Lisa Lintott’s play Going for Gold is inspired by the true story of Frankie Lucas, a young black boxer navigating the challenging world of 1970s London. We asked her how she came to this story and about her writing process and ambitions.
Have you always wanted to become a playwright?
No – I’ve never considered being a playwright. This play started as a short story and then a short film. But the story felt like it needed something more and I just thought that it suited a play and so started to develop and adapt it.
Can you tell us about your journey into writing plays? Was there a particular moment or influence that set you on this path?
I knew Frankie as a child and recollected him coming into my Mum’s shop. When I wrote a short story about food, he came into my mind, as he used to come in to buy 1/4lb of Ox’s Tongue, and I thought that made a great opening line. Curiosity led me to research Frankie and I unearthed this amazing and beautiful story. I then wrote a script for a short film and asked my son, (Jazz Lintott) a jobbing actor, to help me (thinking it would be a good vehicle for his unnoticed talents!!) The film won a coupe of mentions and awards at festivals and so then armed with a little confidence, I decided to script the play, after learning that Frankie was still alive and had a son.
What is your writing process like?
I like research. I try to cast my net really wide and then start honing in to distill the story, locate its essence, and find the truth of the characters. I can become obsessive and write for hours, even days, shut in a room, talking to the air and then leaving to consider the room the gates of hell!!! I graze a lot, like a cow, chewing things over, trying to understand what I want to say and what the characters want from the words. I think writing is playful, obsessive and intense. It needs a lot of sugary snacks.
You talked about writing Going for Gold for your son – how did that impact your writing style or topic?
The story came first, the story has to always come first. We were just lucky that Jazz could play Frankie quite easily. They had a similar look and build and there was enough of Frankie’s journey in Jazz’s life experience, so it was a really good fit. But I had to stay true to the story and the people in it. They are real and most are still living, so that adds an additional responsibility. The truth of a story always lies in the commitment to the work so that is the thing that has to come first before anything else.
What issues, themes or ideas do you find yourself returning to in your writing?
I tend to consider stories of courage, perseverance, triumph, belonging and the struggle of being outsiders. I like strong female characters, exploring male vulnerabilities and notions of family and the depths of love.
How do you hope audiences will interpret the message of Going for Gold?
That love exists in a place that knows no space or time with perpetual motion.
How did you go about developing your characters? As these are based on real people, how did you conduct your research and how did you decide how to put ‘words in their mouths’?
The play is based on real people and only one person at the time of writing had passed. I spent three months researching the play and its world, through footage, articles, books, visiting locations and have over 40 hours of interviews. After two months of collating and going through all the information I sat in a quiet room, in a different chair for each character and just asked the universe what each character wanted from the story and what the words could give them.
What can you share about your experience of preparing the play for its run at Park Theatre?
It is a scary and intensive process. It is a privilege to see and hear ones work being interrupted and considered by a team of talented creatives. I feel honoured but it is a lot of work and a whole heap of faith to make magic happen.
How do you see the relationship between the playwright, the director and the actors? How involved are you in the production process?
I am the producer on the show and the workload has been immense. Somedays I am the writer, some the producer and others the Mother of the leading actor. It’s a lot of hats. I hope the play has a life beyond Park and that a producer will come on board and I can relax into just being the writer. Ask me this question then!!!!
How did the play change from its early drafts to what’s on stage at the Park?
So I enrolled onto an online Intro to Playwriting course at the Central School of Speech and Drama. My tutor Jessica Sian gave me notes and after two further drafts I did a table read above a pub in Brighton. I did a further two drafts and then another table read at Soho Theatre before previewing two nights at the Brighton Fringe 2023 (where we won Fuse International Best Theatre Award) before going to a four night run at Chelsea Theatre (where we won three Black British Theatre Awards). Neil Grutchfield at Synergy Theatre gave me some dramaturgy as did Gbolahan Obessian (both of whom had come to see the play). The version printed is probably draft no: 22 (I’ve given up counting!!!)
Why did you want Going for Gold to be published and what was that experience like?
I am a debut playwright at the grand age of 63. I wanted the play to be published as part of my legacy and to show my children that anything is possible and dreams should always be followed. I feel very proud to see my work printed but most of all grateful that Frankie’s story is well and truly out there for people to share.
What is the most challenging part of writing a play for you?
The time, the lack of support and the complexities of the theatre world.
Do you have a favorite play or production that you’ve seen? What made it stand out for you?
I loved the recent production of Best of Enemies starring David Harewood and Zachary Quinto – I thought that the script was great and the casting brave and impeccable and I loved An Ulster American with Woody Harrelsden, Andy Serkis and Louise Harland.
One stand out play for me was Long Days Journey Into Night with Jessica Lange, which I thought was both poetic and tethered, and Grenfell: In the Words of the Survivors, way too many to mention. I just love theatre.
What play (not written by you) do you wish you had written, and why?
Any August Wilson play, because his characterisation, is just so spot on and so real.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a playwright?
If you feel you have to tell a story, just do it.
Can you share any details about what you’re working on next?
I’m working on completing my first novel Sunshine is the Best of Disinfectants which deals with the systematic criminalisation of our young people and the trauma of loss, which so many of our young people suffer, with no help.
Are there any new directions or genres you’re interested in exploring with your future work?
