Alex Kither in Year 13 is one of the school's most talented drama practitioners. He's led an array of student made productions and he has produced, acted, directed, ect. From the edgy thriller of Batman, to the spine-chilling horror that was Hysteria, his talent for challenge drama is remarkable. Alex is leaving the school to study History and Politics at University. However, he left the school after one more drama, one last hurrah in the form of Memento Mori, a dark comedy written by the 6th former himself, staring students handpicked by Alex. I talk to Alex about the play, his future ambitions and to ask the question that is: who is Alex Kither?
NewsKnight: First question. So what is Memento Mori?
Alex Kither: Well, it's hard to describe. I'd call it a black comedy play, but then others would call it more absurdest drama. It's got a lot of funny moments but, as is stated in the title, there is an overlying sinister atmosphere. Hence the name, Memento Mori, which is Latin for "Remember Death".
NK: What is it about?
AK: It's about a woman called Eva who lives a boring life. She doesn't have many friends and hates her job. One night something very strange happens and after that her life is changed dramatically. Both for the better and the worse.
NK: What made you want come up with the idea of making student made productions?
AK: Well, I always enjoyed being in school productions but I wanted to be able to write my own material and see it on the stage. I think it mostly just came from my passion for story writing and exploring different forms of theatre.
NK: If you had to pick a favourite play, which would you choose?
AK: A hard choice. I guess I'd have to go for a classic and say Macbeth, just because it's a engaging, timeless story with incredibly intricate characters and themes. It is just as relevant today as it was in 1611. I'm also a big fan of modern writers too such as Miller and Brecht and even contemporary writers such as Polly Stenham, but Shakespeare is my favourite.
NK: Why do you seem to favour unconventional theatre?
AK: I go out of my way to be unconventional. I think the most important thing is to tell an engaging story that the audience can relate to in some way. Often I deliberately leave my plays ambiguous, giving the audience the opportunity to make their own interpretations. Ultimately I just want to entertain.
NK: What about fear or anxiety though?
AK: And I think fear and anxiety certainly has it's place in theatre. It lies at the heart of human nature and so is very easy to relate to. I use fear and anxiety in a lot of my work for that very reason. I think when an audience member is hooked by a certain theme or idea, such as fear, it can often become entertaining in its own right.
NK: Who is Alex Kither? Describe him for me...
AK: I'd describe myself as the sort of person who calls himself 'an artist' to get away with doing weird stuff. And I'm damn good at it too.