We chatted to Fionn about the play and production of God, The Devil and Me, playing at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre from the 6th to the 10th January.
What can you tell us about God, The Devil and Me? I can tell you it’s a wild ride, but hopefully a fulfilling one. God, The devil and Me is a comedic exploration of mental health, being a teenager, faith and so much more. It’s definitely an intense hour, but hopefully it’s funny, entertaining and leaves you with a lot to contemplate. It’s designed to bring empathy and humanity to some really misunderstood conditions, but to do so in an approachable, digestible way, so it’s less about judging people’s misconceptions and is more about finding a way people can relate and understand. Oh, and there are some very dapper top hats, and you get to meet the Devil and (if he’s in the right mood) God- he can be a bit of a diva.
How did the idea of the show come about? About seven years ago I had been struggling mentally, when a friend said something which changed my outlook. I’ve heard voices since fifteen and they said, “you know, I think it would be really good for me to meet them because then I could see for myself, the hard part is that I can’t,” and I just thought that was the best idea- bring my God and Devil to life. I played on and off for a while but shelved it in covid. About three years ago, I was in a rut and another friend asked if I was working on anything, as I needed a distraction. When I realised I had the making of a pretty good cast, we started work and it hasn’t stopped since.
Did you find it difficult to put your own experiences in the play? I think since I was diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder, an eating disorder and OCD at around 18, I have been looking to be understood. The challenge with this play is using my experience well and knowing what should be there and what is unnecessary. All experience is valuable, but not all experience is valuable to an audience. The benefit is knowing my experience inside and out (most writers use experience to ground a story), the challenge is, aiming to make this something that speaks to varied experiences. This requires adapting and playing with truth, which is loaded. I ultimately don’t want people to leave with my experience, I want them to leave with Gabe’s- it should be distinct because all people are, therefore no disorder is the same person to person.
What have you enjoyed most about developing the play? It’s immense bringing God and The Devil to life- Campbell Maddox and Neo Jelfs play them so vividly. Also, giving closure to them because in life it’s been complicated, so it’s nice to give them an ending. Also, working with truly amazing people! Watching Noah Edmondson, May Mead, Campbell Maddox, Miranda McEwen and Neo Jelfs grow as performers and come into their own as creatives is a joy. We have a good time and are a strong, committed team. As a Wiltshire-based collective with a focus on young people, I am proud of our company and ethos- and how enriched we are by them. Plus, Neo’s my partner (yes, God is my partner) and it really enriches us both to work creatively together- it’s hard but worth it.
How does it feel to be bringing God, The Devil and Me to The Lion and Unicorn Theatre? It feels like the culmination of a lot of work. I am so proud of this show, how far it’s come (we started out in a community center) and all the people who have worked hard to make it what it is. We are so excited to work with The Lion and Unicorn and appreciate their support- it’s a fantastic venue! We’d honestly perform this show anywhere, but on our journey, we have been very blessed to work with countless amazing spaces and people, and this really does feel like it’s all paying off. We can’t wait to see you all there- God and the Devil are available to chat after the show and we love seeing people interact with them, so don’t be shy come say hello!
By Emma Clarendon
To book tickets visit: https://www.thelionandunicorntheatre.com/whats-on