You are the writer of Sisyphean Quick Fix which is coming to the Riverside Studios London next month. Tell us about the show and why you were compelled to write it.

In all honesty, when I started writing Sisyphean Quick Fix in 2019, it was a cathartic act. I had no idea what my words would turn into or what these compilations of moments could become. At the time, I had just finished drama school, and my father’s addiction had taken a turn for the worse. With my family in Malta and myself in London, things were difficult to navigate, and writing allowed me to reflect and process the situation I now found myself in. I always knew that I had wanted to be more open about our reality as a family living with someone with struggling with substance misuse, and as a migrant artist, I was eager to find a way to put myself on stage as over the years, casting opportunities on stage have been few and far between. 

Between 2019 - 2023, I wrote bits here and there, and then in 2023, I felt that I had created a solid script that was ready to be shared with audiences. We often see stories of addiction on stage or on screen, placing the addict at the centre of the narrative. Sisyphean Quick Fix came from a want to give a voice to the multiple casualties of the disease by putting those living with the person struggling with addiction at the centre of the story, whilst sharing a message of hope for the future, especially for those in similar situations, in sisters Krista and Pip’s, united compassion. 

Your show enjoyed a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe last year. How was the experience for you at the Fringe and how important is the Festival to writers? 

Being a part of last year’s festival was amazing – aside from the fact that I learned so much as a performer, writer, and producer from the experience of being there, our Riverside run came about as a direct result of the show being staged at the Fringe. Rhys Williamson, Head of Programming at Riverside Studios, was actually in the audience for our last performance within our run, and now here we are, getting ready to open at Riverside in a few weeks. I feel so blessed! There’s no better place than the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to showcase your work in an international context. It is the greatest celebration of arts and culture in the world, and the opportunity to be surrounded by like-minded people and be inspired by their work was such a great gift. 

Aside from the lovely feedback from our audiences, it was also brilliant to be named Best Play by Theatre Weekly as part of their Best of the Fest list. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a proven training ground where some of today’s most popular entertainers got their start. It’s also home to one of the most adventurous audiences in the world – an audience that, along with the paying public, includes producers, promoters, journalists, and fellow artists, so being able to form part of the festival last year, which resulted in this London transfer of the show, truly confirmed for me that anything is possible. As a writer, I can only hope to share my stories with as many people as possible, and the show’s debut in Edinburgh allowed Sisyphean Quick Fix’s journey to grow into something that will continue to reach as many audiences as possible. 
 

You worked with substance misuse charities in Malta and the UK whilst writing this story. How important was it for their input during the writing process? 

For me, sharing this play with the world was always about more than the artistic merit it could achieve - I was also motivated by the social change it could instigate. Sisyphean Quick Fix was never meant to have a life on stage without the collaboration of charities working towards alcohol misuse prevention, support or education. Working with Agenzija Sedqa in Malta, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs in Scotland, and now Alcohol Change UK, has allowed for the play’s authenticity. Living with a person dealing with addiction, means that these families are often operating under a high-stress environment… grieving… coping – the emotions and situations that occur as a result of this is are so complex and nuanced, input from these charities meant that I was giving as accurate a depiction as possible, of the realities faced in these circumstances, and opened my mind up to experiences outside of my own. I am forever grateful to them. These collaborations have also resulted in us raising money for these incredible charities, and making more and more people aware of the local resources available to them.

Where did your love of writing come from?

I’ve always loved writing. My favourite subject in primary school was Creative Writing because homework meant bringing my wild imaginings to life. Once my ideas were on paper, they became real, tangible. I recently found a collection of diaries belonging to my grandmother… she filled up hundreds with poetry she either wrote herself or transcribed. My father’s side of the family loved to leave little messages in books, give birthday cards with essays inside them, send each other notes. I recieved so many books growing up, and videos! I was born into a family who loved stories, and storytelling, and who are big dreamers themselves.

As well as being the writer and producer for Sisyphean Quick Fix, you are also starring in the show as Krista. Tell us about Krista and how she differs from the other central character, Pip played by Tina Rizzo.

Krista is the older sister of the two. She is single, living abroad, pursuing a career as an actor. She is in a totally different place in her life in comparison to Pip. Krista doesn’t have much to her name and she’s quite a while away from figuring out exactly what life she wants to create for herself. She’s a little lost but very perceptive. Pip is newly engaged, works a 9 to 5 job, makes good money - she is desperate to live the life she has dreamed of for herself for so long… even if it means settling for certain things that don't bring her joy. Pip’s a problem-solver, though still, when push comes to shove, although Krista may not be the most front-footed of the two, she is loyal to her word and the more level-headed of the two. They are opposites in so many ways but similar in many others, and clearly depend so much on each other. I love playing Krista - She’s funny and witty and a bit all over the place, and as hard as she has tried to distance herself from the situation at home (whether consciously or unconsciously), she’s an empath at heart and has a deep understanding of the complex nature of human beings.