![]() But it’s art such as Tyke that can change how we think and ultimately how we behave. Yet, there’s a disconnect with how we’d treat our pets, for example. These are very real issues, but demonstrate a wider problem – we view animals as things at our disposal. Many of which all happen right here in the UK. You only have look into animal testing in the cosmetics industry, puppy mills, dog fighting, factory farms, or horse racing. How we treat animals is a huge problem all over the world. But I think this hulking beauty cramped in a tiny venue will further highlight what we’re trying to say.ĭo you think society’s learnt any lessons from Tyke’s story? Cecil the Lion and Harambe the Gorilla might suggest we haven’t. MC: She’s going to be a presence alright. We’ve been working closely with puppetry company, House of Stray Cats, to create Tyke and she has been built for us by the very, very talented Maia Kirkman-Richards. MM:We can and we will! We’re so excited to share Tyke with the world, she is extraordinary and life size. How do you address the “elephant in the room” – you can’t fit a full size pachyderm in a tiny Fringe venue? These fictional people are not based on any one person, but rather, they represent different attitudes which exist within different strands of society. The characters I have created represent a spectrum of humanity instead: Proudlove has no regard for animals, Veronica is deeply concerned with their welfare, Stefan is easily influenced either way. This play is in no way about the people involved in the incident. This incident was deeply complex and upsetting, and I wanted to be respectful to that. What happened to Tyke was absolutely awful, but then so was what happened to the trainer. Rather, I wanted to deal with elements that were there in a sensitive way. Was that because there were particular elements you wanted to change or bring in? Rebecca, you’ve chosen to fictionalise it. So when I picked up the script and researched her conditions my heart broke. On a very personal level, Tyke was an African elephant and being African myself I have been privileged enough to see these glorious creatures in the wild, up close – I have seen them mourn, seen them play and be free. Tyke is so relevant now as we see the increasing pressure for those who use animals for amusement start to mount, by making this work we join those piling on the pressure, hopefully creating more awareness. Punchy, contemporary theatre is what I love to make and see – and this play is just that. MC:The whole reason I make theatre or am involved is because I believe it needs to speak, to pose questions whether one is laughing or crying. If we are top of the food chain, shouldn’t we be responsible for this planet, or does that give us the right to do as we wish regardless of cost? Does power breed greed, or compassion? How far are you willing to go for your family, for someone you love? MM: The play offers many hard truths and questions – questions I wanted to explore. It allows the audience to view a cross section of what leads us ultimately to cruelty and using animals like Tyke for human amusement. Madelaine Cunningham:Yes, there is an incredibly human side to the play which explores the dynamics between human interaction and human/animal interaction. Through them, the play explores the relationships and power struggles we have with each other, as well as ourselves. It presents three extremely different characters, all interacting with each other in a turbulent way. ![]() But rather than offer a docu-drama style exploration of the event, it imagines what could have happened before the incident. Rebecca Monks: As Madison said, it’s based on the true story of Tyke. The play questions morality, love, and power. The play imagines the events leading up to her tragic break for freedom, with a love story between her trainers at its heart. She was chased and shot at for almost 40 minutes – terrified, she died, slumped over a car. In the middle of a performance, something snapped and Tyke trampled her trainer, injured others, and escaped onto the streets. Madison Maylin: Tyke is a new play based on the true story of a circus elephant who was abused her entire life. Back this year with Tyke, an emotional-sounding new show, particularly for animal lovers, we checked in with Monks and the show’s co-directors Madison Maylin and Madelaine Cunningham to see what it was all about… Scour, by writer Rebecca Monks, was one of our favourite shows from last year’s Fringe, given five bombs as an “exemplary piece of theatre… littered with good humour”.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |