Independent Dundee theatre makers Calum Kelly and Taylor Dyson have put on Taylor’s one-woman show, Ane City, more than 30 times.
The couple, who make up theatre company Elfie Picket, performed the show at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe to standing ovations and even a shout-out from radio DJ Frank Skinner.
And they even charmed audiences in Prague during a pre-pandemic five-night run in the Czech Republic.
But ironically, despite the play taking place in Douglas-born Taylor’s ‘Ane City’, it has never been performed in Dundee.
That is, until now.
“There’s something weird about the fact we haven’t done it here yet,” laughs Calum, Elfie Picket co-founder and guitar player for the show.
“Because it does literally have geographical references throughout Dundee in it.”
But this week, the play will ‘come home’, with its debut performance at Dundee Rep on Thursday April 13.
Ane City, which Calum describes as “action-packed, funny and a good story” sees Taylor, 27, tackle womanhood and the barriers girls face in Dundee with a mix of storytelling, comedy and poetic moments.
And in line with its message, Calum, 29, hopes the performance and jumpstart a new theatrical era for Dundee’s working class population.
“We are viewing this show as a kind of relaunch for this project, and we do want to, in future, take the show on tour. So I guess we’re testing the waters with it,” he reveals.
“If we have a really successful night in Dundee and everything goes to plan, we can have conversations after that and look at potentially taking it on a tour that will hopefully be in our company vision.”
Night at the theatre ‘can be impossible’ for ordinary folk
That ‘company vision’ is one of community restoration, entertainment, and access.
Last year, Elfie Picket toured a five-actor show called Dolly Parton Saved My Life around community centres in Dundee, offering free tickets, tea and biscuits.
So for Calum and Taylor, playing the Rep isn’t just a dream come true – it’s essential to building their platform, so they can go out and do more community-based work.
“Obviously we know that getting into Dundee city centre, let alone paying for tickets for a night out, especially during a cost of living crisis, can be really tricky or near impossible for a lot of people,” Calum acknowledges.
“But bridging the gap between the city’s theatres and Dundonians is definitely what we want to do.
“Taylor grew up in Douglas and I’m from the Isle of Skye, and I’d never been to a theatre until I was about 19,” he reveals.
“We didn’t grow up at all in the world of theatre, or with people in our families who are in theatre – which is how it works in most of the industry to be honest. So part of our whole ethos is creating access.”
With supportive families behind them and one another as teammates, Calum knows he and Taylor are lucky. His excitement to share his partner’s tale is palpable.
“It’s exactly the kind of theatre we like seeing,” he says. “Only now we’re making it ourselves.”
Ane City will be performed at Dundee Rep on Thursday April 13 at 7.30pm. Tickets available from the theatre’s website.
Conversation