Following a hit run at the Edinburgh Fringe, Right Before I Go. is transferring to London’s Soho Theatre for a limited time from 5-10 September. Right Before I Go. highlights the raw struggles of people from all walks of life that have been impacted by suicide, using real suicide notes of celebrities, veterans, bullied teens, those identifying as LGBTQ+, and those who have survived attempts.
The limited London run of the show will mark Suicide Awareness Month in September, including performances on World Suicide Prevention Day on the 10th September, and after every performance, the play is followed by a talkback between the cast, audience and a local mental health professional. Having said all this, it feels like there really is not a more crucial time for this show to be performed.
A star-studded cast brings the show to the stage, featuring Iz Hesketh (Tip Toe, Renegade Nell), Dominique Moore (Horrible Histories), Claire-Marie Hall (Operation Mincemeat) and Emrhys Cooper (Nosferatu, Coronation Street, StyleHaul). This cast joins Stan Zimmerman himself, the writer of the play, who I have been very lucky to have interviewed about the show before performances in London begin later this week.
I found this discussion to be so sincere and a really engaging insight into bringing a show with such a sensitive theme to the stage. Without further ado, here is that interview with writer and performer Stan Zimmerman.
Note: None of these answers have been edited in any way, shape or form. They are exactly as they were sent to me.
Starting simple, can you tell us a bit about who you are and what Right Before I Go. is?
I’m Stan Zimmerman, primarily known as a TV/film/theatre comedy writer. I’m also a stage director and as of late, I have been focusing on marrying art and advocacy in the projects I get involved with. Most often laughter is a big part of that and so needed at this time. And recently I’ve added “author” to my various titles, with my book – The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore. Right before I go. is a play I wrote that uses real suicide notes to help end the stigma around this subject and hopefully save lives.
You’re both a writer and actor in many mediums, from TV to Film to Theatre; when writing something new, do you have a certain approach you always take, or does it vary from project to project?
It varies from project to project. Obviously in my TV work, you’re limited by time and structure if there are commercial breaks. But I’ve always looked at that as a great teaching tool. To be succinct in my words and have strong arcs in stories and characters.
Right Before I Go. is a play based on real, raw struggles and stories of people impacted by suicide. How did you go about handling something so sensitive and translating these stories for the stage?
Being sensitive is just in my nature. I always put myself in someone’s shoes to figure out how I want to handle a situation. That same philosophy is very helpful in my writing and directing projects. With Right before I go. specifically, the eloquent words of the note writers speak for themselves. I want to honor their feelings and give them life.
With a show as emotional as this, did you have to take any actions to protect yourself when writing it, and to support the company bringing the stories to the stage?
We take great care in supporting our cast and especially our audience members. We always have printed information for crisis resources at the theatre. Also, it is a requirement when producing this play that you include a Post Show Talk Back with a local mental health professional. As far as myself, I was concerned about performing this piece twenty-four times at Edinburgh Fringe. Prior to this experience, I had only done two shows back-to-back. But as emotionally draining as it, I find it extremely empowering, especially being able to connect with audience members in the lobby after the show.
As the writer of the show, what is it like handing your work over to someone else to direct, especially as you are also performing in it? Is it a collaborative process, or have you just let director Abigail Morris have creative freedom to stage the show as they see fit?
I’ve been very fortunate to work with the super talented and very collaborative director, Abigail Morris. She has a great eye and really knows how to convey what she wants to actors. It’s been inspiring to work (and learn) from her. And we could just go on gabbing for hours, if we had the time.
Right Before I Go. has run in New York, at Edinburgh Fringe and is now set to run in London. Has the show evolved from place to place, or has it pretty much stayed the same in every run?
I’ve also performed in the play across America, including university and secondary schools. I like to think of my play as a living and breathing organism. I’m constantly tweaking the script. That’s the beauty of theatre, and so different from film and TV, I can keep improving it and adding new pieces depending on the region of the world it’s being performed.
After the show, there is a talkback between the cast, audience and a local mental health professional. Can you tell us a bit about what this means and why it’s important?
To me this is the most important part of the play. And the most meaningful. Since I’m so honest in the play about my feelings and who I am, it often opens up something in our audiences to be equally as honest. That has led to so many heartbreaking and cathartic stories shared.
There have been a few shows in recent years raising awareness of declining mental health and suicide, including A Little Life, Next to Normal and Dear Evan Hansen; how do you think Right Before I Go. differs? Do you think drawing from real, personal experiences is easier or harder than writing something fictional?
I respect any project that tackles such a vital topic. My play is very different in that you are hearing the real words of real people. Some famous (Virginia Woolf, Kurt Cobain, etc.) and many just like you and me that may struggle with certain thoughts. At the beginning of the Talk Backs, I always ask the audience to raise their hands if this subject has touched their life. When the audience looks around the theatre and sees so many hands up, it instantly connects all of us. Together, we can make a difference and break the silence.
Right Before I Go. sounds like it is a really heavy piece of theatre; what would you say to people who perhaps think this will be too heavy for them to watch?
Well, first off, I narrate the piece, so I’m naturally going to bring my heart and humor to it. Audiences are often surprised that they laughed during the play. And you leave with hope. And purpose to check in with family and friends.
Final question…Right Before I Go. sounds like it is an emotional but hugely impactful play. What are you hoping to achieve with this show? What do you want audiences to take away from Right Before I Go.?
I want to provoke conversation about an important topic that there is still so much shame around. As Andy’s Man Club, a UK group that has been a major part of our Fringe Talk Backs, says on their wristbands – It’s Okay to Talk.
That brings us to the end of the interview. I hope you all enjoyed reading that interview as much as I enjoyed conducting it. It is already clear from this interview that Right Before I Go. is a show that has been constructed with so much love, care and tact, and that this run will be something really special.
Right Before I Go. Will run at London’s Soho Theatre from the 5th to the 10th September. You can find out more about the show and buy tickets here: https://sohotheatre.com/events/right-before-i-go/
One Show at a Time 