After captivating millions online with her viral typewriter poetry, Olivia Dodd brings her debut play The Poetess to the stage. Blending storytelling, poetry, and live audience interaction, the show follows Viola, a modern-day poet finding purpose through writing poems for strangers. Inspired by real requests, the play explores grief, womanhood, queer friendship, and the quiet ache of being lost. Heartfelt, hopeful and healing, each performance ends with a poem gifted to every audience member — to pass on to someone else. A beautiful, moving tribute to connection, legacy and the simple power of being seen.
Catch the show at the Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome) from Wednesday 30th July – Monday 25th August at 11:55
How does the audience interaction element — receiving and sharing a poem — shape the atmosphere of the performance?
The audience interactions are the true magic moments of the show.
In our R&D, I was really excited to see how the intimate poetry interactions would shift when you have a whole audience witnessing it. So far, audiences feel really safe in the space with us. The stage lighting includes the audience in most of the show – so it never feels like you are a separate observer, you are always included in the story.
It’s beautiful to see how one person’s story, and their very specific poem, can actually resonate with so many people at the same time. I could see this happening online, when millions of people reacted to the videos – but it’s jaw-dropping to witness it happen live, in a shared space. When I’m writing the poem on my typewriter, I can feel the entire audience holding their breath with anticipation.
Why do you think poetry — especially live, personal poetry — is resonating with so many people today?
It’s very rare that anyone, especially a stranger, takes five minutes to truly look into your eyes and say “I see you”. Poetry acts as a permission slip for us to talk about deeper feelings, and invites us to open up.
Poetry also has a beautiful way of distilling thousands of feelings into very few words, and in our age of short attention spans – poetry is actually the perfect conduit for healing. There’s something magical about watching the manual, physical action of the words typed onto the paper. With everything digitised, or instantaneous from a screen, we don’t often see the labor of something being created.
You’ve built a large following online — how are you bridging the gap between digital intimacy and live performance?
Digital connection can only go so far, so I’m excited to connect in real life through live performance. As an actor, I’ve always preferred theatre to screen because of the energy created between the audience and performers. There’s this crackling magic in the air that is irreplaceable. I also hope that we’re able to share tidbits of the show on my platform, so people all around the world can engage with Viola’s story and power of healing through poetry.
What age group or kind of audience member have you found connects most deeply with this work?
Everyone has their own unique connection to a typewriter. Some people remember their father or mother typing loudly in a bedroom. Others remember learning how to type on one. Most children have never seen one in real life and are mesmerized by the mechanics. Some people romanticise typewriters from scenes in movies. And everyone, regardless of age or background, is intrigued by receiving a custom poem, written just for them.
We hope audiences carry with them a reminder of hope. A reminder of the beauty of human connection. And why it’s important to be vulnerable and open up with those we love.
How would you describe The Poetess in a single line to someone browsing Fringe listings at random?
The Poetess explores how we can use poetry to listen, connect and heal – not just others, but ourselves.