Part folkstory, part horror, Loop is a ‘one woman fever dream’ that dives into the heart of obsessive desire, the pull of fantasy and unreality, and limerence – described as an altered state of mind characterised by intense romantic infatuation with another person. The play is about Bex – who can’t get James out of her head. In the Peckham party shop where she twists balloon animals all day, all she can think about is James. We sat down with Tanya-Loretta Dee to discuss the upcoming production.
The locket her Mother gave to her clings like a curse, whispering warnings. As her grip on reality unravels, Bex circles the same stories about wolves, witches and wanking – each one darker than the last. Will she ever break the loop? Loop is at Theatre503 from 10 – 29 November. Tickets are available here.
What first sparked the idea for Loop, and for Bex as a character?
The first spark came from an obsession with ‘love obsession itself’ – how we can know someone isn’t good for us, yet still be drawn to them like a drug? I started researching limerence – an involuntary, addictive form of romantic fixation – and realised how few stories explore this from deep inside the mind.
Bex is messy, funny, horny, intelligent, and completely lost in her own projections. She carries inherited wounds from her mother and tries to rewrite her story through love. She represents the part of us that keeps going back, hoping this time things will change or end differently.
As well as researching Limerence in science, fairy tales and mythology, I interviewed women about their experiences of Limerence. The play is inspired by and based on the experiences of a friend who lived in Brighton, as well as my own past experiences of Limerence around 14 years ago. I am also quite certain someone experienced Limerence towards me a couple of years ago; I now recognise the patterns – and so this was a huge spark. I have lived both sides of the experience and come out the other side. It’s an interesting topic and one that is being discussed more and more. I am also going through OCD screening process and wish I’d done so 14 years ago – this has also been a huge inspiration for the writing. Patterns, patterns everywhere!
What draws you to myth and fairy-tale as a way of exploring very modern emotions?
I believe fantasy and myth allows us to say the unsayable. It takes private, psychological experiences (love, longing, shame) and gives them form.
When I read old stories, I see the same emotional landscapes as Tinder dates and WhatsApp obsessions, just in different costumes! Fairytales also let me occupy extremes: desire, hunger, power, rage. Ironically I feel safer using fantasy to explore the truth, at times you can hide inside the metaphor, but the emotions are absolutely real. That’s why the play is so wild!
Are there particular tales or traditions that influenced LOOP’s tone or imagery?
Yes! The Icelandic tale of the ‘Hidden People’ very much has me intrigued. Definitely ‘The Red Shoes ‘and ‘Bluebeard’, both about addiction, curiosity, punishment, and female transgression. I was also inspired by Celtic and Cherokee mythology, especially stories of transformation and duality, which is why the script opens with the “two wolves” parable. Angela Carter must get a mention too! ‘The Bloody Chamber’ is a visceral read. The tone moves between fairytale and realism is how I think obsession plays out, and is experienced in the body: ordinary one minute, mythic the next.
You’re joining the Royal Court Writers’ Group soon – congratulations! How do you see your writing evolving from here? Are there themes or stories you’re itching to explore next?
Thank you! I’m really excited! Loop cracked something open for me. I want to keep exploring interior worlds, where desire, shame, and survival intersect. I want to experiment with form, learn how to dramatise the invisible, the psychological and push further into the strange, comic, and brutal sides of being human. Sarah Kane was brilliant at this, I love her work. I have been researching and interviewing women who cannot afford rent in London and are paying with sex in exchange for a room. It’s been an amazing journey meeting these brilliant women. I am drawn to exploring ‘shame’ in society, the things that people deem as taboo or unbelievable. I’m excited to explore structure and form with The Royal Court, as well as finding my voice as a writer.
What do you hope audiences carry with them after seeing LOOP?
I would love people to leave thinking about hope. I want people to recognise something of themselves that perhaps they deem as shameful or secret, to share it with a friend. Maybe people will see their own patterns they create the in search for happiness, or love. If the play does its job, it should feel like holding up a mirror, uncomfortable at times, but ultimately freeing. The audience will leave with a glimmer of self-compassion, knowing that sometimes the journey to healing isn’t linear, tidy or neat, and that reclaiming yourself is a huge act of courage.