Toasting Aussie Theatre sat down with playwright Isabella Reid, to chat about the whys and hows of her debut production Misery Loves Company, currently on at KXT on Broadway. The story of the Glynne family and the kerfuffles that they get into when they gather to mourn and celebrate the life of mother, daughter and sister Daphne delves deep into grief, religion and family acceptance in the face of political and social unrest, and ultimately reminds us that when you’re grieving, company – even disfunctional company – goes a long way.

What has been your journey into the performing arts, in particular writing for theatre?

My journey with the performing arts started when I was around the age of two – I was a dancer all throughout my childhood and teenage years, though I never wanted to pursue it beyond that. One of my favourite parts of dance was the acting aspect of it – though I don’t think I ever realised that when I was younger, so starting drama wasn’t something I considered for a long time.

I also loved creative writing when I was younger. Until the age of sixteen, I primarily wrote short stories or poems – a lot of which were just ideas, or bits and pieces I might have jotted down when feeling particularly inspired. It has always been something I loved doing, but it was always just for fun, and I rarely showed my work to anyone! So, there is definitely a lot of unfinished work I have that I would love to complete in the near future. I wrote outside the realm of scriptwriting until I started drama at school in Year 10, which I picked up because I realised that I wanted to try acting!

Aside from the work we did in school, I also performed in a couple of other plays outside of class. I’m a very shy person and acting really helped me with my confidence. It always actually surprised me how much I came to love it – I thought I would dread performing in front of an audience, but I never really did! I’m sure having experience with dance definitely trained me well.

It made sense that I adored script writing from the moment I tried it. I had a lot of fun combining those two passions so when I found out an option for the Drama Major Work was script writing I was straight on it!

Tell me about your experience of writing Misery Loves Company and seeing it developed into a show.

Misery Loves Company was something I wrote for my Year 12 drama major work, and at first, I honestly had very little faith in it being received well, and ultimately, getting a good mark. Sending the first draft to my teacher was such a nerve-wracking experience! I had already been told the idea was risky – I had scrapped a previous idea I’d been working on for weeks and started Misery Loves Company very late in our designated working period. It also at the time had a total of eight characters, instead of the recommended three!

After I had gotten that initial mark of approval though, it was such a pleasure to write. Year 12 is such an intense and stressful period, and I saw writing the play as a break from it all. I take such joy from writing and this specific piece was so comforting for me because of its ties to my own Irish heritage and family.

Seeing it developed into a show is so surreal. I’ve always wanted to be a writer, and it is just so crazy and exciting that I quite literally and living my dream! But the best part about it all is the people I’ve been able to meet and connect with. The script is only a base – the lovely actors in the show and of course our director Mat have brought to life something I thought would get stamped with a mark and put away. They have made me so proud of this piece, and I’m so happy that other people get to experience their beautiful performances.

What is the one message you want every person who sees Misery Loves Company to take with them out of the theatre?

I’d really like to place emphasis on relying on those you surround yourself with during tough times. There are characters in the play that do feel isolated from everybody else initially. Part of their development is realising they can rely on the people around them for help or comfort, and that they are not alone. I wrote these characters as ‘outliers’ because I wanted people to be able to identify with them – especially in hard times, it is so easy to feel alone, separated, misunderstood.

I want to show people that there is a real strength in togetherness even in these horrible times. And perhaps being miserable in company is a good thing! It is definitely easier overcome grief when you don’t have to do it alone.

What do you enjoy about the Aussie theatre scene, and what needs to change?

I haven’t been part of the Aussie theatre scene for very long, so I won’t have a very well-rounded opinion here, but personally, the experience I’ve had has been nothing but positive. That is owed to the people I have met and worked with so far – they have made this journey so easy for me. Working in the room with both the cast and crew of Misery Loves Company is just beyond fun – everyone is so wonderful and welcoming and it’s so easy to share ideas and be heard. I know that’s a very sheltered perspective – I certainly haven’t experienced enough of the industry to say what needs to change, but I am so grateful of my experience so far.

What type of wine would you pair with Show, and why?

Definitely a good Riesling – My Auntie’s favourite. Her and I both love a good bit of drama, and I feel like a nice glass of Riesling would pair well with watching the madness of the Glynn family!

Purchase your ticket to Misery Loves Company here.