Interview: Jennifer Selway Talks CONDO-MONIUM at New Theatre & Restaurant

It is not often that Kansas City audiences are fortunate enough to experience the North American premiere of a new British play in our own backyard. It is even less frequent that the playwright makes the monumental leap across the pond to share notes with the cast and production staff. Such is the case with British playwright, author, and journalist Jennifer Selway. The new production of her play, a British farce called "CONDO-MONIUM," opened this week at Overland Park's New Theatre & Restaurant for an extended run.

Broadway World had the opportunity to enjoy a splendid hour getting to know this lovely, petite, funny lady in the conference room at New Theatre. She has a very British iconic, understated yet outrageous sense of humor. Jennifer Selway has spent most of her career as a serious journalist with publications spread across the political spectrum. She is, additionally, the mum of three, a published author, a closeted pianist, and a mostly comic playwright.

After earning her Bachelor's degree at University College in London, Jennifer first came to New York as a governess for the film critic of "The New Yorker" magazine.

"It was a rather peculiar job. We didn't get on very well," Jennifer said with a giggle. " Then I went back to London and joined a new magazine called TIME OUT. It was quite iconic really. It was of its time; a counter culture publication."

TIME OUT still exists as a worldwide online brand covering entertainment and listing things to do in particular cities worldwide. The London print edition ceased publication after fifty-four years in 2022.

Jennifer moved on to THE OBSERVER NEWSPAPERS, one of the most venerable London Newspapers as an entertainment editor before settling in for a twenty-two year stretch as Assistant Editor of THE DAILY EXPRESS. Although her portfolio encompassed a wide expanse of subjects, Selway focused on the Comments/ Opinion sections of the newspaper until retiring in 2018.

Selway is a lady with wide interests. She has written several books including one about "The Making Of Horror Movies." It's not that she likes to be scared, as much as she is fascinated by the process and people involved in making the genre.

While still in high school at age 15, Jennifer took a summer job as a scene painter at a local theater. She told me she was in awe of all the famous people. So, she caught the theater bug early and made a lifelong friend in the person of John Plews. Mr. Plews became a prominent London Artistic Director and remains one until today.

About ten years ago, John invited his friend Jennifer to collaborate on a play. The result had the unlikely title of "There's A Guy Works Down at the Chip Shop, Claims He is Elvis." This was the beginning of a string of successful plays. "Wallis... A Certain Person" tells the story of an American divorcee and her 1930s romance with the then Prince of Wales. "Treating Odette" shares the true friendship of a British World War II spy and the actress who played her in the movies." Following was "Summer In The City," a Juke Box musical.

"CONDO-MONIUM" is a departure for Selway. It began life as "Flat Out" in the UK. The name change and significant changes to the play script came about because of language differences between the two countries. As Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once observed, "We are two nations separated by a common language."

The play was written because of Selway's love for an unappreciated theater genre called "Farce." Farces should be inappropriate, happen on the worst possible day of your life, and make you laugh so hard tears run down your face.

Selway fondly remembers a British TV comedian named Brian Rix from childhood. He was famous for his live "Farces" broadcast live from the Whitehall Theater. They were very physical and very funny, but also so topical, they didn't age very well. This is sexy, situational; drop your pants kind of humor.

Jennifer Selway was always the entertainer in school. She muses that writing plays is so much fun; she should have done it much earlier. "CONDO-MONIUM" grew out her desire to write an updated farce. The show is a bunch of sight gags and one line jokes that came in Jennifer in bursts.

"It is so hard to do well," she said. "I would sit on the floor with bits of paper representing costumes and people and moving the bits in and out. And suddenly you know you've done it," she laughs. "It works," and she brings you back to the creative moment.

"CONDO-MONIUM" continues at New Theater through April 8.

Jennifer Selway returns home to the UK to begin her Masters program in "Medieval Literature" at Birkbeck College. This is a lady with insatiable curiosity and perhaps plays for all seasons.

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