Tip Tray Theatre, in partnership with The Hope Street Theatre, is excited to bring back their writing competition 'What Happens Next?' It's set to excite audiences once again at The Hope Street Theatre on 18th, 19th and 20th January 2024. This competition aims to give local upcoming writers the opportunity to see their hard work come to life on stage. For many of us, this is the most exciting event of the year. It's not only exciting for producers and theatregoers but also the entire creative scene in Liverpool.

We caught up with Elspeth Todd, the writer of Four, for an in-depth interview to get an insight into her background, motivation, inspiration and thinking.

Tell us about your writing.

Writing came on a whim. I’ve never really had the confidence to write, as someone who went through school being told they weren’t good enough or stupid even after being diagnosed very late in life with Dyslexia and cognitive processing issues, I was still described as ‘simple.’ Since then, I’ve always been terrified to write stuff down.

However, I was fortunate enough to work with ‘Theatre in the Rough’ in 2022 and I had to write a segment to be published in a book and the idea of being an author was terrifying. But I enjoyed it and became a published writer, and it fuelled me. During Covid, I had started accumulating ideas for my Dissertation by drawing a comic book slide of this play. Words to me are quite useless but drawing, movement, and music helps me out, and that’s how this play came to be, it was never used for my Dissertation but was left dusty in a file on my computer until Maisy from Tip Tray encouraged me and the idea of me being a writer came to life.

My inspiration for writing comes from the idea of not conventionally writing if that makes sense. I'm inspired not by words but by worlds. I think as someone who is Neurodivergent and who was diagnosed late, I’m really tuned into things that others aren’t, I see things in life, pictures, and music that others may not and that urges me to write. But what I write isn’t conventional. It might not make sense but it's from the eyes of someone who sees the world completely differently. Specifically, for this play I am writing for my family, showcasing a story that should be told, in general, I’m writing to show all those who struggle that you can do it. Ignore that teacher who told you that you are lazy and find your own way of creating work. I found my own way of creating this play and that wasn’t sitting and writing it was revisiting pictures, voice notes, playing with my dog. It's crazy how different mechanisms can create something. I want to make the unusual, usual, new ways to show stories, new ways to be a WRITER.

Tell us a little about your play – Four. What is it about?

Four is an autobiographical piece that follows the life of my family on one specific day. A day that changed our lives forever, and this was all down to chance. You will have the opportunity to see the same story but through four different people’s eyes and how they perceive the tale of events. The choice of which story will be shown will come down to the rolling of a dice. Due to this competition, the story that you will see is my story which takes place when I was 15 years old, and funnily enough the day we perform -19th of January will be the 9th anniversary of the day.

Each story comes from that person's eyes and the way they perceive the world and for me I felt the best way to showcase my story was through physical theatre. I always describe my mind as the London Underground maps, full of colour but no sense. The play will entail a lot of movement, projection, colour, everything I perceive the world to be which I think is quite magical. I’ve always said those who are Neurodivergent have the most brilliant minds, we see the world in a different way, and we can educate so many people.

What are the play's themes and characters?

The main theme of this show is family and the love within my family - strength, grief and change. There are seven characters which have all been fully cast and all the main characters are representations of real people.

The cast is:

Elspeth: who is played by myself. You see me in the period of now and back when I was 15. There's a big difference between the ages. I act as the narrator taking you through the story. The fourth wall is broken throughout the piece continuously, I want the audience to feel they are in the story as if a fly on the wall.

Romeo who is played by Cameron Butler, recent LIPA graduate. Romeo is the first love, the puppy love who can do nothing wrong. Although you don’t see him in the family events, he’s very key to who I was when I was 15 and you see a lovely initial scene of them in the awkward first love moments.

Mum: played by Jessica Ryan, an East 15 physical theatre alumni. The mum is the real hero of the play, although the twin version of Elspeth, she brings a sense of home and care. She is the thread that keeps the family together.

Teacher, (Mrs K): played by Lara Field who is an amazing mover and quoted as a ‘stand out performer’ by Opening Nights and is ‘effortlessly funny’. Mrs K is one of those teachers you are incredibly and utterly terrified of, but she took in those who struggled, like me. She is stern, yet caring and has a fabulous sense of humour.

The Nurse: played by Jasmine Metcalfe 2022 LIPA graduate, the Nurse is someone I will never forget. She has the attitude of a spoiled child and thinks she's the funniest person in the room, not helpful and finds humour in putting others down.

We also have two ensemble members Faye Griffiths, a LIPA 2022 graduate and Megan Brady who has a degree in acting and is an amazing NHS worker. They are the glue that hold this show together taking on a multitude of roles as well as creating inhuman things.

What are you hoping to get from the competition?

My main goal is to raise awareness for Septicaemia. To win or even make the finals would be incredible but if we can educate at least one person on this illness then I’ve done my job and made my family proud.

What do you want audiences to get from the show?

We’re not there to give the audience answers, we’re there to emote, to make them think, to question, to wonder. Of course, there is the sense of them being educated but I want the audience to leave with some type of feeling. If they leave feeling nothing and having no connection to the characters, we’ve not done our jobs. I want them to be able to see themselves in the shoes of those on stage.

What is a wee lassie from the Highlands doing in a Liverpool competition?

I have been here for four years, funnily enough – crazy! However, sadly I do have to break it to you. I was born down south in Bath, but my childhood was spent in between Bath and Scotland and now ultimately Scotland so really, I am a wee lassie and will give myself that nickname forever. Liverpool really has become my home. Before that I lived in a multitude of places, including Manchester, London (where I did a foundation course at Italia Conti), Australia, and America before finally settling down here to do my BA acting degree at LIPA.

But I have never lost my roots. How could I with the name Elspeth Mhairi. I always make sure in my work there are hints of my heritage whether that’s having our clan colours in the costume, songs or words that reflect the language. But when I’m not in Liverpool I am up in the most gorgeous world, Scotland really is something different and somewhere perfect to just chill and relax.

Anything else?

I do want to give a massive mention and thank you to Ellie Begley who is our director. She has had so much patience, trust, and love for me in this initial process and I really think this is a match made in heaven. Thanks also to Evan and Maisy who would have thought putting two gingers in a room with the name El would make something so brilliant. I have both an amazing professional relationship but also a friendship for life.

Covered by; Bob Towers

What Happens Next? Special Plug-In: Four