Ahead of Bawds' production of Quiz, the coughing major millionaire scandal, Director Sean Baker tells us more about what promises to be a truly immersive production.
What drew you to this play?
Two things, really. Like quite a lot of people in this country, and probably around the world, I was a big fan of the show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? in the early 2000s. I think I even tried the hotline once or twice! So I was unsurprisingly gripped by the accusations of cheating and the court case a couple of years later, and again like a lot of people, if reports at the time are anything to go by, I was convinced of the Ingrams’ guilt. The second thing that made me want to direct it was when I read the script – not only the nuanced way it’s written, in that it challenged my preconceptions, but also the technical challenges the play presents. My first thought was ‘this is insane!’. Second thought being ‘I’d love to do this’.
What are the technical challenges?
I was certain when I first read it that it was a TV script, adapted for the stage. I later realised it was actually the other way round – the stage version came first, later turned into an ITV drama. It jumps around a lot, in terms of place and time, for one thing, in the way a TV drama might with lots of jump cuts. This of course presents challenges in terms of staging and lighting, as does the fact there are 39 scenes and around 60 characters! Another big technical element is the use of cameras and video screens to give the feeling to the audience that they are in a TV studio, watching a live recording of the quiz show itself. And finally there is the live online voting – we ask the audience to vote, via their phones, on whether they think the Ingrams and their accomplice, Tecwen Whittock, are guilty or not.
So, is it a very immersive show for the audience?
Very. Firstly, with the set design, the lighting, cameras and video screens, it will feel like you’re in a TV studio. Also, some audience members will be able to watch the show from seating on the stage, with the option of taking part in brief reenactments of old game shows like Bullseye and The Price Is Right. Everyone will be able to take part in a ‘pub quiz’, and everyone will be invited to vote!
