EDINBURGH 2017: BWW Q&A- Replay

Tell us a bit about Replay.

Replay is the story of an uptight, workaholic police woman who having lost her adored older brother to suicide when she was very young, is years later prompted to revisit her childhood and come to terms with his death.

It's a moving, fun and uplifting look at the moment in her life when she realises, though the relationship with her brother will never be the same, he can still very much be a part of her life.

What was the inspiration behind the play?

I was thinking a lot about hero-worship and idolisation of celebrities, religious figures and those closer to home - a parent or an older sibling. I'm really interested in what happens when you realise that the person you've looked up to your entire life is flawed and, essentially, not who you thought they were. This led me to asking the question; is it best to erase the person who brought you so much joy and happiness from your life because they didn't live up to your, perhaps romanticised, expectation? Or is there a way of simply embracing the good things that came from the relationship and moving forward with that person in your life, even though the relationship, as it was, is gone forever?

I wanted to write a play that, in some way, captured the journey of a person going from the former to the latter.

Why bring it to Edinburgh?

We're bringing Replay to the Edinburgh Fringe because it's a brilliant and supportive platform for new writing. Not only are you in the company of hard working, exciting new writers, performers and comedians who you can learn from, but you also have a whole month to experiment with a show and get it to a really good place before transferring or touring elsewhere. It's a fantastic opportunity for new writers like myself because audiences in Edinburgh are far more willing to take a punt on someone they haven't previously heard of. In one month you can see the best and the worst shows you'll ever see, and usually the best ones are totally unexpected. That's what make the festival so exciting, in my opinion, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it this year.

Who would you recommend comes to see it?

I would recommend Replay to anyone who has experienced a personal loss of any kind, anyone who has a sibling or has owned a mood ring. Although Replay isn't a comedy, and certainly does deal with some sad topics, it is, ultimately, a funny and uplifting play. It's an intimate, simplistic and moving monologue about one person's loss that I promise isn't utterly miserable or at all ranty.

Are there any other shows you're hoping to catch at the festival?

Yes, so many, and I'm very excited to discover new shows while I'm up there too. I'm particularly looking forward to Trgve Wakenshaw's new show, Trgve vs A Baby, Muriel Comedy's debut show Bad Master and my old favourites, Goodbear. There are some really exciting young companies up including Mad Like Roar with Alan We Think You Should Get a Dog and Theatre with Legs' Edinburgh debut, DIGS. I'm also really looking forward to seeing Milly Thomas' new plays Dust and Brutal Cessation, Jack Rooke's new show, Happy Man and Jelly Beans by Dan Pick.

Oh and BRUCE! I love BRUCE.

Timings and ticket information for Replay are available on www.edfringe.com

Photo Credit: Jamie Knighton

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