In this week's Backstage Blog, we have a chat with director Alanah Guiry about her work in the upcoming horror, Our Monster's Name is Jerry, opening at Theatre Works on February 14!
Q. What should audiences expect when they come to see 'Our Monster's Name is Jerry'?
A. Horror is a challenging genre to bring into the theatrical realm and it’s one we don’t often see on stage. We knew from the get go that we needed a very strong creative team to pull it off, and man did we luck out. Audiences can expect to be taken on a unique ride through this genre in a way they’ve never experienced it before. There are lots of clues and nuggets throughout the show - lovers of language will be in for a big treat.
Q. Have you taken any inspiration from horror movies in the world creation of Our Monster's Name is Jerry?
A. We’ve watched an unhealthy amount of horror films as part of our research, but we’ve been heavily inspired by 80’s pop culture. We really love this particular genre of 80’s films that sit somewhere between horror and something more heightened and fantastical. Everything from Poltergeist, to E.T, to Beetle Juice and Edward Scissor Hands. My more contemporary influences have been Jennifer Kent’s ‘The Babadook’, David Bruckner’s ‘The Ritual’, Gabriel Bier Gislason’s ‘Attachement’ and Jordan Peele’s Us.
Q. What has been the most memorable moment in directing and putting on 'Our Monster's Name is Jerry'?
A. Amy has written a truly original, imaginative world which is such a gift to create with our team. It’s hard to pick a favourite moment without giving too much away, but what I will say is that creating a shape-shifting monster on stage has been a wickedly fun challenge.
We’ve had the rare privilege of having our set and costume designer Savanna Wegman as part of the project since our very first development in early 2024 so their ideas are really baked into the work. We have this amazing team of multi-faceted artists with all these rich skillsets and this production will use their talents in really unique and exciting ways.
I’m really thrilled about the level of world-building we’ve been able to create and I cannot wait to share this with the audience.
Q. What was the catalyst for creating the show?
A. Amy and I met back in 2020 doing the associate artist program at theatre works and bonded over a shared love of fantastical worlds and magic realism. We knew we wanted to work together and were waiting for the right project to present itself. Cut to a few years later, we had fallen in love and were in a relationship.
We were both cautious about working together, but when Amy came up with the idea for ‘Our Monster’s Name is Jerry’ based on our conversations around IVF and starting a family, it felt only natural that we should make this work together.
We were having some pretty big conversations about what that family would look like for us - and how we would define it for ourselves in a world that is dominated by cis/hetero definitions of family. This felt especially timely in the current climate as an AFAB queer couple and with Amy identifying as trans/non-binary.
Don't miss out on seeing this thought provoking horror, only on at Theatre Works 14th to 22nd February! Click the link below to secure your spot...
Content warnings: pregnancy and body horror, fertility struggles, IVF, dead pets, jump scares, loud sudden sounds, horror/supernatural visuals, medical trauma, homophobia.
Please note, this play is within the horror genre and we will be creating an in-depth guide for those who love the genre but not the scares.
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