Kirsty Blewett is a professional actor and artistic director of Lobster Frock theatre company who, in collaboration with The Albany and Age UK, present Blueprints Museum at MOCA London in Peckham from Wednesday 15 until Saturday 18 March 2023.
Blueprints Museum is a devised interactive experience about mothers. Directed by Grace OâKeefe (director of the 5* sell-out show, Bad Teacher), Lobster Frockâs new fictional museum adventure is based on their genre-defying digital theatre piece with the same name. Drawing on the extraordinary real-life experiences of South London women, it is a powerful, local story of hope, courage, and humanity â and a heartfelt tribute to mothers.
More information can be found here
Youâre working with Lobster Frock on Blueprints Museum, what can you tell us about the project?
Iâm involved and performing in the most glorious, wonderful and meaningful show. Itâs a live, development of a digital show I made in lockdown that kinda took over my life.
Blueprints Museum is just so full of love and laughter; it makes my heart sing. Itâs a bit hard to describe, but itâs immersive, free and I really want people to come see it! In this climate of austerity, I didn’t want money to be a barrier for my local community. Iâm really proud of it and the team who put it together. Itâs all about a South London based rebel, her daughter and her mum… and aging; the highs, the lows and everything in between.
Itâs made me really think about my own female relationships and how lucky I am to be surrounded by such formidable, humble women. I hope that the audience will come away from it valuing and celebrating the important women in their life too!
How did you first get involved with Blueprints Museum and what attracted you to the project?
Originally it grew from a seed of an idea I had working on a research and development process with Peer Productions during lockdown. I got to work with a group of inspiring female creatives and we met weekly to share our home-based devising and ideas around the theme of “The Motherline”.
During this process, I found a love for digital theatre where I fused together my object play practice and surrealist aesthetic with memories with my mum. I found all sorts of memories were coming up that shone a new empathetic light on this relationship. I felt so inspired to value and highlight the everyday heroine, humbly named, Mum and I wanted to share these discoveries with my community.
Youâre working with members of the Lewisham and Southwark communities, whatâs that experience been like?
Deeply humbling. It has been an absolute pleasure to collaborate and create our narrative and punky protagonist together. The Meet Me at The Albany and Age UK groups have been so generous and dedicated to our story-making workshops; generating ideas passionately and even helping to make key props for the museum experience. I am really sad this incredible making process is over for now, but so excited to share how their thoughts and contributions have been utilised into the piece!
And what do you think youâve learnt about yourself in the process?
I have learnt the importance of providing a genuinely, safe space where everyone can openly share their worries and concerns with acceptance and compassion. It has been so wonderful to be part of this process and to feel like I can express finding something challenging without judgement, so that I can make my best work and be open with the group.
I have never had that before and having our incredible Wellbeing Practitioner, Sinead there to support our mental wellbeing has been so empowering. And this positive space has been so needed for our Age UK and Meet Me at The Albany groups. Grateful, surprised and inspired are the collective words that we have come up with to describe this process.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge for you in this production?
Well I am playing Lola, the rebel’s daughter. She is actually going to greet the audience outside so I think my biggest challenge is going to be the COLD. As an actor, how do I look after my voice, not only outside, but also maybe extreme weather.
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see Blueprints Museum?
Do it! It will move you, it will surprise you; the Blueprints Museum is going to open your mind.
You should prepare to reminisce and explore the history of Peckham and Bermondsey, but also meet an angry rebel who is going to make you feel and think about things that you didn’t realise were important to you. It’s going to make you feel grateful for those special mother-like relationships, for those women in your life that inspire and empower you, who actually take the time to see you for who you are.
But also, it’s just good!
