Today we speak to Cathy Wippell about the show Montselier which is coming to Baron’s Court Theatre on the 24th and 25th of October as part of Grimfest. It is a debut one-woman show about the last accordionist of the apocalypse and starts at 8:30pm. I wanted to find out all about it.
Hello! Tell us about yourself ?
Hello! I’m Cathy Wippell, a writer-actor with a background in activism. I run a film production company called Silicon Gothic with my co-founder, Joseph Archer, the aim of which is to ‘monstify’ modern day issues like water pollution, climate change and fake news through the horror genre. Our previous projects have seen us working with top talent like Stephen Fry, receiving funding from BFI Network, GENERA and the British Council, as well as being featured in BFI Sight and Sound Magazine, BAFTA Albert, Sky News and being invited to talk at the University of Cambridge.
Tell us a bit about the show Montselier?
Montselier is my debut solo show and first venture into playwriting. It’s a dark comedy that follows the last accordionist of a post-apocalyptic UK, Montselier, as she travels across the wasteland delivering songs, stories and survival tips. It’s been described as “a show for lovers of horror and caution” (The Quinntessential Review) and as having “fantastic world-building and story-telling” (The Independent Horror Society).
How are rehearsals going?
Rehearsals are going great – they’re always a funny process, it being a solo show, and you sometimes feel a bit mad rehearsing in a room by yourself, but it’s a really fun character and I feel like I get something different out of her with each run through. This particular rehearsal process in the lead up to Grimfest has also been really special for me, as I have two significant new parts to the show, and it’s really fun to experiment and see just how far I can push them. The setting of the end of the world is, ironically, an absolute treasure trove of new ideas; to imagine how someone would cope, how they would make light of the disaster, what they would eat, the people they would meet…it’s fascinating.
What can you tell us about the stage set?
The stage set in minimalistic. I imagine Montselier touring across this wasteland, and she doesn’t have many belongings – just what she can carry. That being said, there’s a couple of new props which I think will surprise people. A big part of the stage set is also the venue itself for me. I’m very lucky to have performed in Havana, Chichester, as part of Chichester Fringe, which worked really well as it had the feel of a nuclear bunker. I’m really excited to bring it to Baron’s Court Theatre given that the theatre itself is underground, and I think this will add something very special and post-apocalyptic as the audience descend the stairs to enter the twisted, ludicrous world of Montselier.
Tell us a little bit about the rest of the cast
I wish I could! But it’s just me…the audience plays their own role though, and they’re always fantastic. They really inform what tone each show takes on. Some are funnier (usually when audiences have a darker sense of humour!) whilst some have a more serious atmosphere.
What is the most challenging thing about doing the show?
The stamina it requires and the focus for sure – as with any solo performance, to be on stage for a whole hour is a lot, but to do it with a 10-kilo accordion is another story. Montselier is also a pretty eccentric, unhinged character, so my pre-show prep is usually about an hour long as I get into the mindset, which is very different from my own. I always need a couple of pre-show chocolate bars to see me through.
The best thing about touring the show?
100% the best thing about touring the show is the audience. I’ve had people come up to me at the end of the show who’ve said it’s changed their perspective, and that’s what I really aim for as an artist. I truly believe that art has the power to inspire change, and it’s something I aim for with all work…so to get feedback like that is just incredible and really validates everything I’m doing this for.
What have been some of the best highlights since doing the show?
I just love doing it, so that in itself is a highlight, but I was very honoured to win a ‘Spooky’ award at the Edinburgh Fringe this year as runner-up for Best Cabaret. I really went up to test Edinburgh out as I’d never been there before, so to be recognized despite only being there for a week and on a very tight budget was really amazing. I’m very grateful to everyone at Edinburgh Horror Fest for their work on promoting the darker side of fringe and for providing a platform for new/debut work like Montselier!
What is the best reaction you have had from an audience member?
Someone got in touch with me two weeks after I’d done the show saying they still thought of this particular bit (but I won’t spoil it) every time they got on a train. That part of the show covers a really important theme, which was largely the theme I based the whole show on, so the fact that that audience member thought of it regularly was really powerful. It’s also always the new audience members, the people who I don’t know and who’ve just turned up to take a chance on the show whose reactions I really value. From being told ‘that was deep, man’ to ‘it’s so strange talking to you now because you’re just not that weird in real life’ (how little they know…), the variation of reaction is honestly the best thing about doing this.
If people want to follow you on social media where can they find you?
@montselier on Instragram. You can also find more info at my website, http://www.montselier.co.uk
Finally in three words why should people come to your show?
Apocalyptic accordion cabaret!
Welcome to The Phoenix Remix 