Belfast playwrights Orla Graham and Kirby Thompson Float to the Edinburgh Fringe

“DANNY DeVito was accidentally put in the bin,” is not the first line I expected to hear when I sat down with Belfast playwrights Orla Graham and Kirby Thompson and asked how their play, Float, fared after its three-night run at The MAC.

“We still don’t really know how it happened, but Danny made his way to the bin and even the tech team at The MAC couldn’t work it out,” Thompson continues.

“So, they started panicking so much that they literally went outside and got into the bins and started looking for him.

“Thankfully it was worth it because one of the guys came back a wee while later shouting ‘I got him’ which was a massive relief.”

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However, as the duo’s show centres around the chaos you experience in your twenties, this pre-show Danny DeVito drama is arguably on brand.

“It wouldn’t be studenty or chaos-y or Float-esque if there wasn’t insanity right before opening,” Graham giggles.

Originally written as part of The MAC’s Hatch and Scratch programme, Float explores the relationship between Grace, Caitlyn, Mia and Erin, four friends and housemates living in Belfast’s student area who are experiencing their first taste of freedom and independence.

However, this fun, carefree lifestyle filled with house parties, broken windows and a few too many rounds of Kings is short lived after a traumatic sexual assault exposes the group to a harsh and unfair reality.

In particular the show focuses on the aftermath of the assault in a way that showcases a path forward. There are moments of chaotic comedy weaved throughout which the writers say help lead both the characters and audience towards an eventual emotional catharsis.

“We wanted to do something that appreciated the fun side of being in your twenties but also showed the difficulties – I have driven on the wrong side of the road before, that’s a very real moment for me in the show,” laughs Graham.

Prior to creating Float the pair had written another production, Occupied, which tackled the topic of period poverty.

“We knew we loved writing plays that had a voice and had something to say.

“We were watching a lot of stuff in theatres, television and movies and one consistent thing we kept seeing was that the focus was on the violence against women and the actual act of the assault itself.

“And after that you’d see how traumatised the woman was, but you’d never see life after or any kind of growth.”

It was this lack of representation in terms of a way forward that inspired the women to pen Float, which places a greater emphasis on the importance of healing and the integral part our relationships play in that process.

“One of the first questions we asked ourselves before we started writing was ‘what annoys us?’,” says Thompson.

“And that depiction of sexual assault in addition to the insane number of women experiencing it is beyond infuriating.”

The writing partners carried out a survey early on in the writing process to ask how people would feel watching a show about the aftermath of sexual assault.

“We read a lot of articles about abuse and the difficulties women face on a regular basis,” Thompson recalls.

“Even transcripts from therapy sessions to get a more accurate idea of how those situations would actually look and what would be said in that sort of situation.

“A lot went into it because we knew how important it was to get it right.”

They also wanted Float to be an opportunity to highlight the importance and value of strong female characters.

“Kirby and I love writing strong women,” Graham enthuses.

“Because younger strong women are so underrepresented in the media – especially theatre and Irish theatre specifically they are always someone’s wife, someone’s daughter, pregnant – they’re there to facilitate a story which is never about them.

“And we wanted to write young women that challenged what we’re seeing in theatre and the status quo of what we believe women are.

“That’s why we chose four very different young women who we can see ourselves or someone we know in.”

So far, this has clearly resonated with both audiences and critics. When the play premiered at the Dublin Fringe Festival last year it received a five-star review from the Irish Times, who described it as a captivating and nuanced piece that raises important questions about how we treat survivors of abuse.

“We were one of the first shows in the Dublin Fringe that year to receive a five-star review and one of even fewer shows from the north – which is mental,” says Graham.

“The response overall has just been overwhelming.”

Now, Thompson, Graham and their cast are preparing to take the show to the Edinburgh Fringe in August.

“We’ve been fortunate to have been awarded one of the Keep it Fringe funds where the Edinburgh Fringe basically supports your show and you kind of have their stamp of approval,” Graham describes.

“And we’re the only ones from NI who got it so hopefully that’s a good omen.

“But we’re really excited to be a part of it, it’s been a long process but incredibly enjoyable and we just can’t wait for more people to see it.”