Writer-actor Emily Farley, director Jamie Wolf, and actor Sara Kaikkonen reflect on Cherston
August really is a busy month. While many eyes turn to Edinburgh, back in London much of the attention is on Camden Fringe. But this year The Hope Theatre is doing its own thing; North Sapph-Fest, a bold new festival celebrating queer women & non-binary voices. You can fid out what’s playing here, while here at ET we’re hoping to publish interviews with a few of this year’s participants, so watch out for these over the next couple of weeks.
Six years after the pandemic rocked the world, Cherston takes an unfiltered look back at the high-stakes, claustrophobic reality of 2021 lockdown living. Based on real-life diary entries, this new play digs deep into hook-up culture, house-share dynamics, internalised homophobia, and the quest for self-worth. Ahead of its debut at The Hope Theatre, writer and actor Emily Farley, director Jamie Wolf, and actor Sara Kaikkonen sat down to discuss transforming personal trauma into theatre, letting go of perfectionism, and navigating fringe storytelling in 2026.
If you had to describe the vibe of your show in just one sentence, how would you sum it up?
The vibe of the show is 2021 chaos. A time when the world felt uncertain through one global lockdown after another, but life goes on and young people are still looking for love and friendship, sometimes in the wrong places.
Why is 2026 the perfect time for this show to be seen?
Emily: Can you believe the pandemic was six years ago?! I think we’re all still subconsciously repressing a lot of the trauma from it. It’s a good milestone to reflect back on that time and see how that dystopia warped a lot of young people in the way they treated each other. I also believe in our current political climate, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how these young women are de-valuing themselves in the face of the men in their lives as, now more than ever, feminism (and some may argue, misandry) is so important.
Jamie: A lot of people feel lost in the current hook-up culture of the dating world, and whether you’re in a friends-with-benefits situation or a relationship, the grass is always greener on the other side. Not to mention we always need more LGBTQ stories on stage. This show explores relationship challenges while stuck in Covid lockdown, a time the world is still recovering from in 2026.
What was the ‘eureka moment’ that made you realise this story had to be told right now?
Emily: Honestly, realising my self-worth. This script is based on real-life situations that I lived in my very first house share in 2021, and I kept a diary during this time. Then I had a really tough time at drama school, and read back these diary entries at the same time and thought… how did I survive that?! And how am I surviving drama school?!
So the script writing began as a sort of therapy. I have learnt a lot in 2026 about my own worth, how much validation I subconsciously sought from men, internalised homophobia and comphet, and recovering from people-pleasing. Also politically, I am angry and want change. These realisations this year made me think others probably relate to this too, maybe they’re also kicking their past selves!
Is this version how you originally envisioned it, or has it changed drastically since you first put pen to paper?
Emily: So much has changed! Originally we had a cast of eight (two of my babies had to be cut), and one of the characters started off as a man and is now non-binary femme. I also had very ambitious ideas for set and design which I had to learn very quickly is not possible for fringe! I’ve been getting crafty with DIY. But saying that, some scenes are the same since the first draft; it’s fascinating what things stick and what others get discarded. RIP to the much-loved DND scene which didn’t make the cut!
What is it about your character that you most enjoy, and how challenging has the role been for you?
Sara: For me, it’s the confidence and playfulness which makes it fun and free to explore and play with. Sometimes Simone is being brutally honest, saying something the others wouldn’t necessarily say but could think. I don’t agree with everything they say and some things are absolutely horrible and an outright lie, but sometimes I think they hit the nail on the head and just say it out loud.
Finding the relatable points with Simone has been a challenge, as my character’s values and morals very often clash with mine. It was a struggle in the beginning to find how I could somehow relate to them and bring authenticity and detail into the performance, as I didn’t want them to stay one-note and predictable.
What has been the biggest challenge in realising the vision for the show?
Emily: As both the writer and an actor, my biggest challenge has been not holding onto the vision I had in my head, and focusing on the discoveries we make in the room! Just because the script is based on reality, the play itself is fiction.
Sara: I think it was rooting my character in truth, and even though the play is inspired by real events and people, still finding my way of playing Simone in my own way.
If you had to describe your show as a colour, what would it be?
Sara: Purple. It’s playful, dramatic, and represents pride, independence, and dignity, which are key themes of the play.
Emily: I’d say blue. Depending on the shade, blue is linked to innocence, sadness, gloom, and stability, which I think represents the dichotomy of the relationships.
If your show had a soundtrack, what songs would definitely be on it?
Sara: Katy Perry’s Hot n’ Cold DEFINITELY. Just going to leave that there.
Emily: Oh yes, I totally see that! We have two significant songs that feature in the play: Justin Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body” and Maroon 5’s “One More Night”. The former is a song that I remember we all partied a lot to during that time, so it represents the harmonious side of the house share. Meanwhile the latter… really listen to those lyrics! They perfectly represent the inner turmoil of a few characters and link back to lack of self-worth, lust, bread-crumbing, and attention, issues they all suffer with.
Write a one-sentence “fake” review of the show from a drama school teacher or the real people behind the story.
Sara: “Cherston exposes some of our very vulnerable and worst side of being human and makes it a very refreshing and interesting journey to watch.” — Your favourite drama school teacher.
Emily: “Is this f***ing play about us?” — The real housemates of Cherston.
What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received during your career, and how has it influenced your work on this show?
Sara: Mine is very personal. I’ve constantly heard “let go, let go” from different teachers as I can be a bit of a control freak and an overthinker. So definitely just letting go, trusting the work you’ve done, and being present on stage. That’s when the best performance comes out, in my opinion.
Emily: One teacher I had at drama school would always say “chuck it in the f*** it bucket”, and during Meisner, our teacher would constantly say “make it about the other person”. These two things I always try to come back to as they stop me from overthinking. This play is all about relationships, so listening to what the other person is saying and responding instinctually keeps the piece free and the feelings between actors dynamic.
Many thanks to Emily, Jamie and Sara for their time. Cherston plays between Tuesday 18 and Thursday 20 August at The Hope Theatre as part of North Sapph Fest.
