From Q&A: Day of the Locust - The Recs

The novel by Nathanael West, published in 1939, is one of those books whose reputation has grown, especially after the author’s death. How did you happen upon it?

When I’m not at the Fringe – I work mainly in the commercial and education sectors – specialising in Actor-musicianship and in particular American Theatre.  I trained in American Theatre Arts, lived in the states and have always had a fascination with ‘Americana’.  Last year I worked on an adaptation of ‘They Shoot Horses Don’t They?’ which really spoke to me.  Hollywood in the 30s, 40s and 50s has such nostalgia surrounding it – but when you look into these times and what people like Horace McCoy and Nathanial West were writing about – there are SO many parallels with today’s landscape.  They’re writing about people coming from all over the country, and indeed the world, to gather in one city in the hopes of realising their artistic dreams.  To discover who they are and find their tribe. 

What is it about Day of The Locust that made you want to turn it into a piece for the stage?

It was my long time collaborator, David Shopland who suggested looking at this time-period again and he gave me Nathanial West’s Novel.  We were both so inspired by it we started talking about an adaptation rather than writing a whole new piece… and when we realised that we wouldn’t have to pay for exorbitant rights – it seemed destined for us.  These (sometimes forgotten about) writers are talking about riots and unrest, protests and identity politics, economic injustice and immigration… all these themes are front and centre in today’s media landscape – and I can’t think of a better place to draw that parallel than the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  

Disillusionment with the American dream feels super relevant to the times we are living in. What parallels are you drawing between the Hollywood of the 1930s of the novel and the world of today?

Despite the more generalised parallels I’ve mentioned above, I think people often associate Hollywood and LA with entertainment, glitz and glam… but they often forget it’s historically a place of people-power.  You name an important time in American history and Civil Rights in particular – you can find a photograph of  LA’s people taking to the streets.  David and I are particularly taken with the way people are resisting Trump’s ICE agenda and the way LA’s protests against injustices like this throughout history take a role.  Immigration is hugely important in both the novel and today’s media cycles – and so that is an important theme for our version.  

And live music plays an important role in telling this story. What can audiences expect musically?

Unlike my precious three shows at the Fringe… this time… we’re going electric!  As an actor-musician I’ve always seen underscore, songs and dialogue as different forms of music.  The music of a line spoken is just as important as the notes strummed on a guitar… this time however I’m really leaning into the time-less nature of West’s novel.  We’re using loops, soundscapes and effects much more than usual and I’m looking forward to showing the audience how underscore (like that in a film) is created live and in the moment.  

What are your hopes for Day of The Locust at the Fringe – and do you hope that audiences will get from the show?

My hopes are the same for every fringe – that the piece will connect with the audience and invite them in to reflect on the world we are sharing, how we are shaping it together and a reminder that we have more influence than we perhaps realise.  I hope that those who know the source material will enjoy this radical reimagining – and I hope that those who’ve never read the novel will go away wanting to read it!  I want to celebrate the melting pot that is the creative arts and the cities it creates – whether it be Los Angeles or Edinburgh – and hold both the positives and challenges we face not only as artists in an increasingly difficult economic landscape, but also as humans in an increasingly divided world.  

Although this show is not about my own recovery as an addict or my neurodiversity or religion… every show I make reminds me of a phrase:  ‘The opposite of addiction is connection’.  If you’re coming to the theatre – you want connection – and if you’re coming to one of my shows – you’re gonna get it!