What Would Jarvis Do? – Interview with Director Maiya Pascouche

We chat with director, Maiya Pascouche to learn more about this loving, funny tribute to Britpop and a moment when Britain seemed bright with possibility.

What Would Jarvis Do? is a new absurdist, black comedy about fandom, grief, and the stories we attach to treasured objects. A playful exploration of what happens when the people and things we hold onto disappear - and how we might find a way forward.

When a pair of yellow trousers, supposedly worn by Jarvis Cocker himself, come up for auction through their wildly unconventional therapist, best friends and Jarvis super-fans Didi and GG empty their pockets to buy them. Only there's one problem. They might not be Jarvis's trousers at all…

As they search for the real trousers, they spiral into an increasingly surreal odyssey where they meet eccentric strangers, navigate impossible coincidences, and confront the unsettling feeling that they've been here before.

Inspired by writer Laura Grillo’s own experiences of sudden loss and grief during lockdown, the play is a tribute to hope, yearning, and the Britpop music that helped her find some light in the darkness.

The Inspiration for the play comes from a period of darkness but the play looks at hope and moving forward. How do those two things come together in What Would Jarvis Do?

There's a deep emotional resonance that runs through the absurdism of the play. Each of the characters is wanting something that'll likely never be able to be found, and while that struggle feels daunting, it’s the wanting itself that keeps them moving forward regardless.

How does music influence the play and how is it incorporated into the performance?

Laura Grillo, the writer, is a major Pulp fan and the character's Didi and GG are as well. They cite the album "Different Class" and we'll definitely be including Pulp music into the show throughout.

Are you a Jarvis Cocker fan? What made him the choice for the characters to be fans of?

I've come to really love Pulp music over the years and especially because of this play. I grew up listening to Brit Pop thanks to my father's brilliant and extensive music taste and it's been a joy to explore Jarvis' lyrical storytelling even more through What Would Jarvis Do?

What is working with an Absurd play, like? Does the style work with the story you wantto tell?

Working within absurdism is a real challenge but also such a joy, especially when telling stories about complex feelings like grief, transformation, and heartbreak. It offers the audience an expansive world to live within and be curious about while these wider themes are sprinkled in gently and through inexplicable yet relatable moments.

The characters face a world that shifts and changes around them. How will the audience experience that?

I'm thrilled to be working with such creative, bold, and joyful designers on this production. Our set and costume designer Georgie Lynch-Bailey and I have had so much fun translating Laura's wacky and wild clown world to the story with cartoonish props, colourful costumes, and 90s inspired elements. The goal is to create a world that feels endlessly explorable.

Ms Lacey is a therapist, what does that job open up as routes to explore within the plot?

Ms. Lacy is such a richly complex character and her being a therapist adds an interesting element to the story. The characters are never quite sure whether they trust her or not, but they instinctually want to open up to her. Many of these moments allow the audience an insight to the character's inner world.

What do you hope the audience take away with them after the show ends?

I hope the audience take away a sense of how important it is to speak about our grief out loud, something Laura has so bravely done with What Would Jarvis Do? That no matter how dark the road ahead, at the end of it may be a light. As Didi says at the top of the play: "If you want something to happen enough then it actually will happen, okay."

What Would Jarvis Do? will run at the Omnibus Theatre from 6th-16th October. https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/whatson/what-would-jarvis-do%3F