By Yotam Livni, Third Year Philosophy
Approaching this piece, having never written an interview article, seemed a daunting task. With over 30 pages of transcript to read over, all rich with information, I couldn’t imagine how I’d fit it all neatly in a way that would make it worthwhile and enjoyable for people to read. That's when it came to me.
I realised that there’ll be many people who like me come to a point in their university life where things are coming to a close. You begin to wonder how you can make these last moments matter, where you might take yourself next. I found no better place for these answers than in someone who’d already walked the path I’m on. Brenda's story and insights which I hope to share with you, will, I hope all you to take some valuable lessons as I have.
‘We’d write down every single thing they'd say, even all the ums and ahs’
Brenda Callis hails from Cornwall, the setting for her play, ‘Smalltown Boy’. Brenda doesn’t come from a heavily theatre laden background and growing up in rural Cornwall didn’t provide amazing access to watching theatrical productions. If one wished to really sink their teeth into the new contemporary world of theatre, it wasn’t the easiest feat to achieve. But, at the age of 13 Brenda found herself joining a writing group which she stuck with till heading off to University.
BRENDA: One of the things they used to get us to do was go out onto the street and listen to people's conversations. We’d write down every single thing they'd say, even all the ums and ahs. Just write down exactly what they're saying, and then you would go back and write something imagining what happens around.
Brenda studied at the University of Bristol. In our conversation she really highlighted the vast amount of opportunities available here to students interested in theatrical arts. DramSoc and Spotlight's endless production of shows all throughout the year is the perfect place to be inspired as an ambitious writer, but also a chance to test yourself.
BRENDA: I think about some of the plays that I had put on in my first year of uni and they were awful. But they were so helpful to figure out what my voice was like as a writer.
Towards the end of her time at Bristol, Brenda found herself winning a small pot of money through spotlights, which enabled her to take her play Elise to Edinburgh Fringe.
Brenda’s education didn’t stop there. In our conversation she spoke highly of several opportunities she took advantage of after leaving university to further improve her ability as a writer. Some of these include the Blueprint scheme with Tobacco Factory and the Exeter Northcott Elevate scheme.
BRENDA: I feel like I had such a vision for what it was and I felt like I wasn’t really there yet as a writer to give that vision so that was quite a funny thing to be, like, I feel I have to be a better writer to write this. I hadn’t really felt that before.
I think many of us can share in having a vision we’ve got our heart fully set on, and it can be really reassuring to see that even experienced writers have to admit their limitations to themselves before approaching their passion projects.
Since then Brenda’s gone on to do five other shows across the UK. The latest being ‘Smalltown Boy’. I had the privilege of reviewing this production for Epigram when it showed in Bristol. The production is now going on tour in March, hitting Theatre Royal in Plymouth on the 5th and 6th, Exeter Northcott Theatre on the 7th and The Pleasance in London from the 11th to the 14th.
To briefly self-plagiarise; Brenda Callis’s new production, Smalltown Boy, is messy, camp and unapologetic – just like its main character ‘Edie,’ a young drag queen who has recently experienced the loss of their partner, ‘Leo.’ This 75-minute, dialogue-led drama is full of heart and humour, using drag performance to explore isolation, grief, healing, homophobia and community as it thrusts our star into a small town on the coast of Cornwall to meet Leo’s family, which Edie had never heard of…
‘It’s not my lived experience, so it felt really important to be able to collaborate on that’
Brenda’s shows often focus on telling unheard, underrepresented stories. She takes great care with the research and development. It often becomes very collaborative with communities and individuals who can give personal insight. Allowing her to do justice to the portrayal of different characters and walks of life in her works.
BRENDA: This play has been such a special collaborative process, and through a Bristol Old Vic Ferment grant and Arts Council funding we had a long R&D process. We spoke to lots of people to get lots of feedback on the script. We showed an early draft to young queer people in Cornwall who gave feedback to shape Leo’s character. I spoke to Black Voices Cornwall and worked with an actor called Sophia Oriogun-Williams to develop Hannah's character and feelings about being mixed race in Cornwall, which is something that I felt was important and really wanted to show that aspect of feeling different in a rural place, but also the people that choose to stay and give time to that town and time to that place. It’s not my lived experience, so it felt really important to be able to collaborate on that. We also spoke to Bristol drag artists and worked with drag artists to develop the drag voice and character of Edie throughout the show.
Yotam Livni
It goes without saying that Brenda is a rising playwright to look out for. She hinted to me at a future project she's drafted. A musical adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion. She considers this to be her most collaborative project yet and will mark Brenda's first attempt at an adapted work and her first attempt at musical theatre. So hopefully, in this short glimpse of our conversation, you might've found something interesting and maybe even a useful slice of advice for yourself.
Featured Image: Brenda Callis
Did you see Smalltown Boy?
