Tag: conversation

IN CONVERSATION WITH: Eli Matthewson

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We had a conversation with Eli Matthewson, an acclaimed New Zealand comedian, writer, and podcaster about his new show Night Terror, a sharp, relatable and comedic look into the chaos of life.

The show runs at the Underbelly George Square from July 30th to August 24th. For tickets and more information go to https://underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/event/eli-matthewson-night-terror.

Eli, first of all – the title of your show is gripping! How did this late-night moment of accidental strangulation become the heart of your new stand-up hour?

I have a sickness where every monumental moment of my life becomes a stand-up hour – and shout out to all my friends, partners and family members who have allowed me to talk about these moments on stage. I don’t know if anyone reading has ever woken up to being strangled, but it’s pretty intense! So naturally I started telling the story to anyone who would listen and the more I did the more it made people laugh… obviously I had to get permission from my boyfriend who very graciously is happy for me to talk about how he thought I was an intruder and tried to kill me.

It sounds like the show balances some very real existential dread with a lot of comedy. What do you hope audiences take away from it?

The night terror that happened was a result of me and my boyfriend buying a house for the first time, then immediately getting robbed multiple times and how terrifying that was. Basically, for the first time in our lives we had some actual possessions worth some actual money, and immediately we were getting robbed. But ultimately, what I have come to realise, is all of that stuff that was stolen is just that… stuff! And the stuff we own is in no way the most important thing about our lives. So, I guess the message is about caring less about material goods, but mainly I want the audience to leave happy and having laughed a lot.

You were part of New Zealand’s first ever same-sex pairing on Dancing With the Stars, and you’re a visible advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. How does your identity shape the way you tell stories on stage – especially ones about love, fear, and vulnerability?

It’s funny because even if I am aiming to not write a specifically “gay” joke or story, it is amazing how much being queer affects so many different facets of your life. I can’t book an AirBnb without being reminded that I’m gay, when I get an Uber with my boyfriend I’m reminded that I’m gay… so many day to day “normal” experiences are different for queer people than they are for the straighties. I wouldn’t say I set out specifically to tell queer stories but by telling honest stories about my life I guess I constantly am. I didn‘t come out till my twenties and my dad, who is also gay (I know – stole my thing!) didn’t come out till his sixties, but I feel like by telling our stories onstage I can show how much happier we both are and how we are fully ourselves since coming out.

You’re poking fun at yourself throughout the show – but there’s also a clear thread of self-awareness and reflection. What kind of conversation are you hoping the show sparks with audiences afterwards?

A big part of this show’s story is about my journey with money. I grew up in a big family with not a lot of money, then I’ve been a comedian not earning a whole lot for a while, then I suddenly had the experience of earning quite a bit for one year. It’s amazing how when you can finally afford some things it doesn’t necessarily mean your life is any happier or better. As soon as we had some possessions, we immediately became scared about losing them, instead of actually being grateful that we had them. I hope that when people leave they can reflect on their own relationship with money, although what I have found based on the messages I get after the show is that I have mainly been igniting some real arguments about which side of the bed people sleep on. But that is an important issue too!

What’s one thing your younger self would be most surprised to learn about your current life – the stand-up career or the home security system?

100% the security cameras. I don’t think young me would have ever thought I’d be a home owner, let alone one who has spent so much time feeling anxious about break-ins. That said – I reckon I saw myself more as a Shakespearean actor so I would probably be also a little let down I’m telling dick jokes instead of performing soliloquies. Although, to be honest, there’s a lot of dick jokes in Shakespeare too. 

Eli Matthewson: Night Terror will be performed at 8.50pm in Underbelly George Square (Wee Coo) from 30th July – 24th August (not 11th)

For tickets and more information, visit: https://underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/event/eli-matthewson-night-terror

IN CONVERSATION WITH: Eleanor Hill

Published on by Ke MengLeave a comment

OVERSHARE is anything but demure. ‘As if Bo Burnham’s Inside was made by Bridget Jones’s drug-addled cousin’ (British Theatre Guide) This ‘brilliantly original one-person show‘ (WestEndBestFriend) ‘makes Fleabag look like CBeebies’. A Youngish Perspective holds this exclusive dialogue with Eleanor.

how has the piece changed since those early DIY days, and what’s it been like bringing something so personal into a full theatre run?

Well, I’ve got funding now. Thanks, Arts Council (love you when you fund me, hate you when you don’t!). Back then it was just me, my room, my phone, and a small online following. That DIY spirit is still there, but now there’s also a live audience.

The show’s interactive. You can just watch, or watch and see the screen projection, or go full in: text me, send memes, vote in polls. It’s like choosing your own path through the piece.

The personal stuff is second nature.It’s my life. But performing it night after night takes a toll, so safeguarding my mental health is key. The hardest bit? If it flops, there’s nowhere to hide. It’s all me. Fingers crossed it doesn’t!

Performing during Mental Health Awareness Week, and after your own neurosurgery delay—how does it feel to be putting this show out there now, at this moment in your life? 

eah, I don’t do things by halves! The show was meant to happen last October, but then I had brain surgery. Life’s felt on pause, and it’s surreal, scary even, o be doing it now while still managing ongoing neuro stuff.

I’ve changed about half the show after R&D, which is terrifying. What if I broke it? But the whole experience gave me perspective when you’ve faced brain surgery, worrying if people like your show feels… smaller.

Mental Health Awareness Week made sense. This show is raw, real. I’m tired of the corporate gloss. Just let the people who live it talk about it.

The audience is encouraged to leave their phones on during the show. What made you want to lean into that chaos rather than push against it like most theatre? 

The show started as an Instagram series, where people watched, commented, and sent memes. I wanted that energy in the theatre, phones on, real-time interaction.

Social media is chaotic. You scroll from grief to cat memes to dancing monkeys. I recreate that by letting the audience message me, join polls, get DMs mid-show. It’s messy, but intentional.

Also, why ban phones? Let people take pics. It’s free marketing. I want a relaxed space where people feel welcome, even if theatre isn’t usually their thing.

The show explores trauma, heartbreak, and mental health with sharp humour and tech-savvy staging—what do you think makes comedy such a powerful tool when dealing with heavy topics?

Life without humour is hell. When you’ve been through trauma, you have to find something to laugh at, even if it’s dark. A laugh is relief, even when it comes with tears.

People forget you can feel more than one thing at once. I usually feel everything, all at the same time. Life is hard: hearts break, brains glitch, people die. So I steal laughter where I can.

Also, my play is basically a list of terrible things that have happened to me. If I didn’t make it funny too, it’d be a hate crime!

You’ve been praised for writing that feels raw, funny, and painfully relatable. How do you protect your own wellbeing while performing something so close to your lived experience every night? 

Did my Associate Producer put you up to this? Honestly, protecting my mental health has become Rachel Thomas’s mission! Thanks to her, I’ve started working with an Artist Wellbeing Practitioner, Lou Platt. It’s new for me, but probably overdue.

In the past, I’ve really struggled with post-show blues, and because this show is so raw, audiences often want to talk after. I love the compliments, but sometimes I don’t want to unpack my life offstage too.

This time, I’m being more intentional: therapy, sobriety during rehearsals and the run, daily exercise – the boring stuff that annoyingly works. It’s a longer run than I’m used to, so keeping myself sane(ish) is a priority.

For people  juggling burnout, healing, and an endless scroll of comparison—what do you hope OVERSHARE gives them permission to feel, laugh at, or let go of?

Laughter and curiosity, even in horror. That’s what I’m aiming for. Well, that and good reviews and future funding, obviously!

But seriously, I’m not here to tell people what to feel. I want to spark questions, start conversations. This isn’t a ‘social media is bad’ show. How boring! I made it because of social media. I’m interested in nuance, in conflicting ideas sitting side by side, and in reminding people it’s okay to be messy, cringe, unpolished and real.

Social media pushes perfection, but life isn’t filtered, and that’s okay.

OVERSHARE will be performed at Greenwich Theatre 6th – 25th May 2025. Tickets and info can be found here: https://greenwichtheatre.org.uk/events/overshare/

In Conversation with Emma Wilkinson Wright

Published on by Antonia ConstantinLeave a comment

The Last Days of Liz Truss?, from Oxia Theatre, by Greg Wilkinson directed by Anthony Shrubsall with Emma Wilkinson Wright as Liz Truss and Steve Nallon of Spitting Image as the voice of Margaret Thatcher and others. We sat down with Emma Wilkinson Wright.

  1. What initially drew you to the character of Liz Truss, and how did you prepare to embody her unique persona on stage?

For me personally and also for my theatre company Oxia Theatre – the single most important questions when putting on a production are why this piece and why now? The Last Days of Liz Truss? is on the one hand a play about Liz: her rise to power, her 49 day premiership and then her fall from grace. It is, however, also a much broader commentary on wider, systemic issues and broken systems – financial, political, governmental, societal.  We are – to use one of Oxia’s mission statement lines – holding up a provocative and uncomfortable mirror to a whole series of deep-rooted issues, asking questions about what’s really going on and inviting the audience to engage with a process of challenge and reflection. 

Preparing to embody her on stage was an 8 week process of immensely detailed research which entailed watching every single video of her (many times over), listening to her speak on repeat, reading everything that has ever been written about her and written by her, physical embodiment exercises, working with the amazing vocal coach Ryan O’Grady twice a week for two months to really unpick her voice: the tonality, intonations, the specifics of her vocal cadence and so forth. I literally didn’t leave a stone unturned and it’s really nice to see the critics noticing the work that has taken place behind the scenes. It was very important that we didn’t do caricature or parody.  It had to be truthful. Whilst I believe absolutely that she made huge, dreadful mistakes that caused chaos, I do also believe that she was treated atrociously by the media and the political systems. I want to portray the human being, the woman: the play is an attempt to portray a 360 degree person. 

2. The play intertwines humour with serious political commentary. How did you navigate these shifts in tone to present a cohesive performance?

The play is indeed very funny – audiences are laughing all the way through. It’s also VERY dark.  It’s been joyous to navigate this duality. I never had myself down as an actor that can do comedy – I tend to get cast in the dark roles – so this has been an eyeopener for me as well! I’ve learnt to really lean into and play with the humour. It’s also been really important to be very specific and very active with all the political commentary: there is a LOT of information in the piece, and some of it about complex economic theory.  It would be really boring for it feel like it was a ‘lecture”; it’s not, it is a piece of dramatic satire which relies on the use of information to convey the story. So it has been a case of being very clear about why I am saying what I am saying to them, what impact do I want to have on them, and in this way keeping everything very active, very energetic. And of course playing with timing – key for comedy. Also, the writing by Greg Wilkinson is absolutely superb, so it is easy to navigate, because it is so brilliantly written. 

3. What specific techniques did you employ to capture Liz’s distinctive speech patterns?

There is a nasality to her voice, a slightly metallic quality. She glottal-stops her ‘ing’ sounds, and tends to bounce her vowels. Upwards inflections are key, especially when she is listing things. The main challenge really has been that her public voice is quite robotic – doing that for an hour and a half on stage would be unbearable for the audience, so we’ve taken the key characteristics of her voice and softened them slightly to make sure the 90 minutes operates on multiple vocal levels and isn’t just the robotic delivery of text!! As I’ve already mentioned, we are portraying Liz as a person, not just the public persona. 

4. Given the play’s satirical elements, how does audience reaction influence your performance, especially during comedic moments?

Audience interaction is key! There is a LOT of breaking the fourth wall, and the way in which the audience interacts or not is something that entirely effects the energy of the show. We have had audiences laughing out loud from start to finish – and also slightly quieter audiences, listening intently. The trick as the performer is to read the room and gauge the temperature. It’s always really nice when the audience goes with it and joins in then fun, giving me stuff to bounce off! 

5. Through portraying Liz Truss, did you gain any new perspectives on her political journey or the challenges she faced during her brief tenure as Prime Minister?

Yes. I have more empathy for her. At the end of the day, this woman was torn to shreds by the media, politicians and the public. I’m not sure that would have happened with the same visceral hatred had she been a man.  

6. What guidance would you offer young actors aiming to tackle complex political figures in their performances?

Honestly – just do the work! Prepare, prepare, prepare. Do your research. Don’t leave any stone unturned. Get off book as early as you can, learn the lines as soon as you can (organically or by rote, whatever works for you!). It took me 6 weeks pretty much full time to learn the lines, and I did this so I could hit the ground running on day 1 of rehearsal.  I was also starting to loose sleep over the lines, you know those actor nightmares where you dream you’re on stage and you’ve learnt the wrong play, or you go to open your mouth and realise that you forgot to learn the script. Those dreams. Yeah, I had a few!!! 

Also I would offer that portraying someone who has lived or is still alive is tough – there is due diligence to be done. I played Adelaine Hain in The Only White two years ago – that was an incredible experience, such an honour to walk in this phenomenal woman’s shoes and I made absolutely sure I honoured that responsibility. I even learnt to knit because apparently she would knit whilst waiting to go into court: I’m currently half way through a scarf for her son Peter Hain!!  But yes. Put simply. Do the work. 

In Conversation with Krysia Mansfield

Published on by Tabitha James1 Comment

We sat down with Krysia Mansfield, one of the writers and performers in Joe Carstairs.

Delving into the compelling life of Joe Carstairs, a renowned power boat-racer known for being the ‘fastest woman on water’, who was also a war-hero and one of 20th century’s boldest queer figures, Joe Carstairs is a new drama set across two timelines, the 1920s and the 2020s, exploring themes of gender, identity, and societal norms over a century apart, and offers a thought-provoking reflection on a historical queer icon. 

Joe Carstairs will run at Omnibus Theatre 4 – 22 June, 

Tell us a bit about the show:

We follow the journey of young non binary writer Hik in their discovery of Joe Carstairs and how their lives, although a century apart, both resonate and clash with their own experience.

What inspired you to explore the life of Joe Carstairs?

Apart from the fact that my girlfriend & I live in East Cowes where Joe had their very own boatyard – !! – it’s a fascination that grew & grew the more Franko & I discovered about them during our R&D (research & development). I’m quite terrified that much of their ability to do nearly anything they so wished, sprang mainly from their wealth – but it’s also very clear they had lots of character, a real flair for the unexpected and a passion unique to their go-get-‘em attitude to life. As Tee, Hik’s girlfriend in our play says, “Deliciously queer”.

Why did you want to incorporate live original music into the piece?

Live music is a transformative experience for both audience and actors alike. Catherine Warnock is a gifted, award winning composer who has created exquisite moments and themes on clarinet, piano and saxophone for particular characters. She also arranged both Franko & my song choices beautifully. It helps greatly to further the story through original music and specific well-known songs; establishing the era, be it 1918 or 2023. And hey, even mixing it up a bit too! Why not?!

What would you like the audience to take away from the show?

Joy! Hope and love. In drawing from Joe’s striking self determination, and Hik’s discovery of theirs, we hope to bring people closer to their own inner strength in being true to themselves and finding connection in relationships and in community no matter the social or political climate.

Joe Carstairs is one of the headliners of Omnibus Theatre’s 96 Festival, can you tell us a bit about that?

Super excited and proud to be headlining at such an established festival where a run of entirely queer theatre productions get to be in the one great venue for a transformative, feisty & fabulous summer!

In Conversation with Me’sha Bryan 

Published on by Tabitha JamesLeave a comment

We sat down with Me’sha Bryan playing in Sherlock Holmes and the Poison Wood at the Watermill Theatre.

Who are you playing in Sherlock Holmes And The Poison Wood?

I play Dr Amanda Watson. She is Sherlock’s landlady and partner in crime solving. She’s also a professional nutritionist, social media guru and Mother to pretty much everyone in the show!

What’s the show about?

The show covers a wide range of topics. On the surface, we have the classic mission to thwart the evil doings of Moriarty with Holmes and Watson on the trail to find out who was responsible for the mass poisoning of several environmentalists at a protest camp. However, the show brings us right into the present day where it deals with issues such as eating disorders, relationships between parents and children, friendship, communities coming together, work/life balance, the effect human beings are having on the planet, self discovery… There’s a lot to ruminate on which will definitely connect with many audience members but it’s also a fun show with great songs, comedy and brilliant video projection.

Were you a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories before?

I haven’t read a huge amount of them but I’ve watched a few of the movies and TV series. The character is so engrained into one’s psyche that when I’m happy I always say that “I am in my own proper atmosphere”. I think there’s a Sherlock quote hidden somewhere inside all of us!

How are rehearsals going?

Rehearsals are going really well. It’s a nice team and we finished tech early so, bonus! I try to be off book before I start a show so that I can really start getting to know my character and experiment in the space without worrying about what I’m saying next. We have two actors sharing the role of Sherlock in this production and, being Watson, I’m on stage with them a lot so my feet have done double rehearsal time and they’re killing me but, aside from that, it’s all good!

Do you have a favourite moment or song in the show?

I don’t have any favourites, no. The entire thing is thoroughly enjoyable.

How did you get into performing?

I was always going to be a performer and work in entertainment. I begged my parents for a karaoke machine and used to make my family sit down and watch while I performed an entire concert for them! I started singing professionally at the age of 9 but was always in school plays etc before and after that. I joined NYMT in my last year of high school then moved to London where I studied music and became a session vocalist whilst performing in West End shows. I’m also a vocal coach for signed artists, TV shows and professional actors. I’m also a BBC trained journalist and have presented and reported for BBC WM and, over the last few years, I’ve branched into acting in TV and film. For me, getting into performing was the easy part. Remaining part of the industry and maintaining a career that sustains you both artistically and financially is the tricky bit but we love it so what else are we going to do?!

How are you finding Newbury and the Watermill Theatre?

It’s very pretty here. The wildlife is amazing. I’ve seen an entire family of badgers crossing the road, a deer which I think was a Muntjac, we have swans, a Muscovy duck and there are about 15 great tits living in a tree right outside my bedroom window. The theatre itself is one of a kind. It’s old, higgledy piggledy and full of character. You can see the workings of the mill as you walk from front of house into the auditorium which is cosy, intimate and has a wonderful atmosphere. It’s peaceful and beautiful here, the team are lovely too and it’s a joy to be part of The Watermill family for the next few weeks.

How would you describe the show in three words?

Touching, silly, brilliant.

A Watermill Theatre and Metta Theatre Production

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE POISON WOOD

Book & Lyrics P Burton-Morgan

Music & Lyrics Ben Glasstone

FRI 02 FEB 2024 – SAT 16 MAR 2024