Entrevista con el dramaturgo de Backstairs Billy, Marcelo Dos Santos,
Published on 14 September 2023
¡2023 ha sido un año real de verdad! ¡Hemos tenido una coronación, un bebé real e incluso unas memorias reveladoras! No guardes esa banderinera y releges los platos conmemorativos a los armarios todavía, porque la gloria suprema del calendario real de este año tendrá lugar el mes que viene, Y estás cordialmente invitado.
Aclamada como una 'voz nueva importante' por el director Michael Grandage, la última obra de Marcelo Dos Santos explora la compleja relación entre la Reina Madre y su leal mayordomo, William "Billy" Tallon. La producción, protagonizada por Luke Evans y Penélope Wilton, gira en torno a un momento crucial de su amistad de 50 años, donde las huelgas están poniendo a Gran Bretaña de rodillas y la brecha de clases crece minuto a minuto.
Nos sentamos con el galardonado dramaturgo antes de su debut en el West End, para hablar sobre los retos de representar personajes tan icónicos para el teatro, sus habilidades de mimo subconsciente y por qué el chocolate es tan importante como un portátil (o cuaderno) cuando se escribe para teatro.
Marcelo: To say I’m excited is an understatement. I’m giddy. It always feels like a small miracle when a play goes on anywhere, so to be premiering a new comedy straight into the West End is absolutely incredible. The West End really is iconic with such a rich history and to be part of that history, working with these sensational actors and team is an absolute privilege and pleasure.
**Marcelo: **In the end it wasn’t very different because although there are some facts to work from, the play is very much a comic imagining of their relationship and their ‘court’. In fact, it was only when I really allowed myself space to imagine and play that it started to come alive as a piece of theatre.
**Marcelo: **Procrastination interrupted by pure panic. Also chocolate.
**Marcelo: **I only really knew once everything was confirmed, which was quite near the announcement. It hasn’t changed a great deal yet, partly because Penelope and Luke are such perfect casting.
**Marcelo: **I will be there for the first week and the last week. It’s useful to be there at the beginning and then step away and let them get on with it. Also coming back allows some objectively and fresh eyes. I’m hoping to avoid technical rehearsals though. Tech for a writer is really not fun because there is absolutely nothing you can do, and you just have to sit there.
**Marcelo: **I saw one outside the Duke of York’s which caused a big ol’ gulp moment but, yes, absolutely it’s so exciting to see my work out there. The biggest thrill though is seeing my plays in bookshops.
**Marcelo: **I do tend to like to hide at the back partly because it’s so nerve-wracking, but also because I have a really bad habit of mouthing the words along which must be annoying for everyone.
**Marcelo: **Whether they considered each other to be friends, or was there always the divide of class and role?
**Marcelo: **I am really interested in the inter-war period and would love to write about the Bloomsbury group. There’s also a lot of interesting queer historical figures and movements which I think could make fantastic plays.
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