We sat down for an exclusive interview with Lucy Foley whose debut play Flat 2 is part of Wandsworth Arts Fringe – running in The Putney Arches at St Mary’s on 17th June and 18th June. It’s a dark comedy/drama inspired by real experiences of grief, relationships and the social pressure of your 20s. Also, it features a genuine STOLEN Dixy Chicken doormat from Birmingham… What more could you ask for? Tickets here
- Flat 2 is such a bold and unique debut – where did the spark for this story first come from? Was there a particular moment or thought that kicked it all off?
The simple answer is that four years ago I moved into a flat with my boyfriend, my best friend (the director), and her boyfriend. On our first night living together, someone – though I can’t remember who – said, “Wouldn’t it be funny if two of us just died?” And they were right, that idea was funny. There was something dark and ironic about my best friend and boyfriend, who had only just met, being left to share a flat without us.
A year later, while at university studying screenwriting, I used this exact idea to create a pilot and series bible for a six-part drama/comedy. Another year on, I decided it wouldn’t make a half-bad play. So here we are two years later, with the Edinburgh Fringe behind us and who knows what ahead.
On a deeper level, 2019-2022 saw my family and I experience a string of deaths – each of which I made the cut for the funeral procession. So, at the heart of the play lies my personal experiences with grief, but an offhand comment from a flatmate sits at the head.
- There’s such a tricky emotional balance in this play – grief, dark humour, relationships. How did you navigate that fine line between being sensitive and still making people laugh?
For me, life is always treading that balance – particularly grief. As someone who’s been known to get the giggles at a funeral, I’ve learned to feel out what’s “too far.” Ultimately, things are funny when they’re uncomfortable, so I tried not to be put off by the idea of discomfort. Grief is often portrayed as down, dark, and morbid, but the experience is much more complex. I wanted to show the messier, more morally skewed reactions people have while grieving, as well as the darker moments, and hopefully make people feel seen in the process. Natalie Evans, our director, did a great job of finding where the show breathes, when it plows on, and when it completely falls apart. She did a stellar job of giving it balance.
- You co-founded the company with Natalie Evans – what has that creative partnership meant to you, especially in bringing Flat 2 to life?
Nat is my right-hand woman. We met at 14 in the Birmingham drama academy we’d just joined and have spent a lot of time together since – like, a lot. We always fantasised about creating a production company, and in recent years we started making that a reality. It’s been a huge learning curve, but our mission to bring ours and other midlander voices to fringe theatre (hence the company name ‘From The Middle Theatre’) while telling genuine, human stories is starting to take shape.
Nat’s been there from the beginning, and she might have even been the one to make that original “wouldn’t it be funny if” comment. It’s been a labour of love for us both – from making breakaway plates in our shared garden to carrying a giant stolen Dixy Chicken doormat across Edinburgh. This is the first play I’ve written, and I hadn’t anticipated how intimidating it would be to put it in front of audiences. I’m glad to have had a friend by my side, as well as a kick-ass director.
- You had an amazing run at the Edinburgh Fringe – sold out shows, fantastic reviews. What was the most surreal or rewarding moment of that experience?
I don’t think anything could have prepared me for my first Fringe. It’s carnage – good carnage – but carnage. After our first show, we found out we’d run over by 15 minutes. So, on our second night in Edinburgh, we drank beer in our Airbnb garden, cut 10 pages of the script, and speed-ran the show at least three times to drill the cuts. By day three, I was delirious from stress and no sleep.
I went to Edinburgh with two goals: to sell out at least one show and to get at least one four-star review. We found out on day 3 that a reviewer from The Stage had paid us a visit, not to mention a reviewer with a history of one and two star reviews for that year’s Fringe. On day four, I was out flyering when I saw the article – The Stage had given us four stars. I broke down crying right there on the Royal Mile. And that day, we sold out for the first time. That was a good day – a very good day.
- What have you learned about yourself as a writer and performer through this whole Flat 2 journey?
I have always considered myself to be quite confident, quite fearless. Performing is second nature to me and rarely causes me much more agro than an anxiety dream or two where I forget my lines. But as it turns out, when the writing is my own, I’m reduced to a sleepless pile of stress. I had written before, but that writing had stayed on the page. I hadn’t anticipated how different it would be to have these words read out loud, not only that, but to be able to watch and listen to the reactions as they happen. So really, I have learned that I am more fragile and more self-conscious than I had thought. I have learned that I desperately need deadlines. And I have learned that sometimes you have to call it quits and start again. Flat 2 was originally a 4-hander – and the best call I could have made was to half the cast, for financial reasons if nothing else!
- What’s next for you and From The Middle Theatre Co.? Is there another play brewing?
There is indeed. I have a concept I’m working on – grief-themed again but with a more philosophical take. In a dream world, we’ll do a double bill for Edinburgh next year: two grief plays, a double-deather if you will. I’d also love to host a scratch night and celebrate some of my talented pals. So, there’s definitely more to come.
The Arches, Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th June, Tickets here