We sat down with Tom and Layla to talk about American Candy‘s UK tour.
What made these weird, empty American candy shops the perfect symbol for modern distrust and corruption?
Tom: American Candy stores appear on our streets like a shiny promise. A promise nobody asked for. The promise of something sweet – unlimited consumption. But a promise that ultimately at its heart is hollow: overpriced, bad quality, riddled with E numbers. A promise that is perhaps even predatory. As more and more rumours spread that they are ‘fronts’ for criminal activity, their presence on our high streets seems increasingly vampiric. These allegedly criminal enterprises take up prime real estate at the loss of community spaces, libraries and even cinemas – the money they make not being fed back into the community, but instead escaping the country through shady tax loopholes.
They are these empty, neon-coloured stores that no one goes into and yet they seem to be thriving. They trigger our uncanny valley instinct. And from that grows distrust. Just as our society is built on corruption (different laws and rules for the rich), so are these shops. And as distrust grows for one thing, it inevitably grows everywhere. In such a climate, politicians, corporate media, and those with vested interest redirect that suspicion away from themselves, the enablers, and onto society’s Others. This is why things like the race riots happened last summer. This is why they will continue to happen, unless we reclaim the narrative and place the blame at the right door.
It is apt they’re called “American Candy” stores, as its decades of American cultural imperialism that is the driving factor here…. Being sold the American Dream, even in the UK, only to find out the game is rigged against us.
How do you juggle performing and producing while pushing for real diversity in theatre?
Layla: Performing and producing is definitely a juggling act and I’m so lucky to have an ensemble who want to muck in, whether that’s sharing the load on administrative tasks, or helping me learn lines when I’ve not had a break.
That said, we try not to see diversity as another thing we have to juggle, but rather something that is ingrained in every decision we make as a company. It’s the perception that inclusivity is simply too much effort that often prevents companies prioritising it as they should. Whether I’m performing in them or not, we want to make stories that speak to the marginalised. That may be programming work that tackles issues of social inequality, or hiring teams that reflect the diversity in our society. If our characters require more actors to be white, we will make sure to counterbalance this with a more diverse creative team. Sure, this requires thinking things through a little more and maybe not jumping to the easiest available option, but we founded the company to prove that art is better when diversity is imperative to the creative process. Instead of working creatively in a bubble of experiences like your own, you open the door to a whole host of perspectives and cultural influences that you don’t have! And it’s way more exciting and takes the show in directions you couldn’t have imagined.
The play calls out “bullshit jobs” – do you think the arts industry is guilty of that too?
Tom: Far less so than many industries. Art is essential to a healthy society, so ultimately the end goal for our industry is a meaningful one.
That said, many creatives I know feel that increased bureaucratic barriers have meant it’s become incredibly difficult to do anything in this industry. Trying to get a play on feels like wading through mud.
And this has a symbiotic relationship with the lack of investment in the arts. The tighter the funding for the arts, the tighter the bureaucratic hoops – and vice versa. The structure is set in place to render us immobile – slowly, without us fully realising it. It makes creating art more and more inaccessible. Even more privileged people in theatre are struggling to get work produced, let alone anyone underrepresented and/or with access needs. And this is the case for pretty much all jobs. Even if you have the most meaningful of vocations, more and more of what you spend your time on is “bullshit” – a form of institutional dithering that stands in the way of doing what we’re all here to do.
What does being a National Diversity Awards finalist mean for The Mango Ensemble’s mission?
Layla: It is an absolute privilege. We’re a small company, so being noticed on a national scale for creating politically diverse work, hiring diverse teams and creating affordable opportunities to young creatives who are so often cut out of the industry is amazing. It makes us feel that the work we’re doing is valuable, even if challenging.
It is also a promise. It holds us to a standard we want to keep. For too many big theatre companies, let alone the small ones like us, diversity is an afterthought or a bureaucratic box to be ticked. We are trying to prove that everyone can do better when it comes to D&I in our industry. The industry seemed to be doing better for a while but we’re witnessing a backslide towards all white, all economically privileged teams and casts. Anyone who has any form of privilege or platform ought to use that position to champion those whose path isn’t quite as easy as their own. Whether you’re developing a small fringe show or a full west end production you can put D&I as a priority, give people who don’t have access to as many opportunities a chance to work in the industry, and create more exciting art that way.
What do you hope audiences are still talking about on the way home from American Candy?
Tom: I hope they’re talking about what a fun, interesting night they’ve had! That they’re still laughing about moments or reeling from others. I hope audience members feel vindicated in their frustrations about the world. And that they feel inspired to imagine a better one!
How do you use humour and suspense to tackle heavy themes like racism and capitalism without losing the crowd?
Tom: I think the key is to not treat them as separate or distinct, but as mutually driving forces. The themes advance the suspense and humour. The suspense and humour advance the themes. This way they don’t appear as unnecessary asides, but an essential component of the overarching plot. Do that and people can’t help but pay attention!
Tour dates:
8 – 10 September, Omnibus Theatre, London
https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/american-candy
11 – 12 September, Oxford Playhouse Studio, Oxford
https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/american-candy
13 September, The Place Theatre, Bedford
https://www.theplacebedford.org.uk/shows/american-candy
16 September, Octagon Theatre, Bolton
https://octagonbolton.co.uk/events/american-candy
17 September, Northern Stage Studio, Newcastle
https://northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/american-candy
20 September, MAC, Birmingham
https://macbirmingham.co.uk/events/american-candy-studio-tour