Untitled, 1970, is the ultimate in immersive theatre. This multimedia theatrical play involves improvision with actual script; live theatre with planned, prepared, and produced television programs mixed into the story; and – the most stunning element – the play is set in a New York apartment so the play is being done IN A NEW YORK APARTMENT! Even the story is a parable of the innovation as we meet Joey & Tristan as they arrive in New York and attempt to navigate friendship and the perplexities of life in their new surroundings.

What drew you to this production?
I was drawn towards this project with very little hesitance due to the world of the story not being so foreign from my own. The world of the story is that of young artists from the European continent making a life and name for themselves in New York City, just like myself. Whereas Joey is a writer and I am an actor, I definitely find a lot to relate with him due to the anxiety, loneliness and on the other hand excitement found in each career respectively. I love acting and I love New York, just as Joey does too, but no matter how full your life here can be, it is very common to experience the sheer overwhelming stature of this gargantuan beast of a city during your twenties. There is also the strong message within this story towards men’s mental health and how often it is silenced and ignored. I urge people to check on their friends and family always no matter how “happy” you deem them to be, behind all the parties and consumption sometimes there is just a person struggling to deal with their pain. ‘Untitled, 1970’ shows an abundance of partying and youthful life partnered with the pain and anxiety that can be found in young men.

How has this changed your creative process?  
My creative process changes often depending on the project or even the scene. The team behind this project have been very collaborative and given enough freedom to us actors to make us excited for what we can bring to each scene. I have loved that this project involves both medias of film and live stage as both have very different processes but overall are both looking to achieve human life in a story. We often hear about ‘film acting’ and ‘stage acting’ and the differences in size, within working on the role of Joey I have worked with my director in ignoring that way of thinking entirely and whether I am on stage or on camera I am simply showing the life of Joey to the audience in the most truthful and vulnerable way whether it’s “big” or “small”. It’s also a treat for an actor to do both mediums in one job as I adore both the pace, excitement and energy of a film set and also the consistent, warm and classic feeling of theatre rehearsal. The process is ongoing but so far I’m very happy with the work of myself and everyone else involved.

Immersive theatre is pretty brave. What have you learned about yourself from this production?
Besides learning a lot about how to work on a multi-media production and adapting to the needs of both Film and Theatre, I have learnt a lot through the story and in particular the eyes of Joey. As I mentioned before I believe the story of Joey to be a really important one as the world continues to develop the sensitive conversation regarding mens mental health and the amount of suffering in silence that happens with men all over the world. Looking from Joey’s point of view seeing a privileged young man with the world at his feet but lacking motivation, desire and most importantly love, he simply can’t move forward. We often think “why are they unhappy? They have everything!” This story is another example of how life sadly will never work that way and mental health is nuanced and can change day to day. I learnt that having the title of a close relationship with someone isn’t enough and we always need to be open and honest with those around us to help ourselves and each other. It’s a beautiful story that can challenge, teach and entertain.

What’s next?   
After this project, I will continue to work in film and theatre, not sure how many opportunities will arise like this where I can do both! But you never know. I want to carry on my momentum in independent films as I am classically trained in theatre but currently have a rich passion for the screen and have always enjoyed working in that medium. Until then, I’ll very much enjoy being a part of the cast of Untitled, 1970.