Stephen Tiller, director of The Wedding Collective tells Run Riot about their latest production, 'The Secret Consul' - a guerrilla opera based on Gian-Carlo Menotti’s music drama that touches on the bureaucracy and drama of immigration in a vibrant, contemporary context.

Run Riot: Can you tell us why you founded The Wedding Collective?

Stephen Tiller: Working as an actor, I wanted to be more in control of the kind of work I was involved in. I was given the inspiration of Eve Ensler, the writer and performer of The Vagina Monologues that we brought over to the UK - her journey from off-Broadway edginess to global phenomenon. I wanted to make theatre based in research, speaking to real people, but without any worthiness! An Imaginative, exciting and thrilling journey for the audience. I'm Influenced by Central and Eastern European acrobatic, physical, circus styles (with a lack of health and safety overlod).

Our first site-specific piece happened because we went to Belgrade straight after the NATO bombings, our second after a visit to Beirut after the 2006 war. When you meet real people, and experience real situations the 'Art' can't be just in your own head.

And why 'Wedding'? Wedding is a part of Berlin – the Shoreditch of its day - even during World War II it was a thorn in Hitler’s side. It’s red, revolutionary, full of artists, cabaret, jazz and great clubs. Brecht was there and love Brecht. 'Collective' because that's what it is – we come together every time we want to make new work.

RR: Currently, who (or what) are your most prominent influences?  

ST: Originally - Corin and Vanessa Redgrave and their company (Moving Theatre), politically exciting work, Central and East European theatre. Now I'm more interested in film and film makers like Michelangelo Frammartino who made the amazing Le Quattro Volte; dance companies – like Pina Bausch. Anyone who makes brave, independent, bold, epic, edgy, movement-based work.

RR: What was it that drew you to Gian-Carlo Menotti’s The Consul?

ST: I saw a platform performance 10-12 years ago by Moving Theatre. It has a gripping storyline, and still is so current. It reminded me of my own Irish and Jewish roots. The Consul is a political mirror of today’s world; love, passion, secret policeman, secretaries, crossing borders. I'm all for crossing borders.

And it’s short - only 1.15 hours in our version.

RR: Musically, what can we expect from Andrew Charity’s adaptation?

ST: It's current, accessible, moody, touching, transporting - and ultimately totally inspiring.

RR: What has it been like working with such an impressive cast of celebrated divas - Lesya Aleksyeyeva (Ukraine) Rita Novikaite (Lithuania), Masami Uehara (Japan) and Xiaoran Wang (China)?

ST: You said it – they are divas – all at the top of their field in their own countries. They're rich in spirit, inspiring, tempestuous, full of linguistic and cultural misunderstandings and lots of laughter. And it's ear-shatteringly awesome to be up so close and dirty with those opera voices - which the audience will be.

RR: Without giving too much away, does the libretto have a contemporary, political edge?

ST: Let’s just say that getting the singers over here totally mirrored the opera. Even to the point of being told the name of the UK consul in the Ukraine was a secret. We’ll be displaying the letters, emails, scribblings from phone calls behind the bar.

RR: Please, totally spill the beans, is there romance – on (and off) the stage?

ST: Who knows off stage? They’re young opera singers playing away from home. On stage – jealousy, passion, tears before bedtime.

RR: Your work with The Wedding Collective has always been site specific, what are the pro’s and con’s of not being in a traditional performance space?

ST: A thrilling, rollercoaster of an experience. We’ve played in church crypts, derelict air force bases, an old tobacco factory, a space under the Tyne bridge. Every time you have to re-make the show. It keeps the work dynamic, current, relevant. When we made our first show eight years ago people thought we were mad. Now even the Royal Ballet’s doing it. We might have to start reclaiming theatre spaces!

RR: During the on-site rehearsals do you and the cast have a favourite place for a tipple or nosh – could you recommend it to your audience to enjoy before or after ‘The Secret Consul’?

ST: We do have the famed White Room Supper Club hostess, Claudia, in our marketing team – she’s running our bar and has kept us going with stunning left-overs. Drinks-wise we followed a birthday bash who just happened to leave behind all the ingredients for great mojitos.

Stephen Tiller is the Director of The Wedding Collective, who present their latest production 'The Secret Consul' from 22 June - 16 July at a secret site-specific location in east London. Details and tickets are available here.