With restrictions still in place, Corcadorca Theatre Company have adapted their annual showcase for up-and-coming theatre makers, Show, to take place online this year. One company involved is Tasteinyourmouth, a theatre company founded in January by three Trinity drama graduates. Their work-in-progress, “You’re Needy… Sounds Frustrating”, premieres today as part of Showonline2020.
The show, they explained in an interview with The University Times, is about “wellness and its intersection with capitalism, and how the wellness industry is another way of controlling women’s bodies”.
Discussing their influences, Grace Morgan referenced Ottessa Moshfegh’s book My Year of Rest and Relaxation, alongside “Hikikomori, [who] are a Japanese social group who self-isolate and retire from society, and everyone’s favourite wellness queen Gwyneth Paltrow”.
Laoise Murray added that a business called “Rent-a-Sister” had also inspired the work-in-progress. The business, she explained, is “hired by families to try and bring someone who’s self-isolating back into society”.
Will Dunleavy gave a run down of what their work-in-progress looks like. “Our piece is basically a quick run down of our influences for the audience, and then an introduction to the concept of Rent-a-sister”, he said. “We’ll have a quick visual mood-board, short film, art-house-esque thing shot in Laoise’s bathroom that will give you an idea of what the piece might look like, then a fun little outro introducing ourselves.”
Discussing their transition to working with film, Morgan explained how the group needed a tighter plan and stronger concepts to meet the “different demands” of the medium. “There was probably just as much planning as there would be for a live event”, she said.
Due to the lack of a rehearsal room, Murray admitted that it was difficult having to make “in theory” decisions. ”Though the team managed to try some things out in advance, “ultimately ‘on the day’ was when it was going to succeed or fail”, she said.
The online medium also contributed to “the speed and the style” that the piece was produced in, she noted. “When you’re in a room with one person, that level of engagement and intimacy can be very emotional, and you can draw out actions for quite a long time.” Similarly conscious of “everyone’s Zoom fatigue”, Tasteinyourmouth quickly prioritised getting “things across swiftly and in a way that doesn’t turn into boredom”, she added.
The experience has, among other lessons, taught the trio the value of being in a room together. “I think Zoom is fine in the early stages of something when you’re hashing out ideas”, Murray continued, “but there gets to a point where you get so much done when you’re in the room together”.
When asked what to expect from the work-in-progress, Dunleavy simply stated: “Madness, and chaos.” Elaborating, Morgan explained that the audience can expect “a taster, or you might say a taste in their mouth”, given that it’s not a full production. “It’s definitely chaotic, overwhelming, but also fun.” The trio joked that the piece is “finger food for the brain”.
All three of them also stressed their appreciation for Corcadorca’s support throughout the process, saying “we’re a little more skilled than we were before”.
“You’re Needy… Sounds Frustrating” premieres on Thursday, November 26th at 4pm on the Showonline 2020 website. There will also be a post-show Q&A at 4:30pm.
