EDINBURGH 2017: BWW Q&A- Box Clever

Tell us a bit about Box Clever

Stef: A moving, truthful and darkly comic, new play about one woman's experience of a refuge and a Mother's commitment to do the best for her daughter amongst a flawed system with music and clowning from Avi Simmons.

Why bring it to Edinburgh?

Stef: Nabokov have a track record of successful Edinburgh Festival Fringe Productions, Since becoming a female-led company in early 2016, the company have a focus on commissioning and showcasing underrepresented voices in the industry.

Edinburgh is the biggests arts festival in the world and this story need to be shared with as many people as possible. It is a great platform for to introduce the playwright and this narrative to audiences and the industry alike "Monsay Whitney is a writer of ferocious honesty, rare imagination and extraordinary humanity. She has the potential to become a startling and significant figure in British theatre." (Simon Stephens) and this is beginning of that journey for Monsay Whitney.

Why is it important to tell this story?

Monsay: Well the issues that Box Clever deals with very much exist. They are not uncommon. I'm not sure that many people know exactly to what degree they actually do exist. Why would they really? How could they? They dont appear to be issues that our government feels the need to dissect with any great urgency - if anything support for domestic violence survivors tends to get only a passing mention. Rarely are these issues examined by the media. And when it is its usually all very distanced - official representantives throwing figures and statistics around. Box Clever attempts to connect facts with emotions.

I think if the general public did have more awareness of the issues facing domestic violence survivors after they have fled their homes, then there would be digust towards government cuts to domestic violence charities and the total lack of after care, crisis loans, funding grants which are necessary after survivors have returned to independant living. I also think there would be much greater support calling for reforms to the systems and authorities that exist in order to protect victims and their children, aswell as to keep victims with their children.

So awareness I guess is one of the reasons I think it's important to tell this story. Also, as a cautionary tale, to highlight the repurcussions inflicted when the humanity of others if forgotten, when we put our own needs before the more vulnerable.

What sets it apart from other shows at the Fringe?

Stef: Unique mix of arts forms including new writing, music and clowning.

A provoking and authentic voice that theatre desperately lacks.

Who would you recommend comes to see you?

Stef: Anyone who loves a bit of dark humour and a stories inspired by current events hidden from the public eye.