In our ongoing Edinburgh Fringe interview series, we are speaking to artists and creatives who are bringing their shows to the Scottish capital this summer.
In this interview, cast members from Girl Kisser discusses the show.
The cast includes; Zofia Zerphy (Emery) Laoi Curtin (Finlay), Lucie Law (Diana), Charlotte Clements (Julianna), Emily Ambrose (Amy) and Gabriella Gilliat (Lola)
What can you tell me about Girl Kisser?
Gabriella Gilliat (GG): Girl Kisser is a new queer play exploring Gen Zs surviving in East London as they grapple with life and relationships.
Izzy Macpherson (IM): Girl Kisser is one of the first queer plays I’ve read that leaves me with this warmth of recognition, it's an exciting play full of the realities of being young and queer while trying to make your way in London.
Charlotte Clements (CC): Girl Kisser is a new play which explores early adulthood, understanding queerness, love and finding belonging, for a group of queer friends in London.
How does your role fit into the story?
GG: Lola brings fun and laughter into the play.
Zofia Zerphy (ZZ): Emery is the no nonsense one of the group. She doesn’t do drama, she doesn’t do irresponsible, she doesn’t do half-assed. She does do shots of tequila.
CC: Juliana is grappling with finding her own individuality and a sense of belonging in the world. She has a real closeness with Fin and their understanding of one another and what they mean to each other is tested a lot in this play.
When did you first become aware of this piece?
GG: When the best human ever - Michelle Payne - reposted the casting on instagram.
GG: When the best human ever - Michelle Payne - reposted the casting on instagram.
IM: I met Emily when I was a Young producer at the Almeida Theatre, Emily was a part of Saturday Stages- a community event I was co-producing- and we were talking about what we do. When she told me about the play I was sold and immediately offered to produce it. The rest is history.
CC: The self-tape call out came up on my instagram feed and I took a look at the brief and was very excited about the character profiles and how their dynamics could meld together/clash on stage.
What was your first reaction to reading the story?
GG: Sexy, complicated and queer as hell.
CC: Fun. Chaos. Queer.
Why do you feel that now is a good time for this piece to be staged?
GG: Right now we need new writing and queer joy on stage. Who doesn’t want to see a show that’s celebrating the beautiful lives of six people just existing (and who also happen to be queer)!
IM: We live in a world full of so many hardships and injustices surrounding the queer community- although those fights and conversations are still on going and so so SO IMPORTANT, it is important to show the realities of the Gen-Z queer community that are currently ingrained in the world we live in (In london at least).
CC: The play does a wonderful job at encompassing a range of queer experiences/levels of acceptance/confidence in queer identities in early adulthood and it feels important to begin acknowledging and sharing this diversity and nuance of queer acceptance in the theatre we make. Additionally, it is refreshing to have a play look not just at the external meaning of queer labels but within the labels too and delve into what these connections and relationships mean to the people that carry them.
How important has it been having that all queer creative team in keeping the heart and message of the show?
GG: It has been so important to have an all queer creative team. It’s meant we’re building this show from a place of shared understanding, respect and lived experience, making sure it resonates authentically.
IM: it’s a joy and a privilege. I’ve found it really amazing because we are all so different but when we come together we are creating something really fun.
Lucie Law (LL): Having a queer creative team was so important to keep truth within our story and make sure these stories were being told first hand from queer people. Nothing is forced, nothing is fake, the feelings and emotions you will see on stage are true to us.
ZZ: Working with an entirely queer team has been incredibly special. It is not often that you see sapphic stories being told, so getting to be with a team that deeply connects with the content of the show meant that we are able to practice queer joy not only in the telling of this story, but the creation of it.
CC: As the play is exploring queer themes and difficulties (as well as many wonderful queer things) it felt really welcoming and safe to have these discussions in a fully queer space.
How have you mentally and physically been preparing for the show?
GG: I’ve played a lot of guitar and made time to breathe and connect with the material in a safe space.
CC: I have been re-watching the Channel 4 show, ‘Feel Good’ for some chaotic but heartfelt queer vibes. A highly recommended watch!
How would you describe the style of the show?
IM: I think it's hard to pin point it exactly, I’ll leave this up to Rose and Hollie predominantly but its this beautiful play with music- not a musical- that almost explores the internal in cohesion with the external, it sometimes clashes which makes this play an explosion of movements, non-naturalistic staging and songs that make you FEEL!
What was the first piece of theatre you saw that had a big impact on you?
GG: I actually can’t pinpoint just one. I was lucky growing up I had access to lots of different shows, and each one left its mark in a unique way.
IM: I’ve been very lucky to grow up with the arts around me- my mum and Gran really supported that from the get go. There's 2 productions that come to mind- There was a production of Much Ado About Nothing by a Am Dram group in Exeter I watched with my Gran when i was 7 or 8 and that really got my into the magic of smaller scale theatre, another on is Streetcar staring Gillian Anderson I watched virtually during Lockdown, that make me what to go into theater producing and directing.
LL: Rob Madge - My sons a queer, (but what can you do). I’ve never been one to watch a show or movie more than once but i watched this 4 times. I took myself on a solo date the first time, and sobbed. I dragged my mum and grandma the second time, and sobbed. And then the third and fourth time i went with friends and we all sobbed.
CC: I saw a production of ‘When The Rain Stops Falling’, by Andrew Bovell at Unity Theatre in Liverpool back in 2013. The play explores in part, how family histories and traumas can influence self identity and understanding. It explores the wonderful highs and fallacies of the human condition and left a very raw visceral impact on little me. Particularly one of the characters, who you see go through so much in the play, beginning to experience the onset of Dementia later in her life. You see how devastating this is to her, her partner and her child and their love towards each other.
ZZ: I wish I had a really cool answer to this, but the reality is it was ‘Cats’. I would inaccurately screech-sing ‘Macavity’ in the back of the car as a 8 year old.
What gives you inspiration?
IM: Women- can say that- women; their stories, their voices, the way their bodies can take up space. I think the journey of women throughout history and systematically is a big inspiration because it’s shaped the spaces we create today.
What do you hope an audience member takes away from seeing Girl Kisser?
GG: I hope they leave feeling seen, or recognise something they’ve never truly noticed before. I hope they see queerness in all its complexity from messy and raw to funny, safe and full of yearning.
CC: Understanding and accepting yourself in all your forms will happen with time. And it must happen on your terms and with a lot of love; from others but especially yourself.
Where can people see the show?
GG: You can catch Girl Kisser at The Lion & Unicorn from 5th-9th August. Bring your friends, your crushes, your exes xoxo
CC: At the Lion and Unicorn Theatre on 5th-9th August, 8:30pm. Be there or be square!
Tickets are available from https://www.thelionandunicorntheatre.com/whats-on
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