Everything Theatre Reviews, interviews and news for theatre lovers, London and beyond
The Camden Fringe Interviews
The Space Between The Sheets
Not content with bringing one show to this year’s Camden Fringe, director Ryan McVeigh is working on two. The first, Our Brothers In Cloth, is about to open at The Cockpit, whilst the second, The Space Between The Sheets, will play at St Paul’s Church from 9th to 11th August, with two performances daily (2.30 and 7.30).
We do love the mad ambition of working on two shows, so we caught up with Ryan for the second time, along with writer Kelsey Ann Moebius and performer Andrew Tuku Jr, to ask them about this one.
Let’s kick things off with some intro’s then.
Hi my name is Andrew Tuku Jr and I’m a performer.
Kelsey Ann Moebius. I am the writer and I will also be performing as 2.
Ryan McVeigh and I’m the director for The Space Between The Sheets
What can audiences expect from the show?
Andrew: Audience members can expect a dynamic journey between two people who aren’t willing to let go of old baggage that the world has placed on them and allow themselves to be present with each other which brings up conflict and friction and through that we get genuine love and connection.
Kelsey: The exciting feeling of that new young love, along with the fears and insecurity that may come along with it. From two people that feel quite shunned from their artistic communities.
Ryan: They can expect to see a part of themselves onstage, connecting to the lives and experiences of the two characters discovering more about each other and themselves. Audiences are guaranteed to experience feelings of joy, laughter, frustration, pain, and discomfort.
Where will we find you playing?
Ryan: We are performing at St Paul’s Church in Camden Square. It’s a wonderful space with flexible configuration options and is hosted by the nicest people who are accommodating to our needs (and importantly, it’s super cost-affordable!). I consciously chose this space because it allows for the intimacy that Kelsey’s play needs without feeling claustrophobic.
What was the inspiration in writing the show?
Kelsey: I first had a moment where I was feeling quite sad about a boy – pathetic, I know. But I also didn’t want to feed into this thing where every relationship that ends has to have this negative lens on it. I actually wrote down our first date because I wanted to look back on it and be happy. Then I thought it was pretty good. It gave me the idea to write a play about a cross cultural couple, and what issues and beautiful moments come out of it. It was a way I could give myself credit for how much I’ve grown, but also allow other people to see how beautiful it can be when two very different people are able to come together and how it can help them both grow.
For the rest of you, what was it that attracted you to this show?
Andrew: What drew me to the role was just how relatable the characters were to me. I think a lot of young relationships, especially anything interracial, has some sort of stigma to it and that segregation can create barriers within a relationship and I think the way that Kelsey has explored that in the text made me intrigued and I wanted to tell that story.
Ryan: When Kelsey first told me she wanted to write a semi-autobiographical play about a situationship between two people, I was immediately hooked. Kelsey is a tremendous actor with brilliant ideas, so I knew that getting to collaborate together on her first play would be a true privilege (and it was!). Secondly, some of the themes in this play are relatable to my experiences. I also wanted to direct a two-hander for a while, and now felt like the right time to do that with a team who believe in bringing this play to life at the Camden Fringe.
What is it you hope the audience think after watching the show?
Andrew: You know what, personally I don’t like to have a preconceived thought of what I want someone to think when seeing something I do. I want them to surprise me with their unbiased thoughts, but I’d like to know how relatable the story is to people, whether it be the cultural elements that occur, or the kinks and fetishes, or it doesn’t have to be something they relate to but what they have gained from the story.
Kelsey: I hope people open up more artistic spaces to people different from themselves or even encourage others to do the same. I hope they also consider how they treat others that are different from themselves. The world and art is so incredibly boring when you only surround yourself with people that are all the same.
Ryan: With a play like The Space Between The Sheets, my hope is that audiences think about their own experiences – or that of someone they know – and to reflect on what it was like being present with that other person. Importantly, I hope they will think about the boundaries they set with people they barely know, even for a short time, and how that differs depending on the situation they are in.
Is Camden Fringe going to be the show’s first time on stage?
Andrew: Yes this is my first time doing Camden Fringe and I’m excited to see how it goes and learn quite a lot from it too.
What made you decide to be part of Camden Fringe this year?
Andrew: Camden Fringe has built a great reputable backing and it’s a great way to showcase new stories and allow them to grow. I also think fringe crowds just bring a different energy and in small intimate spaces as actors I know that will resonate to all of us.
Ryan: I’ve recently graduated from Birkbeck’s MFA Theatre Directing course and have been eager to sink my teeth into some new writing ever since. The Camden Fringe felt like the perfect place to continue this journey on a larger scale, and I am excited to work on some fantastic scripts with people who believe in making art that is useful for a Camden audience. I’d recommend putting work on for the Camden Fringe to any director looking to cut their teeth.
Being Camden Fringe, we all know sets have to be bare minimum, how have you got around this?
Ryan: We can certainly relate to this! Thankfully, we are fortunate to have Dariah Osterhage as the Set/Costume Designer on our team. Dariah has worked as Juniour/Costume Maker for major blockbuster films and tv series including The Little Mermaid (2023), Meg 2: The Trench (2023), and Loki (2023) so to say we stuck gold isn’t generous enough. Dariah is working tirelessly to find the most appropriate set and props we need as cost-effectively as possible. We are making sure the stage has the fundamentals required to convey one of the characters’ bedrooms and are playing with how to execute this effectively and affordably.
Are there any plans for what comes next after August – for you or the show?
Kelsey: I’m hoping to do some more rewrites and keep the show going. I’m very excited by our concept and the people on the team. As for me, I will also be applying for my Global Talent Visa this year as well.
Ryan: We are making plans for the show to have a future life following August and on a larger scale. Personally, once August is over I will have wrapped on two productions at the Camden Fringe: The Space Between The Sheets and Our Brothers In Cloth. They may return in another era, who knows (but stay tuned!)… My intentions are to keep making work and stretching those creative muscles every month in any way possible! I will likely be working a full-time job at a theatre, and will endeavour to make art outside of that. I plan on writing a short film which will be made early in 2025.
If you had to describe your show as a meal, what would it be and why?
Andrew: Our show would be a lasagne as it’s full of layers and it can get hot sometimes.
Who is going to play you when your autobiography is snapped up by Hollywood?
Kelsey: I have no clue, but I will offer my services to play Amanda Seyfried.
If you had to describe your show as a colour?
Ryan: Easy: Purple all the way. The play offers a nice blend of experiences and perspectives while for the most part remaining truthful, playful and definitely a bit sexy.
Many thanks to Andrew, Kelsey and Ryan for the taking the time to chat about The Space Between The Sheets. The show plays at St Paul’s Church from 9th to 11th August, (2.30 and 7.30 each day). Further information and tickets available here.
