Earlier in the year, writer Madeleine Raine caught up with artistic director of ‘Dead Rabbits’ Theatre Company Kasia Zaremba-Byrne to speak on her newest offering ‘Tiger Lady’. Due to COVID restraints, the show’s run at VAULT had to be cancelled. Now, ‘Tiger Lady’ is back, and due to be showcased at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. ‘Tiger Lady’ tells the story of Mabel Stark, one of the world’s first female tiger tamers. The play explores Mabel’s rise to fame and near sixty-year career in the male-dominated circus industry.
The Indiependent: Often the stories that are from the perspective of women are forgotten, or viewed from the perspective of under-dogs. What drove you to represent forgotten or underrepresented women? Is this something that is based on personal experiences?
Kasia: I think there is something in me that seeks to counterbalance the dominant trend. Growing up, I was surrounded by many stories where men were the heroes. I don’t specifically look for women’s stories because we are surrounded by so many men’s stories. As I look closer inside these stories and research behind the events, I often find a different angle. Sometimes less heroic but very humane and empathetic. That’s what happened with our previous show: My Love Lies Frozen in The Ice. It was a true story about three explorers that went missing (in an air balloon) in the Arctic for 53 years. Behind that, I found a story of the sister of one of the explorers and a fiancée of one of the others. It tugged at my heart. She waited and actively sought for them through all that time. I am not going to tell the whole story, but it is simply story what love does to us…
Have you always specialised in devised theatre or is this an interest that has grown with your own career progression?
Yes, I have been trained in devised, physical theatre, with emphasis on playfulness, being ok with failure, humour and music and I always pursued this direction. Of course, this kind of way of working is difficult, but most importantly, it brings people together, their creativity and their humour.
The outbreak of Covid-19 brought challenges to everyone around the world; regardless of profession. How was the ‘Dead Rabbits Theatre Company’ affected?
In 2019 we went to Edinburgh Fringe for the first time, and we had a great run and made lots of contacts. We had UK tour scheduled for the end of March 2020 and a big festival in Chicago and also in Canada. So yes, all this was cancelled, but you say to yourself, it will be hard for a while but we will emerge again, full of strength. It is hard not to play for people, it is hard not to share the joy.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced in the industry so far and how did you overcome this?
I suppose as a small company it is hard to get funding especially during the pandemic. It is the question how to keep going. The ACE Emergency grant starts from £25K and we are too small to get them. At the moment, we are making a big strategic plan for the future and hoping that’s once the pandemic is over, we can re-start our activities and working with all the great creatives that we met on our way.
You are not only the artistic director for The Dead Rabbits Theatre, but also a senior lecturer in Acting at St Mary’s. How do you balance these roles whilst maintaining a work-life balance?
I don’t think I maintain the balance. But the work with acting students is so much fun and gives me lots of great insights for my work with the professional company so everything just works out. I do what I love so that’s most important. And to be honest, this kind of work never stops…
Which production would you say most closely resonates with your own experiences and interests?
I would say the Tiger Lady, our current production, made me interrogate my own values and what I think about the current culture and society and the role of fame that plays with so many lives. The main character joins a circus at the beginning of the 20th century in America and tries to make a name for herself. She achieves fame but the pain that she endures is so great… it is tragedy what she does to herself, yet she is proud of it. And this interest me… what do we tell ourselves, in order not to feel the pain… and why? and how is that conditioned?
What do you find most difficult about your role and how do you overcome related challenges?
The most difficult about being a director is to make a good show, not only good show but a great show. I work with people, with their egos, with my own ego, with the story, with music, lights, with bodies… all these elements are important, and they have to balance, and everybody has to feel they get something from the process. I suppose, I try to overcome these challenges through humour, through playing and teasing people and that they know they can trust me.
How important is company culture in theatre groups (generally) and how do you achieve your own desired culture within The Dead Rabbits Theatre Company?
I think the more companies do for inclusivity and diversity, the better our industry becomes. You need to propagate a culture within the company for each member to be able to speak openly and to be treated with respect and with dignity. And to be able to live without fear that what you say will have direct or indirect consequences. I think we all have lots to learn but the more we talk and understand each other’s experiences, the more we gain as human beings.
You can catch a performance of ‘Tiger Lady’ at EdFringe: Pleasance Courtyard, between August 3rd to August 29th.
Words by Madeleine Raine
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