Rachel is the bold theatre-maker celebrating our right to fail. With bags of humour, music and self-deprecating charm, she explores perfectionism and imposter syndrome in her one-woman-show, You Aren’t Doing it Wrong (If No One Knows What You’re Doing), in the Studio Theatre Fri 6 - Sat 7 Dec.
We caught up with her to find out more...
1. Tell us a bit about the show. What can audiences expect?
This is a solo show that asks the question of how we might turn the awkward experiences of our childhoods into something that we can, as adults, work with - maybe even embrace?
You can expect some terrible ballet, some embarrassing confessions, a surprise appearance from a celebrity super-hero, some moving storytelling and some incredible music not made by me. And just like life and best laid plans, the show might not take you quite where you expect to go... You will probably laugh, you might cry and you are very likely to feel some relief that it isn't you up there.
2. How do you feel about bringing your show to the Studio Theatre?
I adore the Studio Theatre! I love how it invites intimacy and welcomes audiences right up close. I think the thing I am geeking out about most this time is being in the space following the refurbishment. It feels very luxurious to be working with such state-of-the-art tech; a rare treat for small-scale theatre makers these days! Also, I can walk to Brighton Dome from my house. Hooray!
3. What inspired you to create the show?
For many years I’ve wanted to make a show about music. I come from a family who are all gifted (mostly classical) musicians, and although I have also had a lot of classical training, I never seemed to be able to make it fly in the same way, or meet the expectations of myself or the world in a way that made sense.
When I first started making the show, I thought I would need a professional musician onstage with me. Then, the more I worked with director Emma Roberts, the more we realised I had been sort of hiding behind other people to avoid uncomfortable truth.
Every time I approached the subject, I would hit these mental blocks of impossible standards and imposter syndrome; so the show has emerged from wrestling with that. That is the grit in the oyster.
4. As an artist, what advice would you give others hitting creative block and failure?
Perhaps the interesting question is how do we continue to stay open and curious ESPECIALLY in the areas where we have invested heavily in being an expert? So that we are continuing to let life in - so we are continuing to be astounded, dumbfounded, awestruck.
As Samuel Becket said ‘Fail. Fail again. Fail better.’ The ONLY way we can make anything interesting is through trying something out and then trying again. Unless you are willing to keep risking something, you will discover nothing.
5. You’ve left audiences with ‘warmth in their hearts’ and ready to ‘hug a stranger’ - what do you want people to take away from You Aren’t Doing it Wrong...?
I was getting groceries recently and a woman came up to me and said: ‘Hello, I saw your show in May. It had such an impact on me - look!’ and she points to her trolley which has our show tote bag in it full of vegetables. The bag says in big pink writing, ‘You Aren’t Doing It Wrong If No One Knows What You Are Doing.’
She is an art teacher and has started using this phrase for her students to invite them to get a bit looser with what they are expecting of themselves. This was the biggest compliment I could receive - that the show might invite this kind of willingness to experiment or try something different. That is music to my heart.
We're also finding that the show brings up people’s own childhood experiences in surprising and unpredictable ways. To be accompanied and hopefully befriended somehow. I love that aspect of it too.
Join Rachel in the Studio Theatre...
