What was the inspiration behind The Uninvited?
I’ve been wanting to write a ghost story for some time. I just needed to dream up a plot that I thought was worthy enough to explore. Usually my storylines come to me naturally, but in this instance, I was actively doing a creative writing exercise in a workshop and I managed to create the loose plot over the space of a few hours.
As well as being a rather creepy tale, this story makes some astute statements about the wider world. Is this something you do consciously when writing?
I’m fascinated by the way people argue now, especially online. People put more faith in their instincts than facts, and we’ve become so bad at listening that I think friendships and relationships really suffer as a result. Recently, a friend I’ve had for over a decade deleted and blocked me on Facebook because I called her out on a controversial comment she’d posted. That’s what happens now. With this piece, I wanted to explore why people prefer to create their own narratives rather than seek the meaning and the wisdom of the truth.
Within the story, we see a lot of different sides to each character. Is there any deep meaning in this?
Only that people are, but their nature, multi-faceted. We all portray different aspects of ourselves to different people, and when stress is involved, our reactions become particularly interesting. Theatre is at its best when well-crafted characters repeatedly clash, so this is what we are going to bring you.
Do you believe in ghosts?
Yes. No. Yes. No. Wait… maybe. Ha! This kind of sums up where I stand, which is very conflicted. I do believe in lingering energy and am intrigued by how we can sometimes tell if something particularly good or bad has happened in a place. I think that means that some stains of humanity do get left behind, which kind of bleeds into Stone Tape Theory. But after all this time, and countless ghost stories, we still have a lack of hard proof, and that always encourages doubt.
What three words would you use to sum up the play?
Pacy. Engaging. Fun.
What other play/s would you compare it to?
I market it as a combination of 2:22: A Ghost Story, Blithe Spirit, and The Woman in Black. It also has shades of Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party.
Why should people come to see The Uninvited?
Because of the cast. I was lucky enough to join forces with the newly formed Awkward Pigeon theatre company after seeing them all perform last year. Serendipity showed its hand when the denomination of the roles in The Uninvited aligned perfectly with the actors in their group. We took it as a sign and it’s been a pleasure to work with them in the rehearsal room. This is a showcase, and we’re looking to produce the show in its full glory in the near future. So come, see the show, and tell us what you think.
We’d like to thank Jody for taking the time to speak to us and can’t wait for the showcase of The Uninvited at The Landmark Theatre in Ilfracombe.
Performance info
Thurs 12 September 2024, 6pm
£5 per ticket
Box Office Details
Phone: 01271 316523
Email: northdevon.tickets@landmarktheatres.co.uk
We hope to see you there.