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Jason Moore & Ian Nicholas on The Elephant Song
OnBook Theatre are nearly to carry Canadian playwright Nicolas Billon‘s The Elephant Song to Park Theatre for it’s UK premiere. The play follows the immediately disappearance of a psychiatrist from a psychological well being unit and Michael, a younger affected person, is suspected to be concerned.
We are at all times excited to see new thrillers coming to the stage, so had been delighted to have the ability to meet up with OnBook’s artistic partnership of Jason Moore and Ian Nicholas to seek out out extra.
Great to satisfy you each, we could do introductions first then?
We’re Jason Moore and Ian Nicholas and we created OnBook Theatre in the summertime of 2021. Jason is a director, Ian is a set and costume designer. Together we produce performs that we really feel obsessed with. We appear to be drawn to performs that take care of human relationships, with a darkish, comedic undertone. The Elephant Song is not any exception. It’s a psychological thriller, with a shock ending. It’s the sort of play that may hang-out you afterwards.
Are we proper in pondering that there’s additionally lots of humour in The Elephant Song? The press materials talks about ‘verbal tugs-of-war’ – does this lend itself to black/darkish comedy?
The playwright, Nicolas Billon, has peppered the script with numerous witty, clever dialogue and in that respect, it seems like darkish comedy at occasions. But at its core, it’s an emotional story of a younger man who’s preventing to be heard.
How did you first come throughout the play and what piqued your curiosity about it?
Ian noticed the film some years in the past and cherished the story. After researching its background, he went on the hunt for rights, which led him to playwright Nicolas Billon and his agent in Canada. Finding out it had by no means been produced within the UK made him much more decided. Several emails and telephone calls later, we had been in enterprise.
Have you spoken with Nicolas straight then, and has he been concerned within the course of up to now?
Absolutely. We reached out to Nicolas and had been thrilled to listen to from him. After a zoom assembly and a number of other emails, we really feel very fortunate to have his blessing and involvement within the course of. Even higher, he’s flying to London to see our manufacturing, and he’s agreed to take part in a Q&A after the efficiency on 24 January. It’s a uncommon privilege when a theatre firm will get to work intently with the author so we’re extraordinarily fortunate.
You’ve introduced collectively three very skilled actors, how was the casting course of?
The casting course of was a little bit uncommon. We each noticed Gwithian Evans carry out final 12 months and had been instantly impressed. He was the primary individual we forged. Louise Faulkner and Jason went to drama college collectively. Ian was speaking to her about one other manufacturing altogether. While he didn’t suppose she was proper for that half, Ian instinctively felt she was excellent for Miss Peterson. He despatched her the script and her marvelous audition proved she was excellent. We by no means auditioned anybody else. Similarly, in casting for Dr. Greenberg, we reached out to buddies at CDM Talent Agency. They despatched Jon Osbaldeston over and once more, similar story. Wonderful audition and by no means auditioned anybody else. So, all three actors had been our first and solely decisions. How fortunate are you able to get?
How have rehearsals been going? Did you are taking a break for the festive interval or has it been all go?
Rehearsals have been going nice. We had Christmas Day off however that was it. As producers, we work 24/7, at all times checking emails, at all times placing out fires. That’s what theatre producing is about. Managing every little thing. It’s not for the faint of coronary heart.
Park Theatre is a stunning venue and PARK90 might be configured in so some ways, are you able to give us an concept of what you could have deliberate?
We’re performing within the thrust, so we’ll have viewers seating on three sides. It’s a contemporary, intimate area and simply the appropriate dimension for this play. The final two performs we produced had been within the thrust too, it’s a ‘fly on the wall’ method that we actually take pleasure in. Firstly, there’s not a foul seat in the home. Secondly, there’s no distraction, you’re only a few ft from the stage, immersed within the motion.
What is subsequent for you after The Elephant Song?
We are producing Neil Simon’s traditional comedy California Suite at OSO Arts Centre in Barnes. That opens February 21. And we’re presently piloting OSO’s Youth Theatre challenge, working with younger folks taken with Theatre. After that, we’ll be engaged on two model new performs, one’s a comedy, the opposite a courtroom drama primarily based on true occasions. But we’re additionally obsessed with musicals and produced two promote out cabarets in 2022, a format that we need to broaden upon in 2023. We are blessed.
Our because of OnBook Theatre for taking a while out of rehearsals to speak with us.
The Elephant Song performs at Park Theatre from 18 January till 11 February. Further data and tickets might be discovered right here.