Deja Vu Productions and Pretty Gross Productions are bringing their new show 113, written by Ethan HMM, to the Hope Theatre next month (24-25 Jul), then taking it to the Edinburgh Fringe (18-23 Aug)..
“49 and 64 are in the room. They cannot see each other but they can talk and pass notes. All they have is questions, wedding veils and dog tags. Who are they? Where are they? What is going on? And why? And who is J Doe? And why are they watching them?
113 focuses in on the ideas of identity and memory. It asks if memory is what makes our identity, and if we were able to see ourselves objectively, could we change?”
Read on for a quick interview with the 113 team (including director Rio Rose Joubert, actors Isobel Glover and George Loynes, producer Fran Parrotta).
Tell me a bit about 113. Where did the idea come from and what should audiences expect?
So 113 started because Ethan (the writer) wanted to write something affordable and easy to put together. It has proven somewhat not to be.
Anyway, he wanted to write something that was as minimal as possible so he built a whole play around a wall.
Equally, he wanted to write something that could be performed by anyone and although not as cheap as he intended, 113 has been a complete success in that department.
The whole play is gender, race and age blind and throughout the R&D process this strength has really shone.
It is truly a play for anyone – as long as you can get your hands on a not so cheap “cheap” wall.
Identity is a very important subject to everyone. In 113 you link this with memory, recall and reality in a long imprisonment. Symbolic?
If you asked Ethan what his work was about he would always say identity. It doesn’t matter about the setting or subject matter, when you boil it down for him everything he writes is about identity.
With 113, he explores identity through the lens of memory. It is probably his most in depth and direct examination of identity that he’s written so far.
In terms of imprisonment, he sees it as self-imposed by the characters. Without spoiling how it does so, 113 really asks if we can change, accept ourselves and reality.
Why choose the Hope in London for the last leg of the tour?
The Hope Theatre were really inviting and good to us as creatives. They felt and are very approachable and the 113 Team are so happy to work with them for the London stage of the tour.
They offer a genuinely fantastic space for new and emerging artists. We would recommend them to anyone!
Have masks and other forms of disguise played a big part in your performance practice?
Non literal masks yes! But this is the first time we’ve dipped our toes into physical mask work as well.
Previous work from the team like Rio’s (the director) production of David Hare’s Teeth N Smiles used music as a form of mask work and Ethan’s production of Tender is the Night placed emphasis on the masks people wear in public compared to in private.
With 113 we’re carrying on that tradition by having a wall as a type of physical mask on stage as well as some individual masks for good measure.
And what’s next?
After London we’re heading up to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe! The 113 Team is very excited as for some it will be their very first time there.
We’re really excited to see what the global audience reaction to 113 will be.
Post Edinburgh, we’ll be back in London in October, and then we’re heading through to Bridgend in Wales after that.
We have a lot on the cards and a lot of moving to do but we’re all very keen and very happy with how it has all turned out.