Ahead of opening night we spoke with Laura-Doe about her creative process and her latest show Vaudeville of the Vulva...

What inspired you to create Vaudeville of the Vulva? 
Vaudeville of the Vulva grew from the desire to inform and educate people about the latest research into female pleasure and the amazing design of the vulva - in an entertaining way. I wanted to use laughter and songs to open conversations about female sexuality, to address taboos and to release the shame that many people feel around their genitalia and their sexuality.
The story is, to an extent, autobiographical, and as my own attitudes and understandings have changed, the show has evolved. It has also happened vice versa. Almost every song that arrived initially felt really challenging to sing, but over time I became more comfortable with the material and more comfortable with these different aspects of myself.

What have been some of the highlights in the development of the show?
I find the creative process quite miraculous, especially when humour is involved. Sometimes I only get a glimpse of how one character or scene connects to another, but over time the full picture emerges. It’s as if it’s already been there but was waiting to be revealed. With jokes in particular, I often have a sense that there is something funny waiting to be found in a particular section of the script. But humour won’t be forced, and I have to be patient until the moment that it pops in, out of the blue - sometimes during an actual performance! 

Ahead of one woman show Taking Liberties we had a chat with writer/performer Caroline Gray & Director Stephanie Silver...

What inspired you to write Taking Liberties? Why this story?
Caroline: I heard this thing once about how we're all only two mistakes away from homelessness and it stuck with me. The more I thought about it the more I had questions. Who's mistakes? Our own or some one else's? What would those mistakes be? And is that true? Are we all only two mistakes from homelessness? Or are some of us born luckier in that we'd need to make more mistakes than just two to truly get to the point of being homeless. 
I also wanted to create a vibrant and colourful character who's funny and intelligent. Someone who is both strong, unapologetic and vulnerable. A woman who's as complex as all the women I know in my real life. As an actress those are the most exciting parts to play and there aren't always an abundance of parts like that about so I stocked up on Jaffa Cakes and gave it a go myself.  These two things mingled as I wrote the character of Amy and I ended up with Taking Liberties.

What have been some of the highlights in the development of Taking Liberties? 
Caroline: The show has been developed over the last year. Some highlights would be Jon Brittain seeing the show at Actor Awareness and offering Dramaturg support for writing the full piece. Being in the Actor Awareness new writing festival and working class season at The Tristan Bates Theatre, They were great opportunities to develop the show and shape it into what it is now.

Any stumbling blocks in the general development of Taking Liberties? 
Stephanie: Like anything money. I always loved Caroline's script from the moment I read it and wanted to direct it but was always so busy. When Caroline got offered a slot for the working class season and didn't have a director attached I offered as I really believe in her as a writer and the message behind her story. Very human. 

Who are the collaborators on this production?  
Caroline: Glass Half Full decided to come on board to produce the play with Steph as director. Jon offering Dramaturgical help with the script. Actor Awareness have been a champion of me and the script since the beginning which has helped immeasurably. 

Before heading into the New Year we sat down with GARY'S NOT WELL writer Liam Cogan about his upcoming show...

1. What inspired you to write Gary's Not Well? Why this story? I wanted to challenge the notion that men had to be the providers, that they had to be the one with the successful job. I think it's something that's quite ingrained in men as a stereotype, but the world's changing and in doing so I think some find it difficult or feel threatened even by women's advancements in the workplace as strange as that sounds. 

2. What have been some of the highlights in the development of Gary's Not Well? The writing process was a highlight in general as I often would improvise scenes with my friend Alan who's a clinical therapist. I would then go home listen to the audio and take what I liked and scrap what I didn't. That way I got to mix acting with writing which was a real pleasure. 

3. Any highlights & stumbling block in the general development of Gary's Not Well? Producing it! Writing and acting is one thing but getting a team together and hiring external cast or crew and finding a theatre etc was all new to me! The stumbling blocks began after the writing process for me!

4. Who are the collaborators on this production?  Alan Bordeville, a trained psychotherapist who was integral to the writing of this play. His improv sessions and general advice throughout the process was priceless. The other collaborators are my cast, my girlfriend, brother and my former tutor Armen, whose notes and suggestions really helped tighten the play.

5. What attracted you to stage this production at The Bread & Roses Theatre?  For our first staging as a company, I liked the idea of a profit share somewhere local. I looked at the space, the reviews from others who had staged there and it sounded like a perfect place to start without incurring a heavy cost, which when you start out isn't ideal! ​

GARY'S NOT WELL
5-9 February at 7:30pm

We are opening 2019 with brand new play TWO OF A KIND from Mimi Monteith, which has already sold out two nights of the run. We sat down with Mimi to find out a little bit more about the show...

What inspired you to write & direct Two of a Kind? Why this story?
I've loved directing this play for two reasons, the script is really weird, and its been a lot of fun exploring conversations that really shouldn't be said out loud, especially in public. But more than this, it has been a challenge (a great one!) to put two people, who could be attracted to one another in a story, and from the outset convince an assuming audience of the characters' platonic friendship. It is also easy to slip into the guise of, when a tragic end occurs, for a character to think 'oh god and I always loved her', but this isn't the case, the play simply explores the loss of a friend and I think this makes the play all the more poignant.   

In terms of writing the play, dialogue is something that I personally think is the most important part of a script. I never really have a plot in mind when I write a play, I just put two people in a room and see what they end up saying to one another. I think this play came to mind as I became increasingly interested in subtext; the things that we really mean when we might say something totally different. Or in this case, the stories and truths we try and cover up in everyday conversations. 

What have been some of the highlights in the development of Two of a Kind?  
I have to say, when Lily and Dan came in after a very long couple of days of auditions, I nearly fell off of my chair with excitement. They really made the show come alive for me and continue to baffle me with their outrageous talent every day. 

In the run up to A MODEST LITTLE MAN coming to The Bread & Roses Theatre, we threw some quick fire questions at writer Francis Beckett. His new play which looks at the life of Clement Attlee, the creator of the welfare state, opens 15 Jan 2019.


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What inspired you to create/ write A Modest Little Man? Why this story?
Clem Attlee’s my political hero. A terribly ordinary, un-charismatic man, who changed everything about the way Britain is run.  Four decades later, along came Tony Blair, a charismatic Labour leader who left things much as they were. I suppose when I wrote it, I was also hoping Jeremy Corbyn would turn out to be an Attlee figure. I’m a bit less optimistic about that now.

Who are the collaborators on this production?  
My production company is called Labour England – named after my latest book, Jeremy Corbyn and the Strange Rebirth of Labour England (Biteback, 2018.)

What attracted you to stage this production at The Bread & Roses Theatre?  
I’m really excited about Bread and Roses – a genuine Labour movement theatre, potentially maybe the Unity Theatre de nos jours.

Call someone out by name: who should see this production. Be brave!
Jeremy Corbyn. John McDonnell. Anyone who is likely to play a part in a Labour government.  This play is about how Labour governments ought to be run.  

What's next for Francis Beckett? 
Couldn’t be more different really. My adaptation of a Jeeves and Wooster story has been approved by the P.G. Wodehouse estate and is being premiered by Garden Suburb Theatre in Hampstead, 11-13 April!

A Modest Little Man
15-26 Jan (Tue-Sat), 7:30pm
Tickets on sale now!

​We are thrilled to announce that on Saturday 19th January 2019 the Chapel Playhouse will officially be launching as a new theatre and performance space in central London. The launch event will begin at 3pm and will feature performances, drinks and an opportunity to check out the brand new space.

Run by the team behind award-winning The Bread & Roses Theatre in Clapham, the newly founded Chapel Playhouse is located in the accessible basement of the recently (re-)opened café-bar, now called Bread & Roses @ The Chapel.

The basement space is currently undergoing works and upgrades before its launch as a pop-up performance space in 2019. The central London venue is within walking distance of King's Cross St. Pancras Station, and will henceforth offer an exciting line-up of theatre, comedy, cabaret and more as well as taking part in the Camden Fringe Festival amongst others.
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The launch event will be free to attend, though guests are kindly asked to RSVP on our website or via email (info@chapelplayhouse.co.uk). To find out what else we have coming up in our inaugural season and beyond, or about opportunities to get involved, please also see www.chapelplayhouse.co.uk.