Interview: Patrick Kennedy director of ‘Hotel for Criminals’
We caught up with Patrick Kennedy who is directing the delightfully oddball Hotel for Criminals at New Wimbledon Theatre until Saturday 29 October.
Hotel for Criminals | New Wimbledon Theatre Studio | Until 29 October | Various Prices
Tell us about ‘Hotel for Criminals’, how did the show come about?
Hotel For Criminals is a surrealist music theatre piece based on the 1913 Louis Feuillade silent movie series Fantomas. Richard Foreman, the show’s librettist and celebrated New York avant garde pioneer, saw these films at a New York film festival in his teenage years and thought it would be a good basis for a musical. The show is a series of 16 individual scenes which may or may not be related to each other.
What should an audience expect to see and hear?
The music by Tony and Grammy-nominated composer Stanley Silverman is extremely rich in texture. It covers the full gamut of genres from ragtime to Boulez. The cast are the most ferociously talented group of singers I’ve ever worked with. The absolute precision with which they attack the harmonies is jaw dropping. So you’ll hear luscious tunes and maybe a very loud buzzer…
Who or what are your main inspirations for the show?
I’ve tried to stay away from replicating anyone else’s work in this show. The script is pretty much open to any kind of interpretation with little stage direction so I went with what my subconscious was telling me about each scene. I admire the work of David Lynch so there may be a hint of his style in parts of the show – particularly the way the characters interact with one another.
What are your favourite places to go to in London? (to eat, to party, to relax)
My favourite London pastime is getting off the tube at a random stop and exploring the area. I’ve lived in London for going on 6 years now and I’m STILL fascinated by the fact that I’m constantly discovering new places. I really love West London because it’s the total opposite of where I live in Bow – nothing better than relaxing in the Japanese gardens in Holland Park.
Kyoto Gardens, Holland Park. Photo by Andrew Brackenbury
Find out more about Hotel for Criminals here
I am Joint Editor at To Do List. I like free, cheap & offbeat London, especially: cabaret, art, theatre, pop-ups, eating out, quirky films, museums, day trips, social enterprise & much more.
