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How would you describe Whenever I Get Blown Up I Think of You? Is it poetry, theatre or a mixture of the two?
I think it's both. It's a poetic monologue. Somebody described it as an epic poem the other day, which made me happy!
The show deals in part with your experience of the London bombings. Why did you decide to write about this experience now? Was the writing process cathartic?
I don't think art should be cathartic. It should for the audience, not the performer. That's why I waited four years before I wrote anything about it. I also wanted it to be a coming-of-age story that encompassed that event, without it being the only thing the play is about.
How have audiences responded to the show so far?
They've been wonderful. I've had so many beautiful messages about it, from gorgeous people saying it touched them or made them think. That's the most important thing for me - I took a risk writing this and when I hear lovely things from people who've taken a chance on it, it makes it all worth it.
Is there a growing audience for poetry, performed and otherwise, in the UK?
Yes, I think so. There are a lot of exciting performers on the scene at the moment and there are also a lot of great organisations championing poetry and harnessing its potential. Writers Centre Norwich (in my region) for example do a lot of work in schools and the community and inspire people to read, write and watch poetry.
Tell us a little about the graphics that are used as a backdrop to your show.
They're beautiful aren't they? My brother Max Naylor did them. He's a brilliant artist, and we're going to collaborate on a graphic novel of the show.
Do you have plans to take this show beyond Edinburgh? What else are you working on?
I'm co-writing a sit com that has taken a back seat of late. I plan to crack on with another draft of that. I'm also going to start the graphic novel, perhaps start to think about a first collection and hopefully tour this show.
Molly Naylor's Whenever I Get Blown Up I Think of You is at Zoo, Edinburgh, until 30 August 2010. For more information visit: MollyNaylor.com
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