Interview: Natasha Granger on Swipe Right Theatre’s new spoof horror musical SCREAM PHONE
Ahead of new spoof horror musical Scream Phone opening in London over Halloween weekend, prior to a UK tour, we spoke to Swipe Right Theatre’s co-founder Natasha Granger (who also stars in the show) about the production, her role and what inspired the piece.
Tell us about your upcoming show, Scream Phone.
Scream Phone is a spoof horror musical. It starts as a classic girly sleepover, talking about crushes, pillow fights and singing into hairbrushes but when the large pink phone starts ringing, things take a spooky turn. Think Scream meets Clueless with an 80’s inspired soundtrack!
How have rehearsals been so far?
Great! We have a very exciting new set so it’s mainly been looking at staging so far. It’s been so great to get back into our characters and belting out those songs again!
You have co-written and also appear in the musical, along with Kerrie Thomason. Where did your inspiration for Scream Phone come from?
Scream Phone all came about one night when me and Kerrie were staying in my childhood room drinking wine, and playing Dream Phone. For those who don’t know the game, it’s like Cluedo but instead of the lead piping, there’s a giant pink phone and instead of a murderer, you’re working out who your crush is. It is brilliant but also a little bit sinister, hence why we thought it would make a brilliant theme for a horror musical. We love old slasher films like Scream and Halloween and find the tropes and clichés so funny, so mixing that with a banging 80s pop playlist was a winner for us!
Does this closeness to the material help or hinder the creative process? Or a bit of both?
I think it really helps, especially once the characters are developed as it means we can write from their point of view. Having a director you trust is the key we have found to making it work. Working with Tom Parry is brilliant as he brought an outside eye to the show and he worked with us massively on developing the script throughout rehearsals.
The music in the piece pays homage to the 80s. What is your favourite song to perform?
For me, it’s a song that is inspired by Eurythmics ‘Sweet Dreams’. It’s set in a pottery class and is completely bonkers and just so fun to perform!
You enjoyed critical acclaim at London's Vault Festival and Edinburgh Fringe in 2019. Are you looking forward to taking the show on the road?
We cannot wait!! We were meant to do this tour back in April 2020 and it has been rescheduled two more times since then so we’re so happy we finally get to do it. We have such a brilliant team so I’m sure there will be lots of fun to be had both on and off stage!
Did you ever own a dream phone? And what's your favourite game from the 80's/90's?
Of course, I was obsessed! I used to play with my neighbours Dream Phone until I finally found one in a car boot sale when I was 10. I also loved my PlayStation, Lara Croft was my favourite!
Your company Swipe Right Theatre shines a spotlight on female voices, which seems more important than ever in current times. Was this your intention from the outset?
Yes! Before me and Kerrie lived in the same city, we would meet in Edinburgh at the fringe every year and see loads of shows together. We both love watching comedy but we noticed how the comedy circuit is hugely dominated by cis men. So from the start, our aim has always been to create funny, female-led theatre that breaks boundaries and is also an excellent night out.
How would you encourage people to book a ticket for Scream Phone?
You are in for quite the (trick or) treat! But don't just take our word for it - here's a few of our favourite audience reviews from our run at Edinburgh Fringe 2019:
"Hilarious. Laughed from beginning to end. Great tunes and great singing from some talented performers" - Iain MacDougall
"These ladies are all SO talented. I was impressed by the comedy and the singing even before I realised they are also the writers. The show is exactly what I was from the fringe - pure entertainment!" Karen Kohl
"Loved this show. Spoof of all the horror films of my childhood but with a cracking soundtrack. The cast are fantastic and seem born for this type of show. Cannot recommend enough!" Pete B.
Scream Phone commences performances at Soho Theatre on 28 October, running until 30 October, before embarking on a UK tour visiting Birmingham, Guildford, Bristol, Bath, Leighton Buzzard, Cambridge and concluding in Brighton on 26 November. For more information, please click here.
