too much of water, Old Red Lion Theatre
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As part of Camden Fringe, Old Red Lion Theatre are putting on Shakefest, a celebration of all things Shakespeare, with plays inspired by the Bard’s work. One such show is too much of water, an exploration of women’s mental health in 1605 and 2025 – how much and, unfortunately, how little has changed.
While navigating grief and contemplating suicide, Hamlet gets 1,506 lines as the titular character in his own play. While navigating grief and contemplating suicide, plus enduring gaslighting and assault, Ophelia gets 173 lines as a side character in her ex-boyfriend’s story. In “too much of water,” it’s Ophelia’s turn.
Writer and perfomer Brock Looser sat down with us to explain more about how it came about and the path it’s taken to reach Camden Fringe in 2025.
too much of water will play on 2 and 3 August, more information available here.
What can audiences expect from the show?
In too much of water, audiences will spend 55 minutes with Ophelia from Hamlet in this modern feminist take on a classical androcentric story. Through calls to Laertes, visions of Hamlet, and, of course, her own soliloquy, this new play explores women’s mental health in 1605 and 2025 – how much and, unfortunately, how little has changed. It poses the question that maybe, if instead of gaslighting, shaming, and abusing women with mental illness, we were helping, listening, and loving them, there’s a possibility of “to be” in a world full of “not to be.” Whether audiences are meeting Ophelia for the first time or catching the Hamlet quotes interwoven throughout, I hope they leave feeling a little less alone.
Is Camden Fringe going to be the show’s first time on stage, or have you already performed elsewhere?
too much of water started out as my Thesis for my MFA at LAMDA, actually! But, Camden Fringe will be the first time it is performed it in its entirety. And I am so excited! At its core, the piece has always been about exploring Ophelia’s story in today’s world. My thesis focused on vignettes of her therapy sessions. Since then, I have restructured and expanded the narrative, focusing more on her relationships with her dad, brother, ex-boyfriend, and the audience, set in the minutes before she makes a life-altering decision.
What was your inspiration behind the show?
I am a classical theatre nerd (if that’s already not blatantly obvious). When studying at LAMDA, I was hyper-focused on the six women in Shakespeare’s cannon that commit suicide. When discussing suicide in Shakespeare (or probably suicide or Shakespeare independently), Hamlet’s famous “to be or not to be” speech probably comes to mind. And although there is a suicide in the play, Hamlet himself is not the character who takes his own life. That’s Ophelia. I realized that wasn’t the only parallel between the two characters, so I did some digging: while navigating grief and contemplating suicide, Hamlet gets 1,506 lines as the titular character in his own play. While navigating grief and contemplating suicide, plus enduring gaslighting and assault, Ophelia gets 173 lines as a side character in her ex-boyfriend’s story. The persisting relevance of those themes plus her abysmal 1:9 line ratio to Hamlet inspired me to write her side of the story.
How challenging has this role been for you?
I’m laughing because this is such a fun question to answer as not only the performer with the challenge but also the writer who gave the performer the challenge. In all honesty, it is tough. Playing an iconic character like Ophelia is definitely a challenge. I put a lot of pressure on myself to honor her essence in the original text, while also modernizing her with care. She is such a special person to me, and I want to do her story justice. Not to mention the challenges innately built into a solo show like the sheer amount of material or lack of cast mates. But, that is why I’ve surrounded myself with the best team – collaborators I trust who are also people I love. They are the humans who face these challenges with me, reframing them from obstacles to opportunities.
What brought you all together?
The first thing I did when I got the email that too much of water was selected for ShakeFest at the Old Red Lion, I called my sister Avery and asked her to be my director and to produce with me. (Okay, actually second; I called my parents first.) Avery Looser is my collaborator for life and my favorite director. We produce together often through BraveMouse, founded by Avery in 2020 with a mission of centering women not only in the stories we tell but in how we tell them. Internationally recognized for films, I am honored too much of water will be BraveMouse’s stage debut.
The rest of the dream team I met through LAMDA. Alexandra Montalbano, our Movement Director and Co-Producer, has been with me on this since my thesis. She is my other brain and a storytelling wizard. Our brilliant Music Composer Emma Haines is already working on a score with a bopping sense of familiarity and eery sense of foreboding. (Look up HAiiNES on Spotify, you’re welcome.) And our Lighting Designer GM’s abundance of talent is only matched by his kindness. My two pals Leo Oliva, voicing Dad, and Luke Stiles, voicing Laertes, are two of my favourite actors, who also just happen to be two of my favourite people. Even our Photographer Madeleine Bloxam and Videographer Justin Stirewalt are not only repeat collaborators but also remarkable humans. I could not be more grateful for their contributions, and I can’t wait for you all to see their impeccable work.
How important is audience interaction to you?
A major decision every director of a production of Hamlet has to make is about Ophelia during Hamlet’s “to be or not to be” speech: what is she doing? Does she hear him? Does she see him? Does she leave the stage entirely? Yes, a soliloquy is typically defined as a character directly addressing the audience. But similar to asides, other characters are not always completely deaf to these moments. So, what if Ophelia actually heard Hamlet’s speech? But didn’t have access to use this tool in her decision-making process? This was my questioning that led to my decision to use the concept of soliloquy throughout this play, making the audience a prominent character. That, and the fact that the ratio for men versus women soliloquizing in the Shakespearean canon is treacherous. However, it is essential that the audience feels involved but not at fault. I’ve sat in an audience wanting to shout at Leontes that Hermione didn’t do it or warn Othello about what I just heard from Iago; although these complicated characters confided in me as an audience member, I never felt their twisted plots were my fault. That is the brilliance of soliloquy that I have tried to utilize in this piece. And it’s why I have limited the actual interaction and kept the rules very clear.
If your show had a soundtrack what songs would definitely be on it?
Thankfully, we have a bopping score (and even some original songs by Emma and me). But, in the pre-show playlist, you’ll hear Being in Love by Wet Leg, Washing Machine Heart by Mitski, Messy by Olivia Dean, I Love Yo” by Billie Eilish, and Make You Proud by Jensen McRae. Because the girlies who get it, get it.
What is the weirdest or most unconventional prop used in your show?
My sister is bringing my mom’s vintage 1970s original Barbie dolls with her from Houston, Texas. If someone on the BraveMouse team says, “I have this idea…” we’re going to make it happen.
What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received during your career, and how has it influenced your work on this show?
On the BraveMouse team, we like to say, “Do it right,” and that is now something I bring into all my work. We believe how the work is made directly translates into the finished product, so we prioritize kindness, specificity, diversity, compassion, accessibility, and respect. Even if it is going to be more difficult, expensive, time-consuming, whatever, do it right.
That sounds like a great way to pull something together and you’ve hit upon a really interesting starting point for your play. Thanks for taking the time to talk us through your passion for this project.
If you want to see the play, it’s on at the Old Red Lion Theatre on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 August.
