Jason Brownlee is the writer of Today I Killed My Very First Bird, exploring hope and despair, combining immersive sound and bold storytelling to create a vivid and visceral theatrical experience.
Theatre Royal Plymouth and Voodoo Monkeys co-produce an unflinching, relentless and stomach-churning new play based on writer and performer Jason Brownlee’s lived experience.
A Southeast London gangster starts to lose his grip on reality when he’s forced to look back at the traumatic childhood that made him who he is. The more he remembers, the more brutal he becomes. But, just when he’s offered a second chance, it might all be too late.
Today I Killed My Very First Bird, written and performed by Jason Brownlee, is at Pleasance Courtyard Wednesday 3rd – Monday 29th August 2022 (not 10th, 17th) at 14:10
Your new play Today I Killed My Very First Bird is coming to Pleasance Courtyard, what can you tell us about it?
Today I Killed My Very First Bird is a semi-biographical, poetical rendition about growing up in South East London. It started off as a poem written at a bus stop, and has been developed by piecing together a series of poems to create this epic story, which follows a gangster for the last 24 hours of his life.
It explores childhood trauma and the environment in which that child grew up in, taking away his innocence, only to create a beast. It’s fast paced with no holds barred, and says it exactly as it is.
It was inspired by your own lived experience, what made you want to write about it?
I was an incredibly dysfunctional child and I didn’t really fit in. I carried a lot of childhood trauma, having never spoken about it until recently. It was an important process for me to get it out. I’ve found this journey of self-discovery to be cathartic and quite liberating.
Tell us a little about Project X and how it helped you with this work?
Project X is an amazing workshop held once a week at Theatre Royal Plymouth. People from all walks of life attend. It gives us tools, techniques and a platform to explore and develop new ideas, hence Today I Killed My Very First Bird was born.
What do you think audiences will find most surprising about your play?
I think the audience will be surprised to find that the whole play is in rhyming verse, it says things exactly as they are and there’s no sugar coating. It is also relentless in its delivery. If I could sum it up in one word, I would say zeitgeist.
What are you looking forward to most about working with director, Lee Hart?
Lee is talented in so many ways and an incredible director, mentor and friend to me. I always look forward to working with Lee. He is selfless and empowers people, encouraging them to reach their full potential in anything they put their minds to. He’s pure genius.
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see Today I Killed My Very First Bird?
Be prepared for a rollercoaster ride. It’s an insight into the gritty criminal underworld of South East London. I would like the audience to take away a piece of my soul and a greater understanding of how trauma affects everyone, especially children.
I think it’s important that people who are not necessarily from theatre backgrounds are heard. This story comes from lived experience and opens up debate for a number of issues that plague our society. The play hopefully gives an insight into the root causes of these problems.
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