Alexander James Coop discusses Spiderfly
There is something uniquely atmospheric about The Space. Housed in a converted gothic church on the Isle of Dogs, it’s a venue that naturally lends itself to stories with weight, tension, and a touch of the shadows. It is the perfect setting, then, for the debut production from ‘The Spiders’ Alexander James Coop and Olivia McGuinness., who are kicking off their journey with a revival of the 2019 psychological thriller, Spiderfly.
Written by John Webber, Spiderfly first made waves at Theatre503, where it was hailed as a taut, tantalising debut. It’s a high-velocity game of cat-and-mouse that interrogates the blurred lines between predator and prey – a story of grief and unsettling connections that refuses to stay still.
But why choose a revival of this specific text for a company debut? And how do you translate that shifting, claustrophobic tension into a space as characterful as a former chapel?
We sat down with Alex to talk about the hustle of taking a show to The Space, the evolution of Webber’s script since 2019, and why this particular web was the one they wanted to spin for their first outing.
Launching a new company is a massive undertaking. What is it about Spiderfly that made you say, “This is the one we lead with”?
Hi Rob and everything theatre! Jheeze Louise, well I’ve been walking around with the script in my backburner for good few years now, a friend handed it to me to read it with her for an acting class – the first meeting of Esther and Chris – I loved it, it was so well written and the dialogue really zips between them as they sus each other out. I kept a copy and then after I’d finished a show I’d been working on I took it to my old acting teacher with my friend to workshop it. I then messaged the publisher regarding performing rights and had a zoom with John Webber, god, it must’ve been 2023 I think. Life got in the way but I couldn’t get the idea of performing it out of my mind (sorry to all the friends who’ve been putting up with me banging on about it! – you can all come see it now! Hehe)
There’s many great moments in the play but I think what drew me to it was the writing, the characters are connected in interesting ways – some scripts let you, as the performer, go through it, the experience of the characters that is. Which is what you want as an actor really, to ride that roller coaster and hang on for dear life. The privilege is to bring the audience along with you. And holy bajoley do these characters go through it 😉
How true are you staying to the original script? Even though it’s only seven years old, has there been a need to tweak it for a 2026 audience?
Totally true, it’s a distinctly modern play, not least in terms of it being ‘tech savvy’ there are scenes in which the characters are connecting through technology and I think if anything the pandemic and our ability to relate to that has grown. While the script remains unchanged this isn’t a full production of it, just over half I believe, all the important story beats are there and the pressure still bubbles to a boil with a run time of around 40 minutes.
It’s a two actor but three character play, what do you feel are the reasons for having one actor play both the male roles, and was it never in doubt that you would be doing just that?
There was never really any doubt in my mind that I would play both Keith and Chris, indeed it was part of the draw. I think it actually works very well that way as, in my opinion, the play is very much witnessed through Esther’s perspective, and all that she’s going through with these men. Because of that it makes sense that they mirror each-other albeit with distinct differences. I’ve actually workshopped and played around with lots of characteristics; at one stage Chris was Irish! But rather than have overt differences between them I settled on approaching it psychologically. For me Keith represents the id (unconscious, instinctual drives) Chris is more the superego (internalised morals and societal rules) and in a way Esther’s kind’ve the ego, the mediator between them – however the grief she’s dealing with and the curiosity she has for both of these men is, in essence, the web that’s being spun. (Have I said too much?) I think this subtle approach gives Esther more to act with in terms of what Keith and Chris are actually doing to her rather than the accoutrements of characteristics. She may not not be a psychologist but “she’s a bit like one though” whether that holds her in good stead or not as she navigates the play you’ll have to come and see…
P.s (I can feel all my poor friends’ eyes rolling in their head at having heard me talk like that at them for the gajillionth time 😉
The Space is one of the most atmospheric venues in London (and has a great bar!). How are you leaning into the architecture of the building to heighten the tension of the play?
It is, isn’t it!? I think the atmosphere will really help expound the themes of the play, it’s really a dance with the devil and there’s not many better places to play that than at a deconsecrated church on the Isle of dogs! (Yarrrr, I always feel like a pirate saying Isle of dogs!)
P.s I will most definitely be leaning into that bar after the final show on the Thursday. Mines a pint of the black stuff please bar-keep!
It’s also a much larger space than that of the play’s original home at Theatre503, does this extra space present different issues for this play?
So I actually performed a very short extract of the play to fellow performers (go see em!) for the Spring season launch and I was pleasantly impressed by the acoustics of the venue (again, whoulda thunk it from a grade 1 listed deconsecrated church!) It may be big inside but it’s a solid old compact building and I found it projected the sound amazingly with zero echo of any kind which really added to the atmosphere and the fly on the wall (forgive the pun!) feeling for the audience – so more bums on the edges of seats the better! There’s a lot of things you really shouldn’t be seeing up on that stage come 7 April! *insert ‘something wicked this way comes’ and evil laughter and goosebumps an OW! i just banged my shin getting excited there*
Now that Spiderfly is out of the web, what’s next for the company? Is there a specific type of theatre you want to be known for?
Well I am always working on something in some way or another, it being Easter and all I’ve plenty of ideas ready to hatch (sorry I’m in a punny mood it seems) I’m actually writing a two hander about a loving relationship that turns sour so I think that’s next. Think 500 days of Summer meets Triangle of Sadness in a play set in a dingy hackney flat with themes of toxicity and mental health – we like to keep it light!!!
That being said Spiderfly most definitely has legs on it (that’s three!) I’m about to contact another London theatre regarding a run of the play for the Summer and of course the dream is to get it to an intimate West End theatre for the Autumn – yes, that’s me staring directly into your soul, Donmar Warehouse. We can talk about the revolving stage and the live feed 8 screen close ups of the actors to create a background of a spider’s eyes later hmu 😉 xx
If someone is on the fence about heading to the Isle of Dogs this week, what’s the one moment in the show that will make them glad they came?
It really is a Barn-stormer if I do say so myself. And the writing weaves a delectable web in a way in which you’re never quite sure who’s wrapping who up.
But if I had to pick one moment I think I’d leave you with a line from the play that sells it: “Cybersex”
Oh and the spiders. I don’t think I mentioned the spiders!!!
Just to add, massive thank you to Matthew at The Space theatre for his patience and guidance, my old acting teacher Ashlie and The Actors Temple Studio for taking a chance on a Geordie with a dream. Olivia for being my Esther and John for writing such a wonderful script. (And all my mates that let me bang on about it 😉
But mostly an enormous thank you from the bottom of my heart to anyone of you that buys a ticket to come and see the show – every little helps to keep this ball rolling and the arts surely need it now.
And our thanks to Alex for his time to chat. Spiderfly will play at The Space between Tuesday 7 and Thursday 9 April.
