2.36, Etcetera Theatre
We continue with our Camden Fringe 2025 interviews we are march on towards our 100 target. We’ll be publishing new interviews each and every day of July, you can find them all here.
Elijah Lifton‘s 2.36 is a play about ambition, hypocrisy and mendacity. It is also surely the first of our interviews about a show set in Luxembourg! Which feels as good a reason as any to want to know a little more ahead of the show coming to Etcetera Theatre for three performances only from 1 August (tickets here).
What can audiences expect from the show?
Audiences can expect to be invested in a relatable yet far off world for an hour. A world full of deceit, mystery, plot twists, comedy & drama.
2.36 is character driven – the dialogue between Josh & Keira is naturalistic. They live in a believable world. However to drive the pace of the story, we’re breaking the fourth wall, using narration to explore thematic elements. We’re also playing with the use of time to create suspense. There’s comedy mixed with drama and mystery. Our director, Haiqing Liang, ‘specialises in directing plays and devised theatre that interrogates contemporary socio-political phenomena through an intersectional and diasporic lens’. It’s a fun mixture of styles!
What is it about your character that you most enjoy?
Our script is character driven – meaning that we’ve crafted a layered journey for the characters to go on over an hour long performance. My character is a completely different person at the end of the show compared to his state at the beginning.
What brought you all together?
Both Anoushka Cowan and I have been wanting to collaborate on a piece of work for a while. We had a series of brainstorming sessions a while ago discussing different plot ideas, and eventually built 2.36 together. In January, we decided that the Camden Fringe would be the perfect opportunity to showcase our work. Anoushka and I work well together, and I’ve certainly been inspired by her commitment to making an idea work, and equally her flexibility letting go of an idea when it doesn’t feel right.
We then recruited Haiqing Liang as our Director, whom I met whilst at LAMDA. One of our first interactions was in a clowning workshop which certainly broke any ice.
And I’m excited to be working with Ruby Isaacs as our Dramaturg, who brings passion, order & structure to the table.
Are there any plans for what comes next after the show has finished its run – for you or the show?
We’d love to develop 2.36 further. Camden Fringe is a brilliant stepping stone and we’ll be reassessing after our performances.
I’m currently creating a pilot episode for Big Nose in Beijing – a comedy following a Westerner at a homestay in China. I’m making use of Mandarin, and also piano / saxophone.
And alongside completing education, I’d love to be cast in some good work across stage / screen. I hope my acting agent is reading this!
Who would play you in the Hollywood adaptation of your future autobiography?
A young Arnold Schwarzenegger – he’d capture my effortless charisma and muscular tones.
If you could perform this show anywhere in the world where would it be?
The Grand Théǎtre de Luxembourg – Luxembourg’s most boastful theatre to date, seating just under 1,000. Our play is set in Luxembourg, so I’d hope that the population would laugh at our witty Luxembourgish remarks, although in reality I’d imagine they would be pretty confused and would leave the theatre being thankful that Britain left the EU.
After a month long run at the Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg, I’d like to embark on a regional tour. Stay posted for more details – you can follow us on insta here. PS. you’ll also get to see our Monday Luxembourgish trivia on insta.
If budget or reality was not an issue, what’s the one piece of scenery/set you’d love to have in your show?
A multidimensional revolving set representing the many locations in Vianden featured in our play.
Thanks to Elijah for taking us on a tour of Luxemborg. 2.36 will play at Etcetera Theatre from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 August.
