Normal Is An Illusion delves into the depths of the human mind. Broadway Baby finds out more.
I wanted to create something that introduces true, unhindered emotions; with no borders or boundaries. Normal is an illusion attempts to do this; it attempts to put on display the bare mind, burdened by its’ own demons and voices; we show insanity and tackle very sensitive issues the way we think they would happen.
Tell us about your show
Normal is an illusion’s title comes from one of my personal favourite quotes; “Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly”. Who can really define insanity, how can you see beyond the fine line that separates our definition of normality to the abnormality of the criminally insane?
In this psychological drama, Dr Jack Turner introduces his newly appointed therapist in the CA Ward for the criminally insane. One patient at a time, one story at a time, Dr Jane Gallagher will find out that normal is simply an illusion. She discovers the difficulty in entering their minds, in finding some evidence of logic in their heinous actions. Theyboth hear their stories and share their burden as they slowly unveil the depth of their inner thoughts.
We attempt with this production to explore and overcome taboos; nurture minds to open and consider insanity from the eyes of the beholder; and portray in a physical form fears, insanity and lost voices. The play ventures to tackle sensitive issues such as abuse, physical and psychological, misogyny and more.
Why did you decide to take your show to Space UK this year?
I think mainly because the Space UK can accommodate our needs. They understand what the play is trying to convey, what is the environment we need and they have an excellent venue and services to offer in order to achieve that.
What are you most looking forward to at this year’s festival?
First and foremost I’m looking forward to the opportunity to share our production with the world; to share my creation with an audience. And of course, I’m looking forward to the unique opportunity to experience this wonderful festival as a whole. Theatre and writing has been the saving grace in my life and I cannot wait to experience the talent and uniqueness that will be there.
What makes your show unique amongst the thousands of others at the festival?
For a long time I wanted to create something beyond the narrow borders of sensationalism that now defines theatre; those vacant emotions, the romances of no substance, the characters without gravitas. I wanted to create something that introduces true, unhindered emotions; with no borders or boundaries. Normal is an illusion attempts to do this; it attempts to put on display the bare mind, burdened by its’ own demons and voices; we show insanity and tackle very sensitive issues the way we think they would happen. Normal is also unique because it has a piece of me in it; I always surrender a part of me when I write.
How did you create your show?
It was an adventure. The writing was the fun part. Then, the problems followed mostly having to do with finances and timing. But I am blessed with a wonderful cast and crew and gradually, with a lot of patience and support, we managed to get the show ready for this wonderful experience.
What’s the main thing you want to get out of the festival this year?
The festival will be a learning curve for my company. Thespis Project is newly established and I would like to use this wonderful experience to get Thespis on his feet and running towards great things like the festival. And certainly, if everything goes as planned we would like to produce and bring more shows in the future, as well as share Normal in different venues around England.
Production Company: Thespis Project Theatre Company
Venue: The Space On The Mile: Theatre Three
Dates: Monday 25th to Saturday 29th of August
Times: 21:45 – 22:45
Twitter Handle: @ThespisProject
