Situated in the centre of Manchester lies a very dark secret… Its name… Pomona. Many have speculated the goings on of this mysterious setting, however their questions and speculations appear to be as useful as a never ending corridor… as questions multiply, and yet remain unanswered.
Written by award winning actress and playwright, Danai Gurira, Eclipsed is a production that amplifies the female voice. Set in Liberia, in 2003 during the Civil War, 5 women find their worlds colliding as they are uprooted from their homes and placed on a rebel army base. As the war wages on, can they all put all of their differences aside? Set to play at the Gate Theatre from Thursday 23rd April, actress Joan Iyiola steps into the role of Bessie. Ahead of the production, Theatrefullstop are lucky enough to speak to Joan about the importance of focusing on the female voice, whether there are any similarities between Bessie and herself and why she was drawn to the production.
Hi Joan, it’s lovely speaking with you again! You’ll be starring in Danai Gurira’s Eclipsed at the Gate Theatre from Thursday 23rd April, how are you feeling ahead of the first show?
Nervous! But excited to move into the theatre and share what we have made.
Finding the perfect monologue can prove to be quite the arduous task; an obstacle course of genre, era, character, plays and playwrights can make the selection process quite a daunting one. However, that no longer has to be the case! The Mono Box, co-founded by Actress Joan Iyiola and Movement Director Polly Bennett in 2012 is a portable library of plays, ranging from the classics to contemporary works. Hosting a range of workshops and events from their Speech Surgery events, to their Workshop Weekenders; The Mono Box aims to be a helpful resource for actors, writers and directors. I was lucky enough to talk to Joan Iyiola, Co-Founder of The Monobox ahead of this month’s Speech Surgery event.