Hot on the heels of week three’s 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, the Sheffield University Theatre Company (SUTCo) are already gearing up for their next production. Jumping from comedy to horror, week five’s original script Why We Stay by director Darcey Severne is coming to haunt the University Drama Studio for a four-night run ready to unnerve audiences with its dark storyline.
Why We Stay follows five university students who find themselves at an old, creepy hotel at the end of their year, all looking forward to a peaceful weekend away to savour each other’s company before they must part ways. But when Sydney meets the mysterious Iris within the hotel’s walls, they realise that not everything is what it seems, and that the people they’re sharing their weekend with may not be as friendly as they first let on.
Written and directed by University of Sheffield student Darcey Severne (Lights Over Tesco Car Park, Hedda Gabler), the play presents a genre not often explored by SUTCo. Speaking to Forge Press, Darcey told us: “This play is a love letter to the horror genre. My family raised me watching horror so it really feels like a homage to something that’s had such a big impact on me”. Whilst wishing her dark theme to be central, Darcey also made it clear that it wasn’t the only key factor in this tale: “I really wanted this play to be character driven – it was important to me that the audience care as much about the characters as they do about the anticipation of horror, which I think is something we’ve been able to achieve”.
She also told Forge of how bringing Why We Stay to the stage was a team effort, leaving no confusion as to her appreciation of the company: “My cast and crew have been so wonderful and supportive. They’ve all been incredibly dedicated and worked so hard to make this show amazing. I hope that as much as the audience is spooked, they can also tell how much love went into this show”.
The show also presents a challenge for SUTCo’s technical teams, led by Production Manager Heather Ellis (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hedda Gabler). With an ambitious concept and a range of supernatural technical possibilities, Heather explained: “This show is such a rare treat from a backstage perspective – obviously every show does something unique, but there’s an extra special kind of uniqueness that only horror can achieve”. When asked how the backstage experience is different from other shows she has worked on, Heather told us: “Working with fake blood, glass and props that need to move themselves has been an incredibly wonderful experience. And not to mention my team has been just incredible. I’d do it all again in a heartbeat!”.
Less than two weeks since SUTCo’s last curtain call, Why We Stay looks set to snap us away from comedy and into a much darker world, one in which the Why We Stay company are eager to please…and scare! If you go to their hotel, who knows what you’ll find…
SUTCo’s Why We Stay is playing from March 6th to 9th at the University Drama Studio. Get your tickets here
