Young Playwright Interviews: Lauren Rachel Asher

In our final interview of 2020’s Young Playwrights, we hear from Lauren Rachel Asher.

Why did you decide to join the Young Playwrights Programme?

Theatre has an incredible power to bridge gaps, bring people together and tell stories in a way that no other medium can, and I think that is why I have always been drawn to it. Since I was small, the power and impact that words can have has fascinated me – from children’s books to Shakespeare’s plays – I have always loved the way that words can transform and transport you. And, in the theatre, those words come alive. I love nothing more than reading and watching plays and seeing the impact that these can have on people and I think that is why I decided to join the Young Playwrights Programme.

 

How did you feel about sharing your work with other people when you began the programme? How has that changed?

At the beginning of the programme, the very thought of sharing anything I had written with others was something that filled me from head to toe with dread and sheer fear. I vividly remember the first workshop we had with Oliver Emmanuel, where he asked us to share an idea we had developed based on a news article about a group of young boys who had been shipwrecked. I couldn’t focus on anything other than the fact I would have to share my thoughts – something I didn’t feel ready or able to do. But I did. And, had it not been for the push to do that within the workshop, I think I would still be much more reserved about sharing my work than I am now. Don’t get me wrong, it still fills me with fear and apprehension, sending my thoughts and ideas to others, but I no longer have the sense of dread that I did only ten months ago. From working with such incredible theatre professionals, I’ve learned that a little anxiety over sharing your work isn’t just healthy, but it’s actually the norm in the theatre industry.

 

What part of Young Playwrights did you find particularly useful or inspiring?

All of the workshops were inspiring and so useful, but I think for me, the workshop on verbatim theatre with Mariem Omari was a real turning point. Prior to that, I had found it challenging to come up with characters and plots that felt ‘right’, and it was during this workshop that I found my style. I’ve said before that words inspire me, but I realised during the workshop, that it is more than that – it is the words of other people. It is the way they speak and talk and laugh! I realised that it is okay to find your inspiration in the everyday stories of individuals and this is something that has stayed with me since and has heavily influenced my final piece.

Tell me about your final piece. How hard was it to find an idea that worked? Did you struggle over it or did it come easily? How much support did you get?

My final piece has been on a real journey since the beginning and I with it. I decided that I wanted to use verbatim as the basis for my piece and so started out interviewing friends and family about their experiences and life-journeys. Once I had the interviews, I then set about trying to piece together a play that incorporated all of the information they had given me. It was at this point I began to really struggle. There was so much that I could explore and delve into – it felt so overwhelming to pick and choose which pieces of information to include. 

In the end, I decided to start two drafts and sent them both off to see which was the most exciting to progress.

The piece I have now, is radically different from the one I started off with – it has been cut up and stuck back together, re-written more times than I can count, and although it is still based on my interviews, it has developed a character and plot of its own; something I never imagined I would be able to achieve.

 

Did you find your voice?

Not only am I leaving the programme with connections, information, advice and new-found confidence, but I am also leaving with a voice and writing style of my own. I know what I want to say and now have the experience to be able to say it. I think the most exciting part of the programme hasn’t been the experience itself, but where this experience takes me next. I can’t wait to continue to develop my writing style and technique to share my perspective on the world with others and that is not something I ever thought I would say ten months after starting out on this programme.

 

In what way do you think the support of the Bunbury Banter team was helpful to you?

Bunbury Banter are unlike any other theatre company I have ever worked with. From my stage-management experience and working on professional productions, I have come into contact with several companies and none has ever been able to provide the opportunities, mentorship and support that Bunbury Banter have. They are more than a theatre company; they are a family of creatives working to keep the arts alive in the next generation – something that is needed now more so than ever! Without their support, there is no doubt in my mind that I would not have the confidence to share my work with others, much less write a play to be performed in front of theatre professionals! They do not get enough credit for their hard-work, dedication and drive to bring the arts to young people in rural Scotland!

Do you hope to work in theatre in the future?

Now that I have started writing, I don’t ever want to stop! I don’t know what the future holds or in what ways I will continue to be involved in the theatre industry, but one thing is for sure, I will be involved. This programme has shown me that if you have something to say you need to say it, and I hope that I can continue to share my thoughts with others through playwriting.

 

What advice would you give to someone considering joining the Young Playwrights Programme in the future?

If you are dithering about whether or not to apply to the programme, don’t. I know it’s daunting, and seems frightening at first, but you will not regret it! It can be challenging, full-on and at times scary, but it is so so worth it!

 

Images courtesy of Lauren Rachel Asher

Interview by Claire Watts