20 October 2017
For one night only, Pip Utton brings his award-winning show 'Playing Maggie' to Frome on Saturday 28th October. Not merely a reflection on how to portray this lady but a live audience with Margaret Thatcher. Pip Utton IS The ‘Iron Lady’! Saviour or witch? Love her or hate her? Not for Pip to decide, only to portray. She divided the nation like no other politician. Hear her philosophies, her inspiration and her logic. Known throughout the world for spellbinding portrayals of Adolf, Churchill, Dickens, Chaplin, Hancock and many others, ‘Maggie’ is probably Pip’s greatest challenge yet. Pip not only becomes Margaret Thatcher but risks taking audience questions, and answering them as Maggie!
In this interview, Pip speaks about his experience of the show:
The play is about an actor preparing to play the part of Margaret Thatcher in a production, but the focus of the play is very much about this politician who has played a large part in our recent history. How did you get the idea of ‘Playing Maggie’?
Firstly the play is not just about an actor preparing - it is about an actor preparing and playing Maggie. After several plays portraying historical characters I wanted to approach it from a different angle; from the actor’s angle. I also wanted to take a character and make no judgements at all on their life. Margaret Thatcher was one of the most divisive and influential politicians of the 20th century and is normally played for laughs or to ridicule, praise or damn her. I thought that would be too simple. I wanted to BE her.
With previous shows that you have produced, you have often engaged with the audience, but Playing Maggie sees the interaction with the theatre much more open than other performances. Does this present more work for you than a more traditional scripted piece?
I need to know as much as I can about her and her views, beliefs and career. I have no idea what I will be asked and so I research as widely as possible and watch as many of her interviews as I can. The questions from the audience keep me on my toes and I hope give the whole experience a little edge for all of us.
People have a wide range of views about Margaret Thatcher, as was seen by the varying responses to her death in 2013. Is this reflected in the responses and interaction from the different types of audience that you have played this to so far?
Very much so. I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind about her, I wouldn’t be that brave (or stupid!) and I expect to be challenged very openly.
When you prepare a play you do research the character very thoroughly, does this tend to generate sympathy for them or does it harden your views?
Let me tell you, there is no possible way I could ever feel any sympathy for Hitler and his followers. History and memory tends to turn people into 2 dimensional characters I hope to find in my research the key to making them 3 dimensional again; real people once more.
Has ‘Playing Maggie’ provoked more passionate reactions than your other plays, for instance ‘Adolf’?
Because of the nature of the question and answer section, passions run very high in Playing Maggie and I can feel the division between the worshippers and the haters (and there are many of both). Adolf generates a very different atmosphere and the tension is of a different sort, however there is a twist in both which I hope catches the audience by surprise!
What are you working on next…?
I have a new play touring next spring called ‘Shakespeare’s Love’ and am currently working on a piece about the effects of Alzheimer’s called “And before I forget”.
East Mendip Green Party presents Pip Utton in 'Playing Maggie', Merlin Theatre, Frome, Saturday 28th October, 7.45pm. Tickets £8 (£5 conc's)
Tickets from http://www.merlintheatre.co.uk/whats-on/performances/playing-maggie/
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