Tinderbox hits the big smoke. Writer Oli Forsyth gives PostScript the scoop.

What's Tinderbox all about and where did the inspiration come from?

"Tinderbox is essentially the story of three activists trying to bring down a bank. They think that by shutting it down, for a small period of time, they will kick-start a global revolution. It’s about indoctrination, political apathy and loss. The idea for the show came out of my own sense of embarrassment at not being more politically active, but also out of a sense of disillusionment with these “radical” solutions that occasionally get a following. I reckon any answer that starts with “It’s simple, all we need to do is…” has probably not been that well thought through. It’s never simple."

How was the show received in Edinburgh?

"Brilliantly. It’s always a risk taking something to Edinburgh as it’s such a tough place to break into, and with an untested piece of new writing you never know how it will be received. But we had a great month, the reviews were great, we got nominated for an Amnesty International Award and sold out for a lot of the run. Can’t argue with that!"

What would you do differently?

"Eat more vegetables."

Why do the show in London? What challenges does the transfer bring with it?

"Well we were very fortunate to get transferred. About 2 weeks into the Festival James Wren (Artisitic Director of The Hen and Chickens) came to see the show and really enjoyed it. He offered us the chance to come down to London and put on “Tinderbox” as a resident company. So not only do we get a chance to show “Tinderbox” to a wider audience but we now also have access to a great London theatre when working on our future projects."

What's the ultimate plan for the show/company?

"At the moment we have two other shows in various stages of production. The first is “Piglet” by Ed Harris, which is about an art collector who intends to destroy a priceless work in order to increase its artistic value. The second is called “Corners” and is written by myself. It’s a play inspired by my experiences in the world of boxing and details the lives of four cornermen trying to make the most out of a boxer they sign. We’re looking to put both plays on in 2015.

In terms of an overall plan we just want to keep making quality work. We’ve recently brought the incredible Charlie Brixon on board as co-producer which has been fantastic. The residency at the Hen and Chickens is great. It gives us a platform to build upon which so that the next show will be better, and the one after that better still, and so on. The more our work is recognized the easier it is to put on, so it’s really just about getting people in and keeping at it."

Do you expect a different reaction? Who would you suggest is the ideal audience member for Tinderbox?

"Well, at the risk of using a cliché, there’s something here for everybody. It’s got some moments of violence and pretty strong language, so maybe not for kids, but asides from that, it’s a show for anyone. In Edinburgh we never knew which crowd were going to show up; some nights the laughs came thick and fast and others the audience really got into the tragedy of the piece. It’s great to be working with a cast that can so effectively portray the different states the play goes through."

As a poet, actor and writer, you clearly have creative ambition. What is if you hope to achieve in the long term, if anything?

"Personally I’d just like to keep writing and performing. As long as there’s a platform where I can make work and see it put on, I’m happy.

In terms of Smoke & Oakum, I’d love to see us grow into a real hive for new writing. As we begin to grow our audience base and establish ourselves in London, we’ll have an opportunity to get lots of writers involved and have lots of different voices working with us. It’d be great to incorporate the spoken word and poetry scene into Smoke & Oakum. It’s such a fast growing art form and the quality of work being created is incredible. But one step at a time, let’s finish “Tinderbox”, “Piglet” and “Corners” first, then we can talk about where next."

Tinderbox

Hen and Chickens (N1 2NA)

4th-8th November 2014

7.30

Tickets at www.unrestrictedview.co.uk

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