From hard-hitting dramas to farcical comedies, today we chat with the three founding members of the award winning theatre company, Three’s Company: Yaz Al-Shaater, Tom Crawshaw and Michael Grady-Hall.
Their enchanting new play follows one man’s bold journey to harness the power of his dreams and live forever. Explore the spiritual thoughts, images, sounds and emotions of Reverie at this year’s 2010 Buxton Fringe. On from the 8th to the 20th of July, you can see their 1 hour show at 7:45pm each evening on specified performance dates. So take it away guys…
1. What inspired you to set up a theatre company?
Michael: We wanted to be able to both inspire and create theatre with other young people.
Yaz: Having worked with and learnt from numerous groups, it was a unique opportunity to directly take our preferred flavour of theatrical performance further.
2. What’s your show about and where are you taking your show after the Buxton Fringe?
Tom: Reverie is a new piece of writing looking at the bizarre phenomenon of lucid dreaming – where you dream but are aware that you are dreaming. A growing subculture of people are learning how to practice and cultivate this state and the play follows one such person. It is a tale of love, discovery and flying too close to the sun.
After Buxton we are taking it to the Pleasance Dome at the Edinburgh Fringe. As the largest arts festival in the world, we love Edinburgh and it will be the fifth production we’ve taken there.
3. What are you most proud of?
Yaz: The proudest moment for me was when we sold out for the first time at the Edinburgh Fringe. Getting a load of people we’d never met to see and show – when there’s thousands of others on – and then enjoying it felt like a real achievement.
Tom: I think nothing beats hearing an audience laugh. It’s a moment of instant positive feedback. With a drama like we’re doing this year it’s always a little harder to know if you’ve got it right.
4. If you had a chance to work with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?
Michael: For me, it would be to work with the RSC. This would be an incredible opportunity to explore a classical text.
Yaz: I would love to work with theatre company Complicite who are at the forefront of creating innovative and inspiring new performance work.
5. What kind of questions do you most like to be asked about your work?
Yaz: Easy ones?
Mic: That question! Luckily!
Tom: I think I always like deep ones about the philosophy behind the plays I write. You never get bored of talking about those things as a writer – though I’m sure people get bored of listening.
6. Do the reviewers of Fringe shows do a good job?
Tom: I really think they do!
Yaz: Yeah, the few times we’ve had bad reviews has either been because of genuine mistakes we’ve made and rectified or because the work was controversial. You can’t please everyone and reviewers have to be honest when they review.
Tom: That said, there’s a dearth of coverage from the media at the Buxton Fringe. With 150+ events this year I reckon it deserves some interest.
7. What do you feel about the current state of Arts funding available?
Tom: I think the amount of money being made available in a recession is necessary but still impressive.
Michael: But of course, it does feel like the need to fit work into a box, which getting funding often requires, is exactly the sort of thing artists should be trying to avoid.
8. Which three famous people would you invite to dinner and why [dead celebrities included]? And what tasty treat would you prepare?
Michael: Stephen Fry, Shakespeare and Richard Burton.
Tom: I guess you could use the opportunity to found a rival theatre company.
Yaz: Don’t do that!
Tom: And what would you cook them?
Michael: A microwave chicken korma. We’re all busy people!
9. What do you do to relax?
Yaz: We like to hit the court for a quick game of basketball – or maybe head out into the hills for some bouldering. Just get away from it all…
Mic: I don’t think they’ll buy that. We like to get a drink and try not to talk about theatre for an hour or two. We’re also quite into losing pub quizzes at the moment.
10. What would be your dream come true?
Tom: If I turned up at the theatre and didn’t know my lines. And I was naked. I wouldn’t like it, but it would admittedly be my dream come true.
