“It’s been hot for days and now the air is heavy with the promise of something else. Thick. With something else.” From her balcony, Marie blasts out the same tune, every day at 11am. On hers, Stella (Remmie Milner) tends to red geraniums bursting with colour and life. Sometimes the hardest thing is to say hello.
After a chance encounter in a hailstorm, the two women start to embark on a new relationship conducted from the safety of their balconies. But when a flurry of miscommunication jeopardises their relationship, will they have the courage to make it work in a world that is changing faster than ever?
Gemma Lawrence’s Sunnymead Court, a queer romance, will be performed indoors with social distancing in line with latest government guidance. The production, directed by James Hillier, opens at Tristan Bates Theatre, 24 September – 3 October.
The Artiscape spoke with the writer and performer about the production she penned in lockdown where she plays Marie. Previous writing includes straight vodka for Theatre503’s Rapid Write Response, Ribbons performed at Bloom Theatre’s SAPLINGS, and REWILD, performed at Omnibus Theatre and now being developed into a full-length piece as part of the London Playwrights 2020 programme.
What inspired you to write the play? Did the lockdown inspire you?
Lawrence: James Hiller, the director, approached me and the producer Jack Holden, and asked if we wanted to try and create a socially distanced theatre experiment, an exploration in how we could return to live performance in these new times.
I was keen to write something that celebrated some of the things that came out of lockdown: the ways that communities pulled together to support one another, and the new connections people made with neighbours they may never have spoken to before.
Marie and Stella are two lonely women confined to their flats and balconies, forced to engage with their surroundings in new ways, who ultimately find hope and joy in connecting with one another.
As a queer writer, I also wanted to explore how lockdown has affected the LGBTQ+ community, lots of whom have been forced back to hostile family homes. For Stella, having to return to a homophobic environment, those moments of connection with Marie are all the more vital and affirming.
What are the challenges you faced to your creativity in lockdown?
Lawrence: I had a few projects cancelled or postponed which was a real blow. Certainly for the first few months of lockdown it was very hard to focus, and a lot of headspace was taken up with facing the realities of our new world! I probably could have been kinder to myself in this time, and not beaten myself up for not having the time or space to be creative.
I feel very lucky that James reached out to me on this project, as having such a clear goal to work towards has been a game changer.
What do you imagine the challenges in performing this with social distancing?
Lawrence: The piece was conceived with social distancing at its core, so it’s never felt like too much of a constraint. There are always some kind of boundaries and rules in creating any piece of art, which can be a positive challenge.
We wanted to make a piece of theatre where the distancing added to the play, as opposed to standing in its way. In terms of safety, the Actors Centre have been brilliant, and there’s a lot of measures in place to keep both the audience and the creative team safe.
We have a one-way system throughout the building, mandatory face masks, temperature tests, deep cleans, hand sanitising, the works. We also have live-streamed performances for those unable to attend the theatre itself.
What would you like the audience to take away from this performance?
Lawrence: We want the audience to come away feeling uplifted. While the play does explore some of the harder aspects of lockdown, it is a joyful piece that celebrates people and place.
We want to offer a tonic to these times and help get theatres back up and running. There are also some great tunes in the piece and a little bit of dancing, so a bit of audience foot-tapping or even more would be wonderful.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers in these times?
Lawrence: Keep going. Write as much as you can. Reach out. It can be a lonely game so bouncing ideas off friends or colleagues can really inspire and invigorate. Also don’t be too hard on yourself.
If you are juggling jobs to pay rent, feeling overwhelmed by everything that’s happening and needing some space and relaxation, taking that time is as useful and necessary for your writing as sitting down to work.
SUNNYMEAD COURT LISTINGS
Tristan Bates Theatre
The Actors Centre, 1a Tower Street, London, WC2H 9NP
Box Office: https://www.actorscentre.co.uk/theatre/sunnymead-court
Tickets: £12/£15 (singles) / £24/£30 (pairs)
Performances: 22 September to 3 October
22 – 23 September, 25 September: 7pm & 8.30pm
26 September (matinees): 1pm, 3pm, 7pm & 8.30pm
28, 29, 30 September: 7pm & 8.30pm
1 – 2 October: 7pm & 8.30pm
3 October: 1pm, 3pm, 7pm & 8.30pm
Concessions available for Over 60s, Under 16s, Disability and Carer, Students with a valid student ID, Unemployed, Equity Member with a valid Equity Card, Actor Centre Members.
