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Running the Show: Catching up with the New Voices 2.0 Production Team

An interview by Boris Kostadinov for English Theatre Leipzig and the What’s My Cue? podcast.

This year, English Theatre Leipzig’s New Voices 2.0 project went through several updates as opposed to last year’s version, and one of the biggest changes came in the form of a dedicated production team. Three ETL members joined this team and took on leadership roles in order to make sure that the production ran smoothly and achieved its aims as both a sociocultural project and a theatrical production. It has been a massive undertaking, and now that we’re only a few days away from the New Voices 2.0 premiere, I wanted to take the opportunity to discuss how working on the project has been for Nerius, Sam and Josiane. 

Can you please introduce yourselves and your respective roles? 

My name is Nerius, and I’m the Projektleiter, which is the project manager, of New Voices 2.0

I’m Sam and I’m the Künstlerischer Leiter, or creative lead. 

I’m Josiane and I’m producing the show.

How did you come up with the over-arching theme of ‘Wicked’?

Josiane: We didn’t come up with the theme directly. It was the team at Neues Schauspiel Leipzig, which is our theatrical ‘home’ in the city and the host venue for our productions, who came up with it and we were very happy to agree to the idea. It’s a great theme in that it allows for a wide range of interpretations. ‘Wicked’ can be something great, something vicious and evil or something interpersonal. It’s exciting to see how the three pieces do something different and meaningful with the theme.

Sam: Those with good memories will recall that Nerius, Josie and I were all directors last year in New Voices, and the theme that linked our three pieces together was ‘Connections’, which was a lovely broad theme as it allowed us to put on three very different plays. When I first heard that the theme of ‘Wicked’ was being toyed with for this year’s New Voices, I thought it would actually be slightly less broad this time around and offer more structure to those who might want to apply with their ideas, which I thought was a good idea but I worried that some people might feel a bit restricted creatively. Now that we’ve been through most of the process, I think that Josie’s right, and that there are so many different meanings that can be applied to ‘Wicked’, and that all of the plays audiences will see as part of New Voices 2.0 consider the theme in varying ways, all of which are valid and have led to some really cool theatre being made. 

Nerius: I remember having a conversation with Ines Kalischewsky who was actually the one at NSL who came up with the theme. We were talking about how great it would be as something to link together the three plays we’d eventually end up staging, and she tried to downplay it a little bit, saying that she had been really tired when she’d thought of it. I think that some of the most interesting ideas we come up with are sometimes ones that come to us when we’re in that liminal space where we’re really tired and don’t overthink things like we might do when we’re fully awake and alert. Maybe there’s a lot to be said for creating when you’re tired! 

How did you decide on the three plays we’ll be seeing in New Voices 2.0?

Josiane: A small team of ETL members, which included the three of us, put a call out and then led interviews with everyone who applied. We had several long discussions about who would be best suited to ETL and the project, so it wasn’t just about taking the best plays, it was also about seeing who would be well suited to working with a community theatre and would align with our values.

Nerius: There was a lot that went into making the big decision about the three plays we would put on. Part of it was certainly how well the applicants’ concepts fitted with the theme of ‘Wicked’, but even at that stage we were being quite loose with that and seeing what interpretations of the theme each director would assign to their idea, and that was one of the questions we asked them directly. We also had discussions with the directors about quite nuanced things, such as how they might approach working with people of different ability and skill levels in performing. Above everything, this is a community project that places sociocultural aspects at the forefront and welcomes both professionals and non-professionals. The artistic elements are, of course very important, but the fact that it is a community project could never be forgotten. 

Sam: The plays audiences will see are not entirely the same as those we selected at the beginning of this process. Diellza’s BLACKOUT proposal was re-shaped to become @dd_icted, while unfortunately Geoff Mills’ wonderful play Something Wicked had to be taken out of the programme when Geoff had to leave the project for personal reasons. We were hugely grateful when Pablo replied to our callout for a concept that could fill the gap in the programme, and we’re super excited for audiences to see The Door. 

You mention one of the plays changing after one of the directors had to drop out of the process… can you talk a little more about that?

Sam: Yes, when Geoff had to leave the project, that was probably one of the most challenging moments for us as a team and for the project as a whole. Of course, Geoff’s wellbeing had to come first, but we were rapidly approaching the end of July and we had to find a solution. There were several ideas that were thrown around, but we felt that none of them would work as well as finding another short play to replace Something Wicked. Thankfully, Josie knew that longtime friend of ETL, Pablo, had been writing a longer text for performance, and when we asked if he would be up for presenting a 30-minute extract of his play, he agreed, which was a huge relief. 

Nerius: We were really enjoying working with Geoff, and he was participating in such an open and collaborative way. He really engaged wonderfully with the project; from taking part in the workshops, to developing his script, listening to our advice and working with his performers. We had also chosen Something Wicked partly thanks to its dynamism as a script. It really would have created a very different shape for the whole evening, and it would have been so fantastic to see the powerful performances and exciting audiovisual elements come to life. When Geoff said he couldn’t continue with the project, it was a real blow. It was a huge shame to lose him and his fantastic play, but equally we are very lucky to have had Pablo step in with his equally dynamic, but very different piece. This sort of situation is always difficult, especially as it was something so unexpected. In our discussions about what to do the team didn’t rely on a single solution, but I’m thankful that Pablo was available and could present an extract from the play he’s been working on for a couple of years. It did work out really well in the end.

Have there been any other difficulties along the way as part of the process? Conversely what have been your highlights?  

Nerius: Aside from the change in the programme, I would say that most of the issues and problems that have arisen are relatively common ones when you consider the project’s scope and the number of people involved. There are people who will have had varying visions of what the plays will be like in performance, people with different ambitions with what they want to achieve, and people with differing priorities. Often, the solutions to these kind of problems lie in trying to make sure everyone is communicating effectively, and noticing and trying to solve issues quickly and in a way that makes everyone feel that they have been listened to and respected. There have been challenges, but I think even from early on we put in structures and processes that have meant we have been largely successful in minimizing the difficulties that have come up. You’re never going to avoid these issues entirely however!

On the other hand, when it comes to highlights, for me it is about seeing these directors and actors from different parts of the international community and with different levels of experience having the freedom to create – to work on a project together, collaborate, learn from each other’s perspectives and to produce something really interesting. In the end, I think that is the most important thing the New Voices concept does: allowing people to create something that is true to them – that’s wonderful to be a part of!

Josiane: There were certainly difficulties as there are with any project where you are dealing with a diverse group of people with a diverse set of needs. But that’s also where the beauty lies and our job is to help people put on the best and most fulfilling creative output. Where there is tremendous passion, there is inevitably both conflict and brilliance, and that makes the work both challenging and rewarding.

What would you say to anyone out there who is interested in getting involved with theatre, and with ETL in particular?

Nerius: I think my advice to people who are thinking about joining ETL, or starting in theatre generally, would be to be open to taking risks. Whether you’re a performer, or a director, or a writer, even if you’ve never done theatre of any kind before, just being open and vulnerable in that way and trying something new is always going to be enriching. Theatre is a collaborative medium where you don’t just create something that is from your own perspective, but which is enriched by the perspectives of others as well. So, whatever your pre-conceptions of theatre are, whatever your fears and negative expectations might be, put them aside and just try it!

Sam: One of the most important things I’ve learned working in theatre is that it is not just one thing. People imagine theatre to just be about people with loud voices speaking lines and being over-dramatic. Occasionally people sing songs like this or do dances, but generally there is this impression that theatre is not for everyone. I don’t believe this is true. Theatre is as hugely varied an art form as painting or music, it encompasses so much, and there is something there for everyone. This isn’t just true of the theatre you watch, it can also be true for the theatre you take part in and help to make. Discovering new ways of creatively exploring something that matters to you is one of the most human things there is. Theatre is all about expression, and humans have a need to express themselves that is as deeply rooted as our drive to eat and drink for survival. Bottling things up and not expressing yourself is dangerous, and theatre and performance offers a creative outlet for you to do this. Members of ETL might be united by a common language, but we’re also united by our strong desire to tell stories and share ideas. This represents an expressive language that is even more unifying than English, that of creating art. Even if you don’t think theatre is your thing, believe me, there is something there for you. Come along and discover it!

Josiane: Do it! ETL aren’t looking for perfection, especially not with New Voices, which is explicitly about fostering new and upcoming talent. We are looking for heart, creativity, and the willingness to work for and within a community. This is a safe space, where there is the possibility of failing, or not achieving everything you want to, but at ETL we share, support, learn and grow. We welcome anyone who shares our values and wants a stage!

New Voices 2.0 will premiere on 5th September at Neues Schauspiel Leipzig. Further performances will take place on the 6th, 7th, 13th and 14th of September. All performances begin at 20.00. 

Tickets: https://tickethome.neuesschauspielleipzig.de/kuenstler/english-theatre-leipzig-nsl-present 

About the production team:

Nerius is a British-born, Leipzig-based writer, director, visual artist, and animator. His unconventional narratives and silly, yet dark humour have resulted in strange fiction, twisted radio comedy, and outlandish short animations, among other oddities. His paintings and illustrations have been featured everywhere from exhibition spaces in Tennessee to the streets of Europe. In 2018, he created and curated the inaugural Animakrak short animation festival as part of the Galway Fringe in Ireland.

He continues on his quest to create whimsical yet weird art in a range of media via his creative production company, Studio Squidink, alongside currently being the project manager for New Voices 2.0.

Sam Roberts is a multi-disciplinary artist and theatre-maker originally from London. In the UK he studied theatre at both the University of Manchester and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and founded two theatre companies focusing on making compelling work that blurs the boundaries between theatre and other artforms. He has been working with ETL since moving to Leipzig in March last year, and has been an active member since September 2023, when he directed What I learned from my time in the Fridge as part of the first New Voices project.

He has been integral to planning and running ETL workshops, is an active member of the funding committee, and has been privileged to work as Creative Lead on the New Voices 2.0 project this year. He also works as an English teacher in Leipzig, and is in the process of writing his first crime novel. 

Josiane Segar has had many past lives as a nature conservationist in Montana and Scotland and a scientist in Oxford and the Netherlands, but since starting with theatre in 2021, she has never looked back. She has been involved in seven ETL productions as an actress, director or producer and played Else in the Freies Ensemble Jedermensch e.V., production of Else in 2023 / 2024.

 She is currently producing the second edition of “New Voices / Neue Stimmen”; an inclusive, city-funded theatre project for emerging international artists and the Fonds Soziokultur funded project ‘Cultural Bridge’. She is also co-runs the funding and workshop committees of ETL, including the ongoing science-theatre workshop series “AnthropoScene”. Alongside this, she is a voice actress and yoga teacher around Leipzig.

About the Interviewer: 

Boris Kostadinov has been involved with theatre in multiple countries, including Bulgaria, Scotland and Germany, and values collaboration and freedom of artistic expression as integral elements to any art form. He has previously acted onstage, created intricate lighting designs and provided guidance on lights and sounds for a variety of theatre productions.

Most recently, he has ventured out into the world of podcasting, using his technical knowledge and interest in people to share stories and inspire others to join English Theatre Leipzig through the podcast What’s My Cue? He also co-leads the film and culture review podcast (Re)Encounters and has been featured in other Leipzig-based social projects. He also finds time to express his artistic and creative side in his time as a German teacher.