Inspired by Mercutio’s famous speech in Romeo and Juliet, Queen Mab is a coming-of-age tale for fifteen-year-olds and five-hundred-year-olds alike. Through music and storytelling, Queen Mab examines the euphoria, confusion and loneliness of youth. We spoke to writer Danielle Pearson ahead of the show’s run at Iris Theatre’s Outdoor Summer Festival next week.

Firstly how are you and how have the last 15 months been for you on a personal and professional level?

I’m very well, thanks. Obviously there have been ups and downs through the pandemic, but compared to so many in our industry I think writers are fortunate in that we can keep writing and working on the craft we love, even if there’s nowhere to actually stage anything. Over the last year I’ve been working on a novel and an audio drama, so I think the time away from theatre has probably forced me to experiment in different forms, which I’ve enjoyed. I was also really lucky because I’d moved to the New Forest just before everything kicked off, so I had a lot of space for walking and thinking. 

Do you thinking storytelling has continued to thrive amidst the pandemic, particularly via the digital medium?

It’s been brilliant to see all the ways in which artists have adapted and found new mediums, and it definitely seems as though we need stories more than ever. It’s going to be interesting in the next few years to see how art can help us process it all and perhaps to offer visions of how we move forward. I just hope that there is the funding and support necessary for people to do that, so that storytelling can continue to thrive.  

How did Queen Mab come about and where did you get your inspiration from?

I’ve always been intrigued by the glimpse of Mab we get in Romeo & Juliet and wanted to know more – Titania, Oberon, Ariel and the rest get their own plays, so why not her? I thought there was potential in the idea of Mab still in the same job four hundred years later, interacting with the modern world as both an eternal outsider and someone with a unique knowledge of our deepest thoughts and fears. It seemed like a role that would be both tremendously fun, and tremendously lonely. 

Then, during the pandemic, it occurred to me that she might be a perfect vehicle for looking at the weirdness of our lockdown minds. I was working with young people on zoom a lot and thinking about how the loneliness and lost time has affected them, and I liked the idea that Mab might stumble into a friendship with a teenager and that they could navigate coming-of-age together in these very unusual circumstances. 

How has the creative process been, particularly working with director and fellow Watermill associate Georgie Staight?

Georgie and I have worked on a few shows together now and I love collaborating with her – she runs such a calm and lovely room, I really think she gets the best out of all the artists that are involved and seems to make it a brilliant experience for actors. We like to talk through ideas from an early stage before I get to work on the script, so we know that we have the same vision for the project. Then I also come into rehearsals so that we can keep evolving the script if needed, and to help all the elements like music and movement fold into the narrative. 

How does it feel to have been selected as one of the five seed commissions at Iris Theatre this summer?

I’m so excited to be part of the Iris Theatre Festival. This commission has given me the opportunity to work on an idea I’m passionate about and to explore new elements of the craft, including writing chunks of the play in iambic pentameter. One of the challenges during the pandemic was how to build relationships with new venues and producers when you have nothing to invite them to, so to have a chance to showcase a new piece in the heart of London in these times is such an amazing opportunity. 

Do you feel drawn towards working on 'coming of age' tales?

I really do –  and I don’t think I realised how much so, until I started working on this project and finding Freya’s voice. There’s something fascinating and raw about that age where you’re figuring out who you are and experiencing so many things for the first time and so intensely. I also think teenagers can have a wonderful sense of clarity and profundity about the adult world because they haven’t fully joined it yet and become mired in the kind of group-think that we all fall prey to. Mab and Freya in that sense have a lot in common because they’re outsiders, and they’re slightly baffled by the rest of us. 

What can audiences expect from Queen Mab?

From the beginning we’ve been determined that this show should be a celebration of the return of live theatre and story-telling. We hope that audience members of any age will find a space to laugh, cry, use their imaginations and enjoy live music from our talented cast in the beautiful Iris gardens. 

Are there future plans for the show beyond the Summer Festival?

We’re hoping that it can go out on tour, so watch this space!

Queen Mab plays at the Actor’s Church, Covent Garden as part of Iris Theatre’s Outdoor Summer Festival from 21-26 June. To book tickets, please click here.