Three women and four men in a room… and in an interview. Anita Dobson, Debbie Chazen and Maisie Richardson-Sellers, who play the 3Women of the title in the world premiere of Katy Brand’s forthcoming debut play, and Ollie Greenall, their young male co-star, tell us more about what appealed to them about the script and what they most inspiring about other generations. Have a read – and then get booking!
3Women explores the relationships between three generations of the same family – grandmother Eleanor (65), mother Suzanne (40) and granddaughter Laurie (18), played by Anita Dobson, Debbie Chazen and Maisie Richardson-Sellers respectively. On the eve of Suzanne’s wedding, they’re brought together in a hotel room for a night of tensions and revelations in this darkly comic and pertinent exploration of what it means to be a woman.
Post-show Q&A
Mates co-founder Terri Paddock chairs a Q&A with Katy Brand & the 3Women company after the 7.45pm on Thursday 17 May 2018.
From generation to generation, mother to daughter, this female-led play explores what it means to be a woman in the 21st century and the consequences of the generational gap on our attitudes, cultural expectations and family dynamic. It’s directed by Michael Yale, with designs by Zahra Mansouri and lighting by Nic Farman. The premiere is produced by Stage Traffic Productions, who had a hit at the same address last year with Jordan Tannahill’s Late Company, transferred from the Finborough Theatre.
3Women premieres at Trafalgar Studios
What attracted to you to the play?
Anita Dobson: The most exciting thing about this project is the script which is written by Katy Brand, who I admire greatly and who I have had the luck to work with before. The play is about three women of different generations, all put together in the same room to discuss the 1001 problems that beset women throughout their lives. These are subjects that are not always discussed openly between women in a public place. This play throws that into the spotlight and that is a good thing! I hope women and men of all ages come to see it and take something away from it.
Maisie Richardson-Sellers: When I first read the script, I was deeply moved and tickled by it. The power of this play is that it explores mother and daughter relationships in different generations and the importance of communication and the consequences of when communication breaks down. To see three women of different generations interacting and learning from each other, often when they least expect, it was captivating. The whole cast and team are incredible so it was a total no-brainer for me.
Debbie Chazen: It’s a beautifully written piece about humanity, society and family values. This is a powerful play about family relationships and passing the baton on to the next generation. Amazingly, the pursuit of happiness is still considered brave, or selfish, or even subversive, especially for women. It shouldn’t be an act of courage to have the life you want, which is what the play explores.
In the rehearsal room with director Michael Yale and designer Zahra Mansouri
What do you find encouraging about other generations?
Maisie: I find the unshakeable belief in the younger generation that they can make a difference, and that they can be the change, inspiring. I’ve been pleasantly surprised when talking to women of older generations by their openness to the ideas of younger women, and after all, we can only change things by working together and starting the conversation.
Ollie Greenall: A lot of the younger generation don’t always see the boundaries that society has laid down for them. Young people have an attitude of focussing on what they can do and we need to be more open to this or it’s not fair on them.
Debbie: Every younger generation thinks they have invented the way forward, it’s always been that way. They are the ones who take things forward and we haven’t learned that yet (even in 2018, we haven’t embraced it fully). So, I want people to learn from past mistakes that the world is continuing and will always change. The world will improve if we all learn that and if we are open and learn to change.
Anita: If the rest of the world gets from this play what we are – three different generations and we all get on and respect each other’s opinions and everyone has a voice worth listening to, then that’s all we want.
“It’s a celebration of women”
How would you describe the play?
Maisie: It’s a comedy-drama that explores the interrelationships of three women from three very different perspectives. On the eve of the mother’s wedding, the three of them are isolated together, a great rarity, and with tongues loosened by champagne, they delve into each other’s darkest secrets and wildest dreams. The play is as funny as it is tragic, as exciting as it is challenging. I hope it will open discussions for the audience.
Debbie: It’s not a big flash musical and it’s not a huge space. It’s the type of space and play where you come along and get completely involved. It’s warm, witty and wise.
Ollie: 3Women is not only an entertaining, great night at the theatre, it also deals with issues at the heart of families that are going to be very familiar to a lot of people who come and see it. It’s a play about the generational shift in women, their lives, positions and perspective which a lot of men are going to relate to as well as women.
Anita: It’s a wonderful celebration of women, a celebration of women who can let their hair down, debate and then come back together again and make peace.
