Interview

As an actor, writer, and practising NHS junior doctor, Mo Maka brings a unique perspective to the stage with her debut full-length play, DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS CONVERSATION. Set during a single high-pressure encounter between a junior doctor and a patient's relative, the play explores medicine, ethics, grief, and the realities of working within an overstretched NHS. Following early critical acclaim and ahead of its transfer to the Bread & Roses Theatre and Edinburgh Fringe previ

With the launch of the brand-new Mainstage Prize, a £10,000 award championing ambitious large-scale theatre, I sat down with founder Sophie Cairns and chairperson Pippa Hill to discuss the future of new writing, the urgent need for commercially ambitious theatre, and why horror has been chosen as the Prize’s inaugural genre. Backed by Riverside Studios, the Mainstage Prize aims to discover bold theatrical voices capable of captivating large audiences, and terrifying them too.

Ahead of the final UK performance of at the this summer, I caught up with writer and performer to discuss the extraordinary journey of the show — from a 50-seat Edinburgh Fringe venue to the West End and Off-Broadway. Inspired by one of English football’s most infamous viral moments, the critically acclaimed one-man play explores tribalism, toxic masculinity, male friendship, and the desperate search for belonging through humour, heartbreak, and football culture. As the sh

Ahead of CAMDENWALLA's opening at Camden People's Theatre this June, I caught up with writer and director Jonny Khan to discuss overlooked London histories, intergenerational activism, and bringing real stories of community resistance to the stage. Set inside the very building where the real Camden Monitoring Project once operated, the play shines a light on the Bengali volunteers who protected their community during a period of escalating racist violence in 1990s London and

With the celebration of its 10th anniversary this year, I caught up with Dan the co-founder and performer and festival producer Amee Smith to talk about a decade of clowning, contemporary physical comedy, and why audiences continue to connect so deeply with this timeless art form. From chaotic cabarets and bouffon rituals to international performers and workshops, this year’s festival promises to be the biggest and boldest yet. Over the last ten years, the decade and festival

Ahead of bringing A Cat In A Box to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, I caught up with Tom Nemec to discuss transforming personal trauma into theatre, balancing dark humour with emotional honesty, and why survival stories continue to resonate so deeply with audiences. What first made you decide to turn such a deeply personal story into a solo play? I think I reached a point where I didn’t want to keep pretending everything was okay. A lot of the show is about realizing that the

Ahead of Jane Eyre Convention arriving at The Bread and Roses Theatre this June before heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, I caught up with writer and performer Eleanor Zeal to discuss literary fandom, chaotic comedy, and the joy of watching passionate people completely lose perspective over a beloved book. Created by Theatre Caddis, this fast-paced farce promises bonnets, Brontë obsession, emotional breakdowns on the moors, and just the right amount of “minimal raunch.” Where d

Ahead of bringing "An American Comedy Show That Quite Possibly Might Be Funny To The British" to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, I caught up with comedian Brendon Lemon to discuss cultural identity, political exhaustion, British humour, and turning America's ongoing chaos into stand-up material blending sharp social commentary with improvisation, crowdwork, and storytelling. Alongside that, he is also presenting "ADHD: A Crowdwork Comedy Show", a completely different Fringe ho

Ahead of (No) Refunds returning to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe after a successful New York run and acclaimed Fringe debut, I caught up with Katy Murphy to discuss audience participation, performative pressure, and turning the brutal realities of being a working artist into a hilariously chaotic gameshow experience. Hosted by the dazzling (and slightly terrifying) Tiffany Gold, the show promises high-energy comedy, theatrical mayhem, and the very real possibility of one audi

As Albatross prepares to soar across the UK on its national tour before landing at Omnibus Theatre, I caught up with writer and director Patrick Morris to discuss climate catastrophe, complicated family dynamics, and the emotional turbulence at the heart of this striking new drama. Rooted in extensive research with Antarctic scientists and wrapped in deeply human storytelling, Albatross asks timely questions about responsibility, sacrifice, and what we owe future generations.

Ahead of us, what are we going to do when this is all over? arriving at the Buxton Fringe as part of its 2026 tour, I caught up with Alexander Millington to discuss immersive storytelling, memory, trauma, and the unsettling emotional terrain at the heart of the production. Created by award-winning company Split Infinitive, the play blends autobiographical performance with intimate audience interaction to explore the darker side of love, secrecy, and memory loss. Asking how fa

Ahead of bringing Strangers to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, I caught up with magician and mentalist Max Davidson to discuss mind reading, audience psychology, endurance, and why interactive magic creates such unforgettable experiences. Following successful US tours and a previous Fringe run, Davidson returns with a solo show promising impossible predictions, personal revelations, and a finale that changes completely every night depending on the audience in the room. Strang

Ahead of Death of a Salesman I caught up with Halit Ergenç about returning to the stage for the first time in 25 years and why he felt like now was What drew you to return to the stage with Death of a Salesman after more than two decades away from theatre? Theatre offers a sense of immediacy and risk that cannot be replicated elsewhere. Over the years, working on screen, I did not feel a strong need to return. But at some point, I realised I missed that sense of exposure, whe

Ahead of Return To The Forest I caught up with Sue to give a deeper dive into the themes of the production and what people can expect from this production. How did your previous collaboration on The Global Playground influence this new production? The Global Playground was Theatre-Rites' first collaboration with Gregory Magoma and was produced by Manchester International Festival during Covid, rehearsed in a socially distant way. As you can imagine, it was both wonderful to b

Blending boxing, music, history and heartfelt storytelling, Dancing in the Mirror is an ambitious new site-specific production staged inside the iconic Fellowship Inn in Lewisham. The very place where legendary boxer Sir Henry Cooper once trained. Written by Sunday Times bestselling author Rhik Samadder in his playwriting debut, the production brings together professional actors, musicians and the Lewisham Creative Chorus for a moving story that spans generations of South Lon

Ahead of the ICC spring season, I caught up with William Foote 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 excites you most about the Irish Cultural Centre’s Spring 2026 programme? Its energy and range. There’s a real sense of dialogue between tradition and new work, and across disciplines. It feels like a programme that reflects where Irish culture is right now. This season

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