New musical Long Joan Silver sails into Hope Street

LONG Joan Silver is a new original comic musical opening in Liverpool this week.The first full theatre show from Liverpool Arts Society - a collective that up to now has been found hosting immersive events in clubs like EBGBs and the Jacaranda - is described as "Monty Python does pirates", and is being performed at the Hope Street Theatre, where LAS also occupy office space.Liverpool Arts Society was founded by Alex Medlicott, Tom Wilson and Jordan Bucknall, who collaborate with creatives of all disciplines to bring their ideas to life.Alex, 25, from Liverpool and Bradford-born Tom, 26, are directing and producing the new show. The pair are graduates of the YEP young directors course and are passionate about showcasing up-and-coming talent across the arts. MADEUP spoke to Alex to find out more...Who are Liverpool Arts Society?The Liverpool Arts Society is a collective with the shared vision for the future of the arts in Liverpool. Our aim is to provide a platform for creatives to showcase their skills and produce new, exciting and innovative work that inspires others.How might people already know your work up to now?We run a weekly event in the Jacaranda, The Underground Arts Society. The event changes art form each week, with one week based on theatre, the next art, the following music and so on. It helps us stay in touch with artists of all forms which is fantastic when we come to work on big projects like we are at the moment.What gave you the idea to create your immersive theatrical club nights?We had been running events for a while called Live @Tribeca which we packed full of different, new bands, artists, performers and theatre. However the one thing that wasn’t really working was the ‘theatre’ aspect, so we decided to theme the nights so the performances made sense. Our first one was a 'prohibition' night which went really well, we realised quickly that the actors roaming the space was a major hit with people. What has been a highlight of these?We did an event called ‘Le Cirque Magnifique’. It was set on New Years Eve 1899, where a circus had taken refuge in the Moulin Rouge. We worked closely with another company that provided fire eaters and strong men, and the show really took off! It was the moment we had been waiting for and justified all the hard work we’d put in to previous events. How has your involvement with YEP shaped what you have gone on to do?YEP is a fantastic platform that helps aspiring creatives of all types collaborate on the same project. Most importantly, it made us realise that if we wanted to make moves in this industry, we’d have to start thinking outside the box in order to have our work seen. Now you are getting ready for the world premiere of your first theatre show Long Joan Silver, written by Adam Ward. Tell us more...In a world where girls aren’t meant to be pirates, Joan O’Malley sets out to prove her father and his shipmates that girls can be pirates too. However, this wannabe buccaneer may end up with more than she bargained for...It has been amazing working with Adam and developing this piece of writing. The script is phenomenal, with hilarious wit, catchy songs and a really strong message throughout. We have a fantastic cast and crew of around 15 people [including] recent graduates from Liverpool Theatre School and John Moores University. Kimberley Athawes, who plays Joan, has recently performed in Falling Doors' production of The Nether. And it features original songs?All the amazing songs are written by Adam and we keep finding new, clever and intricate bits in them every day. We have an unbelievable cast of performers that keep bringing new life to them, and if the production is to go on we will be adding more and more musicians to the show to bring it to its full potential. Although it’s a comedy, equality is a major theme. Is it important to you to be making work that has a message?We are big believers in that if you can entertain, you can educate. The message is why we do this, we’re all storytellers. Theatre is such a powerful tool when trying to raise awareness and highlight social and political issues. Long Joan Silver takes inspiration from Monty Python and writers like Mel Brooks, making a real satire of historical events. We highlight the many struggles that women have faced in their fight for equal rights and the fight for equality is at the heart of the production, but you will laugh, you will sing and you will enjoy yourself. What do you think about the state of independent fringe theatre in Liverpool right now?The state of the fringe scene in Liverpool has been diabolical until this year. With the Lantern closing its doors it’s been really hard for young practitioners to cut their teeth in the industry. This is partly the reason we had to think outside the box in terms of creating work. Is the opening of the Hope Street Theatre (pictured) offering up new opportunities for LAS and others like you? The Hope Street theatre already feels like cultural hub for people to meet, connect and create. We are privileged to have secured ourselves a rehearsal space and office above the theatre and we can already feel a new buzz and exciting starting. We offer subsidised rehearsal space for £5 per hour, in an attempt to help companies try out new material.Sam Donovan (Hope Street Theatre artistic director) has done a great job of plugging the gap the Lantern left open and bringing all the up and coming creatives in the city together. We feel lucky to be a part of it. What would you like to do next?We have big, big plans. We’ve got our fingers and toes crossed that audiences love ‘Long Joan’ as much as we do. We’ve got plans for the show to go further, with potential for a tour lined up. As for the company, we’ve another show and audition dates to be announced right off the back of Long Joan Silver. Keep an eye out! Long Joan Silver opens at the Hope Street Theatre this Wednesday (October 17) to Saturday (October 20, including matinee). Some shows are already sold out - check the website for tickets and more info.