Interview: Matthew Howell and Jack Michael Stacey THE LIBRARIANS
Photo by Jonny Ruf
Matthew Howell and Jack Michael Stacey write for the Librarians from England. They are bringing their very fun comedy play to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this August! Be prepared for a lot of laughter....The Librarians tells the story of two fiercely dedicated (and slightly eccentric) librarians trying to maintain absolute order in a world that is quickly descending into chaos. Packed with brilliant physical comedy, slapstick, and beautifully absurd situations, it is a high-energy show that proves working behind the bookshelves is anything but quiet.
Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-librarians-a-very-serious-comedy
Venue: Pleasance Two at Pleasance Courtyard
When: 5 - 31 August (not performing on 17th & 24th)
Could you tell us a bit more about yourself and your role in The Librarians?
We are Matthew Howell and Jack Michael Stacey, the writers and creators behind the show. We met while performing in the West End production of The Play That Goes Wrong and have been writing together ever since.
For someone who hasn't heard of it yet, how would you describe the show in your own words?
The Librarians: A Very Serious Comedy! is a satirical state-of-the-nation farce set in a Library. After the death of their long-standing head librarian, Plumbstanton Library finds itself understaffed, underfunded and underwater. When news of potential cuts begin to circulate the staff must prepare the library for the upcoming visit of an inspector who they think is hell bent on closing down their beloved local amenity. However tensions on how to do so begin to rise between the old guard and the ambitious new head librarian who has been parachuted into Plumbstanton by the powers that be in London. Can they work together to save the library and themselves, or in 24hrs will the Library be condemned to become another block of flats!
There is a lot of audience participation in this comedy. Are you excited, or maybe a little nervous, to see how the crowd will react?
Theatre is a live experience and we are never afraid to break the fourth wall, especially doing comedy. It is however a balancing act, after all this is a play and not improv. However as long as the audience are with you then there is nothing to worry about!
This comedy is packed with high-energy chaos. What has been the most unpredictable or funniest moment during rehearsals so far?
Rehearsals for the librarians have not started just yet. However in our last show there have been countless funny moments and when it comes to unpredictability one stands out. We did the show in Poland and were using a new set built specifically for over there. We didn’t have much time after landing before the first show to tech. During the final act of the first show,one of the cast got caught on the curtain, which was a little longer than our other set. Within seconds the entire set (a giant arch with huge heavy curtains draped over it) fell on all 4 actors. The last 10 mins of the show consisted of the actors carrying on trapped under the curtain which acted like a giant duvet cover that nobody could escape from. The mostly Polish speaking audience must have been baffled. But hey the show must go on!
What are you most looking forward to when it comes to bringing this show to an audience at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival?
The show is a love letter to satire, farce, and the travails of modern Britain. We are excited to be back at Pleasance Courtyard and to see how audiences engage with a show that captures the feeling of a country trying to hold itself together while everything quietly falls apart.
What do you hope audiences will take away from the show?
Beneath the chaos, we hope audiences recognise that libraries remain the beating heart of local communities. These buildings are guardians of stories and one of the few places left where knowledge, imagination, and shared space coexist; we hope the show highlights the importance of protecting these community hubs.
