Rosalie Minnitt on her present Clementine
When you come extremely really useful by associates of ET Chewboy Productions, properly, you have to be doing one thing attention-grabbing. And that’s simply how we bought to listen to about Rosalie Minnitt and her present Clementine, which involves VAULT Festival on 3 & 4 March (data and bookings right here).
Even after studying up on Clementine, we confess we’re nonetheless a bit of confused (in a great way, fringe theatre ought to all be in regards to the thriller), so it appeared a good suggestion to seize a while with Rosalie to talk in regards to the present, why we shouldn’t get clogged down with historic accuracy and ponder if the present is a response to a 20 one thing disaster!
We’ve learn your press launch and should admit we’re nonetheless not 100% positive what Clementine is all about, care to enlighten us additional?
The present follows Lady Clementine on her quest to seek out love. She suffers from an acute situation referred to as ‘being single’ and, when her newest beau, Sir Bradley, vanishes, she decides to look at the underside of her misfortune as soon as and for all. In a plot twist that feels very forward of its time, she quickly realises she’s been on the lookout for love in all of the improper locations. As a pre-show warning, it’s in all probability greatest to throw the whole lot you’ve ever identified about narrative construction, continuity and character arcs out of the window earlier than you compromise in. I’ve carried out this present nearly 20 occasions now and I’m nonetheless not 100% positive what it’s about both.
You say the present is about “roughly in the past”, is that only a cheeky method to have the ability to keep away from worrying about getting historic information proper and throw in some very fashionable references (corresponding to TikTok we discover)? You understand how pedantic us reviewers might be about historic accuracy.
Ironically, I studied History and I’m normally an actual stickler in terms of particulars, however this present definitely isn’t based mostly in historic truth nor any actuality we’d recognise. It’s half fable, half memoir and half coming-of-age Netflix authentic sequence. (Netflix simply doesn’t realize it but.) Given that her dressmaker is a 2 inch noble émigré escaping the French Revolution and her 67 sisters are in all probability Sylvanian Families, historic accuracy would be the least of any reviewer’s considerations.
You’ve described Clementine as a comedy cabaret, so is there singing, jokes a-plenty, and possibly some fabulous costume modifications?
Yes! I can promise jokes aplenty and authentic songs. The music was written by the very gifted Honor Halford-MacLeod who I actually couldn’t have made the present with out. Regency clothes are famously tough to wriggle out of however I’m all the time thrilled any time I see a fancy dress change, so I’m definitely going to be integrating some into my VAULT present. Plus, I believe my Justin Bieber shirt must make at the least one look.
Clementine has already toured in 2022, how was that, and what did you be taught alongside the best way in regards to the present. Any highlights you’ll be able to share?
This is the primary present I’ve ever written, produced and carried out alone so, unsurprisingly, it’s been a little bit of a baptism of fireside. I used to be a bit naive, and it’s been a lot tougher than I ever anticipated it to be. From advertising to reserving venues, performing the present usually ended up being the simplest a part of the method. I wrote the present initially to get my confidence again after a very bumpy lockdown and breakup. When you’re feeling so susceptible it appears counterintuitive to leap onto a stage and take a look at, desperately, to make a bunch of strangers chuckle. But that’s precisely what I got down to do.
When the present went properly, I stored pondering how unusual it was that one thing so undeniably silly, pointless and joyful might spring from such a bleak chapter of my life. Having a disaster level in your 20s is paradoxically liberating; I felt like I had nothing to lose, and that ever-present worry of what different individuals would possibly assume started to slowly soften away.
Externally, the present modified completely nothing about my life. I nonetheless reside in a moist, leaky, over-priced field room in London. I’m nonetheless single and am but to cobble collectively something resembling a profession. But it profoundly modified how I really feel about myself and what I’m able to. I really like making individuals chuckle and performing completely made my 12 months. I went to the Edinburgh Fringe for about 10 days final 12 months, which was powerful alone, however after I lastly began to get the proper viewers in, the whole lot clicked. My previous few exhibits bought out and I simply felt so immensely happy with the whole lot that had led me there.
When you come to the Vaults in March, you’re on at 9.45, well past the bedtimes of lots of our reviewers. Do you are feeling there’s a unique viewers when you could have such a late begin time?
I’ve truly all the time wished to carry out the present afterward within the night – it’s undoubtedly one you’ll be able to get pleasure from with a drink! In Edinburgh my present was at 12 which felt a bit early on within the day to be screaming about nunneries and horoscopes. There had been undoubtedly a number of individuals who wandered into the present on the lookout for a calming pre-lunch present and left very totally different individuals.
And what’s in your calendar after these March dates? Will we get to see extra of Clementine elsewhere?
I believe it will in all probability be the final rendition of this present, however I don’t assume I’m able to retire the character simply but so watch this house!
Thanks to Rosalie for enlightening us a bit of extra about Clementine. The present performs at VAULT Festival 2023 on 3 and 4 March, additional info and bookings right here.