Threads of May opens Tuesday 18th August at the Etcetera Theatre, weaving live music and storytelling together to explore May Morris’ life. Learn more about what you can expect:
1: What drew you to this topic?
I’ve always felt passionate about reclaiming the stories of women from history. I began reading about May Morris while researching for another play I’m developing, and I picked up historian Jan Marsh’s fantastic biography on Jane & May Morris and absolutely fell in love with May’s story. Imagining this wild child climbing the gables of Kelmscott Manor, raised within a circle of artists and professional women. A radical woman who grew up to fight for change in the world, champion the work of her father snd the work of female artists, and fall in love with her farm-girl gardener Mary Lobb. She is someone worthy of being remembered.
2: How aspects of May’s life felt more relevant to audiences today?
May was a designer and craftswoman who was working in a time where new technology was replacing human labour in the late 1800s, much like we’re experiencing today. The Industrial Revolution changed the way everything was being made, suddenly luxury items became accessible to all, and were faster and cheaper to make. But the cost of that was devastating to the environment and the working and living conditions of the poor. May and her family’s work was a direct rebellion against that, creating things of beauty, celebrating nature, and campaigning against the system that kept the rich profiting off the labours of the poor.
3: What inspired you to write and perform the piece yourself?
When I imagined a show about May Morris, I had a clear image of May stepping out by herself, completely independent to reclaim her story. Another reason was feeling frustrated with not having acting work and wanting something I could sink my teeth into. I wanted to create something which was all my own, on my own terms, at my own pace. A protected space for me to express myself in the way that feels natural to me. There’s something primal about a solo performer standing up and telling a story, it’s in our DNA, rooting us back to the times we gathered around campfires to share and connect with one another.
4: The play blends original music with storytelling. When did you know music needed to be part of May’s story?
From the beginning! I’ve always connected to music as a form of storytelling, and I wanted to experiment as a singer and a guitarist how that could support May’s story. It’s not something we often see in solo plays. Performing as a singer can be such a vulnerable experience, and May herself was a musician and played piano, guitar and mandolin, and there are these stunning photos of her playing guitar that immediately captured my imagination.
5: May was a feminist, artist and activist. Which aspect of her identity do you feel closest too?
All three! For May, each of those identities go hand-in hand. Her much work as an artist was in protest of the rejection of handcrafted goods in favour of manufactured items, and she also trained women to be skilled embroiderers, enabling them to work professionally. Her socialism and activism led her to become a fantastic public speaker, and passionately advocated for those less privileged than herself, and made spaces and opportunities for women in the arts.
6: What has been the most enjoyable part about creating Threads of May?
Surprisingly, it’s my process of self-discovery in writing about May Morris. I set out to tell May’s story, but somehow discovered so much about myself, the way I feel about the world, and what’s important to me. Writing from May’s perspective has helped me articulate myself, and I didn’t expect that when I began writing the show. Threads of May is the story of the life of May Morris, but it’s also about me, and about my love for art, nature and human creativity.
Threads of May opens Tuesday 18th August at the Etcetera Theatre. Many thanks to Isabella Javor for answering our questions. Book your tickets here!
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