INTERVIEW: New play ‘Adam Driver’ world premieres at NYC Fringe
Photo: Frances Smith is the writer and director of Adam Driver. Photo courtesy of the artist / Provided with permission.
The New York City Fringe Festival is in full swing at the moment, and one of the most anticipated shows of the dozens that are currently running is Adam Driver, a new piece by Frances Smith, who also directs with Francesca Bolam. Performances of the show run through Saturday, April 19, at the Chain Theatre in Midtown Manhattan.
Adam Driver follows the character of Elizabeth as she faces the challenge of being in a psychiatric hospital after the onset of an undiagnosed mental illness, according to press notes. There at the facility she encounters a diverse array of patients, plus one nurse who offers empathy and stability. Elizabeth’s means of confronting her fears is to build connections with this new group of acquaintances and start to see herself as part of a community.
Smith recently exchanged emails with Hollywood Soapbox about the show, which is world premiering at the Fringe Festival and runs approximately 40 minutes. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What inspired you to write this play?
After years of receiving psychiatric treatment, and also following a brief hospitalization, I realized that a psych ward of a hospital would be a unique environment to explore on stage, and one that could actually offer a lot of moments to explore the humanity of people impacted by psychiatric illnesses, and also to explore what can be humorous under dire circumstances.
Moreover, when I was in college at UT Austin, I had the opportunity to work on a devised ensemble piece, called Kin Song: An Ode to Disability Ancestors. Thanks to the research I did on that project, I was exposed to some of the culture of the Mad community and became quickly enamored with it. I especially want to humanize people with psychiatric illnesses through this play, which brings me to another element of humanity I was inspired by in my writing: girlhood. Though now, I currently don’t entirely align with womanhood, my experiences shaped who I am as a person and are still close to my heart. In Adam Driver, get to watch Elizabeth not only make sense of her new psychiatric illness in this new and, frankly, overwhelming environment, but also as she develops feelings for a nurse in a psychiatric unit, evoking those memories of girlhood, at least for me.
Were you always attached to direct as well? What’s that like to both write and direct?
Though I went back and forth before making a final decision, I was always attached to direct this show. It’s a very unique experience to be able to write and direct; it allows me to see my show under an entirely new perspective. In that sense, being able to direct a show you’ve written is a lot like looking into a kaleidoscope, especially in this specific case, as I have the assistance of my brilliant co-director Francesca Bolam. Collaborating together has opened my eyes to new interpretations of what I’ve written, and it’s been so exciting being able to lean into different ideas. It also has inspired me to continue working on iterations of this show.
How would you describe Elizabeth as a character?
Elizabeth is a fighter, someone who is always searching for answers, and, like many often do at some point in their lives, is dealing with the onset of a psychiatric illness. I would describe Elizabeth as someone who is earnest, but naive. She lacks an in-depth understanding of emergency psychiatric care and is learning the ropes as she goes from other patients who have more experience in the system.
Is there a hope that by telling Elizabeth’s story some people in the audience can identify with her journey and maybe not feel alone?
Dealing with a psychiatric illness is something a lot of people at some point in their lives have or will have to experience, and by showing Elizabeth’s journey in doing so, my goal is that people will feel that there is hope to find connection and support. If I had to guess there was one thing that that could save us, it would be found family.
Why call the play Adam Driver?
The patients in the show bond over nicknaming Elizabeth’s new crush “Adam Driver.” Naming the play after Elizabeth’s crush not only captures the quirky spirit of the show, but also multiple important themes. Most importantly, the title represents the connections the patients make with each other and reminds us of the humanity of the characters in the show.
What goes through your mind right before a world premiere? Excitement? Fear? Nervousness?
Definitely lots of nerves! But it truly is something special to see something you’ve worked so hard on take shape before not only you, but also before an audience seeing it for the first time.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Adam Driver, written and directed by Frances Smith, continues through Saturday, April 19, at the Chain Theatre in Midtown Manhattan. The show is being presented as part of the New York City Fringe Festival. Click here for more information and tickets.
