EDINBURGH 2022: Jason Brownlee Q&A

BWW catches up with writer and performer Jason Brownlee to chat about bringing Today I Killed My Very First Bird to the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about Today I Killed My Very First Bird.

Today I Killed My Very First Bird is a semi biographical, poetical rendition about growing up in South East London. It started off as a poem written at a bus stop, and has been developed by piecing together a series of poems to create this epic story which follows a gangster for the last 24 hours of his life. It explores childhood trauma and the environment in which that child grew up in, taking away his innocence only to create a beast. It's fast paced with no holes barred and says it exactly as it is.

Why was it important to tell this story?

I think it's important that people are heard. This story comes from lived experiences and opens up debate for a number of issues that plague our society such as childhood trauma, addiction and crime. The play hopefully gives an insight into the root causes of these problems.

How has the play been received so far?

After doing our last three shows at the Theatre Royal Plymouth we had a Q&A after each one and I can only say that the feedback we received was incredibly positive. I think people were shocked by the content, but because there's a lot of truth in the play, people can relate to it.

Who would you recommend comes to see it?

I would definitely recommend being 16 years old or over but I would imagine it would appeal to people from all walks of life.

What would you like audiences to take away from this play?

I would like them to take away a piece of my soul and a greater understanding of how trauma affects everyone but especially children.

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