Britney Spears life is often seen as a contemporary fable of the risks of losing control over privacy and personal information. Claire Gaydon, writer and star of new musical play Piece of Me, spoke to us about her show which shows the similarities between Britney’s life and the erosion of digital rights in the UK. Drawing inspiration from her childhood playground musical group, and working with producer Jakwob, Claire has created an experimental show which draws on her lifelong love of Britney to explore data privacy.
1. What inspires you to do what you do?
Anything and everything! For Piece of Me I was initially inspired to make a music video with footage from real CCTV cameras. That was the beginning of the project. I’m also drawn to experiments. The music video was an experiment because even though I knew that under data protection law the camera owners had to give me my footage, I didn’t know whether they would adhere to this or not.
2. What is it about performance that compelled you to choose it as your creative medium?
I’ve always loved performing and it’s a creative medium that comes naturally to me. I enjoy writing too, but nothing feels as intuitive to me as performing.
3. Have you seen any other performances lately that have inspired you?
Yes! I saw Figs in Wigs show ‘Big Finish’ at Battersea Arts Centre in March and I loved it. The show is absurd and hilarious while still exploring serious ideas. Big Finish inspired me to go even further with the absurdist comedy in Piece of Me.
4. Will you give us some insight into your process when preparing the show? I imagine there was a lot of research that went into it.
There was a lot of research that went into it and I find it really useful to speak with experts too. I was lucky enough to meet with Harmit Kambo from Privacy International and Emmanuelle Andrews from Liberty. Both interviews were incredibly enlightening and directly influenced the work.
5. What was the atmosphere like in rehearsals?
We’ve been developing the project over four years and there has been a LOT of laughter. But inevitably the last few days before opening night can feel pretty stressful. Everything usually comes together at the last minute but it takes a lot of work.
6. How important are venues like Camden People’s Theatre to the future of the industry and performance?
So important! Camden People’s Theatre gives space for artists to genuinely take risks with their work. The team is lovely and so supportive.
7. Do you have any advice for people who want to get into the world of performance?
My advice would be to write something and then perform it at a scratch night and see what people think! Camden People’s Theatre have a regular scratch night called Big Bang that has a really supportive audience.
Piece of Me is at Camden People’s Theatre from 21st May – 1st June. Tickets are available at https://cptheatre.co.uk/whatson/piece-of-me
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