Play: Squeak
Director: Asia Nerva-Culley
Writer: Francesca Mepham
Starring: Sophia Grilli, Will Meadows, Carol Morgan, Philip Gill
Squeak – A Rehearsed Reading
Who falls down the stairs whilst carrying their hamster’s cage? Lianne.
Lianne is angry that her boyfriend Dan is now spending more time with Squeak their hamster than her, mainly, because she is dead.
Dan is just angry.
Mandy and Roger mean well..
Squeak is romantic, tragic and kind of cute!
In a new exclusive interview for Blazing Minds, actress Carol Morgan talk about her role in the latest play from Francesca Mepham, Squeak, which will receive a rehearsed reading at the Drayton Arms Pub, Theatre and Kitchen on Tuesday 29th September at 7:30pm
Q. You play Lianne in the upcoming play Squeak, which is holding a read-through at the Drayton Arms Pub, Theatre and Kitchen. What can audiences expect from the production?
A. It’ll be an emotional journey, but not necessarily what people might expect from a play about grief. Squeak may explore heavy themes of how differently people deal with loss and navigating life when it doesn’t go to plan, but Francesca has beautifully written it in a way that’s filled with so much humour and I think that balance is what makes Squeak feel so authentic! So in short, a good old cry followed by a good old laugh!
Q. What first drew you to the script for Squeak, and what made you want to be part of this production?
A. I was first cast in Squeak back in 2024 for the Lion & Unicorn’s Side Hustle Scratch Night, back when it was a two hander and only 10 minutes long! I remember reading it for the first time, and although it focuses on challenging and heavy themes, I somehow laughed all the way through it – that’s when I knew this was something special! I just love how these characters are so real, honest, and flawed, but that’s what makes them so easy to connect to. I think we’ll all recognise little pieces of ourselves in the characters, even if we don’t necessarily agree with their choices. It was also really interesting that it explored grief from a different perspective – from the person who had died. Lianne is also navigating losing the life she thought she would have, and is having to watch her old life unfold without her but yet it’s not a ‘woe is me’ story – it’s funny and honest.
Q. Can you tell us a little about your character, Lianne, and the role she plays within the story?
A. Oh, Lianne certainly packs a punch! She may be a ghost, but she certainly does not fade into the background. The idea that once someone has passed away, we suddenly remember them as some sort of saint who did no wrong – Lianne definitely doesn’t fall into that stereotype. She’s still very much Lianne: she’s funny, she’s shady, she’s flawed, she’s unfiltered, even more now that there are no consequences which has been so much fun to play with! But underneath all of that humour and sass, she’s really navigating a huge amount of grief. She’s having to watch her old life unfold without her in it, while also watching the people she loves grieve for her and try to adjust to life without her. She’s grieving not only her life and her loved ones, but the future she imagined for herself. But in typical Lianne fashion, most of the time she covers that pain with humour and I think there’s something really relatable in that.
Q. What preparation did you do to portray the character?
A. I see a lot of myself in Lianne, and we have quite a lot in common, so connecting with her and slipping into character has felt very natural. I’d say most of my preparation, though, has centred around exploring her being, well… dead! Preparing for Lianne has been particularly interesting because this is the first role I’ve played where her main given circumstance is something I have no lived experience of (pardon the pun!) and I can’t really substitute it with something from my own life to evoke a similar emotion. That’s made the process really exciting, as I’ve had to approach her experience from a completely different perspective and find ways to understand and embody something so unfamiliar. One of the ways I’ve explored that is through a lot of imagination exercises. Tapping into what it would feel like being completely separated from the people and world I know, having my future taken from me, while still having to watch my loved ones continue living their lives without me. It’s been a really interesting way of finding an emotional truth in a circumstance that’s so far removed from my own experience.
Q. Are there any aspects of Lianne’s personality that you see in yourself?
A. Oh definitely, which is one of the reasons why I was so drawn to the script and related to Lianne straight away! I really connected with her sense of self, ambition and strength, and also her sense of humour and instinct to find the funny and lighter side of things, even in difficult situations. She can also use it to deflect difficult emotions, which I think a lot of us can relate to. We also share a lot of similar experiences so I think there’s a natural familiarity there which is really nice.
Q. Despite the play’s comedic elements, it also deals with themes of death and grief. Have you found any scenes particularly challenging to perform, either emotionally or from a technical perspective during rehearsals?
A. The themes carry a lot of weight, and Lianne definitely uses humour to power through what she is experiencing – she’s a bit like a duck on water, she may present as though she’s fine but underneath she’s just trying to keep afloat. There’s a scene where her mask eventually slips and it all becomes too much for her. She’s a young woman who has lost absolutely everything, and I think what I’ve found challenging about that scene is the enormity of what she’s going through and the emotional weight that carries. It’s a challenging scene, but it’s the kind of emotionally charged material that, as an actor, you really want to get stuck into.
Q. What is it about Squeak that makes it different, and why do you think audiences should come and see it?
A. Audiences should come and see Squeak for a story that’s equal parts heartbreaking, funny and wonderfully messy – because grief certainly doesn’t come with a rulebook! It’s a really honest and human exploration of grief, love and loss, with a good dose of humour which is what certainly makes this show different. As I mentioned before, it’s unique in the way it explores grief from different perspectives – not only from the loved ones left behind, but through the person who has passed away. The driving force of the show is Lianne which gives the audience a really unusual way into a story about loss . The audience gets to see her navigate the loss of everything she once had, but also her unwavering commentary watching her old life unfold. There are no consequences for Lianne, so can be as unfiltered and as shady as she likes, which I think audiences will find really fun! I’d say come and see it if you want something that will make you laugh, make you feel seen, and hopefully catch you off guard emotionally.
Q. What do you hope audiences take away from the read through?
A. I hope audiences come away feeling that they’ve experienced something really human. There’s a real honesty to the characters and their experiences, and I think audiences will be able to recognise something of themselves in that – whether it’s through love, loss, grief or simply trying to navigate life when things don’t go to plan.
Most of all, I hope they laugh with us, feel moved, and leave thinking about some of the questions the play raises and perhaps thinking about whether we ever really stop being connected to the people we’ve lost. Ultimately, I think it’s a reminder to make the most of life, not sweat the small stuff, and appreciate the people and moments that matter!
Q. If someone was looking to get into acting what advice would you give them?
A. To just keep going! Try not to compare your journey to anyone else’s. Our industry is so tough and unpredictable, and everyone’s path looks completely different so be kind to yourself! There will be a lot of rejection along the way and it’s easy to feel defeated at times, but I’d say don’t let the rejection make you doubt yourself! There are so many factors into getting that yes which you can’t control – you can only control how proactive you are! So put yourself out there, take those classes if you have the means to, make those connections and always remind yourself why you love this!
You can find out more about Sophia Grilli and keep up to date with her projects by following her on Instagram
You can attend the rehearsed reading of Squeak at the Drayton Arms Pub, Theatre and Kitchen on Tuesday 29th September at 19:30hrs.
Tickets are available on the website here.
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
