Hyem (yem, hjem or home), the debut play from Philip Correia, best known for his work as an actor with the National Theatre, West End, regionally and on screen, will premiere in London before transferring to Northern Stage in Newcastle in October.
We spoke to Philip to find out more about his first play, which can be seen at Theatre 503 30th August – 30th September 2017.
Your play Hyem (yem, hjem or home) is premiering at Theatre 503, tell us about the play?
It’s a coming of age story about a young lad called ‘Dummey’. Lost and left out, Dummey has been rejected by the school system, the police, even his parents. He finds refuge in an unlikely new friendship group and an idiosyncratic and brilliantly warm new home, or ‘hyem’. That home is owned by Mick and Sylv.
Due to circumstance, austerity and our social structures, many of our young people are overlooked. Those who can’t possibly climb onto the achievement carousel, those from poor backgrounds, or those with mental health issues can all be forgotten by the system. They can’t vote and they don’t spend enough so they’re not worth anything to the decision makers.
Those young people require support and while ‘Sure Start’ centres are being cut and support services slashed the kids don’t disappear. Mick and Sylv’ fill the void, created by the cuts.
The play touches on themes of sanctuary, fear, division, war, young love, mob mentality, grief and ‘broken’ families.
It’s a short play, its in one Act, it’s funny (I hope!) and it was one of the runners up for the Papatango Prize. And there’s a helicopter crash. Some of that information may not be true.
What inspired you to write it?
I’m passionate about my home and about the North East. I’m very engaged with the debate over more working class voices in our arts and media. I always find it difficult that the News is rarely read in a regional accent.
Arts participation is suffering in my native North East, I don’t believe that is due to lack of interest, but I do think austerity and opportunities are a factor. I don’t think there are a huge amount of texts based in the North East, especially relative to Manchester, London, or the Home Counties. There are not too many journalists, politicians and those in the arts from comprehensive schools. There is certainly an imbalance in arts spending, per head, South to North. I was incensed by the proposed 100% cut to arts in Newcastle a few years ago. I’ll probably misquote the numbers here, but in Lancashire spending on museums is to fall from something like £1.3m to less than £100,000. Perhaps writing a play and raising the money to pay wages properly isn’t the most effective way to tackle these issues, but it was a method I felt I had access to.
I wanted to create work for working class and regional actors and creatives in my industry. I wanted to give regionally based talent an opportunity in London and back at home in my native North East, ensuring audiences there were not left out.
Where did the name come from (and how is it pronounced)?
It’s Geordie (and Danish I believe) for home. It seemed like the perfect title for a group of characters looking for that exact thing. It’s pronounced, as in the title of the play (yem, hjem or home) depending on where you are from!
After Theatre 503, it will move to Newcastle, what will this regional move mean for the production?
Personally, it means the world to me. The company producing alongside 503, NorthSEE Theatre, are dedicated to finding the best in regional talent, showcasing it in the capital and then taking it back to where it originated. I absolutely love the area, I love the sea and the countryside, the football team and the culture and I love the people of the North East. Their humour, warmth and vibrancy is intoxicating for many tourists and explorers who travel to the North East. I wanted to write about them and for them. I wanted to employ them. I know the actors who hail from the area, or live there, are excited to play at home, in front of friends and family and our South Eastern and Western contingent are excited to spend time there.
How involved have you been with the cast and the rehearsal process?
Probably too involved for the cast and director’s liking! We’re a small team so I am quite involved in all aspects of the production, aside from areas of technical expertise, of which I have none. I wanted to learn from people who know what they’re doing as my experience in theatre has been purely from an actor’s perspective thus far. In terms of rehearsal I’ve been there as much as possible. It’s been a real learning curve sitting in rehearsal on the other side of the fourth wall. Seeing the play more objectively and watching our talented actors work has been so interesting and a great lesson in keeping my big mouth shut and fight my inner desire for total control!
Where would you like to see Hyem (yem, hjem or home) go next?
I really want to tour the play. I’d love to access theatres, sometimes overlooked and neglected by the traditional touring circuit. ETT have been incredibly supportive of us so far and I hope to follow in their footsteps. In a perfect world I suppose the play will be published and then young actors from Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Sunderland and County Durham could use the play for drama school speeches or whatever. If an incredibly successful West End producer wants to pay us all buckets of cash to tour small theatres and then come back to London I’d probably be OK with that. That’s getting ahead of ourselves a little perhaps, but you know, best to be honest! Maybe get the helicopter crash back into the play?
