Creative Director of Crying in the Wilderness Theatre Company Paul Morris talks about latest work-in-progress ‘Best Friends’ to show at Certain Blacks’ ‘Afro Futures Festival’

2017 witnessed theatre company Crying in the Wilderness perform their work Invisible Man at Certain Blacks’ Harlem Festival, a pertinent production about marginalisation initially performed at the Decibel Performing Arts Festival at the Manchester Royal National College of Music back in 2011. Eight years on, Certain Blacks’ and Crying in the Wilderness reunite as the latter present work-in-progress Best Friends – a work following two successful businessmen who check in to a retreat centre to celebrate their last 24hrs as friends, only to bring to the fore revelations about their pasts at this year’s Afro Futures Festival taking place at Rich Mix from 6th to 9th March. Ahead of the festival, Creative Director Paul Morris tells us more about how the company have approached creating the work-in-progress, what’s been learned from creating it and future plans for the show.

Hi Paul, Crying in the Wilderness will be presenting work in progress Best Friends as part of Certain Blacks’ Afro Futures Festival from 6th to 9th March. How are you feeling ahead of the festival? 

We are very excited at the prospect of showcasing  Best Friends in the  Afro Futures Festival.  Our team of actors are a combination of award winning artists and nominees from the UK and USA. This is an experiment that we have never engaged in before, so it will be interesting to see how the audience responds to this idea.

Best Friends follows two successful businessmen who check in to a retreat centre to celebrate their last 24hrs as friends, only to bring to the fore revelations about their pasts. What inspired you to explore this narrative further?

I feel that it is important to start to see different archetypes of men on stage from the standardised versions that are so familiar.  The focus on the intra relationships of men, in particular, provided me with an opportunity to create personalities and characters that are dynamic and rarely seen on stage.

How have you approached developing the show?

It’s been quite a long process due to the sensitive themes explored in the play, friendship and the Assisted dying act. It was important to always have an one eye on how the play would impact members  of the audience, especially  as the play, on one level, is about how we deal with loss whilst celebrating life. The big question was, how do we want the audience to leave the theatre after the play? And it’s only very recently that we have been able to answer that question to our satisfaction.

What does it mean to form part of this year’s Afro Futures Festival?

It’s always an honour to be part of the festivals of Certain Blacks. Their schedule of artists is always unique. The Artistic Director’s vision for each festival is wonderfully unpredictable. You always know you are going to see something different which is going to leave  a lasting impact on you artistically and intellectually.

What have you learned/taken away from developing the show?

Seek the path less used by others is the big thing I have learned. Also, I have been very impressed by the commitment of the actors to the play, who want to do their best for the audience. I am not sure who really owns this play.

What are your hopes for the show after the festival?

We want to do a big research and development project so that we can explore all the other disciplines in the play, the songs, the routines  and even the aesthetics of the play through set, design, lighting, sound design and special FX. This would be a really beneficial process before heading towards production with new producing partners.

What can audiences expect from the show?

To be moved, to celebrate their friendships, to see people who are fearless and to be inspired to be an inspiration to others.

Interview by Lucy Basaba.

Certain Blacks Afro Futures Festival takes place from Thursday 6th until Sunday 9th March 2025. Best Friends plays on Saturday 8th March, to find out more about the production, visit here…