I sat down with creative director of Split Infinitive Alexander Millington to find out more about what are we going to do when this is all over? coming to the Hen & Chickens Theatre this October.
Can you tell me a little about your show and what audiences can expect?
At Split Infinitive, we make semi-autobiographic, interactive performances. With some of our last shows, we’ve been telling a lot of Alex’s stories. what are we going to do when this is all over? tells more of Helen’s story.
It explores how she has struggled in recent years with being a female performer of a certain age and how it is affecting her and making performing more difficult. We tell this story by welcoming the audience into our lives and inviting them to a party to celebrate Helen.
Audiences can expect to learn more about Helen and Alex’s relationship and be with us as some of Helen’s past comes back to bite her as her secrets are revealed. But they can also expect lots of great music and maybe even a little snack or two…it is still a party after all!
What drew you to this specific story?
We wanted to tell a story that people could really connect with and relate to. A lot of people, but women in particular, get to a certain age and things start to change.
Suddenly you can’t do the things you used to quite as well, like remembering names or where you put things, being more aware of pressures and anxieties. For Helen, music has always helped her navigate these issues and we think this may be the case for a lot of people and wanted to share more of these experiences.
What has been the biggest challenge in bringing this production to life?
Two things:
Firstly, the subject matter is quite sensitive, and we were conscious from the beginning of the production process that we needed to approach it carefully and tactfully and not make light of the issues we raise. That’s not to say there aren’t some laughs along the way, but we had to make sure we weren’t making light of what Helen is going through.
Secondly, it’s got to be said, we’re a small touring theatre company and productions like this aren’t cheap. We are so grateful to have received ACE funding for what are we going to do when this is all over? but with the cost of everything going up, it makes things even harder to budget for. There is so much more we would love to do with this show, and hopefully we’ll be able to do that through 2027.
How does the design of your show (set, sound, or lighting) impact the presentation of your story?
It’s a party! We knew from the start we needed music, we needed lights, we needed balloons, so we got all of that! But to contrast these elements, prior to the party beginning, things do appear a little bit stark and harsh.
It was important for us to have this contrast, to not only show how the evening progresses, but how things have progressed for Helen over the period of the play and the timeline within it.
If you could sum up the show in one word or phrase, what would it be and why?
Challenging. (Hopefully in a good way)
what are we going to do when this is all over? runs at the Hen & Chickens Theatre, London, on 13 – 17 October. Tickets available at https://unrestrictedview.co.uk/events/what-are-we-going-to-do-when-all-this-is-over
