With an intriguing title as Willy Witches I was intrigued to find out more about the upcoming play at the Lambeth Fringe.

What was the inspiration behind your show? 

Willy Witches is based on a little known myth from the English Witch trials in which men hallucinated their “manhoods” going missing and of course, blamed it on witches! There’s not much written on this other than the odd two or three sentences in a book but we found it fascinating and thought it was make a great stimulus for a play!

How long has your production been in progress? 

Just over a year. We began writing it when we graduated and did our first read through in February. It’s changed a lot since then so we are super excited to show you all the finished product!

Where are planning on taking the play next? 

We’d love to try some more fringe festivals and small theatres. Maybe take it to Edinburgh next year!

What would you like audiences to take away from your show? 

We want them to know about this absurd myth because it’s such a crazy thing that happened! We also wanted to shine a light on some of the forgotten women in history with humour and humility. 17th Century was a difficult time to be a woman and the ongoing threat of being tried as a witch was something that effected women’s daily lives. 

What are you looking forward to most about performing your show? 

We have some pretty “unique” props which we have been experimenting with in rehearsal, so we can’t wait to see how the audience reacts to them!

Why did you choose your particular Fringe venue? 

The Bread & Roses Theatre is a hub for new work, so as a new company with our debut play we thought it would be perfect! The space is absolutely perfect for our piece and we are really looking forward to performing there. 

Which shows at the Fringe are you planning on watching? 

A Roof Above My Head, The Dying Wish and Educating Rita. 

Have you had any major hurdles to overcome to get this production on the stage? 

We’re a new company formed entirely of graduates, which means our budget is basically nothing! Sourcing costume, props and rehearsal space for as little as possible hasn’t been the easiest but we got there!

What other productions have you previously been involved with? 

This is Mardy Cow Theatre’s debut play (the first of many, we hope!!)

Bread & Roses Theatre, 8th-10th October, 7:30PM

Instagram- @mardycowtheatre https://www.instagram.com/mardycowtheatre/