We sat down for an exclusive interview with Hannah Lochhead, director of 10K? Jog on! This show runs from Tuesday 9th to Saturday 13th June at Brockley Jack Studio Theatre- Tickets here
What drew you to direct 10k? Jog On! and how did you shape its mix of comedy and emotional honesty?
My Jog On journey began at the first draft. The writer and actor Tom Watson featured in Planet Sin’s last 3 projects, and reading his stage plays and screenplays was something I always kept up with. After reading 10k? Jog On! it was obvious that this one needed to be produced. The dialogue, the references and the lyrics especially were pure comedy gold. Once Tom arranged to showcase scenes at various scratch nights and I saw the actors bring the house down with laughter, I knew I needed to get on this goldmine. The comedy was already there, and it was the decision to flesh out the character JAMIE which brought a whole new level of emotional honesty, which we now refer to as ‘the heart of the show’.
The show tackles masculinity and friendship through fitness—how did you keep those themes feeling fresh rather than familiar?
These themes have certainly been tackled before in classics like Run, Fat Boy, Run but through the medium of musical theatre we’ve taken it to a heightened almost absurdist level. When showbiz flair is injected into the world of masculinity, it moves from commentary that feels all too real to these dragged up, amplified versions of the fitness junkies we’ve come to see all over our gyms, parks and socials. The friendship between the two leads feels familiar whilst also showing the reality of growing up, growing apart and the friends we lost along the way. Also it’s not every day you see an uber machismo gym bro give you a double pirouette whilst belting a high C.
· With 14 original songs woven in, how did you approach balancing storytelling with musical energy?
The songs in the show serve two purposes. First of all, the musical’s main plot points tend to come out during the songs, and all are needed for the storytelling. We never wanted to include any unnecessary songs or incorporate musical energy as a gimmick, as all of the songs are there for a reason. And the other side of it is that the comedy is woven into the lyrics to different degrees. For example, our ‘GYM LADS’ song is a high energy, comedic commentary on a wider social construct, and then you have the more character driven songs like ‘MEGAN’S TURN’ with comedy peppered throughout. We made sure that the songs, while serving different purposes, definitely felt like they belonged in the same musical and the common thread throughout that is the funnies!
This piece has evolved since its Camden Fringe debut—what were the biggest changes in bringing it back more “punchy, perky and polished”?
10k? Jog On! punches you in the face (with consent of course) right off the bat with a high energy score and a message that the audience can really invest in. Most of us can relate to the ongoing pressure of self-development; are we ever doing enough? In the first five minutes, we touch on themes of loss, friendship and naive determination. The show presents its perkiness by delivering a serious message in a metaphorical Mr Blobby costume. The creative team have polished the show by following the mantra of “more” this time around. We want it to be an even bigger spectacle than last time. More songs, more defined characters, more multimedia sections. We want the audience to leave thinking “they managed to do all that for 90 minutes with a cast of 5?!”
· As both director and founder of Planet Sin Productions, how do you nurture a collaborative process while maintaining a clear creative vision?
The creative team consists of writer and actor Tom Watson, composer and musical director Sam Wells and little old me. We each have our different hats. I am the pragmatist, Tom is the optimist, and Sam is the one who disappears for months, then returns as if nothing happened (his talents are in high demand). The creative vision comes from Tom’s brain, and once we added 4 extra actors into the mix, there was more inspiration than you could shake a baton at. Their contribution goes beyond playing their roles, they’ve each brought their expertise in choreography, musicality and of course, the heart of it all, the funnies. We are only as good as our amazing cast. From the first generation of Jog On and this one, they are the lift in my deadlift.
The show starts with procrastination but builds into something more purposeful—what do you hope audiences take away about motivation and change?
After watching the characters run about on stage for 90 minutes, we hope that the audience might feel motivated to try the hard thing they’ve been putting off and know that motivation is found in different ways. Nick and Charlie start trying to make change for all the wrong reasons; for approval, for revenge against their ex’s, for their own guilt; but finally find their way when they gain respect for themselves and for each other. Jean-Paul Sartre may have said “hell is other people” however, it was Einstein who said “only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile” but at the end of the day, it was Ronan Keating who preached “life is a rollercoaster, just gotta ride it”. And ride it, they do.