EDINBURGH 2019: ENDLESS SECOND Q&A

ENDLESS SECOND is a new play about consent between a young and in love couple and explores how we talk about sexual violence. Ahead of the show's run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, writer Theo Toksvig-Stewart, co-star Maddie Gray and director Camilla Gürtler, talk to us about ENDLESS SECOND.

Tell us a bit about Endless Second.

Camilla

Endless Second is about two young people who are very much in love. They meet at university and instantly form a deep bond and trust. But after a drunken night out with their friends, she says 'no' to sex. And he continues...

Theo

...The rest of the play deals with the fallout, as she struggles to come to terms with what has happened. We see her struggle and act-out in uncharacteristic ways while he tries to help, not knowing that he is the cause. It isn't until months later that she confronts him about what happened. This throws him into a sort of identity crisis; could I have done that? I'm a nice guy not a "rapist".

The play examines what happens to a couple when a trauma fundamentally changes the nature of their relationship.

Camilla

It deals with consent within relationships and tries to create a conversation around sexual violence committed by people we love and how we define our understanding of consent.

Why is it important to tell this story?

Maddie

I think it is important to tell this story because, as a society, we need to start more openly engaging in conversations around consent and sexual education. The play deals with some particularly delicate and important themes in a very human way, and as a result I think anyone, and everyone will be able to relate to the story of this relationship.

Theo

Consent is (upsettingly) wide, varied, prolific and no two experiences are the same. Because of that, we have to tell as many of those stories as possible and we have to show the nuanced stories that haven't been told.

Camilla

So many women (and men) have experienced a consent breach in one way or another, yet we still find it so hard to talk about, as soon as it involves people we love and trust. The play seeks to demystify the stereotype of a stranger in a dark alley waiting with intent and makes us rethink what consent is and how we respect the people we love.

Theo

I set the play in a relationship; not a violent, possessive, coercive relationship, but a loving and supportive one, because a woman is most likely to get raped by their partner or someone they know. Why aren't we telling those stories?

Camilla

Also, it includes the male perspective which is so important - so many men won't admit to or don't realise they have broken consent, and it's important we start looking at (predominantly) male behavior in these situations and how we can change it and take responsibility for our actions.

Theo

The issues of consent and rape is one of the defining issues of our time and our cultural mediums play such an important role in shaping our collective mindsets on such issues. The fewer stories we have surrounding rape and consent, the more those stories become the rigid, gold-standard of what we believe. This does a huge disservice to the wealth and breadth of the female experience relating to trauma.

Do you feel like it's particularly relevant just now?

Camilla

#MeToo empowered women to start speaking out about sexual violence and harassment in a way we haven't been able to before. It was a big shock to many, that so many women had these experiences, yet women have been talking about this all along without being heard. So it feels very relevant to make a play exploring why we don't always feel we can talk about sexual violence when it implicates someone we love - and how an open conversation can help us move forward.

Maddie

It is so relevant to the changes that are happening now: here we see these two protagonists agree to share their story with you, the audience, as openly and honestly as they can. In recent years we have seen people having the courage to do the same thing. Standing up, sharing stories and starting a dialogue on a topic that has previously been pretty taboo. The more we talk the more we will understand each other.

Theo

I think it's always been relevant, but it feels particularly relevant to now because we've only just started to have public discourse about it. You could probably set this play during any time period from the dawn of the patriarchy in the agricultural revolution (or whenever it reared its head) to an Edwardian marriage and the messages would still resonate. That's what's upsetting.

Camilla

It is also particularly relevant, as #MeToo is seen as a 'Women's Issue' - and we need to change that. It is a Men's Issue too and we need men as part of the conversation - in a helpful way, so we can reframe how we understand consent and change our societal understanding of where the line is. It's not a play about blame - it's a play about honesty and taking responsibility for our actions, so we can heal and move forward. In that way it is very empowering, for both genders.

Theo

I'm hoping one day it will have no relevance and we won't need plays like this.

What do you hope audiences take away from it?

Theo

All we can really ask is that they leave having had their preconceptions of rape and its effects challenged. I'd like it if it was a play they'd have to think about. A lot of it is uncomfortable to watch because you're getting both sides of the experience. It isn't just about her and it's not just about him; it's about them. I hope the audience will be rooting for them, because then you're on their journey with them which makes it so much harder. They don't have to like it, but if they leave thinking about it, that's enough for me.

Maddie

I hope that they will be touched by the honesty of the play and that they will leave with questions. I hope they will spark up conversations with their friends, families and partners. Perhaps it will allow and encourage them to reflect on their own history of intimate relationships, as it has allowed me to reflect on mine.

Camilla

I hope people will be moved by this very human and realistic portrayal of consent. We've worked very hard on making sure the relationship is real, and that we really feel the love between these two people. I hope the audience will recognise themselves in them and feel empowered to talk about their own experiences. Most of all, I hope our audiences see consent in a new light and recognise that this has happened in some form or another to the majority of women and men in their lives. And find a way to support them and be aware of their own boundaries, as well as those of others.

How and why were The Survivor's Trust involved?

Camilla

We always involve charities and organisations in our productions at Cut the Cord - it makes the work more truthful and anchors all involved in why we are making the work in the first place. The Survivors' Trust do amazing work in raising awareness of sexual violence prevention, so we reached out to them for research and advice in how to approach this topic. It has been particularly important to me with this play to constantly check in with our audience - will they read this in the way we want to? Are we spreading the right message? Are all the voices being heard and represented truthfully?

The Survivors' Trust provided us with articles and guidelines, videos and workshop plans which helped us channel the voice and aim of the production. It's a play about consent, yes, and hopefully one with interesting dramatic and artistic choices - but in the end it is also a call to action and a way to raise awareness of this really current issue.

Theo

Their resources have been incredibly useful, both from an actors' perspective of understanding the effects of sexual violence, and also for the company. We've been running a research and development process to develop the play, but also to create a workshop and educational pack to go alongside the show. We hope to take the play to schools and universities in the future to engage young people in the conversation, so the resources they've provided has been invaluable.

'Endless Second' is at Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 31st July -26th August (not 13th). Tickets and more information: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/endless-second

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