November Theatre launched in the UK with Isabella Waldron’s electric new play, bringing a fresh perspective on queer love, age-gap relationships, and ocularistry.
Bea's older neighbour was her first love, her first cigarette, her first prosthetic eye. When Bea is invited to the Wellcome Collection to speak about her expertise making glass eyes, she finds herself unable to untie Margot from all that she does. As she tries to unpack her mentor's effect on her work, Bea must dissect for herself what love really looks like.
The show ran at Pleasance London (Feb 2022) before premiering to critical acclaim at Edinburgh Fringe 2022 with Assembly.
PRAISE FOR WAX FIGURE
NOMINATED FOR THE BBC POPCORN NEW WRITING AWARD
THE STAGE TOP PICKS OF THE FRINGE
5* BROADWAY WORLD
“Expect romantic tension in spades, a stellar cast of women, and a queer tale of complexity and captivation.”
4* THE GUARDIAN
“Bailey’s production keeps its eyes on the prize of beautifully nuanced performances. It builds on deft flecks of character: alongside Franziska’s keen-eyed observer and Dowd’s assured, laconic artist, Barlow is a delight as bumbling Bea, feelingly moving between wide-eyed adolescence and more self-aware, if klutzy, adulthood. Waldron’s writing is refreshingly calm about queer identity and desire, and it’s a mature and tender piece.”
4* THE STAGE
“A really promising, distinctive piece of new writing.”
4* THEATRE WEEKLY
“Gripping and gorgeously written. You’d be a fool not to seize it.”
CAST - EDINBURGH
Bea - Nell Barlow
Margot - Olivia Dowd
Dana - Alice Franziska
CAST - LONDON
Bea - Annabel Waldron
Margot - Letty Thomas
Dana - Alice Franziska
TEAM
Writer - Isabella Waldron
Director - Nell Bailey
Stage Manager - Emily Darley
Set & Costume Designer - Ellie Roser
Sound Designer - Jamie Lu
Producer - Emma Ruse
Originating Producer - Sarah Jordan Verghese (w/ Sophie Kilgannon)
Purchase the Playtext.
how to build a wax figure is now available to order from methuen.
NT and the Pleasance run of how to build a wax figure was supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. We also received support from New Diorama Theatre for an R&D of the show, and were a Seeding Space Resident at London Performance Studios in Feb 2022.
