Anna Morris, the award-winning character comedian and star of Channel 4’s hotly anticipated new improvised sitcom Lee and Dean will be performing her critically acclaimed Edinburgh sell-out comedy show Bitchelors at the Soho Theatre from 19th to 21st March.
Morris plays five fearless characters: four contestants at a fictitious Woman of The Year Awards and the host – Morris’s infamous Bridezilla creation Georgina (as seen on Comic Relief’s Bride Aid).
We caught up with Anna Morris to find out more.
You’re bringing Bitchelors to Soho Theatre, what can you tell us about it?
It’s a multi-character comedy show in which I play the host and four contestants at a spoof Woman of the Year Awards. Audiences become the judges and they get to vote for the winner, resulting in four different endings to choose from! It’s a fast-paced rollercoaster ride of as show with twists and turns, songs and improvisation – and each contestant will do ANYTHING to get YOUR vote…
What inspired you to do Bitchelors?
I love doing shows in which the audience have a role when they come in. I thought an awards show was a great way to give the audience an important part – as judges. And I liked the idea of four potential endings, with an audience vote. I also wanted to explore themes of women trying to have it all, at any cost. This format allowed me to present the characters in a really interesting way, under pressure to win and have a creative licence to allow some high drama!
What are the challenges of playing five different characters?
Trying to keep them as different as possible. I do this with posture, accents, mannerisms and mainly with motivation – each one has a different reason for being there and a different relationship with the audience. Some are nervous, some are overly-confident and aggressive, some want to sabotage the others… When I switch from one to the other I have about 30 seconds to transform – it took hours of rehearsals to nail this and burst onto the stage in a completely different way each time.
Your known for TV work, what do you enjoy most about being on the stage?
I love the risk of it. In TV if it goes wrong then you can just re-film it. On stage in a show like this anything can happen. I allow audiences to join in and it keeps me on my toes. It’s also my project – my writing and my creation whereas in TV you are often reading someone else’s script and you’re not as in control as you are with a solo show.
Why is Soho Theatre a good venue for the show?
I’m so pleased to be in the basement bar which has a cabaret vibe to it. My shows are quite theatrical so they suit this kind of arrangement. It’s also going to look perfect for a Woman of the Year Awards show! If it looks almost real it’s even better as the audience get really into their job as a judge.
What can audiences expect when they come to see Bitchelors?
They can expect a different character every ten minutes and they will probably all walk away with a favourite, someone they can relate to. They can expect to join in and have their vote. It’s a very unique show and they are welcome to vote any way they like – the ending is probably going to be different each night!
Photo courtesy Idil Sukan – @idilsukan
Anna Morris – Bitchelors will be at The Soho Theatre from 19th – 21st March. For tickets visit www.sohotheatre.com
