The seventh (already!) re:play festival
returns with gusto to The Lowry. The festival’s remit is to showcase a
retrospective of the best new/fringe/cutting-edge theatre from the previous
twelve months across the region. Variety is the festival’s strong point – this
year’s output of fresh stage material deals with a range of issues including asylum
seekers, social media dependence and homosexuality in sport, as well as staging
bold new sketch comedy and an Anthony Burgess adaptation.
All
Our Friends Are Dead stars comedy duo Katie Norris and Sinead Parker,
riding high from an Edinburgh Fringe success with their troubling comedy sketch
pieces. I last saw Katie in a wonderful turn as Olivia for a very accomplished
production of Twelfth Night at the
Manchester School of Theatre. I asked Katie: What’s harder, comedy or 'serious'
drama?
Comedy and tragedy often merge and doing either of them well is a
challenge, but there's nothing more rewarding and immediate than making an
audience laugh.
Do you worry that having your
comedy described as ‘dark’ might frighten people away, or do audiences have a
real taste for the macabre these days?
A lot of our favourite comedy is dark, but we also strongly believe our
show has something for everyone. Sometimes it is dark and a little sinister,
but our main inspirations are like that, such as League of Gentlemen and Julia
Davis. Most people naturally find humour in dark places because it's a coping
mechanism, and that's why we do it too, it’s like therapy!
Which of the other shows at this year’s re:play are you interested in
seeing/would you recommend?
We’re looking forward to seeing Away From Home. We heard such fantastic
things from its run at 24/7 over the summer!
Re:play is running right now, check their website here.
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