Jake Mace
Incels, neighbours, climate crisis, a rotting box one bed flat. Will Oliver is offering up a truly unique one-person horror story in Plasterboard Sandwich, now playing at Dundee Fringe. We caught up with Will for a pixelated pint to talk about the show and what we can expect to see.
Catch Plasterboard Sandwich at 18:45 until September 18th as part of Dundee Fringe. Tickets are available through the Dundee Fringe Box Office.
Jake: Hi Will, tell us about Plasterboard Sandwich and how it’s ended up on the Dundee Fringe stage.
Will: This show started as an assortment of props that I had fished out of bins or been given by friends. I knew I wanted to show an environment that people don’t normally see or are comfortable seeing, so I built the story around the idea of the Incel – a few of which I’ve met. I found the difference between their physical and online presence disturbing in itself so leant into the horror of the idea.
The show developed based on the props I was finding – so by the time I found the dog bed, this all fell into place and the plot found its footing. From here I’ve taken it to Brighton with Sweet Venues where I was encouraged to bring it to Dundee in September! So here I am!
Above all else the show is an experiment in sustainable and affordable theatre. Especially in an industry that is becoming increasingly expensive, I started forming the idea around making the show as affordable as possible – before long I found myself shoving a fridge into the back of my small car and spending four hours deconstructing it the next day!
Jake: So what do you think makes the show relevant in 2024?
Will: I think this story is particularly relevant in 2024 when we are so engaged with the constructed online personas of people more than we are with the real people behind the screen. This show confronts the audience with the reality of these people and how they might come to be. The hope is that by the end the audience may even begin to sympathise with this deeply troubled character – I aim to humanise him but not necessarily redeem him. Also, I think in my position as a white man, engaging with themes of masculinity and sexism from that side of things would be the most impactful and grounded way to contribute to the ongoing (and increasingly polarising) discussions around it.
Also the discussion around sustainability that plays in the background of the piece is not necessarily central to the play but definitely touches on the wastefulness that the arts often overlooks and finding a balance between conscientiousness and hoarding. As much as the character is caught up in his own beliefs, I often find I can be affected similarly by climate anxiety.
Jake: So what are you hoping the audience takes away from it all?
Will: Beyond the act of unsettling my audience, I really want to have them questioning their stance on the people I present throughout the show. More than this I want them to be thinking about what’s happening behind each door they pass on their way home. There are some really strange people out there and I think we’ll be glad we don’t have to bump into a lot of them.
Jake: And what are you most excited about for Dundee Fringe?
Will: I’m excited to see the city! Even if the drive there is a long one, Dundee seems like a really nice place – and definitely not as intimidating as Edinburgh proved to be. I’ll be walking the streets with my sandwich board.
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?
Will: I think the show would be a snakebite! A callback to my early university days I think – a drink that gets you where you want to be but not in the most glamorous way. And it’ll hopefully carry the same strange aftertaste.
Phoebe Bakker
