Stanley Arts in January and VAULT Festival in February, and we caught up with her to find out more.

    Tell us a little about On The Line. What can audiences expect?

    You’ll be hanging out with Tia and Kai, lifelong friends who’ve grown up on the same council estate. They’ll chat to you about that mad day they skipped school to go to the new schoolmate Sienna’s mansion – because “someone’s got to check it ain’t just Tik Tok filters” – and how their lives changed forever that day.

    On the Line is a Gen-Y play. It’s fast-paced with twists and turns, wit, deep themes, banter and emotion, and all told in contemporary London slang. It’s immediate and honest. It’s a bit like scrolling through your Instagram feed but it’s real. It’s based on the real experiences of a group of young people from Camden’s Action Youth Boxing Intervention.

    (c) Alex Brenner

    On The Line deals with a lot of socially relevant themes. Can you give us some insight into these and the importance of sharing them?

    It’s about growing up at the bottom of the social ladder whilst having to negotiate life-long loyalties, family values, aspirations, and handed-down generational trauma. It’s also about the real barriers to social mobility, the complex experiences of individuals behind the statistics. In Camden, like in other areas of London, the rich and poor gap is widening but is not unusual to see a student from a very wealthy family sitting next to a student living in poverty.

    The awareness is painful. Armani*, an outspoken sixteen-year-old girl living in an overcrowded situation, put this plainly during the writing process: “Our school is basically a prison for poor kids with the random children of famous leftie actors or Labour politicians.” Her brother Tyrese*, who has ADHD and a history of gang affiliation, talks about some of the richest streets in the borough. His eyes sparkle as he describes the flashy ‘whips’ (cars) and the ‘cribs’ (houses). Then he gets gloomy. He says: “this level of rich makes me feel sad. There’s people who’ve got too much, and we got jack.” All this is in On The Line, verbatim.

    You have a fabulous promo image for your show – it really caught the team’s eye here. How did the design come together?

    I’m glad you are curious about the image. People say it makes total sense after watching the play, so I’m not going to give too many spoilers.

    Photo: Paul Grieve, Giorgia Valentino  Design: Max Batty

    Like the rest of On The Line’s creative process, the design developed collaboratively. We wanted to show the ‘fish out of water’ essence of the story and at the same time the grit and the harshness of Tia and Kai’s background, as well as their playfulness. For the photo, I approached Paul Grieve, a street photographer that has a talent for capturing defiance, humour and tenderness in his portraits of everyday people. That was important because we also needed to convey the amazing friendship between the two protagonists and their ‘one front’ against adversity. Props were lent by friends and sourced by our amazing Assistant Stage Manager Andreea Pieleanu. We shot on Chalcots Estate in Camden, the actual setting of the play. Our leading actress Giorgia Valentino, who is also an incredibly talented portrait photographer took the headshot of Zacchaeus Kayode which ended up in the final image. Then Max Batty did the magic with his graphics. Max has been designing Odd Eyes Theatre’s posters and book covers for the past ten years and was immediately on board with the concept and aesthetic. It takes a village…

    On The Line has been touring around schools and we’ve seen some great feedback. How has that been, and are there any differences between playing in schools and playing in theatre venues?

    Huge differences! To begin with, theatre audiences come with a completely different attitude. They’ve bought their ticket and are determined to have a good time, a return on their investment. They’re easy. They respond, react, suspend disbelief immediately and get lost into the world of the play.

    In schools, we are playing to groups of teenagers who have often only experienced theatre as part of their statutory education: they are somehow compelled to watch it: it’s not a choice. So that’s already setting their attitude in a different way. They sit down, legs stretched, arms crossed or in their pockets, looking unfazed with a ‘show me what you’ve got’ kind of attitude. And then they hear the language, they start to get the story, the familiar Drill and R&B tunes come up, they get the jokes. You see them start leaning forward, elbowing each other, laughing, gasping, and they can’t get enough of it. Teachers turn to the low achieving students to ask the meaning of some of the words. It’s all in London slang – finally something they’re masters at.

    Most importantly, school performances are followed by Odd Eyes’ Creative Debate workshops. The students have a chance to let us know what they think of the issues in the play and develop scenes and short plays based on their response to the story and on their personal experience. Some of their stories go on to be developed professionally, and this is how On The Line was developed.

    Finally, what is next for On The Line and Odd Eyes Theatre?

    More theatre and school tours and a screen adaptation of On The Line. The film will be another great opportunity to involve young people in the rewriting process and as cast. Funders, producers and schools interested in partnering with us, get in touch!

    *Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality

    Our thanks to Emilia for taking the time to chat with us. You can find out more information about Odd Eyes Theatre on their website.

    On The Line plays at Stanley Arts on Thursday 19 January (tickets and info) and VAULT Festival on Saturday 11 February (tickets and info). More

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    Interview: Accusations, Witches and Privilege

    Fury Theatre on new play Abigail

    Fury Theatre’s Abigail is a play that takes a different look at the Salem Witch Trials. Rather than tackle the witch trials themselves, it focuses on Abigail Williams, one of the first to make accusations that lead to arrests. And the story takes place four years later, looking at how being an accuser may have affected Abigail and the effects this would have on her for the rest of her life.

    It certainly seemed to us to be a very different approach and a way to look at themes that still hold true today, so we sat down with the Fury Theatre’s Artistic director and writer Laura Turner, along with co-writer and director Stephen Gillard to tell us more.

    What made you want to create a play against the backdrop of the Salem Witch Trials?

    Stephen: It’s a point in history, infamous for the oppression of women, that resonates across the time periods. So much so that when we talk about “witch hunts,” we’re often referring to this particular period in history. We wanted to tell this story to try and suggest that, when it comes to the treatment of women, in law, relationships and the world at large, we may not have moved on as far as we think.

    And why from the viewpoint of one of the accusers, Abigail Williams? How much is really known about the accusers and how Salem became a focal point for witch trials? 

    Laura: Choosing a point of view for a narrative piece can sometimes be tricky simply because in good stories, all angles present interesting views, challenges and exciting avenues to explore. As you can imagine, that’s very much the case with the historical figures from the witch trials. But through time and other media, certain figures have gained a certain notoriety. Not just Abigail but also Tituba, the Bajan slave who was one of the first to be accused. This play shines a light on Abigail and the experience she as an accuser went through – being parachuted up onto a pedestal where the great and the good were listening to her, just a very young woman, in a way that was unusual for any woman of the time. Then, as soon as her use was done and the trials were over, she was dropped – by those men who had raised her up, and by history, and her society. We wanted to explore this dilemma – to ask what scars that experience leaves a young woman with, and importantly how does that resonate with today. In our society we see women in particular made famous overnight – from reality TV stars to pop stars, politicians, actors and writers – only to be dropped as soon as they stop conforming to whatever unknown, ever-changing idea of “what’s right”. Who is that “right” decided by, and what makes it any more “right” than any other choice a woman – or anybody – might make?

    Abigail was just a child when the trials happened, and there seems to be little known about her afterwards. What inspired the direction of your story? Is there any evidence she ever moved to Boston? 

    Stephen: There’s almost nothing known about Abigail after the events of the Salem Witch trials, apart from a possibly apocryphal tale that she was sighted in Boston working as a prostitute. The history is extremely hazy after Salem and that’s why we wanted to use her as a jumping point to show that women in history are almost always completely forgotten. Even women like Abigail who was famous in her community for the span of the trials is completely forgotten about once the events have played out. What happens to someone like that? Someone who’s worth in society is negligible at best. Even texts, plays and films that have looked at her usually stop at the point the witch trials finish. We thought that was interestingly symbolic of many women’s journeys through the past and indeed the present.

    You want to explore privilege and exploitation within the play, are you suggesting Abigail was an abuser or was she simply caught in a system that allowed abuse to occur freely? 

    Laura: Our Abigail is a complex, flawed character – like all people. She makes difficult choices in difficult situations, and that means that sometimes those choices are mistakes that she regrets later. We don’t shy away from that – Abigail is vicious, proud, judgemental and unkind. But she learns from her experiences, and she realises that she has been deeply affected by the pressure of the society around her – as you say, one where abuse and exploitation was (and still is) endemic. What’s important is the character arc that Abigail goes on, and also her intention. She never knowingly abuses anyone. She voices bigoted ideas at the start of the play because that’s what’s been instilled in her, from a place of fear. We want to explore what fear can push people to do and ask questions through Abigail’s story of what it takes to confront that fear and rise above it.

    You also explore the female bisexual experience; how much is known about this from the 17th Century, was it openly discussed or is it pieced together from fragments nowadays? 

    Laura: Abigail’s sexuality is another important element of the fear narrative we are creating. Abigail’s coming of age in the play is utterly inspired and fuelled by her burgeoning sexuality and the attraction that she feels towards a young woman she meets. This makes her reflect on the past as well, on some of the things she did and said – particularly towards Tituba – that came from a place of fear, of not having accepted herself and the fact that she is attracted to women as well as men. It’s important to note here that the real-life Abigail came from a very Puritanical society where sex wasn’t a subject to be discussed, let alone women’s pleasure. This has an impact on her. In the broader context of the time, there were, as always, mixed attitudes towards just about everything. We see this once Abigail goes to Boston – a much bigger place than Salem – where there are differing mindsets and more acceptance, but also more bitterness. There are certainly records from the 17th century of “women loving women” – both condemnatory and accepting – but Abigail herself is in the dark to her own feelings, let alone other people’s. Abigail in many ways becomes a play about self-acceptance, in its many ways.

    How much do the play’s themes still ring true over 300 years later? 

    Stephen: The themes we’re looking at are, it’s probably fair to say, far older than the 300 years that separates us from this story. They’re also occurring today, just as freshly as if they’d only just begun. The oppression of women around the world. The denial of women’s ability to govern even their own bodies. Massive disparity within the legal system. The mistrust of education or success when it comes to women. The demonisation of sexual agency and fear of sexual identity. Coercive control. Racial disparity and discrimination across all levels of society. These are themes that we look at in the play and we would say you only need to look at the news for five minutes to come across an example of them being as rife today as they were 300 or 3000 years ago.

    You’re playing at The Space, how important are venues such as the Space for new and emerging theatre makers such as Fury Theatre? 

    Laura: The Space is a fantastic venue to work with because they are so supportive of new work and particularly of the company behind the work. For us, this is our first in person production as a company, and we’re also bringing work directly to London from our company base in the East Midlands. There’s lots to think about and for me, this is the first show I’ve produced as well as written, but having the team at The Space there to give advice has been invaluable. I’d absolutely recommend it as a venue to other emerging companies, and the wider network of fringe theatres – and the reviewers, critics and audiences that support them – are such an important part of our industry, especially at the moment as we continue to rebuild after the last two years.

    And have you thought about how you’ll be putting the play on for best use of their wonderful livestream service?  

    Stephen: This will be our first live-stream event. We’re excited and we’re going to be learning our way through the evening. It’s wonderful to be able to reach out to people who can’t attend, to be able to offer a chance for people, particularly in Lincoln, where we’re from, to see the piece live on the stage. Who knows, we may find there’s a film idea in this somewhere.

    Thanks to Laura and Stephen for finding the time to chat with us. Abigail plays at The Space between 3 – 7 May. There will be a livestream performance on 5 May, which will then be available to watch on-demand for a further two weeks. Further information and bookings can be found here. More

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    Interview: Down In The Tube Station At Midnight

    Actor and writer Will Charlton on two plays, Jumper and The Boys

    Our guest on our Runn Radio show this week was Will Charlton. Will is both an actor and writer, so there was plenty to chat about. He is currently preparing to play in Joshua King‘s Jumper at Lion and Unicorn Theatre, and straight after that, he is then gearing up for his own play, The Boys, to make its debut at New Wimbledon Theatre’s Studio space.

    Jumper is set across two time frames five years apart, both on the night’s of elections. And in the first, he is stuck on the underground with a host of other passengers. Whilst The Boys is about struggling to pay the rent and considering the option of becoming a male escort. Both gave us plenty to talk about.

    Jumper plays at Lion and Unicorn between 5 and 9 April. More information and bookings here. More

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    Interview: Who Cares? Matt Woodhead does

    Matt Woodhead on Who Cares? The play and the campaign.

    Our latest podcast interview is with Matt Woodhead, co-Artistic Director of Lung Theatre. Matt wrote Who Cares, a play about young carers. The play led to the creation of the Who Cares Campaign which has gone on to help hundreds of children who act as a primary carer for other members of their family.

    You can read a previous interview we did with Matt here. You can also see our review of the play when it was perfromed at 2019’s Edinburgh Fringe here.

    The radio version of the play is still available via BBC Sounds here.

    You can follow us on Spotify or Itunes (plus many other other podcast providers) for future editions of our interview series. Further information can be found on our Podcast here

    Who Cares? National Tour

    ‘The Alarm Rings. I take a breath. Then it starts’

    Sitting at the back of the bus, skipping the lunch queue and skiving lessons. At school Nicole, Jade and Connor are just like everybody else. But when they get home, things are very different. 

    Nicole started caring for her mum when she was four. Every morning Nicole helps her get washed, put on clothes and eat breakfast. Jade has always cared for her brother, but she never expected to look after dad as well – now she juggles two lots of appointments, two lots of prescriptions, two lots of assessment forms. Connor cares for his mum. But he doesn’t like to talk about it. 

    ​Adapted from real-life testimonies, this bold and pertinent piece of documentary theatre examines our failing care system, the impact of austerity and what happens when a child becomes the parent.

    ​Made in partnership with The Lowry & Greater Manchester Charity, Gaddum and its Salford Carers Service. With funding by Arts Council England, Curious Minds and the Oglesby Charitable Trust.

    Full tour dates and booking can be found here More

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    Interview: Phoebe Angeni tackles anxieties head on

    Author: Everything Theatre

    in Features and Interviews, Podcasts, Runn Radio interview

    29 September 2021

    9 Views

    Mental Health and Wellbeing Awareness Day Interview (part 2)

    This interview was originally recorded as part of Runn Radio’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Awareness Day. The day consisted of interviews and talks on mental health.

    Phoebe Angeni joins us all the way from San Francisco to talk about her own journey with mental health from a very young age and how she has turned these around into positives in her writing and latest show, Itacha.

    You can find out more about Phoebehere.

    You can also download this podcast by clicking on the forward arrow and selecting the download option.

    You can follow us on Spotify or Itunes (plus many other other podcast providers) for future editions of our interview series. Further information can be found on our Podcast here More

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    Interview: Dancing to the beat of Flamenco Express

    Author: Everything Theatre

    in Features and Interviews, Podcasts, Runn Radio interview

    17 September 2021

    4 Views

    Jaki WIlford on the history of Flamenco Express and why dance is a vital cog to theatre

    Episode 3 in our podcast interview series features sees us step away from our usual fringe theatre and into the world of dance theatre. Jaki Wilford is the founder of Flamenco Express, and tells us all about the company’s history and what Flamenco dancing is all about. We also discuss dance’s role in theatre and how we shouldn’t be so scared of it.

    You can find out more about Flamenco Express and upcoing performances here.

    You can catch Flamenco Express next at The Landor Centre on 25 – 26 September 2021, bookings via their website here

    The podcast features the full version of the interview. An edited version was originally broadcast on our Runn Radio show on 8 September 2021.

    You can download this podcast by clicking on the forward arrow and selecting the download option. You can also follow us on Spotify for future editions of our interview series. More

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    Interview: Every (100) Paintings tell a story

    Author: Everything Theatre

    in Features and Interviews

    25 August 2021

    7 Views

    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: Sam Carlyle talks about her show and flexibility

    Listen to our interview with Sam Carlyle, as she talks about her new show, along with being flexible at a job interview and suggesting a new job as a Reverend who will do your vows to the tune of your favourite pop song.

    This interview was first broadcast on Runn Radio on 4 August 2021

    Sam Carlyle: My Life and Other Jokes

    [embedded content]

    You may be asking “Who even is Sam Carlyle?”, but after this cabaret you’ll certainly know her name (along with way too much else..)

    Accompanied by the fantastic pianist Thomas Duchan, Sam shares her many embarrassing anecdotes by putting her own twist on some classic nineties and noughties hits to aid the stories along: From customer service nightmares to dating disasters, toilet complications to weird encounters, Sam shares it all!

    So come on down for an intimate evening of mortifying stories and a setlist that you’ll know and love. You are sure to leave comforted that these things happen to everyone or beaming away because at least these things haven’t happened to you!

    My Life and Other Jokes plays at Canal Cafe Theatre 16 and 17 August (7.30pm) and Musuem of Comedy 19 and 20 August (7.00pm). Further information and booking details via the below link. More