A hallucinatory tale of isolation and sexual discovery in rural Wiltshire. Declan makes its Fringe debut after gripping viewers online during lockdown. As a childlike outsider, Jimbo recalls the disappearance of his friend Declan, he is haunted by ghosts of the past and present.
With a hazy grasp on reality, Jimbo searches through his fractured town for Declan – and along the way makes troubling discoveries about his own childhood.
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?
I’m an actor and playwright originally from Wiltshire. My play Declan is set there too but this isn’t an autobiographical solo show.
Although Declan is inspired by some of my experiences growing up gay in rural England, it’s a dramatically-themed queer thriller that follows a fictional narrative. The piece centres around Jimbo, a fragile outsider who is searching for his missing friend Declan.
Along the way, the intimacies of their friendship are revealed as Jimbo also makes troubling discoveries about his own childhood. It’s presented in a surreal, sensory-driven way that feels hallucinatory. It’s a bit of a rollercoaster.
Tell us about the creative team and process involved?
I’m excited to be collaborating with my partner Billy Barrett. As well as being the director and dramaturg on Declan, he is also co-artistic director of Breach Theatre. Billy has helped shape the strange landscape of the play. His vision is immense.
I’ve also been working with Jamie Lu who has created a haunting soundscape for the show. Her ability to take a script and turn it into exactly the kind of audio experience I’d always imagined is remarkable.
Declan is being published by independent LGBTQ+ publishing house Polari Press which are about to launch Polari Plays. It’s a real honour to be selected as one of their first playwrights and the way they’ve designed the text and book is beautiful. I’ve felt very much a part of the whole publishing process.
How does it feel coming to the Fringe?
This will be my first-ever Fringe. I am really excited, particularly after our London previews. Up to that point, there had been so much admin that I’d forgotten why I’d decided to do this in the first place. Feeling the atmosphere the play creates is infectious and it’s a thrill of a character to perform.
There have definitely been moments of putting way too much pressure on myself in the build-up to the festival but overall, I am so excited to just go for it and let my first Fringe experience be what it will be.
There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?
Declan is a short, sharp but complex piece of work that seems to really take hold of its audience. On the surface, it’s a thriller but beneath its tension and pace, there is love, longing and even humour. There’s also a very real message in it. I think the surreal way in which it’s presented and the specific Wiltshire dialect the story is spoken in make for a pretty unique experience. The show lifts a lid on an unheard voice.
Is there anything specific you’re hoping the audience will take away?
Despite the bleak themes of the play, this is a story about an individual’s desire to survive dark circumstances. I hope that resonates. Although it’s set over twenty years ago, the themes of homophobia in Declan feel even more real right now. There has been further backlash against the LGBTQ+ community in the UK, US, Europe and beyond. The play serves as a reminder of the challenges still at play.
Your ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t there…
I’d love a wild mix of some of my favourite icons. The playwrights Marina Carr and Mojisola Adebayo, Amy Adams as her character from Arrival, the authors Max Porter and Shon Faye. Oh, and Derek Jacobi. I don’t know if they’d like it very much but at least I could say they’d seen it.
On a more realistic note, I’d love to have some LGBTQ+ community groups in. The play extends itself to all audiences but I’d love for it to resonate with those who have lived experience of what it meant then and how it is now to be queer.
It’s an intense month, so where you’re able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?
I deliberately honed in on accommodation outside of the city centre. My show is on in the early afternoon, so I intend to spend my mornings by the sea before I switch into festival mode.
I am really excited to see The Death and Life of All of Us by Victor Esses at Summerhall. I’ll also be seeing Unforgettable Girl by Elisabeth Gunawan at the Pleasance.
In your ideal world, how can we improve the world of the Fringe, of performance, and the industry?
The Fringe is just too inaccessible for emerging artists right now. The level of finances required is high so unless you have secure funding in place, have company reserves or are financially privileged, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to bring work to the festival.
If it wasn’t for the grant I received from the Keep it Fringe Award or the generosity of family, friends and colleagues through my Kickstarter campaign- I wouldn’t be able to bring Declan to Edinburgh.
Tabs need to be kept on how and what venues are charging their programmed artists for. There’s also so much pressure on artists to do Fringe the ‘right’ way. The list of recommendations includes hiring a PR, producing preview shows, investing in outdoor advertising, and building a social media campaign. All of this can cost thousands of pounds and when you’re a self-producing artist, it can feel like a lot to keep up with.
There are many artists and companies who are far more experienced than me though and have given me advice on what I do and don’t need to do. There have been real moments of joy in the build-up to my first Fringe. I’ve loved connecting with other artists and finding ways to support each other. I really believe in my show and am looking forward to it finding its audience at the Fringe.
