Georgie Grier brings her one-woman play, Sunsets, to the Brighton Fringe next month, following previous runs in Edinburgh and London.
Sunsets “explores our relationship to fantasy and just how far this can impact our reality.”
Where: The Rotunda Theatre: Squeak.
When: 13-14 May, 4.45pm.
Ticket link: https://www.brightonfringe.org/events/sunsets/
We asked Georgie to tell us a bit more about the show.
What’s the best thing about being part of Brighton Fringe?
I think Fringes are great places where performers can present material in front of very supportive audiences.
This will be my first time taking Sunsets to Brighton, and if it’s anything like my experience at Edinburgh Fringe last year, it will also be a great opportunity to get inspiration and encouragement from other theatre-makers – all by the seaside!
Your show, Sunsets, is a one-woman show about fantasy, romcoms and happy endings. Where did the idea come from?
Similar to the character Denver in my play, I was fascinated with romantic comedies when I was younger. These Hollywood movies, with their perfect endings, felt so different from reality.
I then became interested in questioning; well, how much can a film’s content cross over into our lives? And, eventually, I forced myself to put some sort of idea to paper.
I wanted a chance to get nostalgic by including some 00s and 90s classics in my script, too. You’ve Got Mail, anyone?
This is your debut play, now on its 3rd outing after Edinburgh and London. You also run The Screenster Podcast. Did already having that experience help you when creating Sunsets?
Yes! A big part of Sunsets is the podcast world, because the play is set within a live recording for ‘The Sunsets Podcast’. I wanted to lean into the fact that podcasts are everywhere. And that we feel the need to record everything. Myself included.
I’ve managed to interview some interesting guests for my own podcast, such as writer Nick Hornby and actor Josh Hartnett.
But, unlike the character in Sunsets, I’ve never recorded a live episode and I was fascinated by that gap between what happens ‘live’ in front of an audience and what gets edited out before the other listeners experience it.
I also thought this could make an interesting angle to explore the rom com world from.
Do you believe that anyone can find their ‘happy ending’?
That’s the million-dollar question! I guess, ultimately, it’s up to the individual, but it’s obviously something I really try and delve into in my play.
Come and watch Sunsets to see what one woman’s version of ‘happily ever after’ is!