Interviews

Interview: Laying the Foundations of a New Play

FreshFest 2025 at the Old Red Lion

Joe McNamara on bringing Bricks to Old Red Lion

Joe McNamara talks about making his debut as a playwright with Bricks, a deeply personal and strikingly original piece set to premiere at FreshFest 2025 at the Old Red Lion in Islington. Inspired by his own experiences growing up, McNamara has crafted a play that delves into the complexities of male friendships, shared trauma, and the moral questions surrounding redemption. With a blend of gritty realism and surreal flourishes, Bricks promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of human connection, vulnerability, and resilience.


Hi Joe, welcome to ET. So what can you tell us about Bricks?

I’m Joe McNamara, and I’m the writer of Bricks—a new play coming to the Old Red Lion in Islington. It’s a play set on a construction site in Essex and follows two young boys as they wrestle with a shared trauma. The play asks the question: How do we help these boys…and perhaps most difficult of all—do they deserve it?

It’s my debut play, and I’m so excited to see how people respond to it. It’s about real experiences I had growing up, and I like to think that the play blends authenticity with some slightly surreal elements…but I don’t want to give too much away!

What was your inspiration for the play?

About six years ago, on a minibus journey to football, a young lad I was playing with had a strange request. He worked on a building site and had been told he had a drugs test coming up, which he was almost certain to fail. He asked if I’d consider donating some of my own bodily fluids that he could use instead. I refused, but he spent the entire two-hour journey trying to convince me. For some reason, that experience stuck with me, and I thought it was a great starting point for a play.

If budget or reality were no issue, what’s the one piece of scenery or set you’d love to have in your show?

The play is about two bricklayers, Jim and Martin, and we see them in their workplace over the course of five years. If I had a West End budget, I’d love to have a cement mixer onstage and actually build a wall throughout the show. This time next year, maybe we’ll see some bricklaying onstage at the Wyndham’s!

How do you hope your show will influence or change its audience, even after they leave the theatre?

I really hope the play resonates with people. The play examines toxic male friendships. Are these boys helping each other? But I’d also say that amongst the toxicity, a lot of these friendships have a lot of love and tenderness as well.

What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received during your career, and how has it influenced your work on this show?

Not the most original, but to be honest: write about what you know. The play is about a world I know and people I know, and I’ve written it with as much care and detail as I possibly can. I’ve poured my heart and soul into it, and I can’t wait for the 28th when we can bring this story to an audience. I started it a few years ago, but I think it’s maybe even more relevant now than ever.


Thank you Joe for talking to us. Bricks plays at the Old Red Lion between the 28th and 30th January. Further information and booking are available here.

Bricks is part of FreshFest 2025 at the Old Red Lion. A celebration & showcase of brand new theatre between 19th January & 1st March 2025

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