Stage: Spymonkey: The Complete Deaths

Petra Massey is one of the four clowns performing in The Complete Deaths and one of the joint artistic directors of Spymonkey. Here she answers questions on working with director Tim Crouch and making a show with too much Shakespeare in it.

Tell us about The Complete Deaths.
I write this before we go into the fat, chunky bit of rehearsals. I could bullsh*t you right now and say “Oooh, it’s going to be amazing, it’s going to be so funny, it’s going to be deeply moving” but what do I know? We are about to take that great, theatrical, mincey leap into the unknown. We are excited to lay ourselves bare (take that any way you please). We are gearing ourselves up to make the best piece of theatre we possibly can. Between us we are half the age that Shakespeare would have been were he alive today. So with all that experience how can we fail? And if we do fail this is a Tim Crouch show, not a Spymonkey one.

What is your role in the show?
I am the girl in the company and my role is ALWAYS leading lady.

How did the idea come about?
For many moons Spymonkey wanted to perform in a Shakespeare play, mainly for our dear long suffering compadre Aitor to finally fulfil his dream and play King Lear, Hamlet and Romeo. We knew he wouldn’t stand a chance with anyone else so it was up to us.
Tim Crouchis an old friend and if we were going to attempt Shakespeare then what better choice than him and his maverick, cat-amongst-the-pigeons, geeksville approach. But more because he was in there with the RSC. Tim came up with the idea about doing all of Shakespeare’s onstage deaths. In part because so many people were dying around us, so it seemed pretty relevant at and still is, as they still are. It sure is going to be a jolly little piece.

Which scene has surprised you the most?
It involves washing up liquid. We had to fight hard but Timmy eventually capitulated.

What are your favourite Shakespeare facts?
That he possibly didn’t write a whole bunch of the plays and that he may have snuffed it from being too merry (always a good way to go). Also, that his wife Anne Hathaway’s first job was as a flamenco dancer.
Wed 11 – Sat 14 May, 7.30pm, Sat 14 & Sun 15 May, 2.30pm, Theatre Royal Brighton, brightonfestival.org, 01273 709709