OnBook Theatre presents “Red Peppers” by Noel Coward and “Aged in Wood” by Cian Griffin. Set in a theatre dressing room in 1935, “Red Peppers” is one of Noel Coward’s most celebrated comic one act plays. The play depicts a second-rate music hall double act, a husband and wife team, who perform two musical numbers, in between which they bicker in their dressing room and quarrel with colleagues. We sat down with director Jason Moor, to discuss their upcoming production.
What was it about Noël Coward’s Red Peppers that made it the perfect companion piece for debuting Aged in Wood?
Both plays are set in a dressing room, in this case the same dressing room. Red Peppers is a glorious look at a specific era in British theatre, the music hall, the variety acts and the people that ran theatres at that time. Aged in Wood is a more personal story with very similar and very funny moments. Aged in Wood is in many ways a homage to Red Peppers because of its setting and the characters. Despite the 90 year gap, they are linked in spirit and heart.
In directing a double bill that spans 90 years, how did you approach creating a cohesive through line while honouring each play’s distinct tone and period?
A lot of theatre traditions haven’t changed in 90 years so that is a starting point. Also, the characters in Aged in Wood may at first appear to have more problems than the characters in Red Peppers, however, at their core, each play is about performers facing adversity, fear of failure and events beyond their control. But they all know that the show must go on, no matter what.
What discoveries did you and the cast make in rehearsal about the timelessness of backstage tensions and artistic egos?
I think that human nature hasn’t changed that much over the centuries. We are still imbued with the same emotions, happiness, anger, jealousy, doubt, joy, pride, shame etc. The sets, costumes and props might change, but the underlying emotions haven’t. Showbusiness was tough in 1935 and probably even tougher today.
How did working with a brand-new script like Aged in Wood challenge or excite you differently than staging a classic like Coward?
What’s nice about working with a new script and a writer like Cian Griffin, is that I can have input into the process and makes changes to the script if needed. A new work requires shaping and colouring to bring it fully to life. Sometimes, with a classic piece, there’s not a lot of room for reinterpretation or your hands are contractually tied, preventing any changes. Being the first director to direct a new play really allows me to have a creative say in the final outcome, which is something every director would like.
Can you share a moment in the production process when the echoes between past and present in these plays truly resonated for you?
What truly resonated with me is the passion that the performers have in both plays. George and Lily Pepper in Red Peppers are proud of their show. Deena Ames in Aged in Wood really cares about the play and her performance. As a previous performer myself, I truly care about what I present to an audience. It matters greatly that I give as much as I can and George, Lily and Deena share that concern and sense of responsibility to their audience too.
With Aged in Wood being OnBook Theatre’s first original play, how do you see this shaping the company’s creative direction moving forward?
We have produced some wonderful revivals in the past 4 years but in 2024 we decided to focus on new writing. In fact, Red Peppers will likely be our last revival for some time. Everything we have planned for the rest of 2025-26 in new writing. It’s a huge risk, as a lot of theatregoers prefer to see something they are already familiar with. But I feel we have to inject new writing into UK theatre. We cannot just rely on producing the same plays over and over again, no matter how brilliant they are. The future of theatre has to include a space for new voices.
Red Peppers / Aged in Wood runs 28th May – 21st June at Theatre at Tabard and tickets are available here.