'Phobia': An Interview with Wiebke Acton

Devised and performed by theatre artist and Leeds PhD scholar Wiebke Acton as part of her practice-based research into transnational theatre-making, 'Phobia' is being performed in Stage One this Thursday and Friday at 7:30pm.

Why was it important for you to make Phobia?

Despite the fact that phobias are the most common type of anxiety disorder in the UK, it is a mental health issue that remains in the shadows. Many people hide their phobia for fear of mockery and because they are conditioned to believe there is no support, often masking to get through their day. The show isn’t intending to be a salve or a manifesto, rather I’m trying to drag this issue into the light, and relieve some of the misconceptions and shame associated with having a phobia.

Is this an autobiographical piece of work?

No. I do have a phobia of spiders, and doubtless this has propelled the work and given it relevance to me as an artist and creator, but it’s purposefully not an autobiographical piece. I have gathered reflections, interviews and information from scientific research, global media as well as personal stories of friends and volunteers to include in the production, so we really are trying to deal with the broad issue of phobias and reflect a diversity of lived experiences.

What was your highlight in making the show?

I always love the collaborative process, where each practitioner is able to contribute to the DNA of the work from their own expertise and interests. For Phobia, I have brought in a dancer, a sound artist and a dramaturg, and devising together has been an absolute joy! I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my day than creating work with an interdisciplinary team of artists.

How is the Phobia linked to your PhD at Leeds?

My PhD explores the effects of transnational theatre-making. It asks “What happens when you devise a theatre piece in one country and then translate it into another language for performances in another country?” At the core of my practice-as-research methodology is the making and performing of two professional theatre productions that travel between Germany and the UK. Phobia is the second research project. After I have performed the show in Leeds and Manchester, I will translate it into German and perform it in Berlin.