I’m back with OPENING LINES, the interview series that puts playwrights centre stage by diving into the world of new writing and original work. Each interview explores the creative process, the challenges and triumphs of developing new ideas and work for the stage, why new voices and stories are essential to the future of theatre and what the industry is doing to nurture and support new writing. 

Fringe madness is nearly here! In this interview, I chat to the terrific Amenie Groves about her new play, PENELOPE QUADRANGLE AND THE MEANING OF FRIENDSHIP which is running at Greenside @ George Street from 1st – 16th August! Tickets available here.

Amenie Groves is an exciting emerging writer from a small seaside town. Her work mingles themes of connection and alienation with the absurd, always served up with a sizeable helping of comedy. PENELOPE QUADRANGLE AND THE MEANING OF FRIENDSHIP asks us what would you do if your best friend murdered someone? For Penelope Quadrangle, the answer is simple: hide the body. Sure, her bestie Natalie doesn’t talk much, or invite her to birthday drinks, and might be a serial killer, but without Natalie, she’d be nothing. So when Natalie brutally murders a client at their workplace, priority number one is make sure nobody ever finds out. Ever. If Penelope is one thing, it’s loyal. (And extremely well dressed. And absolutely, definitely, not lonely).

What inspired you to write PENELOPE QUADRANGLE AND THE MEANING OF FRIENDSHIP?

During my first year of university I properly sat down to unpack my last few years of secondary school, particularly my struggles with female friendships and understanding which friends are healthy for you versus not so healthy! All this against a backdrop of watching copious amounts of Bridget Jones and Agatha Christie came together to create Penelope Quadrangle – a woman who would fit comfortably into a chick-flick, but thrown into a genre that more accurately represents the highs and lows of relationships: the slasher!

What does bringing a show to Edinburgh Fringe mean to you? Is this your first time or have you been before? 

This is my first time at the Fringe and it means the world! I feel so lucky to be taking this show with the most capable, talented and passionate group of people I could have asked for, many of whom have been with the play since it’s very first performances in early 2024. It’s been amazing watching the show evolve from a silly idea scribbled in my diary to a Fringe show that people believe in. It was always my goal to go to the Edinburgh Fringe one day, and I’m incredibly grateful that I get to debut there with my own show!

Were there any moments during the writing process that surprised you?

Oh absolutely. A lot of the main characters looked very different originally, and it was the casting of the actors that breathed a totally fresh energy into them. Bridget, Penelope’s hapless neighbour, was written as the ‘straight man’- the only normal character in the show. But when Sameera Bhalotra Bowers auditioned with her hilarious interpretation, suddenly there was no other way I could see the character being played! Now I’d say Bridget is one of the funniest and most absurd parts of the play!

As the writer and creator, how did it feel to bring your own words and vision to life on stage?

Completely surreal and so much fun! Working and collaborating with the team has given a fresh energy to the play and I’m so excited for audiences to see it in all its bloody glory. This was my first one-act play to be staged, so it’s a really special one for me. It’ll be amazing to see it up and running at the fringe after years of working on it!

Did you learn or discover anything about the show during rehearsals that you didn’t expect to?

I think that when I wrote it, there was definitely a message to it but it was hidden under lots of layers of spoof and comedy. Staging the play seems to have really drawn out its emotional core, which has seemed to really connect with our audiences. It’s very flattering to have people respond emotionally to your work! During the rehearsal and staging process I’ve learnt just how personal this story is for so many people, whilst also being a night of genuinely funny comedy.

How do you want audiences to think and feel about your show? 

I’d like them to come away having had a good laugh and feeling very grateful for their friends. If it makes someone grin at their friend in the audience and say “this is us”, then we’ve done our job.

If you could ask your audience one question after the show, what would it be?

Would you hide a body for your best friend? Really?

Do you see yourself continuing to explore similar themes and topics in your future work?

There are a few common threads between this and my upcoming work, for sure! My latest play ALIEN BREAKDOWN PLAY, which debuted at the National Youth Theatre this July, digs deeper into themes of female loneliness whilst keeping its feet firmly rooted in absurdist comedy. I write and perform a lot of standup comedy too, often looking at alienation and odd, often absurd characters. (One of my standup characters is a beetle stuck on its back!) I’ve also got a short film, LIPSTICKITT! in the works which examines overconsumption and female beauty standards in what I’m calling a 5 minute ‘glamour-horror’! I’m really interested in female alienation, and tackling themes that would otherwise be quite dark through comedy.

Do the works of other playwrights, writers or theatre-makers influence your own writing? Are there specific writers or plays that have shaped your approach to storytelling?

I’m inspired by a lot of comedians and a lot of genres – any 2000s chick-flick is a perfect night in for me! I think my work is majorly influenced by Sayaka Murata’s fiction. She is a fantastic writer, and her strange, hilarious and often taboo work always make me think about the world in a new way. I’d give anything to be able to read ‘Convenience Store Woman’ for the first time again!

Do you feel that the theatre world is doing enough to support and nurture new writing? If not, what changes would you like to see?

It’s tricky because I feel like there are definitely opportunities – but those opportunities often come with a price tag or by knowing certain people. I’ve been very lucky to have been able to take part in new writing events at my university, but I do feel that the theatre scenes is seriously lacking in any schemes and opportunities for bridging the gap between amateur and professional writing. The theatre world can seem so vast and impenetrable, so I think if theatres and agents could be running more schemes, workshops and outreach events for writers looking to break into the professional world- without price tags- that would be game-changing.