INTERVIEW: Stephanie Greenwood (Relative Motion - Southwark Playhouse Borough)
Stephanie Greenwood is the writer of a new theatre show called Relative Motion, playing at Southwark Playhouse Borough.
Step inside the world of Sam (Stephanie Greenwood) and Paul (Sean Hart) as they navigate their busy lives, until they run into each other on trains and platforms. What begins as a lighthearted romantic comedy quickly transforms into an intense psychological thriller, exploring the complex dynamics of falling in love, and falling apart.
Could you tell us a bit more about yourself and what the show is all about?
Relative Motion is about a relationship and the very specific relationship dynamics that can totally destabilise you. The audience gets to watch the full arc of two people coming together, falling in love, and falling apart. However, you only ever see them on trains and train platforms as they go about their lives. I’ve also mapped Newton’s three laws of motion onto their relationship and that is how one of the characters processes what she is going through.
My name is Steph and this is my second play to be produced (although it’s actually the first play I ever wrote, which has been a fun in terms of the editing experience as I came back to it with our lovely director Wiebke Green after having not looked at the script for two years!). The play originally started from a short story that I wrote on a train when I was coming out of (falling out of?) a rather difficult relationship. The short story was about relative motion as I was sitting on that train, speeding away from someone else. I was watching houses go by and also watching all these people on the train with me. I felt so disconnected from my own life and I used it as a (somewhat clunky) metaphor. At the time, I was also really grappling with how someone can come into your life and be such a big presence and influence and then leave it again quite suddenly. That’s not what the play ended up being about but it was a good stepping stone to get to the current story.
How would you describe your character (or the show’s vibe) to someone who knows nothing about it?
I would say it’s an adventure! I think the tone is light and funny until it’s not. I also hope that the science aspects will take people by surprise (in a good way). Our director has a really amazing vision for what it’s going to look like on stage given the setting of trains and train platforms so I am excited for people to experience that too.
The show starts as a romantic comedy but turns into a psychological thriller. What is it like as an actor (or writer) to guide the audience through such a big shift in tone?
Terrifying! I think it’s one of those things that I won’t know whether or not it’s worked until we have an audience in front of us experiencing it. I recently took a much bigger swing with the script which I am super happy about but also very nervous about. I think when a decision scares you creatively that often means it’s the one you should choose. I hope the turn from romantic comedy to a more emotional rollercoaster will feel true though to anyone who has experienced that flip in a relationship.
Southwark Playhouse is known for its wonderfully intimate and immersive spaces. How does the specific layout and atmosphere of this venue enhance a character-driven piece like Relative Motion?
I love this theatre for exactly that reason and was so thrilled they wanted to work with me. I think the intimacy of the space means you will really be a part of the relationship going on on stage and feel immersed in the twists and turns.
What do you hope audiences will be discussing on their way out of the theatre?
My favourite question to ask whenever I personally see any play or musical is “why now?”. I think that’s so incredibly important. So I hope that audiences will be discussing what was relevant to them or where they might have recognised behaviour in themselves or in someone else. I also didn’t want to write a play where one person was good and one person was bad. They’re both messy and fallible so I hope there is a lot of discussion around the characters’ behaviour. I think love and harm exist side by side and it can be easiest sometimes to hurt the people we love the most. I’m also interested in the the narratives we construct of ourselves and our relationships so I hope this play brings all those questions to the surface.
If you had to choose just three words to capture the core energy and mood of this production, what would they be?
Oooooooh this is a tricky one!
Okay.
I’m going to go with: gravity, expectation, undercutting.
Relative Motion is coming to Southwark Playhouse Borough from 11th November – 5th December 2026. For tickets and more information visit: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/relative-motion/
