The Ed Fringe has began! In this Heading to the Fringe interview I speak to Seconds to Midnight Director, Katie Kirkpatrick.
What is Seconds to Midnight about?
Seconds to Midnight follows best friends and housemates Jo and Eddie. The pair met in the closet - literally, as they were thrown together in a game of 7 Minutes in Heaven. Several years on, news hits that a nuclear strike is imminent and a different kind of countdown forces them to put their friendship into perspective. As the hours pass, through a series of chats, games, and confessions, they grapple with the realities of a world with no consequences.
What was the inspiration behind the show? What influenced you to tell this story on stage?
Our company Love Song was built out of queer friendship, so it’s always been something we wanted to incorporate into the shows we make. Seconds to Midnight was loosely based on some of our real life friendships and real life conversations, and once we stumbled across the parallel between late night midnight chats and the nuclear clock, the show started to come together. We wanted to tell a story about friendship specifically because so much of our favourite queer theatre centres on romantic relationships – which are of course wonderful and important, but we really wanted to be able to see more platonic relationships showcased on stage.
How do you think the show's themes reflect on today's society?
Seconds to Midnight is set against the backdrop of nuclear warfare, which is a topic that feels more pressing every day. After seeing another show about it, I got really interested in the actual realities of this doomsday concept that usually feels so far-off and unreal, and we felt that the best way to go about it would be to root it in a grounded, real life dynamic.
As a Director how would you describe your directing style and what is your process when approaching a script to get it across to the audience?
Personally, I’m always big on words. I love getting to the heart of a line and unpacking all its possible readings and interpretations, and building up a scene this way. I also love working on little moments and little details, from shoulder touches to eye contact, and find this the best way to build up the bigger picture of characters and their dynamic. For me, this is the easiest way to translate a script from page to audience: it’s about rooting it in the people.
What would you say you look for in a script that makes you want to direct the piece? And what is the most important thing that you wanted to accomplish when you started directing the show?
I love finding scripts that combine detailed characters with interesting dynamics, and settings that are a little out of the ordinary – the show I directed last year combined personal trauma with a riverbed, folkloric setting, and this year we’re combining a close queer friendship with a nuclear apocalypse. With this show, I wanted to make sure we struck the right balance between the joy and intimacy of friendship, and the hugeness and weight of the nuclear backdrop.
Where did your love of theatre start? And what piece of advice would you give to anyone wanting to get into the creative side of Theatre?
I actually started off as a theatre kid performing in musicals, which couldn’t really be further away from what I do now. I never really had any chances to direct until I got to university, but once I did, I jumped at the chance and haven’t really stopped since. For those wanting to get into directing and producing, I’d say don’t be afraid of just doing it yourself – it can be really tricky to secure assistant work, so if you can find the right people around you, making your own work is often the best way to go. Take the leap!
How does it feel to be taking ‘Seconds to Midnight’ to The Fringe? And what are you most looking forward to?
It’s so exciting! This idea has gone from a little seed in my brain, to a full script, to a fully-fledged Fringe production, and it’s definitely a little surreal that people are now getting to see it! I’m most looking forward to just seeing lots and lots of other shows, especially fellow Pleasance productions. That, and all Edinburgh’s lovely coffee shops!
Who should come and see the show? And what do you want the audience to take away from the show?
We think our show would especially resonate with young queer people, of any gender or background, since we focus a lot on queer friendship between genders and nationalities. But we’d also love for people from other walks of life to give it a go – hopefully the overarching themes of companionship and the importance of platonic relationships will ring true for everyone. We’d love audiences to walk away with a newfound appreciation for the people around them, and to take these friendships for granted a little less.
What is your favourite part of the show?
We have a certain sequence involving grapes being thrown that always gets a big laugh – and it stays fun to watch for us because it’s naturally unpredictable in every show!
Describe the show in one sentence or 3 words.
Apocalyptic queer vibes.
Seconds to Midnight plays at The Pleasance from Wednesday 31st of July to Monday 26th of August!
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