Interview: Having a Whale of a Time!

Director Jesse Jones discusses Simple8’s Moby Dick

Ahoy me hearties! Are you prepared for the epic journey of a lifetime? Sure? Properly don your sou’westers and be a part of Simple8 Productions as they sail from Nantucket aboard The Pequod, seeking that legendary white whale, Moby Dick. We set out with Captain – oh, sorry – Director Jesse Jones, to search out out extra about what to anticipate on the voyage.

Jesse, thanks very a lot for coming ashore to talk with us. You’re directing Moby Dick this season. Are you able to inform us a bit in regards to the manufacturing? It’s a revival isn’t?

The present is a revival of types. Simple8 initially did a manufacturing of the present in 2013 that was very nicely obtained. After we had been speaking about the potential for me coming onboard to direct this new model of the present we talked loads in regards to the DNA of the unique and the way we’d work collectively to reimagine it for a mid-scale manufacturing. At its core this manufacturing asks an viewers to make use of their creativeness and for us as an organization to spark that creativeness, to deliver the world of the play to life utilizing the naked necessities.

Herman Melville’s novel is a large tome of a e-book however right here it has been tailored down right into a two hour present. How does that have an effect on the dramatic tempo?

Seb’s [Sebastian Armesto] adaptation has carried out an excellent job of delivering the plot at break neck velocity whereas additionally capturing a few of the extra meandering passages of the e-book. It creates this exhilarating piece of storytelling that feels true to the e-book but thrilling and fascinating for a theatre viewers.

Simple8 are famend for creating daring theatrical worlds from only a few props. How on earth of you going to handle this epic sea journey and a ginormous whale on tour?

The enjoyment of poor theatre is to deliver phrases to life utilizing little or no. I hope that the present delivers that. A lot of the ability of the White Whale lives within the characters’ minds; it lives massive of their heads. It consumes Captain Ahab to the purpose of obsession. Moby Dick is at all times one step forward and the hunt finds the crew of the Pequod on the path, choosing up the scent and studying of the trail of destruction left in his wake.

What can we count on musically on this manufacturing?

The music is a key storytelling machine within the present. The ocean shanties actually conjure the seafaring nature of the story, but in addition the entire present is scored dwell onstage. Jonny’s [Jonathan Charles] music helps to move us into the world of the play and helps the storytelling superbly. We cover nothing and see the unimaginable firm create the musical world of this epic journey, enjoying quite a few devices and bins and brushes whereas they’re at it.

The solid listing for the present seems to be phenomenal, with some excellent actor/musicians lined up. How has working with this ensemble been?

An absolute JOY. The group of individuals engaged on this present are a few of the most proficient, beneficiant and compassionate that I’ve had the pleasure of working with. They’ve embraced the ensemble nature of the piece and in a short while have created a dynamic onstage that seems like they’ve been working collectively for years.

I see that the tour is taking you proper out to the Isles of Scilly – how did that come about, and can you be crusing there?

It’s a reasonably bonkers thought to take a present of this measurement throughout the seas to what’s a a lot smaller venue than we’re acting at elsewhere. However it’s very thrilling because it’s the primary time a midscale present like this has ever managed to go to the Isles of Scilly, and a part of creating Moby Dick was making it prime quality but in addition extremely versatile, so we will carry out it to audiences anyplace. There are some incredible cultural plans on Scilly in the meanwhile, together with the constructing of a brand new theatre area – and we contacted the group there to ask whether or not we may contribute. Everybody from each the Scilly and the Moby Dick group has approached this problem with a ’How can we make it work?’ perspective – and that’s the one method these items work. I’m thrilled it’s going to be occur. Throw within the wealthy maritime historical past of Scilly and the whales you’ll be able to see simply off the coast, and this simply felt like an ideal match.

How do you hope your audiences will really feel after the present?

I hope that they get swept up within the storytelling. I hope their imaginations have been sparked. I hope that they ask questions of management and when obsession turns into harmful. I hope they really feel entertained. I hope they need to speak to individuals about it.

Moby Dick excursions the UK from 5 April to 22 June. Particulars could be discovered right here. Every part Theatre will probably be attending at Wilton’s Music Corridor (23 April – 11 Could) so watch this area for our evaluate.

You could find out extra about Simple8 right here.