Interview

Ahead of Take Flight, I caught up with Ria Ashcroft to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. Take Flight is such a beautifully unique concept. What first sparked the idea for creating a show specifically for babies aged 0–2? I first thought of the idea to make this show after I had my daughter. I was getting back into training (I'm also an aerialist), she was mesmerised by the

I caught up with Denholm Spurr to talk about Off West End and the Offie Awards, and see the journey, and where he sees the role of off west end productions in the future. Arts company OffWestEnd is celebrating 20 years this year. What does that milestone mean for the organisation and the wider independent theatre sector? Twenty years is significant because very few grassroots cultural institutions survive this long, let alone remain relevant. OffWestEnd was founded in 2006, p

Ahead of FLUSH, I caught up with April Hope Miller to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. FLUSH has such a brilliantly specific setting. What inspired you to centre the entire play in a nightclub bathroom? The ladies bathroom is a sacred place that I wanted to use to tell a story about women in their most unfiltered form. Setting this play in a nightclub toilet allowed me

Ahead of Romeo & Juliet, I caught up with Luke Martin to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. This version of Romeo and Juliet pulls from across Shakespeare’s canon. What inspired you to rework the text in this way? I had inserted a line here or there in dEFAULT’s first Shakespeare production ‘House of Gloucester’ and enjoyed how it brought a uniqueness to the adaptation, whi

Ahead of He Said/She Said, I caught up with Gwithian Evans and Marie Williams to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. What initially drew you both to these roles? Geebs: The character of Her is strikingly loud and bold, with an inner life that feels intensely charged—and, I think, heavily shaped by trauma. That energy leapt off the page for me and was my first strong pull tow

Ahead of My Uncle is Not Pablo Escobar, I caught up with Elizabeth Alvarado to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. What first sparked the idea for My Uncle is Not Pablo Escobar? Conversations between Tommy, Valentina and myself about the issues the Latin American community face sparked ideas and inspiration for a show. We wanted to talk about these issues on stage

Ahead of Myra’s Story, I caught up with Amber Allen to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. Myra’s Story is such a powerful and intimate piece. What drew you to bring this production back to the West End? Like you say, it’s such a powerful piece, and one that always packs a punch. It’s been 2 and a half years since the show was last in London (Sept-Oct 2023) and si

Ahead of Hold The Line, I caught up with Sam Macgregor to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. Hold the Line is rooted in your real-life experience working on the NHS 111 frontline - what made you feel this was a story that needed to be told on stage? People have always been into medical dramas as well as sitcoms set in an Office, or a work place environment, so a

Ahead of Between the Heartbeats, I caught up with Emmanuel Akwafo to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. Between the Heartbeats feels like more than just a concert what sparked the initial idea for this event? I’ve seen so many LGBTQ+ concerts and spaces that, on the surface, celebrate queerness, but in reality don’t feel fully inclusive. There’s often a gap—wher

Ahead of The Sequel, I caught up with Lucas Closs to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. What was the initial spark that led you to write The Sequel? I kept coming across places that had become museums of themselves, honouring their own depiction in a work of art. The setting of The Sequel is a cafe preserved as the novelist’s description of it, not only out of the

Ahead of THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME, I caught up with Hannah Caplan to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. What inspired you to write THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME.? I have fairly broad influences. I was watching a lot of Charlie Kaufman who is a major inspiration. The Beatles’ Abbey Road informed the structure and Jean Baudrillard's Simulation and Simulacran was key in the devel

Ahead of Eggs Aren’t That Easy To Make, I caught up with writer Maria Telnikoff to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. What first sparked the idea for Eggs Aren’t That Easy To Make I am really interested in family; it’s a big theme that runs through my work. I’m especially interested in non-heteronormative or nuclear families and representing them on the stage.

Ahead of Dead Inside, I caught up with Riki Lindolme to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. What first inspired you to turn your fertility journey into a live comedy show? I didn’t set out to make a show about fertility—I just started writing about what I was going through because it was taking up so much mental space in my life. Comedy has always been how I proc

Ahead of Any Objections?, I caught up with Scarlett Smith to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. What first sparked the idea for Any Objections? I remember seeing Faye Tracey’s live looping comedy trombone show maybe 9 years ago, which was really my first source of inspiration! In all honesty I remember very little of her show now, but I’ll always be grateful to her

Ahead of Where There Is No Time, I caught up with Mohammedally Hashemi to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. What first inspired you to write Where There Is No Time? I’ve always started with finding the right world to carry a story, and with Where There Is No Time that world was the glamorous, high-pressure fashion industry. I was fascinated by the intimate, often

Ahead of Lizzy Sunshine, I caught up with Liz Coin to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. Lizzy Sunshine made waves at Edinburgh Fringe last year — what sparked the original idea for the show? Well, strangely enough I was at a guided sound meditation at this funky warehouse event in Brooklyn. It got really long (and a little boring) so I escaped to a little side dre

Ahead of In Some Dark Valley, I caught up with Robert to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. What drew you initially to create a solo performance based on a circuit preacher in post-Civil War Appalachia? The original impulse was in the music: field recordings from the mid-20th century of white and black Southerners singing and playing their instruments in churches,

In this interview, I had the great pleasure of interviewing Emily Davis about the upcoming production ‘Blodwen Rocks the Boat'. She has shared insights into what audiences can expect from this show, as well as the inspiration and hard work that went into bringing this show to life. Blodwen Rocks the Boat blends music, storytelling and personal history. Where did the first spark for the show come from? Everytime anyone said they would ‘circle back’ to me in a meeting or email

Ahead of Who Do They Think They Are, I caught up with Liz Tait to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up. What first sparked the idea for Who Do They Think They Are? I had the idea for this play when I went, somewhat reluctantly, to a hen do some years ago. It was one of those situations where I already knew I wasn’t going to know anyone and was about 20 years older

In this interview, I had the great pleasure of doing an interview with Alexander Knott about the upcoming production ‘ The Highgate Vampire’ . He shared insights into what audiences can expect from this show, as well as the inspiration and hard work behind bringing this show to life. What first drew you to the true events surrounding the Highgate Vampire and why was now the right story? This is all the doing of my co-writer, co-star and frequent collaborator James Demaine.