Today’s #quickfiretheatre interview is with Morna Young!
How would you describe what you do?
I’m a playwright, theatre-maker, musician and actor… wearer of many hats! I’m fortunate to work across theatre in different roles and I’ve become increasingly interested in multi-disciplinary artistry. I’m recipient of the Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship 2017 (hosted by Creative Learning, Aberdeen City Council) – this year’s fellowship theme is ‘the folk, the language and the landscape of the North East’ so I’ve been exploring that within my work. I’m particularly interested in working class women’s voices and challenging inequality within the industry. I tend to write in Doric and I’m a proud Scots Language Ambassador. I’m also one half of Folkify (with Sandy Nelson). We ‘folk up’ non-folk songs, anything from pop to rock to rap… it’s a fun gig to be a part of.
What theatre inspires you the most?
Genuine collaboration. I often see theatre where the pieces don’t quite fit together - the script, the direction, the design; they all sit in slightly different worlds. Then you stumble across the productions where everything aligns and it’s magical. I love work that challenges the norm and showcases voices and worlds that we don’t normally see. Theatre is guilty of serving the middle classes and we have to challenge that; whose lens are we looking through? We all know work when it’s authentic and, when we find it, it’s beautifully inspiring. What is your dream role / project?
I think I’m living it at the moment. The Fellowship has given me time and space to reflect, research, play and write. It’s a dream job.
What’s your favourite play?
Tough question. Love Song by Abi Morgan, Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth, Angels in America by Tony Kushner. I adore everything by Linda McLean. War Horse was up there with most magical theatre experiences I’ve ever had, I became a little kid again, completely enthralled by the onstage enchantment. I also adored Counting Sheep at the fringe in 2016… glorious.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Be you.
What advice would you give to someone starting out?
Listen to your gut. Focus on your own goals and stop comparing yourself to everyone else. Celebrate your friend’s successes; someone else getting a gig does not make you a failure. In fact, celebrate your failures too. They teach you far more than the successes. Great art evolves from mistakes. Be brave. It’s the only way we grow. What are you up to next? The Fellowship runs through to April next year. I’ve been working on a full-length play about domestic staff in a private school so that’s my main focus. The joy of this Fellowship is that it’s allowed me to explore my voice in different ways so I’ve got a few scripts on the go that I need to finish up. And a novel. I’m also collaborating with some awesome people including a multi-disciplinary artistry project called Folk plus Heroines (with AJ Taudevin and Belle Jones) and Projections (with Sarah Rose Graber). Upcoming performances includes Paines Plough’s Come to Where I’m From on 26th September at The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen and we’re got a one off Folkify at The Tron on 8th November.
