Beth Steel On … Ditch at the Old Vic Tunnels

Beth Steel: I didn’t
write Ditch for any particular space. I think it’s
really important to write story first and then if one is lucky
enough, find a venue that can best tell that story. But the format of
a traditional theatre would just not suit the piece because it’s
such a strange play. The distinction is not, however, writing for a
particular venue but writing work that is so different that it asks
to be done in these sorts of spaces. If it wasn’t this kind of play
then it wouldn’t be done in the Old Vic Tunnels. It’s more about
the ambition of the writing – the ambition of the world – which
means that directors will start to think that this play needs to be
done somewhere other than a theatre.

I do think that unconventional
theatre spaces are definitely something that young writers seem to be
more aware of. There’s a strong aesthetic element being put to new
works of theatre, which is not just based on location, and you can
either be daunted by that as a writer or you can relish it and step
up to the challenge.

The Old Vic, inspired by their strong commitment to narrative and innovative use of space, approached HighTide after seeing their promenade production of Stovepipe. But Ditch is the acually the first play in the tunnels that is not
promenade; we are using fixed-seating. Both the
Old Vic and HighTide were very keen to prove that the tunnels can be used in this way. It’s a huge space but I’m not
worried about it being swallowed up in it just
because the audience are sitting down.

The story is very vivid and it
was always going to be very minimal in terms of set because the
action of the play is the dialogue. Although, the audience will have
an almost promenade experience when they enter the theatre, seeing
elements of the story in the ten minute walk through the tunnels
before they take their seats. So there’s that time when they can
switch off from London life and get into the world of the
Ditch and it’s at that point when the play
begins.

It’s been a really collaborative
process working with the director, Richard Twyman, who’s been
brilliant especially as this is my first play. I originally submitted
the play to HighTide and they got back to me and said “we love it,
we want to do it – we’ve got a director for you and you’ve got a
few months to get the script together to get it into a better shape”. HighTide have been amazingly supportive from the very start.
It’s one thing writing the story but it’s another having the
knowledge of how it’s going to work on stage. But nothing has
changed in the script since the decision to perform it in the Old Vic
Tunnels. Richard did say to me I wasn’t allowed to look at a venue
if I was going to change the play, that I had to keep it exactly as
it is – he didn’t want me to alter it at all which is fantastic.

So when had a 95% yes on the venue,
Richard and I went to the Old Vic tunnels and both immediately went
“Oh my god, we have to have it”. We had only been in there
literally 20 minutes and my eyes had already started doing strange
things and you’re hearing dripping water and it’s pitch black.
And then we went outside to Waterloo and it was about four ‘o’ clock
in the afternoon and there was blinding sunlight and it was almost
like a perfect after-note for the play. And just thought “I hope we
have matinees”. It was such an experience.

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