We sat down for a quick chat with Bebe Cave about her upcoming project.
- Hi Bebe! What initially drew you to the character of Betsy Bitterly? How did you approach crafting her personality and her journey?
My career as an actress and writer, and my genuine fascination with the kooky world of showbusiness was the first point of inspiration in this process. I wanted to write from experience, but through a softer, more romantic lens, which is why I set it in one of my favourite cinematic eras. I wanted to make the painful moments of being an actress into something funny and relatable, which is why Betsy Bitterly is a comic culmination of my neuroses. An exaggerated alter-ego!
- The show is described as a dark comedy about delusion, desperation, and dreams. How do you balance these darker themes with the comedic elements in your performance?
I knew that I wanted the story to be emotional, and dark, but I have always believed that comedy is the most effective way to get an audience to sit up and engage with a piece of writing. Therefore I knew that the darker I wanted the show to be, the funnier it had to be. That’s why any moments in the show that are about something upsetting have a comic undertone, or any of the funny moments have a dark edge. The most painful things in life have a tendency to be amusing, in a disturbing way. Like birth, death, sex, actresses.
- Betsy is an aspiring actress in 1930s Hollywood. How does the historical context of the time period influence her story and motivations?
It’s the golden age of Hollywood for a reason! I think for me, when I realised I wanted to write a story about an actress who is obsessed with cinema, there was no other time period I could have set it in. I love the classic screwball films and heroines of the 1930s and 40s, and the fabulous female characters written at that time. Due to the Hays code which was in action during those years, stories had to be less about sex and more about wit! It resulted in a heightened comedic writing style, clipped accents and characterisation, and an overriding sense of farce. I think those elements when applied to my script serve to make the bleakness of the story, about failed ambition and lost dreams, more funny and engaging.
- In The Screen Test, Betsy goes through a series of screen tests. How do these moments serve to reveal new sides of her character, and what do they symbolize in terms of her journey?
Each screen test represents something about the showbiz industry and what it looks for in the actresses auditioning for similar roles. Betsy auditions for a western, a film noir, a romance, and tries to mold herself into increasingly narrow definitions of a woman. This proves difficult, and the process is hopefully a funny insight into the hoops we jump through as auditioning actors!
- What does “making it” mean for Betsy, and do you think her perception of success changes throughout the show?
‘Making it’ to Betsy means being wanted. Whether that’s by the industry, her peers or even her husband. As the show progresses, her desires don’t change, but her level of desperation and the lengths she’ll go to prove herself will.
- As an actor, how do you connect with Betsy’s desperation and obsession with becoming a star? Are there personal elements in her character that you relate to?
Absolutely! She is an exaggerated version of myself in worse circumstances. I think it’s part and parcel of being an actor that you have an obsessive quality, and a probably inflated sense of self-belief! I have definitely experienced highs and lows in this industry, but I feel grateful for the time I live in where I am able to create my own work and opportunities, and parody the industry itself in my writing. I have such an amazing support system too, which is a huge part of the reason I haven’t ended up (quite) as Mad as Betsy. I’ve learnt the hard way that there is no magic day in the future where you will be plucked out from obscurity and granted all your wishes and ‘make it’. The life you are living now is as good a time as any to put your own work out there! You have very little control over your fate as an actor, and most of the time it is really down to luck rather than talent alone, and that frustration was a great emotional level I wanted to include in my character.
- The show has been described as a riot from start to finish with “madcap ideas.” Can you share some of the more unexpected or surprising elements of the production?
Dancing with a handkerchief, a 1930s beauty instructional, and my attempt to recreate the windy scarf scene from singing in the rain with a fan and some silk tied to it. Oh, and of course my husband Frankie, a headless mannequin.
- With such a bold and dynamic show, how do you approach keeping the performance fresh every night? Are there any moments that have evolved or surprised you since you started performing it?
I still feel such a pleasant surprise from the exhilaration I get performing this show live! It really feels like a fresh clean slate every night, a chance to out-do yourself, to find new elements and character moments. I think because I have written and developed this character and piece myself, I get more insight into her with every show I perform, and think of new tweaks and additions with every new audience!