Performer and Playwright Yve Blake speaks to Theatrefullstop about her new show, Lie Collector showing at the Vaults Festival 2015!

This year’s VAULT Festival is well and truly underway, entertaining audiences from all walks of life with exciting pieces of theatre, topical discussions and lively club nights. Brightening up the gloomy, victorian subterranean landscape located in the very heart of London’s Waterloo, the festival aims to showcase an array of new voices and ideas. We’re taught from the outset never to lie, that being truthful is moral… however… I’m sure that at one point or another, we’ve all told a white lie or two… Yve Blake’s new show, Lie Collector explores this idea of the lie, taking its inspiration from lies shared on Yve’s website, whowerewe.com. Lie Collector is now showing at The Vault Festival, and we were lucky enough to speak to the playwright and performer about her inspirations for the show, her thoughts on interactivity in theatre and her must see shows at this year’s festival.

What were your inspirations for the work?

Cheese and sharks and the whole internet and how it makes us lonely and never alone and the way that being honest is scary but freeing but trapping but also ‘the right thing’ but not if it’s about whether anyone has gained weight or if you farted. And anyone who ever believed that gullible was taken out of the dictionary. And let’s throw Meryl Streep in there too.

What made you want to write a show about the intimate secrets of strangers?

Because the best words to sing at the top of your lungs are the ones that that you usually wouldn’t dare whisper to anyone.

What do you think the medium of the musical brings to the show rather than a straight play?

Think about how many times you’ve watched your favourite movie, now think about how many times you’ve listened to your favourite song. We carry music with us and I think some songs can be like handrails for us when life is confounding, or just spectacular in a new way. Like Theatre, songs work when we recognise ourselves OR a possible version of ourselves in them, but unlike the ephemeral magic of straight theatre – we can take songs with us. I find that really exciting. Plus DANCEBREAKS DANCEBREAKS.

Do you think this kind of interactivity could become a feature of theatre in the future?

I hope so. Increasingly I see people checking their phones in the theatres, but I don’t mind it really because to me, that’s about a desire to be connected to others – and isn’t that what we come to the theatre for anyway? I’m developing a new project (which) uses live feedback form the audience via smartphones to influence and write live lyrics for a band onstage and so I think it would be exciting to see more theatre co-written with the internet. In particular: Someone should start a company dedicated to staging memes.

Was this work cathartic in any way – had you yourself done something that you wanted to share?

I’m being asked that lots. I was interested to ask people lies simply because I figured it was the last thing they’d speak honestly about. It IS nice though to sing about a spitefully farting on other people’s stuff as petty revenge. (That song is called Vigilante Justice) #canrelate

Have you seen any of the other works on at the Vaults Festival? How do you feel Lie Collector fits in with those?

The fest starts this Wednesday and I can’t wait. Haven’t seen any of the shows yet but I have a big crush on House of Blakewell (House party, We can make you happy) and Elf Lyons is an unstoppable sorceress of comedy (Being Barbarella) .

What did you see as the biggest challenges facing you in bringing Lie Collector to the stage?

There’s lots of elements to juggle. I’m a glutton of collaboration – so I’m lucky to be working with 6 other artists to bring the costumes/projections/lights/music together. That makes for a lot of emails and back to front shirts. It always comes together but Guaranteed I will forget to wear deodorant one night in the first week.

What will you enjoy most about bringing Lie Collector to the stage?

I’m most looking forward to the part where the milk thing happens *SPOILER ALERT*

What do you hope audiences are going to take away from the play?

The part where the milk thing happens. And some confetti in their hair. And DEEP FEELINGS.

How would you sum up the show in three words?

DON’T EAT THE…!

Interview by Emily Channon.

Yve Blake’s Lie Collector will be showing at the Vaults Festival 2015 from Wednesday 11th February until Sunday 1st March 2015. For more information on the production, visit here…