In their second year at university, five friends share a home, certain that their bond is unshakable. But when someone is accused of rape, the group’s foundations begin to fracture – trust erodes, loyalties shift, and the truth becomes increasingly elusive. Disposable is both urgent and unflinching. We sat down with Becky Bond to discuss their upcoming production.
Disposable runs at the Union Theatre 4th – 9th November. Tickets are available here.
What first inspired you to write Disposable?
They say write what you know and having been a young single girl trying to navigate modern dating, I felt this play was a necessity. I was constantly experiencing (and hearing from friends) murky dates where people didn’t feel seen, heard or respected. Dating so often seems to be a game of who can be the coolest and most detached. Caring seems to be seen as a weakness and as a result we either walk around with our pride in tact but without human connection or our pride crushed and being seen as needy or too emotional. With all these scenarios right in front of me, I felt compelled to add some creative flare and speak out about this issue as I believe disconnect and lack of communication can tragically spiral and even lead to acts of sexual violence.
You’ve blended naturalistic scenes with TikTok-style moments. How did that idea come about, and what does the social media element bring to the story?
A huge aspect of modern dating revolves around dating apps and how we ‘sell’ ourselves online. So often what is actually happening in our real life is portrayed very differently on social media. With society only getting more technical, I felt this was an aspect I couldn’t shy away from. With this element blended into the show it adds a whole new energy and warped perspective to an already conflicting and taboo topic. So not only is it a perspective that needs to be considered, it also adds a real dynamic to stop the show feeling too weighty.
The play captures the contradictions of student life – it’s messy, funny, loving, and then suddenly devastating. How did you find that balance between warmth and the weight of the subject matter?
I was lucky enough to do a playwriting module with Tanya Ronder whilst training at RADA. Something that really stuck with me was ‘earning the lows.’ If the audience aren’t invested in the characters, then no matter what they experience, it’s not going to provoke much thought or emotion. It was so much fun making five extremely detailed, real, 3D characters before the story even begun. Once I had the characters solidified in my mind, I once again retraced real life scenarios of crazy, exciting uni life – the parties, the hangovers, the introduction to independence and adulthood. Making the five characters live together felt like the easiest segway between the highs and the lows, as when you live with friends you learn a lot about them that perhaps not everyone sees.
Writing about sexual violence and consent on stage can be challenging. How did you approach those scenes to make them truthful but respectful – for both the performers and the audience?
We have a brilliant intimacy director on board, who has specifically choreographed certain sections. The choreography, whilst looking completely instinctive, is in fact as precise and monitored as, say, a sword fight. For the audience, we have clear trigger warnings on all our socials and advertising, because to be honest, it shouldn’t be comfortable to watch. The reason it’s uncomfortable is because that is the truth, and we are head first acknowledging the reality of what a lot of survivors experience. Too often scenes of sexual violence on stage or on screen are romanticised and made to look clean and aesthetic. For me this felt like a betrayal of so many lived experiences. The scene is realistic – it’s clunky, confused and thought-provoking.
Disposable is presented in partnership with Women’s Aid. How did that collaboration come about, and what does it mean to have their support behind the production?
Being an unknown writer and writing about such a sensitive topic I felt a passionate need to assure audiences that the research has been done and that this play isn’t a simplistic black and white representation of sexual assault. I pitched the show to Women’s Aid, sent them the script and what I hoped people would take away from the play. I discussed in detail my more controversial aim, which is to debunk the myth that all perpetrators are clear cut predators who come with a warning sign. I wanted to do this without excusing any behaviour. They were incredibly supportive and as a result stand by our message whilst we fundraise for them. Being able to blend art and advocacy has been an element we are really proud of.
And finally, what do you hope audiences carry with them when they leave the theatre after seeing Disposable?
We believe that this show will open up very honest and unfiltered conversations around consent and modern dating. The five characters are real and nuanced, where people will recognise them from their own lives and maybe even in themselves. We want audience members who perhaps have had boundaries overstepped to feel heard and know we are recognising that their situation, whilst perhaps not as extreme as some, is not okay and needs to be called out. Sexual violence is normally only depicted in its most extreme form, by showing its subtleties we are shining a light on the wider extent of this epidemic. In a nutshell, Disposable encapsulates human connections in their full, limitless depth. This play will show you the ugliest side of human nature intertwined with the most beautiful.