ABOUT THE ARTIST:

I am an actor and writer (amongst other jobs) living in London. The work I want to make as an artist is still something I’m in the process of figuring out, but I currently love the musicality of narrative performance poetry. I enjoy the quiet process of writing but to be in a room with other creatives is where I feel real excitement.

Gemma is currently writing and developing her play ‘Agatha’ that is being supported by Arts Council England. In 2016 she co-wrote/performed ‘Goggles’ with ThisEgg which won the NSDF Emerging Artists Award. After a couple of years of working as an actor, in 2020 she won the Off-WestEnd Award for Best Performance in a Play. In 2020 she was selected to take part in BBC Words First with Apples and Snakes and has since been commissioned to work on two short films as a writer/poet.

With music by Suzi Naomi MacGregor. 

Suzi Naomi MacGregor is a West Wales based Vocalist / Musician / Writer. Recent projects include working as composer and collaborative artist with London-based team of creatives for 'Sorry Did I Wake You', a play about sisterhood and grief.

Suzi is studying with teacher/performer Briony Greenhill in Contemporary Vocal Improvisation, and took this work into her most recent collaborative art project in West Wales called 'The Pembrokeshire Story', headed by The Torch Theatre. She is particularly interested in the connections between singing, wild spaces, and play and will be leading vocal workshops on a 'Creative Camino' pilgrimage later in 2021. Suzi is a recent member of National Theatre Wales TEAM PANEL.

ABOUT THE PIECE: 

At the beginning of this year I started work as a receptionist at a doctors surgery. I was struck by how many of the calls coming in were to do with mental health. I also noticed how many people seemed like they wanted a chat as well as an appointment. It got me thinking about the intimacy of voice and phone calls and how quickly connection can get to work.

This is about Bridget.

About how one day at work,
when she picks up the phone,
due to something unknown in their voice this time,
she has no choice but to stay on the line.

Instagram: @gemlbarn