Daniel Dercksen shares a few thoughts with playwright Juliet Jenkin, whose latest play Sprawl enjoyed successful staged reading.

Juliet Jenkin graduated with a BA Theatre and Performance (UCT) in 2003. Her first play. The Boy Who Fell from the Roof has been performed throughout South Africa and in Dublin. The play was nominated for a Naledi Award for 'Best New South African Play' in 2008, and was also nominated for 'Best Play' at the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival in 2007. Her Second play, Library was performed on the Artscape Spring Season of New Writing, 2007. She will be directing a staged reading of her new play, Sprawl, at the Artscape Arena Theatre, in November of this year. She appeared most recently in Roy Sargent's production of The Merchant of Venice, at Maynardville earlier this year. She wrote and performs in Venom and performs in 'More South African Deep-Freezing', a play co-written with Frances Marek.

You shot to fame with BOY WHO FELL FROM THE ROOF? How did this impact on your life and your career as a writer?
Shot to fame? That's the first I've heard about it. My mother doesn't even recognize me in the street. The success of The Boy Who Fell From The Roof did make me think I was rather clever, and destined for cocktails and evening wear. This has not been the case, and my writing career has lurched about since then.

Have you always wanted to be a writer?
No. I wanted to be a ballerina for quite a long time.

Where did your desire to write start? What was that moment that you knew that you are going to be a playwright?
I've been writing throughout my life. When I was seven I wrote a fabulous novella on an old cereal box. It's probably my best work thusfar. Very moral. I don't think I've ever known exactly what it was that I wanted to be. I just wanted to be alive in a certain way, rather than doing an actual thing. I know now that I want to be a playwright. And a great many other things too.

What inspires you to write?
Oh, so many things. I can't say precisely what they are. The things of living, I suppose.

Tell me about SPRAWL?
SPRAWL is a sort of dramatized epic poem. Or a Scenic Poem - that's what I've called it. It's a work of five scenes with choral narration and interjection. But that sounds boring and academic. What I mean is SPRAWL is a great big beautiful play with wonderful actors and lots of compelling chatter.

Why did you write SPRAWL?
That's a difficult question. My reasons for writing something include such a mixture of conscious and unconscious drives. I write plays because I feel compelled to. But I suppose one of the reasons I wrote SPRAWL was to write something within a poetic structure rather than a traditional dramatic one.

What can your fans expect from SPRAWL?
My fans? Well, all three of them can expect a moving theatrical experience.

Do you enjoy the process of directing your own writing or do you prefer to hand your work over to another director?
The only time I have ever directed my own work was at drama school, and I enjoyed it then. I do generally think that writers shouldn't direct their own work. But I felt very strongly about directing SPRAWL myself, so I'll have to see how that goes. Hopefully no-one will die.

How difficult is it to get your work on stage? Any tips for new writers?
It's very difficult to get your work on stage because of the dire lack of funding for theatre and the dramatic arts. But new writers can send their work to the Artscape New Writing Programme or try and stage their plays themselves. If you are really passionate about theatre and playwriting there is always a way of putting your work on - even if it is not a particularly easy way.

You have a good working relationship with the Artscape New Writing programme and Roy Sargeant in particular?
I do. Roy has been unfailingly supportive of me and my work, and I am very grateful for that.   

What do you think producers are looking for in new scripts?
I don't know. Sex, money and a race-riot or two? I think producers are looking for good writing. The subject matter is immaterial, really.

Future plans?
To pay my rent.

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Copyright © 2008 Daniel e. Dercksen/ The Writing Studio