Interview: Director Craig Freimond talks about bringing EXPELLED to the stage

EXPELLED is a brand-new play from writer Rosalind Butler. It was developed as part of The Writers’ Collective - an initiative from How Now Brown Cow that ran through COVID and lockdown. It's now ready to take to the stage in February, and director Craig Freimond talks to us about bringing it to life.

BWW: Let’s start off with – what brought you to this project?

Craig: Rosalind and I have worked on many projects together over the last twenty-odd years, including TV and film scripts. I directed her last play called An Unromantic Comedy a few years back. I have been involved in this script from the beginning, attending read-throughs and being part of the development process with How Now Brown Cow. It felt like a natural extension for me to direct.

BWW: Working on a brand-new script that’s never been staged before certainly has its appeal – there are no preconceived ideas by the public about how it should be staged. On the other hand, you also have to start completely from scratch with your staging  concepts… How do you approach this? And what do you prefer?

Craig: There is something very fresh and exciting about a new script that has never been seen before, it’s still in process and the first production forms part of that process. I have to say I love working on new scripts, it is not a reinterpretation of a text.

How is Craig going to stage xx, which has been done hundreds of times... This is much more interesting to me. As the first person to stage it, you are putting your own stamp on it, and that is super exciting. It is always slightly nerve-wracking because you have no idea how people will respond to the material, but to be honest, that’s part of the allure as well. And working with your partner can provide some interesting dynamics at home!

BWW: Speaking of what you prefer… you’ve done a lot of work in film and television, as well as theatre. Which medium do you prefer to work in?

Craig: Theatre is my first love, no question. If it were possible, I would work in it a great deal more, but the landscape has become increasingly challenging over the years. When I am in a rehearsal room with great actors, it is honestly for me the greatest feeling. There is a simplicity to it. There are fantastic aspects of working on film and television but its much more stressful and grueling. Theatre feels like you have the time to really hone performances and there is something so simple and raw about theatre, you have to take the audience on a journey with very little. It requires more imagination from the audience,
which is part of its challenge and its charm. To me, its ancient and beautiful.

BWW: Coming back to this play – EXPELLED explores some very important themes in today’s society. They’re also themes that are being tackled quite regularly – the perils of social media and online activity. How do you go about presenting these in a way that feels new, interesting and relevant in this play?

Craig: To be honest, I haven’t seen anything on stage in SA that deals with social media like this play does. It’s very current and I think mines the subject in quite a unique way. It is loosely based on several different social media disasters in SA. It is also funny, dramatic and thought-provoking. We are using technology in quite an exciting way too. The digital world and the real world interweave with each other, much like real life.

BWW: If there was one thing that you would want audiences to walk away with after watching EXPELLED, what would that be?

Craig: Mostly I would love them to be thoroughly entertained and have their thoughts provoked. I’d like them to walk away having a good think about how media/ social media is impacting on our lives and how the more we participate in it, the more we feed it - not in any kind of preachy way but hopefully in an unusual and layered way.

Photo credit: Brett Rubin

EXPELLED is on at the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio from 7 February to 2 March. Tickets range from R160 to R240 and are available via WebTickets.

After the run at the Baxter, EXPELLED moves to to Market Theatre from 7 to 31 March.

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