t***k you| Five minutes with the Director

Ahead of their newly devised production t***k you, we caught up with Lisa Gregan, Bristol Old Vic Young Company Director, to find out just how the show is shaping up ahead of its 2 Aug debut at St. Brendan's Sixth Form College Theatre.

Tell us a bit about yourself and the Bristol Old Vic Young Company. 
I’ve been the Young Company Director for 2 and a half years, where we work with young people from 5 to 25 years to explore theatre and creativity through weekly workshops and three shows a year.

Tell us a little bit about the story of t***k you
Because t***k you is a piece of work devised from a theme, as opposed to a narrative, there is not a story to speak of. It is mostly the thoughts of the cast on the world that they live in and how they see it. It’s the good, the bad and the ugly of their world. We talk about the NHS, Brexit, Gender to name a few of the areas touched upon in the piece.

What has helped to inspire this show?Personal stories have been a big part of the process. We have also created a lot of material inspired by the current political climate, and where we see ourselves and the world in the future.

What has been the biggest challenge so far?
The fact that it is thematic devising and there is no narrative has been really hard. We have been exploring lots of different forms and frames trying to find the right vessel for the material.

What has been the best part of working on this production?
For me it has been so inspiring seeing the cast talk in such a passionate way about politics, about the things that make them mad and the things they want to change. It has also been great for us to reflect on the things we are thankful for (the vote, the NHS, freedom of speech). Seeing the group translate this into theatre has been very exciting.

Exploring the relationship between youth and power in the world today, catch Bristol Old Vic Young Company's brand new show t***k you 2-5 Aug. For more information and to book tickets, click here.