Interview with Georgie Oulton and Allegra Marland, Handmade Theatre

The co-founders of Handmade Theatre talk to Voice about their Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut show, Di & Viv and Rose. 

Interview with Georgie Oulton and Allegra Marland, Handmade Theatre

Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?

Hi! We are Georgie Oulton and Allegra Marland, co-founders of Handmade Theatre. We are a London based, female led theatre company and are very excited about bringing our production of Di & Viv & Rose (in an hour) to the Fringe this summer. 

Tell us about your show?

Di & Viv & Rose (in an hour) is Handmade Theatre’s condensed version of Amelia Bullmore’s fabulous play about female friendship. The play follows three women as they rollercoaster through life encountering sex (and sexuality), loss and all kinds of love. It celebrates life’s impact on friendship and friendship’s impact on life. It’s moving yet life affirming with something for everyone. We are very attached to the play and have been performing it on and off since January, in several venues and contexts, including Somerset House (London), which was amazing.

Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and is it different from other festivals?

We are very excited about the diversity of audience members that the Fringe attracts. We want everyone to see the show, not just London theatre-goers. The Fringe is so unique as a festival because of the wide variety of work every year. We are thrilled to be part of this creative jumble sale. We can’t wait for other people’s work to inspire us whilst we are up there and to meet other like-minded people wanting to create similar work. Collaboration is key!

What first motivated you to enter the industry? Who were your inspirations?

We both trained as actors separately, having been best friends from a young age. After graduating we had the urge to start generating work of our own, and wanting to take this chance to play well-written female characters. ‘Di & Viv & Rose’ has this in abundance. The people that inspire us are women in the public eye, who have the power to get any role they want to, and still chose strong, female driven work. It is their choices that filter down the ladder to us. By making their own demands on the work getting made, they provide more opportunities for us. ‘Praise be’ to them.

Do you ever feel any pressure to be a social commentator, or constantly update material to respond to events?

Yes. We want to be current and the most important question to bear in mind when creating theatre is ‘why now?’ However we do feel that the best plays are timeless. Our play is set in the 80s and we have found that sometimes by embracing and reflecting on the past we can gain insight into the present/future. We are dedicated to making female led work but never wish to be divisive or alienating in our politics. We want to make inclusive theatre, always.  

Equally, do you feel there has been a shift in public sentiment that has affected your work?

We are loving riding the female-focussed wave at the moment, and are very aware of the wonderful audiences supporting the work we are making, and our ethos behind Handmade Theatre. We love the fact that things are changing at the moment and women are beginning to find more of a voice - it makes for a very exciting and creative time within theatre, and we are thrilled to be amidst it all. 

Describe the last year in 5 words or less?

Di and Viv and Rose.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to take a show up to the fringe?

This is our debut production at the Fringe, and so we can only speak from the experience we have had so far which has been the build-up… but off that:

Love the work you are making (we have been very lucky in that respect.) Be organised. Don’t panic. Have fun. 

And what advice do you wish you’d been given when entering the industry?

Take your time, and enjoy every step. 

When and where can people see your show?

C Cubed Main Space (C Venues), 5.55pm, 2nd-14th August 2018. 

And where can people find, follow and like you online?

Facebook: @HandmadeTheatre1 

Instagram: @theatrehandmade

Twitter: @HandmadeTheatr

Website: www.handmadetheatre.org

Header Image Credit: GB

Author

Tom Inniss

Tom Inniss Voice Team

Tom is the Editor of Voice. He is a politics graduate and holds a masters in journalism, with particular interest in youth political engagement and technology. He is also a mentor to our Voice Contributors, and champions our festivals programme, including the reporter team at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

We need your help supporting young creatives

Recent posts by this author

View more posts by Tom Inniss

0 Comments

Post A Comment

You must be signed in to post a comment. Click here to sign in now

You might also like

West End Actor Interrogates Stereotyping Faced by Latinx People in Soho Theatre Solo Show

West End Actor Interrogates Stereotyping Faced by Latinx People in Soho Theatre Solo Show

by Daniel Miller

Read now