A Family Business is the final part of Chris Thorpe and Rachel Chavkin’s trilogy of shows that look at global issues from an individual standpoint. Based on conversations with activists, academics and diplomats, the show focuses on the human story of the struggle of nuclear disarmament, and the group of people whose business it is to try to stop us blowing up the planet. We spoke to writer and performer Chris Thorpe
What was the inspiration behind “A Family Business”, and why did you want to focus more on the people than the issue?
Because the people were the inspiration! And weirdly because they’re the part of it that feel furthest away from out ‘ordinary’ lives in the room that night. We talk about the issue of nuclear weapons, their scale, the way they warp our politics and our economy, but actually the thing that makes it graspable as an issue is that the people involved might have expertise – they might feel like they’re working at a high level – but they’re ordinary. Because everyone is. So we have just as much opportunity to think about these issues as they do.
The show is based on conversations with activists, academics, and diplomats. How did these interactions shape the narrative and characters of the play?
There’s nothing described or said in the play that I haven’t heard a version of, or checked with someone in that world for truth. So in a way the whole thing is authentic because of them. But also the other important group of people is us, in the room, on the night – our conversation about where we are (usually a place the audience are expert in and I’m not) absolutely shape the feeling and the possibilities of the show on any given night.
The show has you playing yourself plus characters based on real people. Why did you decide to tell the story this way?
It’s actually got three characters alongside me – and they’re all real. And I’m real in that world, because I’ve spent time with the characters in real life, or at least all the different people they’re based on. So there might be a bit of drama added, but no real fiction
You’ve recently performed Talking About the Fire at the Royal Court, how does this show differ and why did you decide to make two shows on the same subject?
Talking About The Fire is a solo show – so it’s easier to move around. It has some material in common with A Family Business but obviously the larger show has the opportunity to represent more people and interactions. Talking About The Fire goes deeper into conversation – it can cross the line between a theatre, and a pub, and a church hall or community space. A Family Business is more technically complex and has a different feeling of character and story because there’s four of us.
How do you hope the audience will engage with conversations around nuclear disarmament both during and after the performance?
I mean I hope they’ll feel more informed about the Treaty of Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and the scale and constant threat of the weapons, but actually I hope they’ll be able to normalise the existence of the weapons and what to do about it as a topic of everyday conversation because maybe we’ve lost the habit of doing that a bit.
Do you have a favourite line from the show/is there line from the show that sums it up really well?
It’s not the noise that worries me. It’s the silence.
A Family Business is produced by China Plate and Staatstheater Mainz and tours until 2nd March. Full dates and tickets can be found at www.chinaplatetheatre.com
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