Rotterdamned Dramaturgy: Donnacadh O’Brian @ Trafalgar Studios

Rotterdam, directed by Donnacadh O’Briain, is a bittersweet comedy about gender, sexuality and being a long way from home by acclaimed writer Jon Brittain, co-creator of Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho, and writer of What Would Spock Do? and The Sexual Awakening of Peter Mayo.



Alice wants to come out as a lesbian. Her girlfriend Fiona wants to start living as a man. It's New Year in Rotterdam and Alice has finally plucked up the courage to email her parents and tell them she's gay. 

But before she can hit send, Fiona reveals that he has always identified as a man and now wants to start living as one named Adrian. Now, as Adrian begins his transition, Alice must face a question she never thought she'd ask... does this mean she's straight?

What was the inspiration for this performance?
I was very moved by the story from the first time I read it, and in particular the character of Adrian who goes through the most profound series of life events through the play. I have been inspired by him and people like him, and the whole team have a real passion for bringing that story to an audience. I've rarely done a project with so much unity of purpose and emotional commitment.

How did you become interested in making performance in the first place - does it hold any particular qualities that other media don't have?
I trained as an actor, and so I developed a love of making work for audiences when I was in my late teens and older. As a theatre maker I am always thinking about the audience, and how they interact with the performance. I love to play with the liveness of the event, and I'm often drawn to meta-theatricality, particularly the playful type. 

Was your process typical of the way that you make a performance?
It was typical of how I work with actors, and I have my methods which I've developed of over the years for how I like to build a sense of liveness and a strong ensemble. 

But the production itself is its own thing - whilst there are characteristics of my work, I really do start with each script and try to understand it's unique needs. With Rotterdam, the style of the comedy was very important and informs a lot of the feel... It has a real pop drive which supports the comedy and provides a strong counterpoint for the tragedy.

What do you hope that the audience will experience?
I want them to have laughed a lot, and ideally had a little cry too - I always do both when I see it, and that was pretty common during the run at Theatre503. So having had an emotional experience and having laughed... But of course alongside that we want people to come out with having formed a real empathetic connection to the characters, and with the beginnings of an understanding of trans issues, and that is something I think the play does very well and very subtly.

What strategies did you consider towards shaping this audience experience?
Really it's always been about delivering Jon's script to the best of our collective abilities. It's such an accomplished piece of writing, that it was a gift to direct really. It does most of the work in terms of shaping the audience experience. I would lay claim to one major embellishment in the form of a sequence around the climax of the play that happens under Robyn's 'Dancing On My Own' but you'll have to just see it.

Do you see your work within any particular tradition?
Not especially. I do enjoy the connections people make between different productions, but it's not something that I do much. I try to respond to each play on its own terms and create an aesthetic for it which is bespoke. Ask me again in a few years.

Rotterdam by Jon Brittain

Trafalgar Studios, 14 Whitehall, London SW1A 2DY Tuesday 26th July - Saturday 27th August 2016

Following a highly successful run last autumn at Theatre503, Jon Brittain’s Rotterdam now transfers to Trafalgar Studios. Anna Martine (The Nether), Alice McCarthy (Boris: World King), Ed Eales-White (Strap In – It’s Clever Peter) and Jessica Clark (The Events) reprise their roles in this poignant and highly comic production.


Director Donnacadh O’Briain comments,

There's something really special about this play, and about the cast who brought it to life. Audiences were incredibly taken with it, I've rarely seen a reception like we had at Theatre503. We were entirely sold out a day or two after press night so it's fantastic to be able to bring it back to a wider audience. I think it's a must see and I'm not biased at all.
Jon Brittain was inspired to write Rotterdam after a couple of his friends transitioned in the late 2000s. He became aware of the absence of transgender stories in pop culture and wanted to address this on the stage. 

Through writing this show, he researched and consulted widely including talking to numerous trans people and their partners, conducting readings for members of the trans communities and discussing the show with various parties who were all supportive, including Trans Media Watch who then endorsed Rotterdam.

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Box Office Tickets are available for £15, £25, £30 from the Trafalgar Studios

Notes Ages 14+

Jon Brittain is a playwright, comedy writer and director. His plays include A Super Happy Story About Feeling Super Sad (New Diorama), What Would Spock Do (Gilded Balloon), and The Sexual Awakening of Peter Mayo (Pleasance). He also directed and co-wrote the smash hit Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho (Theatre503, Assembly, Leicester Square Theatre) for which he was nominated for 'Most Promising Playwright' at the 2014 Off West End Awards. 

He has worked extensively with Old Vic New Voices, he was part of the Theatre503 Five and he was a member of the Royal Court Studio Group. In comedy, he directed both of John Kearns' Fosters Award- winning shows Sight Gags for Perverts and Shtick as well as Tom Allen's shows Both Worlds and Indeed, and is a member of the Weirdos Comedy Club. 

He has written for Radio 4's The Now Show, Cartoon Network’s BAFTA and Emmy award winning The Amazing World of Gumball and he created the online sketch show HodgePodge for Hoot Comedy. He is currently developing an original series for BBC3, an hour long drama series for the BBC Writers Scheme, the musical How to Stop Being Fat and Start Being Happy with composer Harry Blake, and the comedy show Margaret Thatcher Queen of Game Shows.

Spock's Dramaturgy: Jon Brittain @ Edfringe 2015

Seabright Productions present

WHAT WOULD SPOCK DO?
Written and Directed by Jon Brittain. Performed by Sam Donnelly. 
5 – 31 August 2015 (not 12, 19 & 26 August) 12:30 (60 mins) Gilded Balloon Teviot

New show about a Star Trek super-fan, from the writer and director of the critically acclaimed Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho, debuts at Edinburgh Fringe this August.

Gary Thompson used to know every episode of Star Trek by heart. He wore the uniform to school and even spent five hours in the rain waiting for an autograph from his favourite actor Leonard Nimoy, Mr Spock himself. But that's all behind him now. Now, no one in Gary's life knows about his childhood obsession. His colleagues, his friends, his five-a-side football team… as far as they’re concerned he’s just one of the lads.

That is until a new girl, Kira, arrives at work with a Mr Spock haircut, a Star Trek badge and a picture of Leonard Nimoy on her desk. Gary’s past and present are about to collide and there’s nothing he can do to stop it…

It's times like this he really needs to ask himself the most important question of all... what would Spock do?

Partially based on both the writer/director and performers’ experiences of growing up as 'massive Trekkies', this is an uplifting new solo comic play about love, Star Trek, and learning to accept who you are no matter how much of a loser it makes you. It comes to the stage in the same year as the world paid tribute to the career and life of Leonard Nimoy, who died in March.

'Brittain's razor-sharp script keeps the audience in gales of laughter' 
The Stage on The Sexual Awakening of Peter Mayo

Jon Brittain is a playwright, writer and director. His plays include the critically acclaimed Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho (Edinburgh Festival, Leicester Square Theatre), Phillipa and Will are Now in a Relationship, The Sexual Awakening of Peter Mayo (Edinburgh Festival) and My Imaginary Friend Patrick Stewart (Soho Theatre, reading). He has written for Radio 4's The Now Show and Dilemma, Comedy Huha's Ted or Dead, Cartoon Network’s Emmy award winning The Amazing World of Gumball, and created, wrote and performed in the online sketch show HodgePodge for Hoot Comedy. Directing credits include comedian John Kearns' Fosters Newcomer Award-winning show Sight Gags for Perverts and the Fosters Award-winning Shtick. He created the sci-fi theatre night Blast Off!, the scratch night Brain of Brittain, has worked extensively with Old Vic New Voices, was a member of the Royal Court Studio Group and was one of the Theatre503 Five 2012/2013.

'As hilarious as it is well observed. Truly excellent' One Stop Arts on My Imaginary Friend Patrick Stewart

Sam Donnelly trained at ALRA. He has recently been seen in the award-winning Edinburgh Fringe hit The Bunker Trilogy (Edinburgh Festival, subsequent transfer to Southwark Playhouse and international tour). Other theatre credits include The Hunchback of Notre Dame (National tour), Macbeth (House of Detention, Clerkenwell), Come on Eileen (Theatre 503), Of Mice and Men, Lord of the Flies (Broadway Theatre), Richard III (Iris Theatre) and Beauty and the Beast (Hawthorne Theatre). 

LISTINGS INFORMATION – WHAT WOULD SPOCK DO?
5 – 31 August (not 12, 19 or 26 August) 12:30 (60 mins)
Fringe Venue 14: Gilded Balloon Sub-venue: Nightclub.
Tickets £6-£12: 0131 622 6552 / www.gildedballoon.co.uk or 0131 226 0000 / www.edfringe.com         




What inspired this production: did you begin with an idea for a script or an object?

It began with a friendship. James Seabright approached me about the idea of doing a one man show about Star Trek, knowing I was a fan he left it largely up to me to decide what the story might be. I've been friends with the actor Sam Donnelly for about four years and we've chatted a lot over the years about being fans of Star Trek as teenagers, the disconnection from our peers that that sometimes led to, and the ways in which we are less open about being fans now we are adults. After going away and thinking about it I proposed to James the idea of doing a show about being a fan, being ashamed of being a fan, and learning to embrace it.

2. Why bring your work to Edinburgh?

It's a great launchpad for work as there's such a high density of people who may be able to help get it on elsewhere. It's also a bit more meritocratic than London, and even though a lot of the broadsheet journalists have already decided what they will go and see, shows can become a smash hit through word of mouth. Smaller productions are put on a more level playing field with larger ones - obviously it's still very difficult, but there are more possibilities to break through. But more than that, I've come to nine out of the last ten Edinburghs, three more and I will have spent a year of my life at the Fringe. Even though sometimes the odds seem small that your show will break even/lead to anything/be seen at all, I owe most of the things in my career to Edinburgh - not to mention dozens of friendships. I've had some of the best nights of my life there and some of the worst. I've cried in happiness, and sometimes in sadness. I've seen shows that I will never forget and also some I will never remember. For me, it reminds me why I wanted to work in comedy and theatre in the first place. Every time I go up I remember being there for the first time at age 19 and having my mind blown that somewhere like this even existed at all. If an opportunity arises to work on a show I care about in Edinburgh, I'll probably take it.

3. What can the audience expect to see and feel - or even think - of your production?

Like I said, it all comes from me and Sam's experiences of growing up as fans of a 50 year old, geeky TV show. We were both the type of kid who didn't see any problem with advertising our geekiness for all to see. And as anyone else who was also like that knows... it doesn't always end well. Obviously neither of us will be entering into a 'worst schooling experience' competition as there are plenty of people who will have had it worse for differrent reasons. But both of us encountered teasing, bullying and social isolation due to our disposition towards nerdy past times. As a result, as we grew up, even though we didn't necessarily change our tastes that much, we found ourselves distancing ourselves from the thing we used to love in order to fit in. The show is about Gary, a man who entirely denies his former identity to the point where he's afraid of any of his new friends finding out that he was ever a fan, and what happens when he falls in love with the new girl in the office - an unashamed, unapologetic Trekkie. Hopefully people will empathise as, even if they weren't a Trekkie, we all have something about us that makes us different and we all face the question of whether we should deny that in order to fit in, or embrace it and live with the consequences.

The Dramaturgy Questions

1. How would you explain the relevance - or otherwise - of dramaturgy within your work?

Dramaturgy is very important but it comes in many differrent forms. When I write a play I don't work with any one dramaturg, rather I select a group of people whose opinions I respect to get feedback from throughout the process. When I write drafts I compile all the feedback and then see what the common thoughts are. I also workshop the script with actors - getting their comments, but more importantly hearing it outloud and trying to experience it like an audience member. Finally, I watch it with an audience in previews and rework the play based on their reactions. At all stages I try not to act too hastily or upon just one person's comments, I like to let things percolate and then make considered changes. If you follow every little comment you can run the risk of focussing on small things rather than addressing the major problems. Also, at all stages I try not to get rid of the things in the play that make it a little bit differrent - for me dramatgurgy should be about making the play the best possible version of what you want it to be, not a more agreeable or watered down version.

2. What particular traditions and influences would you acknowledge on your work -  have any particular artists, or genres inspired you and do you see yourself within their tradition?

I am very influenced by live comedy - more so than theatre. Watching Nick Helm and Pappy's and working with John Kearns have all been very big influences on me. The craft of creating a comedic atmosphere and attitude for a show is something I constantly work on, and I like incorporating elements of spontaneity and audience participation. Basically, I like work that happens to an audience, whereas I feel a lot of straight theatre happens in front of them and they are passive observers. Also, a laugh is the best way of showing their paying attention, so I try and include a lot of jokes. I like to see myself in the tradition of work that straddles both theatre and comedy. Some of it is more dramatic whereas some is more overtly comedic - but I like the freedom to move between the two.

3. Do you have a particular process of making that you could describe - where it begins, how you develop it, and whether there is any collaboration in the process?

I write things in bursts, fueled by Red Bull, and generally at night. Then it's a case of editing and editing and editing until it's not rubbish anymore. I am not very precious with individual pieces of a play, I will cut or change anything if I think it will make it better and I try and be open to new ideas even late on in the process. I collaborate a lot with actors and other writers and will often ask people to read the play to me or if they'll listen as I read it to them. Both speaking and listening to the play are very useful for different reasons. Like I say, my process can basically be described as write, Red Bull, cut, Red Bull, change, Red Bull, repeat. 

4. What do you feel the role of the audience is, in terms of making the meaning of your work? 

I think you direct a show twice, once in the rehearsal room and once when it's in front of an audience. As a writer I think you write a play, whereas as a director I think you have to put on a show. A show is something different from the written down play and it should be. Things change when they're in front of an audience based on how the audience reacts and sometimes the meaning of the work will only become apparent when you see how the audience responds. Something might be a lot funnier or dramatic than you thought it was. That amazing speech you wrote might have to become an amazing line if it feels like it drags once in front of a crowd, equally that pithy line might have to become a monologue if the meaning is not clear.

5. Are there any questions that you feel I have missed out that would help me to understand how dramaturgy works for you?

I think the only distinction I'd make between good and bad dramaturgy is that good dramaturgy is concerned with helping the writer create the best version of the show that they want to create - for better or worse. This does not necessarily involve 'fixing' the flaws. A lot of the work is flawed in certain ways, but brilliant in others - sometimes by fixing the problems you can get rid of the good stuff as well. Definitely in my work in comedy I have found myself in a dramaturgical role and always the question is - what does the writer want to create here, how do I help them achieve that?

Partially based on both the writer/director and performers’ experiences of growing up as 'massive Trekkies', this is an uplifting new solo comic play about love, Star Trek, and learning to accept who you are no matter how much of a loser it makes you. It comes to the stage in the same year as the world paid tribute to the career and life of Leonard Nimoy, who died in March.

'Brittain's razor-sharp script keeps the audience in gales of laughter' 
The Stage on The Sexual Awakening of Peter Mayo

Jon Brittain is a playwright, writer and director. His plays include the critically acclaimed Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho (Edinburgh Festival, Leicester Square Theatre), Phillipa and Will are Now in a Relationship, The Sexual Awakening of Peter Mayo (Edinburgh Festival) and My Imaginary Friend Patrick Stewart (Soho Theatre, reading). He has written for Radio 4's The Now Show and Dilemma, Comedy Huha's Ted or Dead, Cartoon Network’s Emmy award winning The Amazing World of Gumball, and created, wrote and performed in the online sketch show HodgePodge for Hoot Comedy. 

Directing credits include comedian John Kearns' Fosters Newcomer Award-winning show Sight Gags for Perverts and the Fosters Award-winning Shtick. He created the sci-fi theatre night Blast Off!, the scratch night Brain of Brittain, has worked extensively with Old Vic New Voices, was a member of the Royal Court Studio Group and was one of the Theatre503 Five 2012/2013.

'As hilarious as it is well observed. Truly excellent' One Stop Arts on My Imaginary Friend Patrick Stewart

Sam Donnelly trained at ALRA. He has recently been seen in the award-winning Edinburgh Fringe hit The Bunker Trilogy (Edinburgh Festival, subsequent transfer to Southwark Playhouse and international tour). Other theatre credits include The Hunchback of Notre Dame (National tour), Macbeth (House of Detention, Clerkenwell), Come on Eileen (Theatre 503), Of Mice and Men, Lord of the Flies (Broadway Theatre), Richard III (Iris Theatre) and Beauty and the Beast (Hawthorne Theatre).