Jake Mace
It’s often said when you first arrive in Dundee you’ll find the city’s heritage is built on the ‘3 J’s’ – Jam, Journalism, & Jute. Should there be another ‘J’ added into the mix? Playwright John Quinn has written a one act play exploring the city’s journey from jute production to becoming one of the centres of video game development – aiming to pain a picture of the Dundee’s post-industrial landscape.
The piece features original music from Duke Box and Co. and follows on from Quinn’s play O Halflins an Hecklers an Weavers an Weemin which explored the city’s relationship to Jute in the past. We wanted to get a feeling for why he wanted to tell this story now, and what the show might look like as it arrives at Dundee Fringe next week. We caught up with John for a pixelated pint, so join us in the Binge Fringe pub for a natter.
You can catch From Jute to Joysticks at Sweet @ Keiller Centre from 16:05 on the 14th & 15th September as part of Dundee Fringe. Tickets are available through the Dundee Fringe Box Office.
Jake: Hi John, tell us about the inspiration behind From Jute to Joysticks and what prompted you to tell this story now.
John: A few years ago I wrote a play called ‘O Halflins an Hecklers an Weavers an Weemen’. It’s a historical tale of Dundee and Jute. We’ve had successful runs of the play in Verdant Works Museum, at the Hamish Henderson Centenary Festival in Perthshire and earlier this year at the Keiller Centre Dundee under the auspices of Sweet Venues. That play ends in 1999 at the closure of the city’s last working Jute Mill but I had a feeling of unfinished business.
Hence I wrote a script about Post Industrial Dundee as in the Waterfront, Computer Gamesville and the Eden Project. ‘From Jute to Joysticks’ picks up where ‘Halflins’ left off. During the run of ‘Halflins’ in June I spoke to JD Henshaw at Sweet Venues, and we submitted our proposal for a One Act Play covering the last 25 years. I was delighted when told we were good to go.
My inspiration for the show is the people of the city, all of them, down the centuries. The story of Jute and its aftermath today is, I think, hugely relevant – it’s about immigration, poverty, technology the environment, women’s rights and children’s rights.
Jake: So what are you hoping the audience takes away from the experience?
John: Hopefully not that they want their money back! My hope would be that the audience will feel that while we don’t wear rose tinted spectacles about the City, Dundee is a place which gets right up again every time it’s knocked down. And punches above its weight!
In trying to achieve this we’ve written new songs for the show and try to tell the stories of the people of the city and those drawn to it with passion and humour. We’d like people to have a laugh and perhaps a little cry with us. Although the show’s a Rehearsed Reading we’ll be sitting among the audience.
Jake: As we gear up for Dundee Fringe, what are you most excited for?
John: I’m most excited to perform for a live audience. We’ve had a good reaction from one another and a good laugh in rehearsals but of course any show needs to be tested in front of a live audience.
Jake: Fitting with the themes of our magazine, if your show was an alcoholic beverage (think cocktails, shots, beers, be creative!) what would it be?
John: It would be A Slessor Gardens Cocktail – a reference to the open space parkland area on the modern day Waterfront. The area was named after former Dundee Mill Girl Mary Slessor.
