In this Behind the Curtain interview Director, Michael Buffong talks about the All-Black Production of Twelfth Night inspired Musical 'Play On' now on a UK Tour.
For people who may not know, could you explain what ‘Play On!’ is about?
Play On! is a musical riff on a classic Shakespeare tale, “Twelfth Night”, taking place in 1940s Harlem and featuring the timeless music of Duke Ellington. It’s a story about identity, love and a search for belonging. We follow the action with Vy, an ambitious young female songwriter looking to make it big on the music scene. Realising the challenge of being a woman trying to make it in a man’s world, our hero chooses to take on a new identity in the hopes of getting ahead – with both dramatic and hilarious consequences.
What, in your opinion, is it about Twelfth Night that makes a good adaptation for a musical? And what are the main challenges adapting / changing a classic story into a Musical?
The play is based on a book by Cheryl L West and then conceived by Sheldon Epps – so most of the work in terms of adaptation from Shakespeare was already done. My challenge as a director was making the material feel urgent and relevant to a new audience. We’ve played with the music, the style and the movement to bring the 1940s club scene into a new light.
How do you think the show’s themes reflect on today’s society? And why do you think it’s important for the show to be shown today?
Identity is a big theme today; finding yourself is not easy in a world where there are still so many silos and prejudices. Accepting who you are and being comfortable in your own skin is a key takeaway for the audience. But on a much lighter note, we want audiences to leave the theatre in awe of the incredibly talented cast who make up the show.
The show celebrates and represents Black artists, work and culture on stage. How important is this to you and the whole industry right now?
Now more than ever, the work we do at Talawa, in collaboration with our partners, is incredibly important. There’s a wealth of global majority talent out there, and we need to continue providing opportunities to champion and nurture their skills. It’s important for creatives across all disciplines including acting, writing, and directing have platforms to tell authentic stories that represent their lived experiences.
Could you tell us the route you took into being a director / artistic director? And what would you say was the biggest challenge?
Talawa was one of the first places I approached when I decided I wanted to direct theatre, it really wasn’t more complicated than that. We had a lot of shared values, and Talawa has an incredible reputation.
The biggest challenge is staying true to your creative vision.
How would you describe your direction style? And what was your inspiration for your direction for this piece?
At the beginning of the process, I usually start with one very clear visual image of what I’d like to achieve. With experience and working with great collaborators, I feel it’s become easier to achieve that key image. When I first started with Play On! the visual image I projected was a smoky rehearsal room, performers relaxing, jamming.
What advice would you give someone wanting to get into the industry right now, either as a Director, Performer, Writer, etc?
You need to be incredibly passionate about what you do. Theatre can be a difficult, but not impossible, industry to get ahead in. Passion will sustain you though the ups and downs. And as a creative, it’s important to learn to take care of yourself both physically and mentally.
How have rehearsals been? What have you learnt from the process?
Amazing! The cast and performers I’m surrounded by are fantastic, and I’ve loved watching this show come to life. Since Talawa is the lead producer, there’s been a greater degree of challenge compared to previous work, but we have a great team of collaborators to help us along the way.
The production is a jazz-fuelled musical, how does this genre help convey the story over to the audience? And how do you want the audience to feel when leaving the show?
I want the audience to come away feeling euphoric. The music in this play is nothing short of stupendous and will stay with you for a long time.
Describe the show in one sentence or 3 words.
Black Joy at its Finest
Play On is on tour, for tickets and more detail visit: https://www.talawa.com/articles/play-on
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