Rikki Beadle-Blair is the author of “Superhero”, one of three specially crafted pieces for this season’s Omniwrite.
Rikki is a South East Londoner. He is also a writer, director, composer, choreographer, designer, producer and performer. He has won several awards including the Sony Award, the Los Angelest Outfest Screenwriting and Outstanding Achievement awards. His projects include several feature films and TV series, including Stonewall for the BBC, Metrosexuality for Channel 4, Noah’s Arc for MTV LOGO in the USA as well as FIT, KickOff and Bashment for his own company Team Angelica. Rikki also works extensively in theatre and has written 28 plays in the last decade including Bashment, Familyman, Shalom Baby and Gutted. He is currently developing his Popera musical called Bromantics.
Could you give us a brief summary of your play?
Superhero is a musical about a teenager in the Essex Estuary who becomes obsessed with saving other people from danger with no regard to his own potential destruction.
What inspired you to write it?
I got the idea from (a) going out with someone who seemed to care more about others than they cared about themselves. (b) my childhood fascination with superhero comics and stories about Jesus.
Tell us about some of the relationships in the play.
Connor is the lead character and his best friends with Sonny a wannabe filmmaker who is always trying to get his girlfriend to be his pornstar and Melissa, a poet. They are Essex caravan-site arty-misfits.
How do you approach your writing? Do you have a regular routine?
I can write anywhere at any time. I was raised in a small flat with raucous siblings.
How do you see this piece of work evolving?
I would like this piece to become a full-length operatic musical that can attract audiences who see musicals as irrelevant and change their minds.
What are you hoping for from your showcase at Omnibus?
What am I hoping for from the Omnibus showcase? That the audience has an immensely entertaining experience. That’s my job. To entertain.
Omniwrite is on Sunday 22 November at 7.30pm.
Tickets: £10 | £8 concessions
Ticket price includes a free drink and nibbles.
