HOME is a heart-warming story of memory, imagination and parenthood. Find your way back home with Temper Theatre’s latest production, which combines their signature blend of fluid, muscular movement, soul-shaking soundscapes, and evocative imagery, accompanied by original music composed by Dave Price.
As the flood rises, Imogen is swept up on a fantastical wave of self-discovery, unlocking an entirely new perspective on the place she once called home…
Finn founded Temper Theatre in 2014 in Cambridge UK, with the support of award winning directors Rich Rusk and Richard Fredman, and is now touring his work in the UK and Internationally. Finn Morrell is also the creator of HOME, and we chat with him about the production and his creative process!
HOME draws from your own personal experiences returning to your childhood home – what was it like using this to draw from when creating the piece?
Simultaneously daunting and exciting. I think its always revealing and sometimes uncomfortable to reflect on past choices and memories, especially when you’ve grown up a bit and may have different opinions or perspectives about things. I was asked by my parents to return home to help them move house and pack up my untouched childhood bedroom and it was that process which uncovered a whole series of emotions which surprised me. Stories I had forgotten, moments and memories that had been long buried suddenly resurfaced in compelling ways. Perhaps creating ‘HOME’ was my way of processing this experience and it has been very cathartic to do so.
Temper Theatre is known for its physical theatre and staging – what usually comes first when devising the show, the story or the set and vision?
It starts with a genuine curiosity about something. I don’t always know what that will be and I try not to force it, it comes to me and keeps niggling until I have no choice but to investigate why. I then research a lot in an effort to dive deeper and see if it’s something I want to stage. Eventually fragments of plot / vision for how it might look, feel and sound starts to emerge. That’s when I work with a brilliant creative team to help realise these ideas. I knew I wanted a house on stage but it took the genius of my design team to help create something that felt interactive, decaying, alive and atmospheric in ways I could never have imagined. Equally the incredibly composer Dave Price and the international team of talented performers bring a whole new level to it.
How important is it to you that the messaging around the environmental impact within the show is shared?
Inadvertently I have always made work which reflects our relationship with nature. Participating in ZOOM discussions during the pandemic about flooding in The Fens felt much more immediate to me than the concept of ‘climate change’ which can often feel distant or abstract. One in six properties, are at risk of flooding in England and this shocked me. I wanted to humanise flooding and create a story which shows the real impact an extreme weather event could have on someones friendship, family and community. Ultimately ‘HOME’ is there not to lecture but to bring about positive and stimulating conversations about floods, inviting audiences to consider the environment closer to home.
Has the piece changed much since taking it to Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and in what ways?
Edinburgh was the first time we showed the work and we only had one month of practical rehearsals so I was desperate to get my hands back on it after the run at the Fringe. I learned a lot once it had gone in front of an audience. I could see and feel which elements needed more work and we have been working tirelessly over the winter to refine it. There’s a few more scenes, some cuts and some beautiful new set design to help audiences find their way into the work.
Do you think you’ll receive a different reaction from audiences in Ely and Cambridge compared to reactions so far, given the ties to the area?
I’m really excited about what my local community will think, there’s references to East Anglian folktales which they may pick up on quicker than other audiences. I’m curious about the emotional weight from the references to flooding but I hope that the discussions surrounding the work invite positive debate. It’s my love letter to The Fens and more than anything I hope they feel proud to be highlighted for its rich history and beauty.