After 15 sold out performance, Talking People returns with a new show exploring what happens when we start looking for answers in the cold and chaotic world of the internet. We sat down with Will Merrick, Alexander Theo, Amelia Clarkson and Elisha Applebaum from the new cast to talk about their upcoming performances.
This show is created live each night — what excites you most in the moments just before you step onstage?
Elisha: The idea that anything can happen, so you can’t be prepared with anything but an open mind and be ready to receive.
Will: This is my first improv show ever so the build up is going to be an entirely new experience for me. I think it will be stepping into the unknown, the open road to be creative and to discover in the moment that will be exciting, thrilling, terrifying. All in equal, rewarding doses.
Have you ever surprised yourself with something you said or did onstage?
Amelia: Yes! I think when I first started doing the improvisation classes what stuck me most was how in tune you can become with those around you and how affected you can be in a moment when you really don’t know how someone else will react. the strength of emotions that can be conjured from pure reaction can take you off guard and that’s where I feel most playful as a performer.
Elisha: When things feel uncertain, it’s good to be aware of everyone throughout the whole performance – making sure we are a team. To do this, I try and keep the scenes alive. Bring new conversations/ props into the mix if anyone gets stuck.
How do you support each other when things feel uncertain onstage?
Alexander: We approach it as “us,” never “me.” This work doesn’t function if anyone is thinking individually. When uncertainty shows up, we sit with it together, we hold it, we trust that connection will lead us forward. When we allow that space, it always pays off.
Do you think audiences realise how much power they actually have in this show?
Alexander: I don’t think they always realise it, that’s part of the magic. The audience might feel like they’re not actively participating, but their energy, reactions, and presence shape everything. They’re a key factor in what unfolds, even when it feels invisible.
Amelia: No, but they really do. as an audience member you can feel separate from the piece but you don’t realise what reactions can do to improv, it can change the dynamic and the course of the story. because not only are we listening to each other we’re in tune with the audience reaction. one question can spark a whole back story that influences a characters entire narrative.
What do you hope audiences recognise about themselves by the end of the show?
Will: You don’t have to be on stage to be creative or to be a part of a theatre performance. Even if there is no audience participation, everyone in the room is involved in what is playing out on stage. We’re all complicit – the actor, the viewer. We’re all in it together. That’s the best thing about it