As the academic year starts up again we can expect to see a lot of student theatre going on at the University. One of the first productions of the year will be brought brought to you by SUTCo, the Sheffield University Theatre Company.
Directed by James Platt and starring Abigail Edwards, Caitlin Wood, Kirsty Lucas and Abigail Wright, ‘We Are, In Fact, The Problem’ (WAIFTP) is a short dramatic piece that was performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe earlier this year.
The play follows four friends from a private school, who have drifted a little since graduating. They meet again years later for a dinner party, where pleasantries and reminiscing soon descend into tension and resentment. What happened to their friendship?
The cast and crew will be putting on an extra special one-night-only performance right here in Sheffield on 25th September in Raynor Lounge, which is located in Bar One in the Students’ Union.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Caitlin Wood, who plays Alicia, both about the production and the Edinburgh Fringe experience.
What genre would you say WAIFTP fits into?
I’d say WAIFTP is a drama with a hint of dark comedy in it. The lives of the characters are inherently dramatic, but it’s easy to listen to them moan about holiday homes and public transport, and laugh a little at their overblown reactions
How do you hope the play with resonate with university students?
For a lot of students who have either just, or recently, left high school, it will be an interesting look at how relationships from those years can change with time, and how sometimes the best thing is to let go. The show also holds some empathy for those who had a difficult time in school, whilst encouraging us to move forward.
Do you prefer acting in shows with a small or large cast?
A small cast can get really close-knit, but large casts are great ways to get to know a lot of people, especially if you’re new to a society. I think, ultimately, that I enjoy large casts a bit more, but some of my favourite people I met in a small cast show.
How did the idea to take WAIFTP to the Edinburgh Fringe come about?
A few of us bugged the writer until they brought it to our show proposals.
What was your experience at the Fringe like? What kind of reception did the play get?
Fringe was a lot of fun! It was definitely stressful, but for anyone who gets excited about theatre, it’s a really good trip. Our get-in (to set up the play) every day was about two minutes long though, which was definitely not the best. We had quite a lot of positive reception about the show, with some really kind audience reviews left on the Fringe website that made my day when I read them.
What do you think the experience of performing the play in Sheffield will be like, compared to the Fringe experience?
I think it will be slightly less stressful in a more familiar environment with less time pressure, but ultimately it will be pretty similar. It will probably run very smoothly now, considering how many times we’ve run the show!
What other projects does SUTCo have in store for this year?
Every semester SUTCo has at least 3 student-organised, -cast and -crewed shows, open to any member of the Sheffield Students’ Union. Our three shows open for auditions for auditions this semester are: Swap the Press, Lights Over Tesco Car Park and Medea. Auditions are taking place throughout Week 1 and are open to any Students’ Union member to come along to for free, whether you’re a fresher or not. We also have a show in Week 3 – 39 Steps (Abridged) – for a light-hearted taster of what SUTCo does! For more info, come and visit us at the Activities Fair on Thursday 21st September.
Lastly, for a bit of fun, describe WAIFTP in no more than ten words.
A hilarious satire about horrible people!
To find out more about how to get tickets, make sure to follow @weareinfacttheproblem on Instagram, where you can also find pictures from their Edinburgh Fringe run, as well as some behind-the-scenes rehearsal photos.