I met up with Playwright/Actor Will Leckie, Director Zoë Morris and the cast to talk about their play, Crash and Burn at his year's Edinburgh Fringe.
Will, your new play is called Crash and Burn. Tell us what it’s about and where the inspiration to write it came from?
The play is a political comedy about climate activism and the oil industry. Onboard a gas-guzzling jet bound for Glasgow’s COP26 climate conference, Scottish oil tycoon Joseph Johnson faces an ultimatum: confess, or crash. An egotistical actor and suspicious flight attendant are caught in the ensuing crossfire, accompanied by rebellious assistants and Johnson’s daughter. The story exposes rampant corruption in the oil industry, ridicules the hypocrisy of high-profile activists and self-congratulatory conferences and explores the implications of environmental terrorism in response to the climate emergency.
The idea came about as I boarded a flight from London to Kerry, Ireland, last July. With a twinge of guilt growing as I found my short-haul seat, I imagined an alternative safety announcement, featuring a flight attendant fixated on the global climate emergency and our collective complicity. Who came up with the ‘carbon footprint’, anyway? BP’s ingenious invention points the finger towards individuals and away from transnational corporations responsible for environmental destruction. In what context could the individual stand up to this nebulous polluting force? An environmentally motivated hijacking of a private jet, of course. From here, I met a climbing instructor in a bar in Glencar, and the idea went wild.
Talking of chance meetings, we first met at the 2019 Fringe. Glenn Chandler went to see Bacon, a play you’d written while still at school and in which you also performed. He told me I must see it, which I did and loved it, so let’s go back to that for a moment.
Bacon was my first complete play; a biopic about the life and love of bohemian painter Francis Bacon and his cockney partner George Dyer. With the help of the Frederick Hood Fund, I took the play to Edinburgh in 2019.
But before that I went to Eton College aged 13, full of hope and with both eyes on the exceptional Farrer Theatre. After three years playing various one-liner ‘soldier’ roles, I began to feel disillusioned in such a competitive space. My family life was volatile and violent back then, and I wasn’t much happier in the infamous institution. Still, I met many special people on the way, and began to write. Theatre was a beautiful, creative escape for me, and the way was paved by various inspiring students and teachers. In the last two years, I embedded myself in the inclusive, queer microcosm, which provided a breath of fresh air from the all-male bravado and enclosed culture.
Then you went to Cambridge University. How did your writing develop there?
Cambridge students are prolific in their production of theatre, and I was just delighted to be around so many passionate creatives. I delved into acting and directing, while working on various plays including the dark comedy No One Needs to Know (2021), which follows a South-African man who moves to London to find solace from a life of alcoholism and domestic violence.
As the years went by, I became increasingly invested in my Theology and Anthropology course. The weekly essays taught me to write with precision, and with many areas of focus - from Kierkegaard and Madhyamaka Buddhism to Dostoyevsky and diverse ethnographies - all have influenced my plays, especially Crash and Burn (2022).
But Cambridge collided with COVID. How did that impact your studies?
I continued to work and write, and collaborated on some digital projects. A play called Take a Leap (2020) was cancelled due to the pandemic, and so we made it into a film, which was a learning curve, to say the least.
Then you graduated and went on to do what?
I spent a few months teaching Drama in schools across London, then went travelling in Colombia. I volunteered with OTGI, a charity based in Pamplona which gives aid to Venezuelan refugees crossing the border. I travelled some more, and ended up in Cochabamba, Bolivia, with a community circus project. We performed in various parts of the country, which taught me a lot about clowning, acrobatics, juggling and physical theatre.
And with that under your belt, you were all set to bring Crash and Burn to the stage with the cast who are now going to join us. I’ll just throw some questions out there and people can chip in as they see fit. Tell me something of your backgrounds, how you became involved in Crash and Burn, your role in the production and the attraction of the play? Will, we’ll keep going with you, because as well as writing the play, you’re also performing in it.
Will: Yes. I’m playing Amodius Vassano, an Italian-American actor who has his eyes on the political stage. Amo oscillates between spiritual moralising, egotistical action and being a daddy to various adopted children from all over the world alongside his arm-candy husband back in LA.
Noah: I’m Noah and I play Lewis, an incognito Scottish environmental activist who works as an air steward. Lewis balances a radical, bordering on manic, personality with rare empathy. I hope he will hold the audience’s attention hostage.
Claudia: I’m Claudia Rosier, a versatile burlesque dancer, singer and actor from London. My passion for the stage started at a young age and I received training at St Marylebone School, The Cheek of It school of Burlesque, and the National Youth Theatre. I've been fortunate to land roles in various clubs and had the opportunity to portray Roxy in a drag version of Moulin Rouge.
After auditioning for Crash and Burn, I felt a deep connection with the character Margot, as her passion for the environment and maternal instincts mirrored my real-life values. The play's focus on greed and its impact on the environment resonated with me strongly, and I believe that discussing important issues like global warming through creative platforms is vital.
Emily: I’m Emily Gibson, and I’m an actor from Norfolk. I’ve been involved in multiple British Youth Music Theatre productions, have performed as a singer around Norfolk with other musicians at The Garage in Norwich, and have acted as part of the University of Cambridge Theatre scene.
I heard about Crash and Burn from a friend I’d done a Cambridge show with, and knew I had to audition after reading the script exert – anything for the opportunity to play an unlikeable woman! I play Jane Johnson, daughter of oil tycoon Joseph Johnson, and love her not-quite-a-girl-boss, not-quite-a-girl-fail character, whining her way through an impossible situation. The cast and crew of this show are truly amazing, making this opportunity even sweeter!
Nick: I’m Nick and I’m playing Joseph Johnson, a tyrannical capitalist patriarch. I’m channelling my best Glaswegian King Lear, so make of that what you will. I work as a lawyer but have been doing acting projects on the side for the past few years.
Lydia: I’m Lydia and I play Cynthia - the cynical, ambitious assistant of egomaniac actor-turned-political-candidate Amodius. She goes on quite a journey of self-discovery throughout the course of the play so it’s good fun navigating all those different emotional states and shifting power dynamics.
How are you all feeling about performing in the play and being at the Fringe?
Claudia: It's an exciting new experience for me as I'm participating in the Fringe for the first time. The prospect of immersing myself in this grand celebration of creativity, with its diverse performances, artistic expressions, and vibrant energy, fills my heart with joy and excitement.
I am looking forward to giving my all to this production and contributing to the powerful message it carries. The stage has always been my home, and I'm ready to pour my heart and soul into bringing Margot's character to life, engaging audiences in thought-provoking discussions about the environment and greed. Let the journey at the fringe festival begin!
Lydia: Will and I met met at uni, in a production of Little Shop of Horrors (he was playing the dentist, I was playing Audrey), and we have worked on a few projects together since then.
When I saw that he had written a play about an oil tycoon whose plane gets hijacked by climate activists en route to COP26, I was instantly hooked and knew I had to audition. The play is a really brilliant exploration of some very important issues at the forefront of most people’s minds at the moment - the rapidly snowballing issue of climate change and the culpability of big corporations investing in fossil fuel companies and projects. I hope we can accurately portray the frustration and anxiety felt by many people about these issues, whilst also entertaining them for an hour with some wonderful (and awful) characters… alongside some laughs as well.
I’ve been up in Edinburgh as a performer with two different shows - an original play called The Ladies (set in a ladies' loo) in 2019, and a musical about the 7 deadly sins called Living with Sin (I played Greed) in 2022. I couldn’t be more excited to go back up this year, show people this brilliant play, and try and see as many of the other pieces up there as I can.
Nick: I played Nick Carraway in a sold out production of The Great Gatsby at the Fringe in 2016 so it’s great to be back.
Emily: I’ve been to the Fringe once before in 2022 with The Coven, and had a blast! It’s a great place for young creatives to show off and weird out, and see just how much we can get away with so long as we’re being entertaining enough. Given that, I’m really looking forward to the Fringe this year, and hope to see as many shows as possible (and see those casts come and see Crash and Burn, naturally)!
Noah: Being from Edinburgh, I’ve been to the Fringe since I was young. I’ve never taken part. The Fringe still has a lot that is worth the name, and my favourites have tested the association with comic-strips, stuffy rooms and over-priced refreshments. I have never been so excited about August in Edinburgh. Will has written, Zoë is leading, and the fellow cast are making something beautiful. I’m most of all excited for any and all to see it.
Will let’s turn to director Zoë now. How did you meet?
Will: Through Instagram. I was struck by Zoë’s apt and nuanced interpretation of the play, and wanted to work with her from the moment we spoke.
Nick: And I previously acted in Zoe’s production of Elektra at the Bloomsbury Theatre in 2022 and I’m thrilled to be working with her again.
Claudia: During the initial rehearsals for Crash and Burn, I had the pleasure of meeting our director, Zoe. Right from the start, I could see her incredible talent for directing and how skillfully she shapes the production. I'm genuinely thrilled to be working under her guidance, knowing that the play is in such capable hands.
So, with that introduction Zoë let’s hear all about you now, as you face you first Fringe.
I was born in Brazil and grew up in São Paulo (my mum is from Rio and my dad is from Yorkshire). When I was three or four my mum enrolled me in a children’s theatre school about five minutes away from where I lived, which I was part of until I moved to the UK when I was 13. The cultural adjustment was tough but making theatre and working collaboratively is something that has always brought me a sense of community through a closeness to other people, their experiences and the stories they want to tell.
I studied the Ancient World at UCL, focusing on Greek Tragedy and Comedy. I started off being the assistant director of a few shows and in my final year, won the directorship of the annual Classical Play at the Bloomsbury Theatre. I adapted and staged a version of Euripides’ Electra which aimed to highlight the incredible flecks of comedy in the play-text. It was through Electra that I also got involved in participation and outreach, putting together resources and workshops for people who might not have had access to them otherwise.
After finishing university I joined the Old Vic Theatre Makers Company 2022-2023 led by Joe Hancock and worked alongside actors, directors and writers for six months. In 2022, I was granted a bursary to participate in a theatre project at the University of Parma called Performing Aristophanes, where I worked with Professor Giovanna Di Martino and director Marco Martinelli (Teatro delle Albe).
Will says you met on Instagram. How did that happen?
I got a fateful DM one morning from a friend sending an Instagram story that @Willleckie was looking for a director. After many phone calls, we finally met on the day of our first full cast rehearsal!
What is exciting about directing this play?
The themes of this play being so current and thoroughly researched really drew me to the script. I love the use of satire as a way of thinking critically about the world and the fact I laughed out loud multiple times while reading the first draft, immediately made me want to get involved.
This is my first time directing a full-length piece of New Writing. Working with Will and watching the script develop has been really interesting. It is as if everyone and everything evolves together and in relation to each other and there is something very alive in that. Since most of my work so far has been tied to ancient theatre, it has been really exciting working on this.
Many thanks to you all and best wishes for a sucessful run and a fun time in Edinburgh.
