T*TS opening Friday 28th August at The Libra Theatre Cafe, exploring the T.I.T.S trading room that trade woman. Learn more about what you can expect:
1: What inspired you to create T*TS?
There were numerous things that inspired me along the way. Scrolling on social media and noticing that everything was an advertisement was one thing, and realising the selling power of women was another. It made me question how insecurity is marketed and what would happen if, for even one day, not a single woman bought anything. I also became more interested in the financial world and wondered how the world of finance and theatre could combine.
2: How did you balance comedy and dark themes?
One of the amazing things about comedy is that it can balance out either sadness or sincerity. It can also make those darker moments even more impactful. I wanted to play around with multiple forms of humour from wit, to word play, to clowning, to give some lightness and also a false sense of security for the audience. I want the impact of the show to catch up to you before you have noticed, like laughing at a joke before realising it was actually backhanded.
I’m still working out the balance between comedy and darker moments but writing this play has certainly made me appreciate comedy more. It is difficult to be funny under pressure!
3: If you could describe the show in one word, what would it be and why?
Brash
The show is unapologetic, loud and in your face from the beginning. What was so fun about writing this was not filtering the language to make it palatable. The characters are who they are without any sense of restraint, and without caring who they offend.
4: The show covers themes of modern sexism. Why does this seem topical for today’s audience?
Sexism unfortunately, is still a part of the society we live in and how it functions. I still hear “but it’s not as bad as it was” which yes is true, but that doesn’t mean it has disappeared. It has morphed and I wanted to explore what that morphing looks like. Women are still under-minded and I still personally get annoyed when I see how many anti-aging creams women have compared to the men’s section in stores. The way women’s aesthetics are capitalised on is such an in built way of modern society that sometimes we miss it, I think it’s time to persuade the eye to look and notice.
5: What will audiences take away from the production?
Hopefully a sense of unease in how the subject is left unresolved, as it is in life. I would love an audience member to leave thinking “I’m annoyed life is like that, how can it change, and that was a fun show”. One of the best shows I’ve seen “All of us” by Francesca Martinez was so confronting that it stuck with me. My wish is to capture even a speck of that feeling.
6: What has been the most enjoyable part about creating T*TS?
Seeing the characters come to life has been incredible. Those moments in rehearsal where, as a writer, you know what you want it to be but you can’t quite capture it, and then a fellow actor or director comes in and it is magic. A click of all the right ideas. It is such an exciting feeling to know you’re all collectively working towards the same goal, and what was once was you sitting at your laptop, typing some words on a black page, becomes real.
T*TS opening Friday 28th August at The Libra Theatre Cafe. Many thanks to Bethany Green for answering our questions. Book your tickets here!
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