Interview with Justina Kehinde, How To Fight Loneliness

Interviews

22 Apr

Conducted by Emmie for Theatre & Tonic

Making its UK premiere at the Park Theatre this Spring is Neil Labute’s How To Fight Loneliness. The play, directed by Lisa Spirling, follows a couple who are navigating life with terminal illness which forces them to face the uncomfortable and painful discussions around assisted dying. Taking on the role of one half of the couple is Justina Kehinde who plays Jodi. Her theatre credits include NHS The Musical, Hot in Here and Passengers. Now she takes on a role in a timely play with the assisted dying bill being at the forefront of public discussion recently. We chatted with her to find out more about this play and its significance.

You are starring in the UK premiere of How to Fight Loneliness this Spring. What was it about this production which drew you in and made you want to be involved?
It’s a story that deals with really complicated themes that go right to the heart of what it means to be human and what it means to love someone and be loved.

Can you tell our readers a little bit of what it is about?
The play centres around a couple, Jodie and Brad who are navigating a truly difficult and heartbreaking situation that pits their morals and ethics against each other. They reach out to an old acquaintance of Jodie’s to help them, but when he arrives it throws their relationship into freefall.

You play the role of Jodie - how are you developing this character and are you drawing from any influences to support you?
Researching real people who have lived through similar circumstances has been insightful in building this character and finding the light and shade to their choices and desires.

The production touches on uncomfortable and painful discussions around assisted dying which is timely with the assisted dying bill currently in the news. Has it been difficult as a performer to work on a piece like this and how have you overcome that challenge?
Our director Lisa Spirling, has created a very safe environment whereby we are able to talk honestly about the themes and do the work in a way that isn’t emotionally exhaustive but is technicially informative.

Because of the discussions, has your relationship with Archie Backhouse, who plays Brad been fundamental in how you develop this work?
All theatre is about collaboration. Archie has been a brilliant co-creator and collaborator in finding what the relationship between these two characters is, their back story and their desires.

How has Lisa Spirling, the director, worked on managing these topics sensitively?
We’ve used physical theatre exercises to explore the emotional tensions in the text without having to use language - which can be activating. This has helped us understand the emotional journey of characters in an embodied yet safe way.

Although the subject matter is quite heavy, are there lighter tones in the production which audiences can also look forward to as well?
Neil Labute’s writing is full of dark comedy which comes out both in the characters idiosyncrasies and in the intensity of the situation they find themselves in. It’s wickedly entertaining even as it is moving.

Why do you think it's important that work like How to Fight Loneliness is presented to UK audiences?
Theatre is an art form that helps us explore and reflect on the world. The themes the play explores are critically relevant to people’s personal lives and the political and legislative life of this country. Engaging with the play is an opportunity to continue these discussion via a creative format that - whether or not your opinion on the issue changes - you will leave with greater empathy for the people navigating such a situation, and empathy is something we can all do more of.

What do you hope audiences will take away from this work?
If they can come into this show open to hearing and seeing these characters in all their complexity, then whatever they take away will be positive.