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      Interview: Can We Tempt You With Some Tempest?

      by

      Rachel Hannah Clarke on playing The Tempest’s Ariel

      What is summertime without a trip to Shakespeare’s Globe? Come rain, come shine (or helicopters), it’s always a magical experience. This season there’s an actual magician and his daughter on stage as The Tempest takes to the boards once again. We caught up with Rachel Hannah Clarke, who will be playing their spirit servant Ariel, to find out more about life on the magic isle.

      The Tempest is such a fantastic play, with such memorable figures. How does it feel to be playing one of Shakespeare’s most famous and enchanting characters?

      Playing Ariel is truly a dream. She is cheeky, playful, magical, loyal and sensitive and I have so much fun playing her. I love that she can be anything that she wants to be. She is invisible throughout most of the production, which is a huge part of the fun and magic. Being invisible also allows her to connect with the audience in a unique and beautiful way, which is very special.

      Ariel is a spirit, rather than a human. Can you relate to her in any way yourself?

      Yes. Ariel is a spirit that is full of hope. As a person of faith I try to live my life with the hope that nothing is impossible if you have faith. Ariel uses her magic to make anything possible and I love that about her.

      There’s music, singing and dancing throughout the play; will you get to do much of that?

      Definitely. There are lots of beautiful and wild moments of song and dance. Any opportunity to have a song and a dance – I’m here for it! These moments just bring the story to life. The band is incredible and the music really helps to release the magic of the island. It highlights the wonderful relationship and connections that the world has to offer.

      You’re working with director Sean Holmes, who has brought some really exciting productions to the Globe in recent years. Can you give us any hints as to how he’s shaping up The Tempest?

      I’ve had the honour of working with Sean Holmes on a few productions now at the Globe and it has always been such a joy, and forever a memorable and wonderful experience. The production is innovative, thought-provoking, colourful and full of magic at every turn. Another hit from Sean Holmes and one not to be missed.

      Can you tell us anything about the costumes for the show?

      The costumes are amazing. I love them. They are wacky and fabulous and really help to inform the world of magic, charm and desire. They are an array of beautiful fabrics, bold prints, pristine suits and dress up – definitely a feast for the eyes.

      This is an open air performance all the way through to October: might you be needing some of Prospero’s spells to ward off any hurricanes?

      The unpredictable weather is all a part of the magic and beauty of the Globe. Rain or shine the productions here always deliver and The Tempest surely is one that will not disappoint.

      Thanks very much to Rachel for taking the time out of her busy schedule to chat with us. The Tempest is playing at Shakespeare’s Globe until Saturday 22 October. Sounds like it’s going to go down a storm! More details and how to book can be found here. More

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      Interview: Joining some CUMTS for a Sleepover

      by

      Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society on new musical Sleepover

      Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2022

      Whilst most of us at ET are focusing on Camden Fringe this August, it’s impossible not to cast an eye the other side of the border to Edinburgh, the home of the fringe festival to top them all! Every year thousands of theatre makers head to the city to put on their shows and spend way too much on accommodation!

      Amongst those numbers are Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society (or CUMTS but you can probably see why we may avoid using that), who are taking their show Sleepover to Just the Tonic at The Caves from 4 to 28 August. Our last memory of those venues was watching a show during a torrential downpour in 2019 when the water was literally running down the walls! Fingers crossed CUMTS won’t have to put up with quite the same experience.

      Always keen to chat to the new creatives who we hope will go far, we grabbed a little time with Laura and Mia from the team before they packed their bags for Edinburgh.

      Shall we start with a quick summary of what we can expect if you come along to see Sleepover, what’s it all about then?

      Laura: SLEEPOVER tells the story of Jenny – that’s me! – who’s hosting her first ever sleepover on the last day of high school! (Her Jamaican Chinese mom never let her have one.) She’s prepared snacks, decorations, and a very special game filled with questions about sex! Come along to join her and her friends as they rap and sing about every inappropriate question you had growing up!

      You’re a musical society, so is it safe to assume Sleepover is going to be a musical? What’s the musical style for the show?

      Laura: You’re a quick one! The music is based on the heritage’s of the character – so everything from dancehall to traditional Chinese instruments! It’s a bit Hamilton, a bit Carnival, and a lot of love.

      You call it a coming-of-age show – as university students, can you all relate to the show then?

      Laura: I’ll be honest – I wrote the show so I could ask my own questions under the guise of acting. Why are there so many sex positions, and realistically, how many am I supposed to know?

      Mia: Oh absolutely! I remember having that moment of panic just before I went to university when I suddenly felt like I had to know everything about my friends, in some mad nihilistic rush of “how will we ever stay friends unless I know exactly what your preference in partner is in intimate detail?”. I think the show really captures this feeling and recognises that it’s an important part of this transition, but doesn’t need to be a negative thing – it can be fun to learn about your friends’ sex lives!

      It’s an original show, was it written with Edinburgh already in mind then?

      Laura: I applied to the opportunity from CUMTS, knowing that the end game was a show in Edinburgh. Knowing this, I made things slightly more inappropriate – I hear the Fringe crowd goes wild!

      Mia: Laura is a slightly confused Canadian who didn’t really know what an ‘Ed-in-berg’ was, but she’s very enthusiastic for the experience! I’m excited for the Fringe to welcome her with open arms!

      We assume it’s had a run already to iron out any kinks? How did that all go? What did you learn from its first public showing?

      Laura: Absolutely not. We’re a balls to the wall type production. If we fail, we promise to do it extraordinary.

      Mia: The only ironing I have done so far is that of Emoji peaches onto T-shirts (so do look out for us on the streets of Edinburgh)! But as Laura said, we are throwing ourselves in at the deep end and adapting as we go, which for me is equal parts intimidating and thrilling. Failure is just another good friend we may make along the way! On a completely unrelated note, I’ve heard the more people that buy a ticket, the closer I will get to having a normal heart-rate.

      CUMTS must have a long history of taking shows to Edinburgh, have any of you been to the festival previously then?

      Laura: No, I don’t think so! We’re all Edinburgh virgins (and some of us will also be virgins in Edinburgh!).

      Mia: This is true both in terms of Fringe, and for many of us, the city itself! Everything is new and exciting and that enthusiasm is really radiating from the cast as we approach opening day!

      And Six came from CUMTS as well, is that a burden around everyone’s neck trying to produce another show that might go on to such success?

      Laura: You’d think, but we’re a completely different type of show. SIX is the headliner, we’re the awkward local band opening. But we have something that SIX doesn’t have – a crocheted eggplant.

      Mia: SIX is kind of like our talented older sibling – they’ve done so well that whatever we achieve, Mum will never be proud of us. However, in many ways we’re grateful for this because it really takes the pressure off! We’re just here to create a piece of theatre that we’re really excited about, and I think this joy really comes across in the show!

      The shows on at 4.30, so leaving you all evening to explore. Have you got your eyes on any other shows we should try to see?

      Laura: I just discovered Lauren Lopez is coming to Fringe with Lottie Plachett Took a Hatchet. I will be queueing down the street every single night to meet my idol. Maybe if I’m lucky I’ll get a signed restraining order…

      Mia: As first student fringe-goers, we’re super excited to support other student shows, of which there are so many and it is always worth giving them a shot if you are looking for things to see! Evening shows include Cambridge’s own: Cicada’s Children, Real Mad World, and Blue and Pip. Also give Durham’s “Cottage” a go! As an all queer cast and crew we are very much drawn to it!

      And to wrap things up, tell us why we should all be coming to see Sleepover in August?

      Laura: I think sometimes we get lost in the busy of the everyday that we forget when the world was a lot bigger and confusing. SLEEPOVER is our cozy love letter to the late night conversations with our best friends, the times you share things that you never thought you’d ever tell another living soul. And it’s okay, because it’s your best friend. We want to be your best friend. 

      Sleepover plays at 4.30pm at Just The Tonic at The Caves from 4 – 28 August. Further information and bookings can be found here. More

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      Interview: There’s No Getting Away from Kevin

      by

      Kevin P Gilday on his EdFringe show, Spam Valley

      Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2022

      When we were at Edinburgh in 2019 we couldn’t seem to avoid Kevin P Gilday. He first cropped up as a guest in Loud Poets, then a few days later he accosted us coming out of a venue flyering for his own show, Suffering From Scottishness. Luckily, he is also a lovely man and we did enjoy both shows, so we didn’t mind being accosted all that much! In fact, he was so charming we found ourselves buying one of his poetry books as well.

      So, when Kevin dropped us a line to let us know he is back in Edinburgh this year with his latest show, Spam Valley, we felt almost compelled to find the time to chat to him to discuss not just the show, but where else he might be popping up this year.

      Spam Valley plays at The Stand’s New Town Theatre 4 – 14 August, 10pm. Tickets and info here.

      We really should start with the obvious, what can you tell us about Spam Valley, what’s it all about then?

      Spam Valley is a show all about class. Specifically, about feeling like you don’t belong in your own class. It’s about that negotiation between the individual and society. Of seeing tribalism and feeling left out. It’s also my story – how I grew up poor but still didn’t get to stake my claim to being working class, how I ended up being surrounded by middle class people when I became a poet, how that’s left me feeling like I’m floating in my own space sometimes.

      It’s also supposed to be funny.

      And what/ where is Spam Valley?

      Spam Valley is a mythical land. It’s used to refer to neighbourhoods all over Scotland. Places that are seen as a wee bit posh. Crucially, the inference is that the people living in these neighbourhoods are doing it to look posh and can’t actually afford to live there which means they have a big house but have to eat spam for their dinner. Hence, Spam Valley – a very specific class-based insult up here.

      You certainly dip your toe into many genres, spoken word, stand up and a little acting, what can we expect to see you up to in Spam Valley?

      It’s a theatrical monologue at its heart but – as always – that spoken word sneaks in, it’s such a massive part of my work that it had to find a place amongst the drama. I also do something approaching stand-up comedy during the show, which is very scary and entirely exciting.

      Suffering From Scottishness was a very (mostly anyway) tongue in cheek and charming look at what it means to be Scottish, are you taking the same liberties with how you portray working class in Spam Valley?

      I think so. I don’t like people to know if I’m being serious or not. It entertains me to sit in that space and make people feel uncomfortable. As so much of it is coming from an autobiographical place there’s no need to take any liberties – this is my lived experience and the fact is often stranger than fiction. It’s a show all about eschewing stereotypes so don’t expect any working class bashing comedy.

      So you’re being yourself this time around rather than playing a role?

      I am very much myself. Or at least the version of myself that stands on a stage and talks to strangers. It’s felt really liberating to stand on stage and be me, to tell my story and be my authentic weird self.

      The show is a 10pm start, is that a sign it’s a little more risqué or simply that you don’t have to get up early to get in to the venue? And does it mean you get a different type of audience with a later start time?

      I think there’s an intensity that can come into the work with a later show. A feeling of things being a bit unpredictable. That what is said next might not have come from a script. And that absolutely suits the vibe of this show. It’s conversational and open and has an emotional heft to it that I think will take people by surprise.

      Are you going to be popping up anywhere else during August then?

      I’ll be appearing at the Book Festival on the 23rd as part of their Scottish spoken word showcase then back with the Loud Poets on the 27th. I’ll also be seeing loads of great shows.

      Who else would you recommend seeing at the festival then?

      Darren McGarvey will be doing a freewheeling Q&A at the same venue as me, the New Town Theatre, which is sure to be amazing. The brilliant Annie George has a double bill of shows on at Summerhall. Salamander by Mhairi McCall looks stunning. If you’re into comedy then get over to the Monkey Barrel who have an unbelievable array of Scotland’s best comedians in their line-up: Stephen Buchanan, Amelia Bayler, Stuart McPherson, Christopher Macarthur-Boyd, Elaine Malcolmson, Rosco McClelland, Marc Jennings, Liam Withnail, Richard Brown, Krystal Evans, Amy Matthews, Susan Riddell and probably more that I’ve missed out. I really wish I was a comedian, they’re all so cool and effortless.

      And lastly, why then, with everything else we could be seeing, should we come along to see Spam Valley then?

      Because it has something to say – and that’s rarer than you think. It’s not a big, fancy production or a wee student play – this is proper political theatre told through a personal story. It’s bold. It’s unique. It’s a show for everyone who feels they’ve been left behind by their class. Who feels they didn’t fit in with the stereotype. It’s a show for everyone who moved away to become someone new but ended up back where they started. It’s a show that kicks back against the policing of class and reclaims it for everyone who wants it.

      My theory is that my story isn’t unique, it just hasn’t been portrayed on stage because it isn’t seen as dramatic enough. Well, here’s our chance. If this sounds like your story too, then come and see it.

      Our thanks to Kevin for taking time of what we are sure is the usual chaotic lead up to the festival! You can catch Spam Valley at The Stand’s New Town Theatre 4 – 14 August, 10pm. Tickets and info here. More

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      Interview: Tackling the Sex Trade via Camden Fringe

      by

      Dominique Izabella Little on Sold By Mama

      What’s so great about fringe theatre festivals is the absolutely incredible range of shows on offer and the multitude of themes explored. And Camden Fringe is no exception, offering shows from the whimsical through to the macabre.

      Dominique Izabella Little’s Sold By Mama certainly falls in the more serious end of themes, as it seeks to explore the complexities of sex trafficking and the effects on those involved. It promises a delicate mix of addiction, mental illness and trauma, morphing childhood dreams into brothels and onto the streets of Los Angeles.

      The show will be playing at Hen and Chickens Theatre 21, 22 (both 7:30pm) and 27 August (3:00pm). You can book tickets here.

      Always eager to ensure such vital conversations are had, we sat down with Dominique to find out more about her show and whether it is one that might require a very open mind?

      [embedded content]

      You’ve a background in documentary filmmaking, was this how you approached writing Sold By Mama?

      My love of reality bleeds into everything I do in that I love unfiltered storytelling. The research and preparation for Sold By Mama are definitely in alignment with documentary. The play burst into my mind after a year of experiences that deeply impacted me, alongside watching hours and hours of doci interviews. The writing process was then about giving all that I had absorbed the space to combust into four new, raw and eccentric fictional characters. They share true encounters through the kind of conversation you would only ever have with a filmmaker, or a stranger that you never see again.

      How much is the content of the play based on real lives and real events?

      Sold By Mama is a bite sized snapshot into the very real global subculture of trafficking known as ‘the life’, along with its hierarchy, rules and jargon.  The women are based on multiple real lives and events.  I love the docu-fiction hybrid – where everything is exactly what happened, re-edited into fictional narrative (like much of the content labelled as ‘documentary’ or ‘reality’ today).  Because on the streets, it’s all hybrid and truth mixed with distortion lending itself to a pretty wild reality. The women finesse on the stage the same way they do on the streets, but even in the most flippant and lyrical rhyme, sits the harshest of truths.  This is a microscopic but intense insight into millions of women’s day-to-day reality. 

      The play’s set on the streets of Los Angeles, why that location?

      I moved to Los Angeles for acting, mid-pandemic, with a budget that could not afford a car, or an uber, so it meant walking the streets, and hours on buses and trains. Sounds like London, right?  If you’ve been to LA, you’ll know this is not a situation you want to find yourself in. It’s odd, growing up in Africa we are indoctrinated to believe things about the ‘first world’ which are incredibly disillusioning when you actually arrive. The homelessness rocked me.  I walk out of my hostel on Hollywood Blvd where the police just arrived for domestic violence, a mother and daughter are living in one room whose smell I can’t escape, and the richest, poorest people are living in tents everywhere as I walk the streets that look so immaculate on TV, yet so heartbreakingly desperate in person. I was grateful for every horrible second in that city which opened my eyes to the true heartbeat of LA. At the same time, I began my deep dive into all things cults, mind control, narcissism, psychopathy – I was in LA after all and its wonderful sunny skies are a breeding ground for twisting minds.  The rabbit hole led me to addiction, homelessness, pimping, sex work and trafficking. Most of the stories I was immersed in had links to LA, so I stayed true to that location in Sold By Mama.

      And even though its thousands of miles away, is it still possible to relate to the people and places from our seats in Camden?

      Camden sits snugly in a city where sex-trafficking happens daily. Whether it’s online or on the streets, any time somebody engages in a commercial sexual act through force or coercion, they have been trafficked. People often think trafficking only refers to being kidnapped, drugged and held captive for sex in another country where nobody can speak the language. It doesn’t. The experiences of the women in Sold By Mama are not unique to LA. Hustlers, dealers, pimps, clients, early influences of childhood and trauma, mental illness, addiction whether it be to sex, substances, fast money or freedom, all of this is universal. The pimping jargon might be LA specific, but the tactics aren’t: Find out what they need, satisfy that need, cause dependence through fear masked as enlightenment, where freedom equals bondage and the user is a slave to desire.  Even this isn’t specific to sex work, we go to university to learn how to do this in business, in political campaigns, on billboards. 

      Sold By Mama certainly looks to be one of the heavier pieces playing at Camden Fringe, should we bring the tissues along with us?

      The most striking thing about watching people talk about their experiences, is that sometimes the thing that hits you, is the thing they are most casual about and vice versa. What is shocking or unthinkable to you, is just a day in the life to someone else and part of life is using humour to get you through it. You might connect with one of the stories on a personal level, or you might simply enjoy an encounter with a world that seems far removed. There is however a trigger warning for both simple and complex PTSD triggers. Bring an open and questioning mind, Sold By Mama is non-linear and non-typical storytelling. The women are quick witted and sharp. You need a bit of that yourself to keep up amidst their hustle. They are playing the game as much as it is playing them, so don’t let them play you. 

      What has brought you to London, and more specifically Camden for August then?

      After training in New York / Los Angeles, I moved to London to deepen my acting practice in techniques I hadn’t yet explored. London is now home and Camden a beautiful opportunity to share exciting new work alongside artists who are doing the same.

      You are writer, director and actor, how do you ensure there is release from what appears to be a very intense experience, do you have someone else just watching over proceedings as you put it all together to keep you sane?

      With a project like Sold By Mama – I remind myself that this is an art, let go of perfect, forgive myself for anything that may or may not happen and pursue excellence with all I’ve got.  I am solo on this project, but I do have a core of very close relationships who not only provide me with release through their love and encouragement, but help me with things like poster design, cutting my ideas down to size, and a roof over my head. The work is just as much about relishing preparation and enjoying this one precious life in the process, even when the going gets tough. Freelancing as a creative has instilled fantastic work ethic, resourcefulness and resilience in me, but there is only so much one person can do.  I would love to work with a team, but it needs to be the right team, which is something I am seeking in an agent.  

      Is this play’s themes something you hope to explore further in the future?

      The wonderful thing about immersing yourself in things that interest you are that they tend to resurface with new faces in different seasons of life. Sold By Mama touches on so many themes common to so many which I am bound to explore in future roles. There is a very powerful exchange that can happen between performer and audience, my hope is that the work I do reaches the people who need it most. 

      And besides your own play, are you hoping to get out and see some other work whilst the festival is on during August?  Any recommendations?

      Yes!  Amongst so many talented artists, I would love to see Dog/Actor, Tree Confessions, By The Light of The Moon, We’ve Seen Enough, Roll The Dice, Bird Mouth Collective. 

      Many thanks to Dominique for her time to talk about what we reckon will be a powerful piece of theatre.

      You can book tickets via Camden Fringe’s website here.

      You can also find out more about Dominique on her own website here. More

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      Interview: Bringing Oxbridge to Camden

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      Katherine Stockton on her play Colloquium, playing as part of Camden Fringe

      We all know the phrase Oxbridge, a portmanteau of Oxford and Cambridge, the two oldest, wealthiest, and most famous universities in the United Kingdom. It’s a phrase that will conjure up different images to different people. To some a mark of quality, to others it may mean elitism.

      Katherine Stockton’s Colloquium takes us into that world, exploring the lives of stuffy Professors, pompous Candidates, and struggling Students, all suffering under the regime of pressuring higher education.

      The play is one of the first on at this year’s Camden Fringe, with performances 1 to 4 August at Hen and Chickens Theatre. It also then plays for two nights at Kensington’s Golden Goose Theatre (5 and 6 August). Tickets for both venues can be found here.

      Always wanting to further educate ourselves, we thought we’d put on our finest gowns and mortarboard and spend an afternoon in the study with Katherine to talk more about her play.

      The play takes us into the world of our finest places of study, what can you tell us about the play and the characters we’re going to meet?

      The play is most essentially a pulling back of the curtain on the mythic and hidden world of these elite institutions, yes. We are going to meet Alfred; a Professor of English in his last year before retirement, obsessed with leaving a form of legacy behind, Bennett; a junior Professor of English hoping to take Alfred’s job next year, Ben; a seventeen-year-old applicant who has been all but groomed for the interview process, Alice; an applicant to whom this world seems bewildering, George; a PhD student struggling to reconcile his relationship with his working-class, pub quiz loving step-dad, and Anna; a PhD student whose mental health is suffering to the point of giving up on her academic dreams.

      And is the play a one-person show portraying the various characters we encounter, or do you have an ensemble?

      We have a very talented ensemble who are able to bring their own distinct voices to each character who struggle with the pressures of elite education in similar ways, yet often take very different approaches to coping with those pressures.

      You didn’t study at either of the Oxbridge universities, what made you decide to set a play there?

      It didn’t matter so much to place a play where I’ve known. To me, and to most teenagers who go through the UCAS process, Oxbridge is a symbol – a monolith – of excellence. You either make it – become part of the symbol – or live forever outside it. It is the great divider of applicants. Therefore, it felt natural to set a drama within its walls.

      There’s talk of balancing the conflicting hopes of education: to teach for the exam, for success, or to teach for life. Does the play answer which you feel is more vital or just highlight the contradictions that exist?

      The play highlights how impossible both of the strategies are. Under capitalism, under our data-driven, results-driven society, where everything must be quantified and scaled, you cannot teach for life. You must teach for an exam. But you also cannot hope to produce educated, well-rounded citizens of the world if you only take this method. Whichever is ‘better’ cannot be discerned until we realise how to actually do either.

      Do you feel as a country we often give too much reverence just because someone studied at one of the elite universities?

      As someone who did not study there; it is almost impossible to say. Maybe the undergraduates of Oxford did get much better quality teaching than I did at Warwick. I will never be able to know for sure because I wasn’t there. I think it’s that wall that separates the two worlds that the play wants to look at most.

      You’ve clearly looked at their processes deeply to put this play together, do you feel that the universities have changed or is there still a lot of unnecessary tradition at play within them?

      The pomp and ceremony, razzle dazzle of the place is absurd to me. Almost cultish. I am sure those memories of sitting down in gowns and hats to banquets stay with you for life, embedding in you a network and a sense of loyalty that will carry you through your career for as long as you choose to tug on the strings of that network. I feel as though the ritualistic nature of Oxbridge is very much still in place.

      The show has already performed at Bread and Roses, has it changed much since then? Did you learn anything at that run?

      I certainly did. That run was a comedy with dramatic elements. I realised that the themes I want to tackle – how we venerate exceptionalism, the authority of tradition vs. the inevitability of progress, elitism, class, politics, etc – they all leant themselves much better to a drama. A drama with hilarious bits, but a drama nonetheless.

      Why should we come and see Colloquium then?

      Currently, there’s nothing quite like Colloquium out there. It dissects, with wit, and intelligence and humanity, a certain place and time that has yet to be visited on the British stage since the works of Alan Bennett. Come and see it for that.

      And as it’s Camden Fringe, with so much else going on, do you have any recommendations of other shows we should see as well as Colloquium?

      Boiling Frog is a digital event and so accessible to all. It explores the trauma of witnessing the horrific Australian Black Summer Bushfires of 2019/20 using the monologue form. Definitely one I will be looking out for.

      Thanks to Katherine for finding the time to chat to us about Colloquium. You can find out more about the play and book tickets at Katherine’s website here.

      Colloquium plays as part of Camden Fringe at The Hen and Chickens Theatre, 1 – 4 August. More details here and Golden Goose Theatre 5 – 6 August, more info here. More

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      Interview: Taking a short trip to Barcelona for Just Sayin’

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      Tina Zucco talks to us about new play, Just Sayin’

      Tina Zucco’s Just Sayin’ is heading to Islington’s The Hope Theatre as part of this year’s Camden Fringe. Yes, we know, Islington isn’t technically in Camden, but hey, it’s a growing festival, it needs all the space it can get! 

      The play follows Cat, new to Barcelona and eager to find love. But when she starts to do voluntary work in the homeless community, it makes her question what it is she really wants from life.

      It certainly looks to contain themes we’re always pleased to see covered, so we couldn’t resist the opportunity to grab some time with Tina and find out more.

      Lovely to meet you Tina – first things first, how much of you is there in your character Cat? Are you from Barcelona originally?

      Thank you so much for having me! It’s great having the chance to talk about Cat and Just Sayin’ in general because this show has been a part of my life for a year now and I’m so excited any time I get to share it with more people!

      I would say that Cat(erina) is 50% me, and 50% my best friend… Although I did live in Barcelona for a while, the character of Cat and her story was actually inspired by my best friend, an Italian girl, working in Barcelona, and volunteering with the homeless community there. But then, all of Cat’s flaws and quirks come from me, and she has some of my interests too, like the fact that she loves salsa dancing and watching Vampire Diaries is definitely something we have in common. 

      But Is London your home now? And do you still feel it is as much home now as when you first arrived, hope Brexit hasn’t affected your love of our wonderful city?

      London is my home and I love it! I’ve been in the UK for about 6 years now and I’ve had the chance to live in York, Manchester and now London! Brexit was a bit of a shock because the referendum happened just after I got accepted into university in the UK so I feared I wasn’t going to feel welcomed. But all of the wonderful people I met in England never made me feel unwanted, everyone is lovely and polite, which is one thing I love about the UK! But it is a bit saddening that other Italians now can’t just as easily move here and start a new life.

      Your new play is Just Sayin’ – what drew you to write a play that seems to be very much about homelessness? Is this a subject close to your heart?

      Like I mentioned earlier, this play is inspired by my best friend, Carlotta. She volunteers with a local Christian charity to help the homeless every Sunday, and when she started talking to me about it, her eyes had a wonderful spark in them, you could see how happy she was to be making a different in people’s lives, and how great she felt to be meeting all these different unique people every Sunday. 

      One day we were having a drink in Barcelona and one of the regulars that she sees quite often during her time with the charity came to talk to her, to catch up and ask for her help for a problem he was having, and I realised how she was actually building very personal relationships with many of them. That’s when I decided to start writing Just Sayin’. It actually had a working title of “Carlotta” for about 6 months.

      Did you do much research into the subject, do you think people aren’t aware of just how much of a problem homelessness is?

      Once I left Barcelona I still called Carlotta every Monday night. She would tell me about who she had met that week and the stories she’d heard. I started writing down everything she was saying. So that was the beginning of the research project. I wanted to make sure that all of the homeless characters Cat meets in her journey were real people and not just cliches.

      Needless to say, the more I would hear about these people the more I got into tackling the problem of homelessness in the UK. I found a director who was also active in helping the homeless. We then picked London and Brighton as the places to stage Just Sayin’ because both of these cities have an incredibly high percentage of homeless people.

      We don’t expect our play to change the world, but we do hope we can make a small difference, so we partnered with Beam who run individual fundraisers to help people get off the streets, and we’re fundraising for them on the days of our show, hoping to raise enough to help at least one person start a new life.

      It’s also about how your actions can make a difference in someone else’s life, is this something you’ve experienced. Is it more about the small things we do, or are you hoping people might think much bigger – such as going out to volunteer?

      I think it’s definitely about the little things. If we could just inspire our audience to be nice and kind, to acknowledge the people asking for help and honestly thinking is there anything I can do for them now? Like, maybe I don’t have change on me, but I’m going into Tesco, is there anything they need? Literally one smile can go a long way, so yeah, we can’t change the world, but we can try to change the mood of the people who inhabit it.

      What can we expect from the play, are you going to tug on the heartstrings or just planning to make us laugh?

      Well, I’m a massive fan of comedy. I think people remember things that make them laugh, so you can expect laughter for sure. But ultimately, we talk about some serious stuff, so there will be some heartfelt moments that will make our audience reflect, maybe even feel something they wouldn’t have expected to feel when coming into the theatre.

      Camden Fringe is looking very big and bold this year, how excited are you to be part of it, and are there any other shows you’ve got your eye on and hope to see?

      I am both excited and terrified to be part of the Camden Fringe this year. The thing I love the most about London is its theatre scene and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be part of it. But the competition is extremely high and I myself have a growing list of shows I want to watch! I’ll definitely start with Someone Else’s Shoes because it opens the festival and it’s put on by a group of young artists, which is something I always admire! Then I’ll catch Hooks and Hookups which is on the same days as me at the Hope Theatre. (You can listen to our interview with the creatives of Hoops and Hookups here.) One other show I would recommend is Blue Balloons Pink which is also at the Hope Theatre and I’ve had the pleasure to catch at the Brighton Fringe. It’s also a new piece of writing full of twists! 

      With so much to see, why should we make sure Just Sayin’ is on the top of the list of shows that should be seen at the festival this year then?

      All I’ll say is that if you’re looking for a new, fresh, one-woman show that will make you forget you’re in London and transport you to the magical Barcelona for one hour, then come watch Just Sayin’, and you will not be disappointed! 

      Honestly, I am so grateful I had female creatives such as Lara Cosmetatos, the director, and Siân Elissa and Tee, the producer and designer, working with me on Just Sayin’. They all brought something wonderful and unique to the team and the show, and we were all amazed when we were nominated for Best Play at the Brighton Fringe. It was the first time we were all working together and seeing the results, and the way our first audience reacted to the show, was really gratifying! 

      As always, our thanks to Tina for finding the time to chat to us about her play.

      You can catch Just Sayin’ at The Hope Theatre between 12 and 14 August at 9pm. Further information and tickets here.

      The show plays after Hoops and Hookups (7pm) so we do highly recommend a double bill! You can find out more about Hoops and Hookups in our recent podcast with the writers/ performers here.

      If you want to support Just Sayin’, they have a GoFundMe page here for donations. If you donate the price of a ticket you will receive a link with the professionally filmed performance of the show when it is available. More

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      Interview: Taking A Trip Through Time with Free School Lunch

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      Free School Lunch’s Aurelia Gage on her new play, All This Must Pass

      Free School Lunch impressed us last year with their Camden Fringe offering, Sisters Of Charity. They are back again at the Fringe this year with their brand new play All This Must Pass. The play looks an epic exploration through time as a woman tries to find how she came to be.

      It certainly sounds an ambitious and exciting endeavour, and you know we love ambitious and exciting new writing here at ET. So it felt a great time to get ourselves some Free School Lunch as we sat down to chat with Aurelia to ask her about the play.

      Book tickets here.

      The play promises to cover hundreds of years, how do you manage to squeeze so much into just an hour?

      Not even an hour: 55 minutes! I wish I was a talented enough writer to do that, but it has required a generous edit. All This Must Pass tells the story of one woman travelling through time and space to discover the people that made her – it is the ultimate family reunion and because of that, it’s very exclusive. We meet celebrated heroes, despised villains, and those who history doesn’t care to remember – but all of whom serve a purpose for our main character.

      What made you want to write a play spanning centuries?

      I wanted to write about people who would/could never be put together and have them all share the same stage. For me, it was the perfect way to explore all the faucets of one person and properly articulate how they could possibly experience such a life-changing event.

      And what is it that will bind all the moments in time together?

      Every person, every decision, every moment has led to the life of our main character. She is the thread that binds them together and they, through every decision (good and bad) have created her.

      The central theme of the play is the loss of a child during pregnancy, can you tell us a little more about this theme and why you wanted to explore it in this way?

      I’ve wanted to explore child loss in my writing for a long time. I couldn’t reconcile the fact that something was so common and yet endless testimonies create a picture of an ordeal people largely navigate alone. I recently lost my father; and the outpouring of love and support was incredible, but what do you do when you’re told “it’s just one of those things” and the world moves on without you? How do you share your grief with others? How do you grieve someone you never got to know? These questions crop up in a quarter of all pregnancies, and for our main character in All This Must Pass. She is left without a map to navigate her grief and so looks to her ancestors to share their strength, their pain, and to know them in a way she couldn’t know her child.   

      Last year’s Sisters of Charity was a very Irish based play, and All This Must Pass makes mention of the Potato Famine of Ireland – is there a strong Irish feel throughout?

      Irish identity crops up in a lot of my plays, Sisters of Charity in particular was a homage to the Irish women and children who were let down so badly by the Catholic Church. We get to spend some time in Ireland (and discover the best theme park on earth) in All This Must Pass but it’s one stop on a much more expansive journey through time and space.  

      Sisters Of Charity was a fantastic play, but very dark in its themes, is All This Must Pass going to follow a similar path? And how do you avoid things becoming too bleak?

      First of all, thank you! And yes, there’s no getting away from the darker themes in both my plays. My focus as a writer is to bring light to maligned or forgotten people, but the driving force behind that is the strength, joy and humour people can show in the darkest of times. All This Must Pass in a one-woman show performed by the phenomenal Aidan Morris. Aidan is an actor, dancer and stand-up comedian; the energy she brings to the stage is just incredible. It was important for me to have a living breathing character tell this story, not just a vessel for a trauma. And as much as this is a story of grief, it is also a story of love, laughter and a good old knees-up at a family reunion.  

      Reheasal images of Aidan Morris

      The play is on at Lion and Unicorn Theatre, how much has the venues support helped (or is helping) in getting this play ready?

      Honestly, Sisters of Charity and All This Must Pass wouldn’t have happened without The Lion and Unicorn or David Brady (Artistic Director of Proforca Theatre). In 2021 we were in the midst of a pandemic (and still are), the industry was on its knees, and I had never produced my own play. There wasn’t a question too stupid or a problem too big for the theatre and its team. For an early career theatre maker like me, David and his team really gave me a roadmap for a seemingly impossible task and the all-round support of some really good people.  

      All This Must Pass plays as part of Camden Fringe between 18 – 20 August at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre. Further information and bookings can be found here. More

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      Interview: There’s Always Room on Our Broom

      by

      Tall Stories’ Olivia Jacobs on producing Room On The Broom

      Fans of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s fabulous children’s books will be delighted that acclaimed theatre company Tall Stories are bringing their adaptation of Room on the Broom to the West End this summer. We asked company co-founder Olivia Jacobs to land the broom for a minute and magic up a bit of information about the show.

      Olivia, Room on the Broom is an absolute favourite picture book for children worldwide; you must feel such a responsibility to adapt it well? How do you go about bringing it to life, from page to stage?

      When Room on the Broom was first published, we were hooked immediately, and asked the authors and publishers for the rights. It’s such a brilliant adventure story – with just enough danger, a whole heap of fabulous characters and a hugely positive message about working together. Thankfully both Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler had enjoyed our previous stage production of The Gruffalo and felt that there was room on the broom for us!

      I was definitely nervous to start work on the show and I still feel that same sense of nervousness and responsibility every time I go into the rehearsal room with a new company. I want to ensure it’s always full of life on stage and that audiences leave the theatre happy and grinning.

      It was hard to know where to start developing this beautiful but complex story. We needed to create seven characters: a witch, a cat, a dog, a bird, a frog, a dragon and a mud monster, with a cast of four… We also had the tricky task of flying all of our characters, as well as creating magic spells and appearing a magnificent broom from thin air. No small challenge! We tested ideas in a rehearsal room with some very talented performers and a highly imaginative creative team – which is how we devise all our shows – trying to find the best and most entertaining way to tell the story.

      We finally settled on beginning with a camping trip; four campers setting off for a night under the stars. But nothing goes to plan when they see a witch on a broomstick flying down towards them at full pelt…This opening defines the way in which we tell the rest of the story. If audiences watch carefully, there are lots of things in the campsite scene which later find their way into the tale of the witch, the cat and their adventure.

      Tell us a bit about the music and puppetry involved.

      Puppets have a huge role in this production, and it was so important that we got them right. We had lots of questions to resolve. Which characters would be puppets? What type of puppets should we create? How big should they be? What do they need to be able to do? How many people would operate each puppet? And, of course, what happens when all seven characters are on stage with only four actors – would it be possible to operate more than one puppet at a time? Our puppet designer Yvonne Stone created prototypes for us and we played with these in a rehearsal room to discover exactly what looked best.

      Eventually we decided that Dog, Bird and Frog – all the creatures that Witch picks up on her journey – would become puppets in the show, but we determined that the design of Cat’s costume would link her to the puppet animals too.

      As the characters emerged in the devising room, the design of the puppets developed too. Bird developed long eyelashes, Frog’s leg length increased, and we finally found a way of operating Dog’s tail so he could wag it as enthusiastically as he wanted to. Whilst the puppeteers make it look easy, the puppetry in the show is really difficult. The actors develop very big muscles!

      The music followed logically as the characters became more defined. We wanted a song for everyone who joined Witch and Cat on the broom, so played with ideas of what they might sing about, and why they might want to travel by broom – especially Bird, who has her own wings!

      The show is aimed at ages 3+, but do you find older children enjoy it too?

      We’ve always tried to make shows that work for all ages. Over 60% of our attendees are grown-ups, so it seems absurd not to try to ensure that all of your audience have fun: the show needs to appeal to everyone. Families come in all shapes and sizes, and we often have older children watching alongside younger siblings. My favourite thing is actually when I hear parents talking afterwards: they often seem surprised to have laughed and had a good time, the expectation being that if it’s for their children it couldn’t possibly also be for them! We hope our shows work on different levels and remain a place where three or even four generations can enjoy being entertained together.

      Which is your favourite character in this story?

      This is an impossible question to answer. I love Dog’s enthusiasm for life, Bird’s desire to be loved, Frog’s endless charm, Witch’s scattiness and Cat’s ability to succinctly sum up and deal with any situation. And I’m pretty fond of Dragon too, for all his posturing and pretending to be brave – he’s a big softie really. I can’t pick one character – I have a soft spot for them all!

      It’s twenty-five years since Tall Stories was founded. Have things changed much since you started, and how did you get through the Covid pandemic in the last couple of years?

      When we first started Tall Stories, there were very few companies making work for a family audience, and fewer making cross-generational work. The advent of Harry Potter and Northern Lights (etc) made ‘crossover work’ a genre in itself, with new shows for family audiences springing up countrywide. I hope that we have been even a small part of improving the theatre landscape for family audiences and encouraging others to create great work for this brilliant, imaginative sector.

      Tall Stories itself has grown and developed as a company too. Twenty-five years ago it was just my co-founder Toby and I working from a spare room in a small flat in north London; now there’s a team of seven full-time staff based in the Tall Stories Studio in Highbury and Islington.

      Of course, the last few years have been hard for everyone in the entertainment industry. Our UK tour of Room on the Broom was cut short, and we rushed actors home from Hong Kong, Australia and America during the pandemic. But audiences have been very supportive and have returned to theatres to provide their children with the opportunity to see high quality performance. It feels very fitting that Room on the Broom, a story about pulling together in times of adversity, is back this year.

      Tell us a bit about your charity work, and the Tall Stories Studio.

      We’re hugely proud of the new Tall Stories Studio, which opened its doors last year after three years of searching and building. We now have our own beautiful, light, bright, ground floor accessible rehearsal space, with an office, meeting room and costume store all on site. I love that we are based within Islington’s Central Library, surrounded by stories.

      From our new home we work closely with the surrounding community, providing free accessible performances of our shows for local families who may not otherwise have access to touring work. As an example, we worked recently with local organisations The Hibiscus Centre, The Parent House and Homestart to welcome single parent families, families who have been victims of domestic abuse and refugees who are new to the community to free performances of The Gruffalo.

      Working alongside Islington council, we provide free productions for local school children, who also get to meet and greet the cast after the show and ask any burning questions that they might have.

      Within the Studio space we work with, support and nurture new and emerging storytelling artists and companies through our ‘Studio Share’ programme. We offer artists free rehearsal space to develop and share work, as well as opportunities for mentoring sessions with Tall Stories’ professional team.

      Outside of the Studio we collaborate with a variety of organisations and schemes, such as The Garden Classroom, with whom we’ve provided a unique drama and forest school experience for children aged 7-11, and Hackney Empire’s ‘Pay It Forward’ scheme which encouraged audiences when booking tickets to purchase extras for families who wouldn’t ordinarily visit the theatre. We continue to be amazed by our audience’s generosity: this year we were able to provide a free trip to Hackney Empire for over 100 under-privileged children and their families.

      As a charity, any income Tall Stories receive from our larger scale shows is routed straight back into the company. In this way, we can tour further afield, reach new audiences, offer free performances, accessible performances and develop creative work with young people, families, artists and those who don’t initially see theatre as a possible option for them.

      I may be a bit biased, but I think Tall Stories is an amazing company to be part of.

      You have a background of touring productions, so how does it feel to be settling in to a West End venue for a big long stretch?

      It’s wonderful that we’re flying into the West End for the summer with Room on the Broom and lovely to be working with Nimax and their fabulous team at the gorgeous Lyric Theatre, but we never rest on our laurels. The show will tour the length and breadth of the country between now and April 2023 – visit our website for details about the venues we’re touring to! www.roomonthebroomlive.com

      Room on the Broom runs from Thursday 21 July to Sunday 4 September at the Lyric Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue, London. Further information and bookings can be found here. More