Step inside Hogs Back Brewery for A Brew To A Kill, an immersive 1950s murder mystery from Guildford Shakespeare Company, where audiences must interrogate suspects, uncover clues and solve a deadly family feud.
Ticket link: https://guildfordshakespeare.
Emma, how are you approaching the developing sibling relationship in the piece, while also balancing the different moods of the play?
I have two siblings myself so am very familiar with the dynamic of a three – although we don’t work together, which based on this play is probably a good thing! The sibling relationships in A Brew To A Kill have changed a lot over time (before the play starts) and a big part of my process at the moment is unpicking how those dynamics have shifted in line with significant life events. None of the relationships are straightforward and this is made even more the case with the arrival of non-family members in the form of Tommy and Anne. There’s certainly a lot of conflict across the board but also a great deal of fondness and love, and, of course – as with all family dynamics – there is a great deal of comedy, both light and dark!
Emma, with your mix of screen and stage experience, what are the similarities and differences of both, especially in comparison to A Brew to a Kill?
That’s a really interesting question! I’d say this play is a real mix of the two styles – the naturalism we see on screen and the theatricality we see on stage. I think the interrogation scenes in particular lend themselves to a sense of naturalism relatable to what we see on screen, mainly because of the proximity of the audience. The scenes that take place in the tap room can take on a more theatrical element because the space is bigger and we have to reach a wider audience. In practical terms, it’s largely about projecting, both vocally and physically, so that the performance reaches the whole crowd. The breakout rooms afford a more intimate quality, so there doesn’t need to be as much projection. There’s also a degree of improvisation in these scenes, which is a form that both stage and screen processes can incorporate.
Emma, have the play’s Shakespearean influences inspired your approach to the character at all?
I think the main thing we get from Shakespeare is attention to language and I find it’s always useful to apply this attention to other material, so the language Edwina uses has massively informed my character choices – her frankness, strength and playfulness. Also, the drama in Shakespeare’s plays is generally very high stakes and the exact same can be said for A Brew To A Kill – an awful lot of action happens in the space of just over an hour and I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say it literally is a matter of life or death! As actors, we have to lean into the energy and pace that these stakes gives us in order to play the drama to its best effect.
Jack, do you think the audience interaction will work alongside the flow of A Brew to a Kill?
Interaction with the audience is essential for this format. The genius is that the audience gets to witness our interactions with other characters before they interview us. This gives them ample ammunition to get the questioning underway.
Jack, what is it like working in the immersive staging and the different rooms?
Immersive staging means that you have to be cognisant of your surroundings. On a traditional stage things like acoustics, lighting, sight lines are all preset but in a real world site like the brewery those things are in constant flux. The audience aren’t necessarily anchored to their seats and they can talk back!
Jack, what role does improvisation play in your performances?
Improvisation is imperative to a production like this. We will role play the questions that are likely to come up but the responses aren’t strictly scripted. It is about being alive in the moment and reacting to the given circumstances. Of course you have to be ready for the curveballs that budding detectives might throw your way!