Are We Friends? opens Wednesday 12th August at the Old Red Lion, exploring the relationship between Andrew, a young actor with Down syndrome and Oliver. Learn more about what to expect:
1: Why did you choose a cemetery as the setting for the beginning of their friendship?
I liked the idea that two strangers could meet somewhere associated with endings and discover the beginning of an unexpected friendship. A cemetery strips away a lot of the noise of everyday life and creates a space where people can simply be themselves. It also gives the audience a lot of context about who these two characters are before they’ve even said very much.
2: The play balances humour and sadness. Was it hard to find this balance?
Weirdly, it wasn’t something that felt too difficult to balance. The humour comes naturally from the characters and their relationship, and I never had to force it. As for the emotional moments, they grew organically because Andy and Oliver are so different emotionally and in their personalities. Exploring those differences and watching them slowly understand each other was actually one of the most enjoyable parts of writing the play.
3: Andy has Down Syndrome, how did you go about creating his character authentically?
Andy having Down Syndrome was never the challenge when creating his character authentically. The challenge with creating any character is understanding who they are, what they want, and how they feel. That was true for both Andy and Oliver. Authenticity always comes from giving each character their own voice, personality and perspective, rather than defining them by one aspect of who they are.
4: How do you hope the play challenges assumptions audiences may hold around disability?
I hope people leave the theatre seeing the person before the label. Andy is simply living his life, navigating friendship, love, loss and everything that comes with being human. If audiences leave thinking less about disability and more about the person in front of them, then I feel the play has achieved something meaningful.
5: The phrase “being truly seen” is central to the story. What does this mean to you?
In the world of our play, it means having the strength to show someone who you really are and trusting that they’ll stay. It’s about someone seeing beyond your mistakes, your pain, your expectations and the labels people place on you, and still choosing to love and accept you for who you are. I think that’s something every one of us longs for.
6: What has been the most enjoyable part about creating Are We Friends?
Watching the characters come to life has been the most rewarding part. Seeing Noah bring Andy to life and add his own layers to the character has brought me so much joy.
Are We Friends? opens Wednesday 12th August at the Old Red Lion. Many thanks to Luis Dias for answering our questions. Book your tickets here!
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