Sunk Into the Earth, Barons Court Theatre
Our Camden Fringe Interview series aims to showcase just a fraction of what’s available at Everything Theatre’s favourite festival. Every day in July we will be publishing new interviews towards our target of 100 by the end of the month. You can find all the currently published ones here.
Fixed House Theatre‘s Sunk Into The Earth is a queer romance set against the violent backdrop of an unspeakable and absurd act of sisterly devotion. We caught up with Jillian Osborne, Charlotte Ritter and Theo Ambrosini to explore the show more and just what it is they are bringing to Barons Court Theatre from 4 to 8 August.
What can audiences expect from the show?
CR: Sunk Into the Earth is jagged and tender, dark and light, funny and devastating. The play’s themes of domestic violence, interdependency, guilt, and love in all its various forms investigate how far we’ll go for the deep bonds that connect and entangle us.
Is Camden Fringe going to be the show’s first time on stage, or have you already performed elsewhere?
CR: Camden Fringe 2025 will be hosting the world premiere of Sunk Into the Earth, a play brought to you by a group of emerging artists representing five different cultures, forged in the fires of the international MFA program at East15 Acting School, burning to take on the industry and to pave their way in the world.
What was your inspiration behind the show?
CR: Several years ago, I listened to a podcast on femicides and how mainstream media is complicit in it through perpetuating toxic stereotypes regarding relationships and male supremacy. I thought about it a lot and eventually found this play within myself; about domestic abuse from an inherently female point of view with a different outcome than usual because of a tight-knit and beautiful AFAB community.
Is this version how you originally envisioned it or has it changed drastically since you first put pen to paper?
CR: The play has absolutely changed drastically since I first brought it to paper. And that is due to the fantastic and incredibly talented people I have in my company, who not only brought it to life but who elevated Sunk Into the Earth into a living, breathing, beautiful beast of art by each bringing their hard work and soul into it. We’ve been working and re-working every single line, questioning and digging for truth and the heart of it, allowing for the collaborative process this play needed to make it profound. And I am deeply, deeply grateful for it.
What was it that drew you to this show and role?
JO: This play is just so beautifully written and I was drawn to the incredible friendships that exist for these characters, alongside such heavy and sadly urgent subject material. It really speaks volumes to how much we need each other, as women, and as human beings. It begs the question, what could the world be like if we could all offer each other and ourselves the grace and love that we so desperately need? I think we need more plays like this.
Being a fringe festival, we all know sets have to be bare minimum, how have you got around this with your set and props?
JO: I’m really excited about our props, we have an amazing concept cooked up that I think is going to be impactful and visceral, and our set is quite minimal, but it’s exactly what is needed to let the story and the actors really shine. When you have a great script, you don’t need much but imagination and creativity, which I think we have an abundance of.
What has been the biggest challenge in realising the writer’s vision for the show?
TA: I would definitely say time, because this story flowed out of her (Charlotte) so beautifully, and included many scenes that add texture and depth to the narrative that we had to cut for time reasons. But we know and imagine those moments still happening, and will have plenty of room to play within the script as it is now!
Are there any plans for what comes next after the show has finished its run – for you or the show?
JO: We have plans to continue developing and touring the play to various festivals in London, as well as taking it to Edinburgh Fringe next year. We’re experimenting with the idea of playing a bit of roulette with the actors in various roles for our next run, which I think will be a fun opportunity for us all and will just serve to deepen the production itself as well.
If you had to describe your show as a meal what would it be?
TA: A bloody steak. I almost regret that this is what immediately came to my mind, especially considering many of us in the production and cast are vegetarians, but there’s no getting around it. Take a nice big juicy bite.
What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received during your career, and how has it influenced your work on this show?
JO: “You can’t hate yourself into being better.” One of the countless gems I’ve received from one of my past tutors who I’m lucky enough to now call a friend – one of many women who have changed my life for the better, by seeing me exactly as I am and holding my hand while I waded through muddy waters. That’s been an integral piece for me working on this show because I think it’s exactly what this play is about – showing up, not giving up, continuing on one step at a time when it feels like you can’t even lift up your leg. Being seen and radically loved exactly as you are.
Our thanks to Jillian, Charlotte and Theo for their time to chat with us.
Sunk Into the Earth will play at Barons Court Theatre from Monday 4 to Friday 8 August.
