THE MONSTROUS HEART

By Oliver Emanuel | Directed by Gareth Nicholls | Traverse & Stephen Joseph Theatres | October - November 2019
Federation of Scottish Theatre Assistant Director: Jordan Blackwood

About

Why would anyone want to get closer to nature? What’s that about? Nature is a f*****r. It’s cruel. Vindictive. Nature will give you cancer, burn your house down then send a flood to wash away your family.

Mag lives in a rustic cabin in the Canadian wilds, far from neighbours and further from her past. It’s an unremarkable life, save for the enormous bear carcass on the kitchen table.

But when her estranged daughter Beth turns up on the doorstep having been freshly released from prison, the past becomes terrifyingly present - and the bear isn’t the only thing with a dangerous bite. 

Beth came to ask Mag a question. But is she prepared for the answer? Can they really settle their scores? And can Mag keep an innocent life from being destroyed in the crossfire?

As a blizzard closes in and dangerous words are traded, Mag accepts a challenge from a most unexpected source and lights a fuse that looks set to blow both women sky high.

Assistant Director

I was supported by a Federation of Scottish Theatre Assistant Director bursary to work with Gareth Nicholls on The Monstrous Heart.

Throughout the process, I have been working closely with Gareth, the brilliant cast and wider team with responsibility for casting and rehearsing the young performers in the show. We spent four weeks rehearsing in Glasgow, going through a very detailed process of exploring the text and the staging possibilities - including how not to be upstaged by a giant bear in the middle of the set - before heading to Scarborough for production week at the lovely Stephen Joseph Theatre.

I’m really proud to have worked on this production and grateful to have collaborated with such a creative, professional and talented team.