About Face

Polly Stenham is a voice of our times. In her debut play, That Face, she covers the gritty subjects of booze, drugs and parent child relationships. And she's set to write for acclaimed TV show Skins. Tim Daish meets the young writer with her pen poised for the big time.

Polly Stenham is in a good place.

Sitting in the industrial-chic bar of the Royal Court, and tucking into a gourmet burger, we are here to chat about her debut play, That Face.

Having won a competition looking for new plays by new writers at the age of 19, she took a year off from her degree in English Literature at University College London to develop the script further under the careful instruction of the Royal Court. Several months later and her first-ever play is opening on one of the most respected stages in the world.

"I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity. It wouldn't have happened without some of the people here who have nurtured and supported it. And I'm working with such a fantastic team."

Growing up in North London, and attending Rugby school, theatre has always been a big part of her life. "I was always coming to Royal Court, and writing for myself ever since I was a little girl. I tended to write prose, and originally wanted to do a course in prose writing, but ended up in the drama workshop."

The cast of That Face includes theatre heavyweight Lindsay Duncan, who plays Martha, a mother who supplies her children with drink and drugs while they are at boarding school. "I think that a lot of people recognise something in Martha," says Stenham, "when actors were reading initial drafts, they'd say things like, ‘This bit's just like my mother,' or ‘that reminds me of my grandmother...'. She's a bit of an archetype I suppose. Someone who is very insecure and a bit wild who has lost her way."

Stenham is visibly excited about working with Duncan. "She's like the perfect being. One of the old school. When I hear her voice I want to curl up next to her."

"Jeremy, [Jeremy Herrin, director] and the actors did a lot of research. We had someone come and talk to us from the Priory clinic about addiction and rehab, they went to a boarding school to see what it was like, and the actors asked me loads of questions about the characters' backgrounds."

"They do a lot of improvisations in the rehearsal process. There might be ten minutes or even up to an hour where characters you've made up in your head are doing and saying things that you didn't write and it's such an incredible feeling. But also kind of scary.

"This whole process has given me a huge respect for actors. It's a lot harder than I thought. And you're always reliant on other people to make work for you. As a writer, you're in control. It can just get a bit solitary.

"When writing is going well, it's like you're puppeteering from above… when it's not, it's like you're this tiny being surrounded by mountains. Is it hard writing with different character's voices? Some characters you identify more with, and the dialogue flows, others it's harder. I try and warm up by writing a monologue, then the writing becomes more succinct after that."

Polly's not sure where she wants to take her writing next, but knows what she likes. "I don't really have a master plan to be political or anything like that. I'm just enjoying the writing, and the process of writing. I prefer wordy, character-based plays with strong narratives. I just love Tennessee Williams. Beautiful stories. So sad. So elegant."

She does however have possible commissions from Channel 4 in the pipeline, including writing for their cool teen series, Skins. "I definitely want to finish my degree at some point, but if further projects come up, I don't really want to turn them down."

Polly Stenham doesn't come across as someone who has only written one play. There is a confidence and a precision in her words which would be appropriate for a playwright with 20 years more experience. There is a moment however where a little of the newcomer slips though the net. Winding up the interview, we stand by the steps of the theatre while she smokes a post-lunch cigarette. It is a comfortably warm day in Sloane square, and with the light bouncing off the sunglasses of the Royal Court's newest protégé, she points at the chalk-board advertising That Face: "That's it," she says innocently, almost as if she hadn't noticed it before, "that's my play."

That Face runs at the Royal Court, at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, previews from 20th April, opens 23rd April till 19th May.

Direction: Jeremy Herrin
Design: Mike Britton
Lighting: Natasha Chivers
Sound: Emma Laxton
Cast includes: Lindsay Duncan, Felicity Jones, Matt Smith, Catherine
Steadman, Julian Wadham

www.royalcourttheatre.com

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