Grimfest Interview: Alice Mayer on Hourglass

What if every man you dated died after you broke up, and you began to wonder whether you were the problem? That is the premise of Alice Mayer’s Hourglass, a one-woman dark comedy with original songs and a homemade puppet, playing GrimFest at Bread & Roses Theatre in Clapham on 29 and 30 October. Alice drew on her own experiences to write it, and she kindly answered some questions about dangerous women, laughing at difficult things and looking after herself on stage.

Red Bus: Hourglass puts a “dangerous woman” at the centre of a rom-com. What drew you to that horror archetype, and what do you enjoy about turning it on its head?

Alice Mayer: I have been told many a time that my casting is a Femme Fatale so wanted to use that to my advantage but subvert this dangerous woman narrative by giving my characters a comedic, apologetic personality that wins an audience over. I hope people root for Charlie- even if sometimes they shouldn’t.

The show blends original songs, monologue and puppetry. How did you decide which part of Charlie’s story needed a song, and where did the puppets come in?

Alice Mayer: As a musical theatre writer we are always told that when you can’t say what you mean- sing it, and if you can’t find the words, you dance. The songs and music in Hourglass support the story whether it’s comedic relief or when feelings are too big to simply be spoken. I have always loved the cross over between art and acting and I think puppetry is that- the puppet Charlie makes on stage is basic but when you’re alone on stage and need a friend- why not make one yourself?!

You have spoken openly about the personal experience behind the show. How did you decide where the line sat between your own story and Charlie’s, and how do you look after yourself as a performer when you are telling it night after night?

Alice Mayer: As an actor, I always bring so much of myself to a role- this show is just closer to home. I protect myself knowing that it is Charlie who is experiencing this, and not myself. If I’m performing in a particularly heavy piece, I make sure when I go home I watch something light and funny, to separate myself from the world of the show. I have even done the opposite, I remember doing a kids show around Wales and we would come back to our digs and watch Saw!

Dark comedy asks an audience to laugh at things that are difficult. How do you judge when a laugh is welcome, and what do you hope people take away if they come out feeling both amused and unsettled?

Alice Mayer: We all use humour in our daily lives to make light of dark situations which is why I think Dark Comedy is one of my favourite genres. As I wrote the show in my room I was giggling away but it’s always your inner saboteur who thinks- what if people don’t laugh at this? What if I’m the only person who finds it funny? I performed at a Grimfest scratch night and was blown away by people’s reaction to it- and how funny they found it! A laugh is always welcome even if it is an uncomfortable one- sometimes the funniest things happen when you’re not supposed to laugh- and it just makes it funnier.

You are part of GrimFest and playing a very intimate room at Bread & Roses, with some audience interaction. What does a small venue let you do that a bigger stage wouldn’t, and what would you say to someone who loves a rom-com but is nervous about horror?

Alice Mayer: So I’m a weird actor who loves to see my audience, I think it’s a gift to see people’s reactions in this digital age. An intimate space takes the audience back to the time when you heard your first scary story at a sleepover. The horror in my piece stems from the horrific experiences women face every day, it’s not a jumpscare kind of show- and no there are no real spiders or images of spiders (I’ve had a couple of people say they wouldn’t come if there were!!) but there is plenty to love of both horror and comedy- you’ve just got to come and experience Hourglass to find out.