Creative Writing graduates take their debut play 'Shotgunned' on nationwide tour
04 April 2024
Since graduating from Falmouth University, Joseph Cobb and Matt Anderson have swiftly made waves in the world of theatre production. Their collaborative effort during their Creative Writing BA(Hons) course has evolved into creative studio Kangaroo Court, which is gaining acclaim with debut play, Shotgunned.
Shotgunned follows unlikely characters, Roz and Dylan, who encounter each other at a party. It blends humour and poignancy in its exploration of grief, loss, love and friendship. Initially staged for three nights in Falmouth, Penryn and Truro, the play has now expanded to various UK cities including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
We caught up with Kangaroo Court founders Joseph and Matt to delve into Shotgunned, their time at Falmouth and their journey so far.
Can you tell us a bit more about your play Shotgunned and how it went from a passion project to a UK-wide tour?
MATT: I started writing Shotgunned several years ago, while I was living at home and in between jobs. At that point, there was a lot changing in my life and writing plays acted as a form of catharsis. Shotgunned was a project I would come back to every few months, as important moments kept happening, and meaningful people continued to enter and exit my life, more and more scenes formed.
I worked closely with Falmouth University in late 2022 to put Shotgunned on within AMATA. I took on the directing role and (luckily) Joe came on to help produce the show.
Shotgunned first performed to a small audience of around 40 in December 2022. I think we knew from the reception of the first show that we had to keep it going, so we contacted The Poly and The Burrell Theatre in Truro and performed the show twice more in April 2023.
But throughout all the essays and job applications, we never stopped talking about how we could continue Shotgunned. It has been months and months of hard work since graduating last year, but now the show is going to cities all throughout the UK and is bigger than we could have imagined.
There’s always so much to do and it is a crazy amount of work for two people, but when we take a step back and look at the 37 shows we have lined up this year, there is a wonderful sense of pride that only comes from taking initiative and believing you have a story people will resonate with.
The best thing about Falmouth University for me was the freedom the Creative Writing course allowed. The support from committed lecturers and the variety of modules available gave me the chance to try my hand at many different forms of writing I never thought I would be able to attempt. Since graduating, I have had a short fiction story published in an online magazine and have also completed a short film script.
How have you navigated the transition from writing/directing to establishing and successfully running a production company?
JOSEPH: The navigation has been much like the journeys made pre-GPS - long, frustrating, arduous, and at times has felt like we’re going around in circles, but, ultimately, quite rewarding and a lot of fun.
As an incredibly small team of just two, Matt and I have taken on every role and responsibility, and so a lot of the time we have had to learn on the job and edit our approach and output as we go.
We both had some production experience prior to Kangaroo Court and Shotgunned, so that has helped, but nothing really prepares you for diving in at the deep end and setting up your own company - it’s a terrifying and glorious burden.
We pour over our emails, Instagram posts, press releases and web content like it was the final draft of our dissertations, always striving to charm and engage our audience (whoever they may be). Creativity, though, is at the heart of everything we do. If the story is good and strong and authentic, it will sell. We have been able to grow and move forward with our creative project because we believe in it and love to talk about it. Kangaroo Court is a company built off the back of two storytellers, and that has been the real navigation tool for us.
What did you enjoy most about studying at Falmouth University and how do you think it prepared you for your careers now?
MATT: The best thing about Falmouth University for me was the freedom the Creative Writing course allowed. Before attending university, I had only written scripts specifically for theatre and felt as though I didn’t know how to write anything else. The support from committed lecturers and the variety of modules available gave me the chance to try my hand at many different forms of writing I never thought I would be able to attempt. I am in a much better position than before I came to university, with many more skills in my toolbox. Since graduating, I have had a short fiction story published in an online magazine and have also completed a short film script.
It was through utilising the facilities at the University that Shotgunned was able to become a reality. When beginning the project in 2022, it was originally part of my third year collaborative project module. I don’t know many other universities that would have allowed a writing student to direct and produce a play for an assessment, but Falmouth was encouraging and resourceful along the entire journey. Even post-graduation, we are still working closely with the University, using the AMATA studios as rehearsal space and taking on third-year Theatre & Performance BA student Jemima Cummings as a company assistant.
What advice would you give to aspiring creators and entrepreneurs looking to follow a similar path?
JOSEPH: Cue the cliché, but just do it. Everything worthwhile starts with hard work, so as long as you know this going in, then you’ll do fine. I would say don’t rush anything - get your image and your creative output to a point you are happy with before starting to draft in external collaborators and commentators. Tweaks and edits can be made along the way but setting a high standard from the get-go is important - people want to know you’re serious about what you’re peddling.
Ultimately, it does come down to how much to care about and believe in your project. Research and timing are important factors to consider. Research everything but manage your time wisely as everything can come at once, or not at all. You want to be able to deliver everything you do to the best of your ability, so timing really is key. Don’t be put off by rubbish days and weeks and months though, they will 100% happen, but they will only serve to make the good days, weeks and months feel even better.
Cue the cliché, but just do it. Don’t be put off by rubbish days and weeks and months. They will 100% happen, but they will only serve to make the good days, weeks and months feel even better.
What else do you have in the works/any future plans?
MATT: Our plan is for Kangaroo Court’s next production to be a film rather than a piece of theatre, in an attempt to show the breadth of our ability and keep things feeling fresh! Currently we have two scripts completed, a feature and a short film. Joe is a very experienced filmmaker and has many credits to his name, so I know we’re both excited to get behind the camera. The short film is actually an adaptation of a famous short story written nearly ten years ago. Again, nothing has been confirmed yet, but we have been in contact with the author’s literary agent in an effort to secure the rights, so fingers crossed!
What do you hope audiences will take away from seeing Shotgunned?
MATT: When writing Shotgunned, the main goal was to create a piece of work that celebrated broken relationships. Telling the audience that just because it ended, that doesn’t mean it was a waste of time. Look at what these characters took from each other, look at where they went.
Having worked on and off on this play for 18 months now, Joe and I hope audiences walk away from Shotgunned with a warm bittersweetness and a desire to share their thoughts with the person next to them. The show is primarily supposed to be funny, with a script that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and two incredible actors (Liv Bradley and Brad Follen, who are Acting BA graduates) who bring non-stop energy to the piece. Yet, there is depth there, and as the story unfolds you learn more about the hardships these two characters have gone through. The non-linear structure of the play allows pieces of crucial information to be given when you least expect it, and from what we’ve heard so far from audiences, it might even make you want to go and watch it again.
Shotgunned is currently touring the UK, with tickets now available for performances in Exeter, Bath, London, Falmouth, Brighton and Edinburgh. Visit Kangaroo Court for more information or get regular updates on Instagram, Facebook and X.
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