Theatre / Amelia Gann
A fever dream of pop nostalgia, childhood dance shows, queer identity and suburban village life: welcome to Dreamworld
The protagonist of Amelia Gann’s acclaimed one person, multi-role show Dreamworld (formerly called Zumba Gold) is Cathy, who works at the local leisure centre while dreaming of stardom.
“I am going to be in the village fete; people will watch me intently; they will be shocked; they will never have seen anything like this before,” we are assured. “This will change the course of my life forever.”
What follows is described as ‘a fever dream’ of dance routines, nostalgia, and the search for queer identity from deep in suburbia.
is needed now More than ever
Amelia Gann as Cathy in Dreamworld – photo: Amelia Gann
Performing at high energy throughout and flitting between characters, Gann’s writing debut won the admiration of Fringe audiences and critics alike. And now, Cathy is sharing her quest with The Wardrobe Theatre, as she shares her Dreamworld with Bristol audiences for two nights, on May 20-21.
But how did the concept first take shape for her? “I asked myself, if I was to write a show, what would be the most fun thing for me to perform and what would people find joyful to watch,” she explains.
“In lockdown I spent a lot of time dancing in the mirror and reconnecting with dance which was something I did a lot at school but not so much as an adult. So I knew it had to be centred around dance somehow, or include routines and silly characters.
“The zumba instructor element was inspired by a class I did with my mum many years back – and the idea that a super peppy, positive, smiley instructor could have a bit of darkness within them, or the idea that they were just hating life teaching the classes.”
Photo: Amelia Gann
So far, it’s been a winning formula for Gann. “I’ve been surprised at how universal it is, from young kids right through to older generations,” she says.
“There’s a bit of a twist at the end which has got a few different reactions: sometimes laughs, groans, gasps or complete silence, so I’m always intrigued to see how that goes down.”
Although she admits that the 50 minute show is exhausting to perform, she is excited to do longer runs, and potentially to develop Cathy’s narrative further in the future – whether that is to dig into the backstory, or the aftermath, of the events that unfold in Dreamworld.
“I definitely don’t think this is the last you’ll see of her,” she smiles.
Show poster – photo: Amelia Gann
Dreamworld is at The Wardrobe Theatre from May 20-21 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available at www.thewardrobetheatre.com.
Main photo: Amelia Gann
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