Following its premiere earlier this year and Off-West End nomination for Best Production for Young People, the incredible digitally-animated Random Selfies by Olivier Award-winning playwright Mike Kenny will return to Ovalhouse for a three-week run. Directed by Owen Calvert-Lyons, Ovalhouse’s Head of Theatre & Artist Development, this play explores child loneliness while bringing to life the vivid imagination of ten-year-old Loretta; a lonely girl in a busy world. We spoke to illustrator Rachana Jadhav to find out more.
Random Selfies is at Ovalhouse 20th March – 6th April 2019.
Random Selfies is returning to Ovalhouse, what can you tell us about it?
Random Selfies is a sensitive play about a ten-year old girl who is on a journey of self- discovery as she navigates her way through her relationships and finds herself dealing with the notion of loneliness. Her sister has just left the family home, her mother is busy working all the time, she doesn’t understand her younger brother and she feels invisible at school. She develops a visual language to express herself reflecting the world of social media and drawing.
How did you get involved in the production?
As a theatre designer and illustrator I am always looking for projects that incorporate these two practices. There is a freedom in using digital technology in theatre that allows us to create ‘other’ or heightened worlds in the context of real narratives. Random Selfies was the perfect project to do this…and I loved the script.
What inspired your illustrations for Random Selfies?
Many of the illustrations and collages were inspired by the artwork of 9-10 year olds made during the research period. The team workshopped the ideas for the play through text and drawing so a lot of the themes, icons and references I used came from them.
What’s the most exciting thing about illustrating for a stage production?
I love animated drawings. Hand drawn content gives a lovely personal aesthetic and I wanted to make sure that it felt like the artwork was by the character’s hand. Once that was established, I could bring in the more collage elements to reflect her environment and emotional journey.
What benefit do you think illustrations can bring to the theatre?
Illustrations used within context are a special medium. It’s a useful tool to stylise a story and adds another theatrical element. There are so many styles of illustration and animation that it can bring a wide palette to the table.
What would you say to anyone thinking of coming to see Random Selfies?
If you want to see a warm and funny look at a moment in a young girl’s life then Random Selfies is the show to come and watch. Her graffitied bedroom wall tells the story of her thoughts, hopes and dreams and also some of her misguided adventures.
