With his monologue, Mayday, Kenneth Emson is one of the writers taking part in My England, a series of fourteen filmed monologues from across England, commissioned and produced by the Young Vic and created by writers, actors and directors exploring how they define “Englishness” and what it means to be English right now. Half the monologues were filmed on location in the regions the writers are from and the other half were filmed at the Young Vic, performed by actors from the local neighbourhood in collaboration with the Young Vic’s Taking Part department.
The films are being released via the Young Vic website and social media channels.
You’ve written the monologue Mayday for the Young Vic Series My England, what can you tell us about it?
It’s a piece about the contradictions of Englishness. The actor rolls a fag in perfect time to the monologue (what could sum up Thurrock more). And it rhymes.
Why did you want to get involved in My England?
When people like Kwarme and Nadia ask you to do something, you do it. I can’t think of two practitioners I respect more and who want to make work responding to where we are at as a culture at this exact moment. England is a divided place. It’s art’s job to try and understand that. Represent it. And open a dialogue about it.
How does it compare in style to your previous work, such as Plastic?
I was in rehearsals for PLASTIC when Nadia asked me to write the piece, and I suppose that influenced the writing somewhat. But while Plastic was about interrogating the rhymes and rhythms of the Essex vernacular, and in particular that of the Garage music I grew up listening to, MAYDAY is much more referencing those adverts for banks and other shit like that you see on the TV where they use rhyming couplets to try and make it seem less dull. There’s something in the falseness and duck and cover of that I thought might work metaphorically for this.
Why do you think it’s important to explore what it means to be English at the moment?
Coz everyone seems to hate each other! I can’t remember a time in my life where there was such a clear line of argument between different factions of the country. It populates my social media, conversations with mates from back home, arguments with my parents, etc. This notion of what was, what is and what will happen next. And everyone thinks that they are right and people who disagree are wrong. That’s not good. So anything we can do to open up a conversation is worthwhile.
What do you think viewers are most likely to take away from Mayday?
Hopefully they enjoy the fantastic performance of the actor Pixie. The brilliant direction Grace brought to it. And that my words don’t send them to sleep!
