SECOND SUMMER OF LOVE is an uplifting, high-energy, physical-theatre comedy.
Original raver, Louise, wonders how she went from ecstasy-taking idealist to respectable, disillusioned, Surrey mum…? Written and performed by Emmy Happisburgh, the play premiered as a one-woman performance at Edinburgh Fringe 2022. Now, with direction by Scott Le Crass, this refreshed version is a three hander. On the present evening we meet MOLLY (played by Rosa Strudwick; Emmy’s real-life daughter) and BRIAN (Christopher Freestone) as, triggered by her daughter’s anti-drugs homework and at peak mid-life crisis, LOUISE flashes back to the emotional happenings of the week and then further to the early 90’s rave scene.
This play addresses the universal themes of coming of age and fulfilling potential whilst offering a new perspective for conversations about recreational drug use and embracing mid-life.
We caught up with the team ahead of a run at London’s The Drayton Arms Theatre and The Alma in Bristol this September and Cranleigh Arts on 4th October.
What can you tell me about Second Summer of Love?
Scott Le Crass (Director) - Second Summer of Love is an uplifting and relatable new play that is fast, funny and thought provoking. It's a nostalgic love letter to rave culture and the positivity and inclusively that came with it.
Christopher Freestone (plays Brian) - There are a number of story lines in the second summer of love and one I’m a particularly a fan of is that of friendship and redemption. True friends never judge and where over time memories can skew, the bond of true friendship and loyalty never waivers. This is wonderfully portrayed in second summer.
Rosa Strudwick (plays Molly) - It’s an authentic, nostalgic and ecstatic tale with a 90’s soundtrack. Parents of teens will empathise with Louise’s parenting responsibilities of a moody teenager…
Emmy Happisburgh (writer and plays Louise) - It’s all of the above but it is also a cautionary tale about how decisions we make in our youth affect our future and it’s never too late to be who you could have been.
How does your character fit into the story?
Emmy - Louise is the lead protagonist, an anti-hero. We first meet Louise on a day in 2023 when she is not being the best parent, she’s a good parent but she’s had a weird week and on this particular evening the intensity of that takes her to breaking point. She has “lost herself" and her purpose at mid-life and throughout the play we find her looking for the good feeling she used to have about herself in her youth; she looks in all the wrong places until an old friend turns up on the doorstep to put things together for her. I also play young Brian, Eddie, Julie, Saffy and Phoebe.
Rosa - Molly grounds Louise’s character in the respect that when she’s on stage; Louise is brought back to her reality of parenting where her rave days are behind her.
Chris - My character, you could say, offers the moral and emotional compass of the times he’s in. Past Brian reflects the optimism of youth, energy, excitement and originality of being young. Today’s Brian (my specific character) is just as optimistic, but has more of the pragmatic and realistic hat on now that comes with getting older.
What inspired the writing of this piece?
Emmy - When I hit my mid 40’s I started to run 5K a day. I ran with headphones, to house music, which I had put aside with my “partying days” when I had children. I had forgotten how much this music meant to me and as I ran memories of characters and events which happened around me between 1989 - 1993 started to weave themselves into a fictional story. It mingled with my feelings of hitting mid-life and I wondered what the other mid-lifers from my rave days were doing now we were the parents, responsible adults and role-models in society? We were the “first generation under the lasers - the OG ravers” and it suddenly seemed hilarious that the generation who invented something as hedonistic and irresponsible as raving and clubbing were now “in charge”. The play came out of me to align these conflicting identities and as I wrote I realised I was trying to find a way to be my true self going forward. What diamonds do you mine out from your youth and bring with you and which parts do you leave well behind? Does being middle aged have to mean not being fun?
Emmy - When I hit my mid 40’s I started to run 5K a day. I ran with headphones, to house music, which I had put aside with my “partying days” when I had children. I had forgotten how much this music meant to me and as I ran memories of characters and events which happened around me between 1989 - 1993 started to weave themselves into a fictional story. It mingled with my feelings of hitting mid-life and I wondered what the other mid-lifers from my rave days were doing now we were the parents, responsible adults and role-models in society? We were the “first generation under the lasers - the OG ravers” and it suddenly seemed hilarious that the generation who invented something as hedonistic and irresponsible as raving and clubbing were now “in charge”. The play came out of me to align these conflicting identities and as I wrote I realised I was trying to find a way to be my true self going forward. What diamonds do you mine out from your youth and bring with you and which parts do you leave well behind? Does being middle aged have to mean not being fun?
Did you have to any research whilst you were developing your ideas?
Emmy - As I was part of the scene I had a lot of my diaries, letters and memories to draw on but I did do some serious research into drug use and recovery. I read Gabor Matte’s books on addiction and I read books and watched documentaries on drug use and the 12 steps recovery process. I read reports on the positive effect of MDMA and psychedelics for therapy too. Another thing I researched was all the music which makes up the soundtrack. I wanted it to be chronologically correct. You’ll hear tunes in the play in the flashback to1990 which are only from before the time period. Then in a scene in 1991 (a car park after a rave) tunes from 1991 drift from the car stereo. It was so important to me to create an authentic soundtrack. I had help from the Sterns Ravers Events crew on social media who made suggestions for the big piano anthem to play at the peak of the play. Famous rave DJ Ellis Dee and his wife Joanne came to one of the tour shows and Joanne told me afterwards how they both enjoyed it because it was factually correct. That was so important to me it needed to be authentic to the time.
How have you approached bringing your directorial vision to the piece?
Scott - I work a lot with plays that have direct address, so really thinking about how Louise connects with the audience has been quite important as well as how to give real clarity to changes of character and location. My aim was to transport us back in time and really allow the audience to feel the nostalgia of raving or vividly present this world to those who are not familiar with it How has the collaborative process been for you?
Scott - It's been a collaborative process because there has been an openness and the space has been one where everyone's voice is heard. I'm a big believer in play within a room, trying things out and collectively working together the same thing.
Scott - It's been a collaborative process because there has been an openness and the space has been one where everyone's voice is heard. I'm a big believer in play within a room, trying things out and collectively working together the same thing.
Emmy - Mostly I just very happily follow Scott’s incisive direction. I know when I am acting to follow direction and leave my “writer hat” outside the room but as Scott is not just a terrific director but a very approachable and warm human being sharing my ideas, when we hit a junction in the script, has been easy. This relaxed atmosphere brings out the best work from me. I’m never afraid to ask if we can try something and Scott is always open to that and he takes initial ideas and turns them into something even better than I had imagined. We bounce off each other and what we have ended up with is more than the sum of its parts if that makes sense?
Rosa - Scott is an amazing director, collaborating with him has been a brilliant experience, and collaborating with my mum on her play has been so wonderful, it’s very special being able to work with my mum
Emmy - 🥹
How have you approached finding and building your version of the character?
Emmy - I wanted to play a dynamic, mid-life woman which was one of the reasons I wrote this play and the lead character of Lou. At the time of writing the original script for a work-in-progress night I had counted that I had auditioned in the previous year for 13 mums who were upset about something. I called them “mum crying in a cardigan” parts. I thought - in real life I don’t know any mid-life women who sit around crying - we’re all out there accomplishing things, getting on with it - sure we may make mistakes but we don’t sit around moping about it - life’s too precious. I wanted to write a character who reflected the women I knew. When I came to play her I modelled her on a few real people I know well so I probably had the easiest job of all the actors in that respect.
Chris - There is nothing wasted in this marvellous script. Nothing superfluous, so to understand Brian its all there ready to mine. Reading it the morning, the evening, after a beer all gives a different take to this layered character. Basic character analysis obviously includes understanding what the other characters say about “yours” and this script provided the perfect jumping off point.
Rosa - Molly’s character is informed by how I was as a younger teenager, but she’s definitely moodier.
You now bring the show to London for 5 dates, how excited are you about the run?
Rosa - very excited, but it’s going to be a lot of hard work!
Rosa - very excited, but it’s going to be a lot of hard work!
Emmy - This is true but actually it’s going to be a lot easier than getting into a theatre and tech-ing every day before the show as we have done on tour. We only have to do that on the 2nd September in London.
I’m very excited as I love the London Fringe - it trained me more than drama school did. I have been doing London fringe shows for twenty-five years now. The most exciting thing for me is getting to be on stage with two people who absolutely have my back. The company are all friends in real life - the director, producer and cast. That’s a career highlight. Being on stage with my real-life daughter is a life highlight.
Have you approached the London run any differently?
Scott - The tour and London run has had some rewrites and the set ties into the movement of the play and shifts of location.
Scott - The tour and London run has had some rewrites and the set ties into the movement of the play and shifts of location.
Emmy - The LED light boxes were Scott’s idea and we luckily found some on the set/recycle/swap site on social media. We have integrated these into the production along with a few little rewrites and one big rewrite of one scene in particular. We’ve been doing this version on the road too. I’ll approach the London run as I have the tour - I just have to just focus on giving the best performance I can for each audience. Make sure I’m rested, warmed up, relaxed, yet alert and ready to shine those good vibes out there.
Can you tell me an interesting fact about the play?
Chris - The music is, as they say, 'on point' to the specific time the play documents and Emmy sets her stall out on this point early on. It’s also bloody good.
Chris - The music is, as they say, 'on point' to the specific time the play documents and Emmy sets her stall out on this point early on. It’s also bloody good.
What was the first piece of theatre you saw which had a big impact on you?
Scott - The first piece of theatre I remember having an impact was Fantastic Mr Fox at The Old Rep in Birmingham as a child. I was captivated by the bold characters, colours and actors moving through the audience was a whole new and wonderful experience
Emmy - the first piece of theatre I remember seeing was Sleeping Beauty by the New Haw Optimists when I was about 3 or 4? My mum was playing Sleeping Beauty and she became the most beautiful woman in the world! It intrigued me because I was used to seeing her in flared jeans and a t-shirt at home. I have since realised (over the 47 years since then) that it’s not just putting on a long dress and a tiara(!) there is a lot of craft, skill and rehearsal involved but I have found that’s my thing.
What gives you inspiration?
Emmy - Travel, nature, art galleries, choreography, dance floors, books, plays. The list is endless but I find unless I give myself space for inspiration to come in I could be in the most beautiful and interesting place on earth and I wouldn’t be inspired. That’s the most important thing for me. To not be rushing around and working at the current pace I have been on this tour. Time to breathe in (to inspire) the things around me. My phone broke recently for 24 hours and I wrote the outline for a whole new play. Time away from screens is obligatory!
Emmy - Travel, nature, art galleries, choreography, dance floors, books, plays. The list is endless but I find unless I give myself space for inspiration to come in I could be in the most beautiful and interesting place on earth and I wouldn’t be inspired. That’s the most important thing for me. To not be rushing around and working at the current pace I have been on this tour. Time to breathe in (to inspire) the things around me. My phone broke recently for 24 hours and I wrote the outline for a whole new play. Time away from screens is obligatory!
Rosa - my amazing mama because she’s awesome and she’s the best
Emmy - Awww, that’s so lovely.
What would you hope someone takes away from seeing the show?
Emmy - I hope they feel uplifted, have new vigour to follow their dreams and they want to go out and dance. I also hope, if they are in their late 40’s or older, to remember they are not consigned to the rubbish dump yet, they don’t have to stay in watching telly in a cardy. I hope it inspires them to find, or refind, their purpose - so many mid-lifers lose that and get stuck in a rut. It’s never too late and you are never too old, you are still relevant; in fact you are only just beginning!
Emmy - I hope they feel uplifted, have new vigour to follow their dreams and they want to go out and dance. I also hope, if they are in their late 40’s or older, to remember they are not consigned to the rubbish dump yet, they don’t have to stay in watching telly in a cardy. I hope it inspires them to find, or refind, their purpose - so many mid-lifers lose that and get stuck in a rut. It’s never too late and you are never too old, you are still relevant; in fact you are only just beginning!
Rosa - I hope audiences take away a new found appreciation for what you have now and what you have been blessed with in the present day, rather than dwelling or missing something you had in the past, it’s important to reflect on the past, and completely normal to miss things, but I think it’s more important to enjoy what surrounds us in the present.
When can people see the show?
We’re at The Drayton Arms from 2nd-6th September
The Alma Bristol on 12th & 13th Septemberand
Cranleigh Arts Centre on 4th October.
Tickets and more information are available on this link tree
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