Stella Taylor stars in Stephanie Martin’s Juniper and Jules at Soho Theatre following a successful run at VAULT Festival in 2019.
Bethany Pitts directs Gabriella Schmidt (Jules) and Stella Taylor (Juniper) who return to their respective roles.
The production opens at Soho Theatre on 5th May, with previews from 3rd May and runs until 14th May.
You’re starring in Juniper and Jules at Soho Theatre, what can you tell us about the play?
It’s an hour (and a bit) of dissecting a queer female relationship. You meet the two titular characters as they meet each other, and then follow them through their relationship: the good, bad and ugly.
You will laugh! And cry! And probably watch parts through your fingers.
What was it about Stephanie Martin’s writing that really impressed you?
Some scripts are just a joy to perform; lines go in easily, the characters feel authentic, there are some real zingers. Steph’s writing is all of those things. It’s real, poetic, titillating, funny (having performed it already, we know that the audience find it funny – thank god)! It’s a joy to be able to do all of that in one play.
Why do you think this story is so relevant today?
There are so many topics in this play that resonate with the world we live in. From discovering your sexuality later in life, to people exploring different ways to be in long lasting relationships. Non monogamy is something that has crept up more and more within my circle of friends, and a lot of people are discussing it in a way that really gets chewed over in this play.
Ultimately, it’s about a connection between two people, and how we cherish and nurture that relationship, that hopefully we can all relate to.
Tell us a little more about your character?
I play Juniper. She is an out and proud lesbian and has always known it. She is strong willed, maybe a liiiiittle controlling but, most importantly, not a Tory.
Juniper and Jules previously ran at VAULT Festival, how does it feel to be reprising your role and has anything changed since that run?
It feels delightful! We did a scratch run of this back in 2018 at Theatre 503, so to go through Vaults and then a pandemic to be performing it at Soho in 2022 just feels right. But a lot has changed since then. The way we talk about gender and sexuality in the world has influenced a lot of script changes, but the core conversations and relationship has remained, and that is one of the most special things about the show.
It’s also amazing what new things you find when rehearsing something a second time. We’ve made some changes where it’s like ‘how did we not do this before? This is so much better!’ But that’s the joy in getting to rehearse the show again, that we’re still able to find new things and keep making it relevant.
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see Juniper and Jules?
Sit back and enjoy the ride, folks. And possibly don’t come with your parents.
