In this candid Q&A, playwright Helen Jeffery talks about the personal experience and creative process behind Buckled, her sharp, compassionate and darkly funny play about alcohol, denial and recovery. She discusses sobriety, British drinking culture, family relationships, friendship, humour, hope and the challenges of writing an honest play without ever feeling preachy.
What first sparked the idea for Buckled?
The initial idea for the play came about as a result of my own path to sobriety and the recognition that it’s not an easy journey! I decided I wanted to try and quit drinking on 1st Jan 2020—a time when we were in the midst of a national lockdown so it was easy to shut myself away from the world and just take ‘one day at a time.’ I thought I had it cracked—until we came out of lockdown and suddenly, we were not only allowed to socialise again, but encouraged to ‘eat out to help out’ and boost the hospitality sector. Seven months in I found it INCREDIBLY difficult to be surrounded by everyone else drinking when I couldn’t and I guess it was this that made me think about the key question at the heart of the play—How do you navigate sobriety in a world that revolves around drink?’
Buckled feels very honest about drinking culture in Britain. What made you want to explore not just addiction itself, but the social normalisation of alcohol?
It honestly wasn’t until I STOPPED drinking that I realised how normalised it was. Getting sober made me reflect on the fact that alcohol was my ‘go to’ in almost every social situation and so it made sense to focus on this. It’s a strange old world we live in when you think about how accessible it is to drink and how it’s actually marketed/encouraged as a past time—especially in Britain. I guess I wanted to show what the characters were up against and start to dig a bit deeper into the role that alcohol plays in society.
The play never feels preachy, even while tackling a serious subject. How did you approach writing about alcohol dependency in a way that felt human, nuanced and dramatically alive?
I first started to explore this subject matter as a poet through spoken word pieces which I performed at various open mic nights in Liverpool.When I was drinking, I’d always have a couple before I performed to ‘take the edge’ off my nerves so it felt very exposing to be on stage sober and talk about not drinking, especially to an audience who mostly had a drink in their hand! However, I found audiences very supportive and receptive—and I guess I always try to use humour in my writing, even when tackling difficult issues—it gives the audience time to think and process what’s being shared. I hope the play is an extension of this—I never want to shame people, or make them feel bad about drinking—just place it more into people’s consciousness so that it becomes their choice to drink, rather than an expectation.
The three central characters are all at very different points in their relationship with alcohol. How did Maggie, Callum and Ruby first come to you, and did one of them arrive before the others?
Ruby was one of the first characters that came to me—I guess there’s a lot of my younger self in this role. It was important to me to show that, initially, drinking for her is having a good time—let’s face it, hangovers aside, that’s WHY a lot of people drink! When I was a student in the 90s there was a real ‘laddette’ culture and it was a badge of honour to get bladdered and stagger through lectures the next day with the mother of all hangovers. Maggie and Callum took longer to evolve—in fact, in the very first drafts there were four central characters in the play and Maggie was actually ‘Harry,’ a 51 year old man! However I was really struggling to get to grips with writing this role so thought I’d try switching the gender – once I had, the character’s voice really started to come through for me. Callum was a role that was more of a challenge to write but I wanted to show the impact that a parent’s drinking can have on a child—even when they are an adult. I did quite a bit of research and spoke to the (adult) children of alcoholics to ensure that his experience felt as truthful as possible.
Maggie is a particularly complex character—flawed, funny, painful and hopeful all at once. What was most important to you in writing her?
To show her as a human with a big heart who needs to go to the ‘difficult places’ she’s been avoiding for years in order to move on and rebuild her relationship with her son. When you stop drinking (and I speak from personal experience on this one) there is NOWHERE to hide. When emotions feel overwhelming, you have to ride them out, FEEL them and not numb them—I honestly think that’s one of the HARDEST things about not drinking. At the start of the play, yes she is sober, but she isn’t yet ready to accept responsibility for the impact that her drinking has had on Callum. The accountability for Maggie comes gradually—she expects Callum to be delighted when she tells him she’s sober and is shocked when he isn’t. The end of Scene 3 is really tough for Maggie and the temptation to drink is SO strong at this point, but I wanted to show her strength in not giving in.
At the heart of the play is the relationship between Callum and his mother. What drew you to exploring the impact of a parent’s drinking on an adult child?
I guess being a parent myself, I started to become aware of how my drinking habits might influence my children’s attitudes to alcohol as they grew older. We think that our children don’t notice what we do when they’re young—but they do—and the (inadvertent) messages we give them e.g. had a bad day = reach for a drink, can shape the way in which they view alcohol as they get older. In the case of Callum, he goes the other way and doesn’t want to repeat the behaviour of his Mum, however research indicates that some children are predisposed to developing an addiction to alcohol (and indeed other substances/addictive behaviours) as part of their genetic makeup. As part of the research I undertook, I spoke to several adult children of parents with alcohol addiction and what stood out for me was the way in which, for some, there was a real sense of helplessness and shame around their parent’s addiction—and in some cases, a feeling that they were ‘not enough’ to make their parent stop drinking (something Callum expresses within the play) It doesn’t matter what age someone is—seeing the power that alcohol exerts over a parent can create a variety of challenging emotions for the child. It’s very complex—especially if the drinking leads to health issues or (in the worst cases) death as a result of the damage caused by excessive drinking.
Ruby is such an important character because she embodies charm, deflection and vulnerability. What role did you want her to play within the world of the drama?
Ruby is a character that I think many people will identify with—and at first, it doesn’t seem like she has an ‘issue’ with alcohol—she’s just a girl who enjoys socialising and having fun! The role she plays within the world of the play is I guess to raise the question ‘when does drinking become a problem?’ because despite everything that goes wrong for her—she (like many of us) still sees drinking as the solution. I wanted her to be someone that created a range of emotions in the audience—in her, we see ourselves and situations we may have found ourselves in when we were younger—but at the heart of the character, is a woman who is struggling—with friendships, relationships, work… she should be a sympathetic character but also one that we want to take to one side and ‘have a word with!’ Callum tries to do this at the end of the play, but by this point she is so angry about not being invited to the wedding that it falls on deaf ears. That’s why I felt it was important that Maggie should reach out to her at the end—there’s no easy solution to where Ruby has found herself—but there is hope.
Friendship is just as central to Buckled as family. Were you interested in showing how long-term friendships can sometimes protect us from the truth as much as reveal it?
Absolutely! I wanted to show that Callum and Ruby’s friendship is a significant one, spanning nearly 20 years and yet, despite this, Callum has never been able to reveal his true feelings to Ruby about Maggie’s drinking. I think this stems from two things for Callum—wanting to hide his shame about his Mum’s drinking and the fact she couldn’t/wouldn’t stop whilst simultaneously wanting to protect her. In some ways, Callum and Ruby’s friendship NOW seems an unlikely one—largely because Callum has matured and grown up, his life is much more ‘sorted’ than hers. Yet, the friendship continues due to the past they share, rather than where they are ‘now.’ I think this is something that audiences will resonate with—sometimes it’s harder to let go of a friendship than it is a romantic relationship.
The play has real emotional weight, but it also has humour and warmth. How important was it to you that the audience could laugh as well as reflect?
Very. I think it’s important as a writer to be aware of the experience you are creating for an audience—the world you are inviting them to become a part of. Theatre has the capacity to reflect and question very challenging aspects of society, but at the same time, audiences don’t generally go to the theatre to be traumatised! That’s why I think it’s crucial to give them space—light relief if you like, to experience humour in even the darkest situations. I’ve always used ‘gallows humour’ in my work—it’s very human—and British I think, to try and find the comedy amongst the tragedy.
The spoken-word framing of the prologue and epilogue “The Niggle” is striking. When did that device enter the writing process, and what did it allow you to say theatrically that conventional dialogue could not?
The Niggle was the very first piece of spoken word I wrote and defines a feeling that I couldn’t shake off about my relationship with alcohol. It wasn’t in the initial sharing of the play (as part of Liverpool Fringe in Oct 2023) but found its way into the text by the time of its first performances at Shakespeare North. For me, it felt like the ‘right’ way to top and tail the piece. There’s no ‘nice neat’ bow or tying up of the story, rather an acknowledgement of the need for change. I think everyone has felt ‘ a niggle’ at some point in their lives, or a ‘gut feeling’ they have that something needs to shift so highlighting this in an overtly theatrical way brings the ‘feeling’ centre stage I guess.
You describe the play as having an energetic style with fast, rhythmic scene changes alongside more naturalistic moments. How did you develop that balance between theatricality and realism?
I’m definitely influenced by the work of writers such as John Godber and Jim Cartwright when it comes to a balance between theatricality and realism. One of the first pieces that really resonated with me as a teenager was Bouncers. I loved seeing how characters were performative and, through the comedy, could make a social comment on the world around them. As both a Drama Student and a teacher of Drama for many years, I find this style of writing very accessible and playful. It doesn’t rely on expensive sets and attention to detail—it’s all about actors using the skills they have, in the space they are given.
Buckled can be staged simply, yet it feels theatrically bold. Did you always know you wanted it to work well for small spaces and flexible productions?
Yes—I wanted this to be a piece that could literally be performed anywhere—in the back room of a pub, in a classroom, a community centre, etc. I think my background in teaching Drama helped me to consider the most effective way to convey a range of locations using the smallest amount of set/props possible! The set for Buckled was literally some folding black chairs, a small table and some key props and the actors themselves move everything as part of the action. I really don’t like seeing the flow of a piece disrupted by members of the backstage team coming on and moving items around if this action can be incorporated into the world of the play instead.
You also performed the role of Maggie in the original production. How did writing the character and then stepping into her onstage affect your understanding of the play?
To be honest, it was never my intention to play the role of Maggie but we had to recast this role just before rehearsals for the first shows and so it made sense for me to step in and play her! Doing so, definitely enabled me to see the parallels between Ruby and Maggie more than I did when writing. Both of them miss their Dad ( in different ways) and I guess the impact of the absent Father is also ‘there’ for Callum—who has to assume responsibility for his Mum in a way he might not have had to if his Dad had been around. Playing Maggie also enabled me to explore the shame she feels around not being there for Callum when he was younger—and the regret she has that the addiction she had was more powerful than her capacity to parent.
The play was commissioned as part of Unity Theatre’s Up Next Festival and has since toured in the North West. How did the play evolve between its early development and later productions?
As I referenced earlier, originally the play had four characters, but I’ve always thought that a group of three can offer more in the way of relationship dynamics so decided to remove the character of Ceri (yes, Callum’s girlfriend was actually in the first drafts of the play!) I also knew that I wanted to be able to incorporate movement into the piece so that it wasn’t just a series of naturalistic scenes depicting Callum/Maggie in meetings and Ruby getting drunk/hungover etc., so I brought in the wonderful Grace Goulding to weave some magic into the spoken word sections. This injected some real energy into the piece—particularly Scene 4 where I wanted the audience to feel that they were part of the piece, enjoying a lively Friday night out at the pub.
You acknowledge people with lived experience who informed the writing. How did research and conversation shape the script, and what responsibilities did you feel while writing it?
Whenever I start work on a new play I do quite a bit of research. I love the process of having a new notebook/folder and cutting articles etc out of the newspaper which I refer to when thinking about scenes, structure & characters. I also watch films and read books around the subject matter—which is how Clare Pooley’s book ‘The Sober Diaries’ came to be featured in the play (Maggie is reading it at the start of Scene 14). Research into real life case studies helps me to build characters that are more rounded (3D rather than 2D) so some of the most important conversations I had were during the initial R&D when I talked to two adult children of alcoholics who were very candid in sharing their stories with me. I felt I had a very real responsibility to them to show the truth of living with a parent who is addicted to alcohol and its subsequent impact.
Recovery in Buckled is not presented as neat or complete. Why was it important to you that the play offered hope without easy closure?
Recovery is never set in stone—most people I know who are sober simply take ‘one day at a time’ and are thankful for each day they manage without alcohol. Even at 5+ years sober I have my moments when I think ‘maybe I could just have one?’ but then I think about something I read in my early days of sobriety, which is ‘never question the decision,’ so I try to stand by that. For anyone who is in recovery, be it from alcohol, drugs or any other habit-forming addiction, it takes real strength to step away from the thing that brought you comfort—to show it as ‘easy’ would be a disservice.
The play includes support-group scenes alongside everyday social situations like pubs, family events and celebrations.Were you consciously interested in contrasting private reckoning with public performance?
It wasn’t a conscious decision—but as someone who has seen/felt the benefits that community can play in recovery, it felt important to show both Maggie AND Callum connecting and sharing their experiences with others in the same boat. I don’t attend ‘meetings’, but I know for some people in recovery they are vital and I am part of a sober community where we come together and connect (sober raves!) without alcohol being at the centre. The public v private scenes are also where we see the real impact that drinking is having on Ruby. Scene 6 exemplifies some of the very worst aspects of drinking—the hangovers, the blackouts, upsetting people you care about—and even though there is some humour in the scene (what is his name?) and Ruby doesn’t seem to show much remorse for her behaviour, we get the sense that she’s an accident waiting to happen. It’s very telling that in the final scene of the play we see a very different version of Ruby—jobless, friendless and drinking in private rather than socially.
What conversations have audiences had with you after seeing Buckled? Have any responses surprised or especially stayed with you?
I’ve had SO many conversations after performances that it’s hard to single any out…I do remember after one of the first shows at Shakespeare North Playhouse Studio, talking to a couple who were in tears at the end of the show and wanted to share their experience of trying to support their daughter who was in rehab at the time. I also had a conversation with a teenage girl after a workshop in Manchester who wanted to talk to me about what was going on for her at home. That’s when the signposting and support is SO important—you can’t just walk out of the Theatre and hope everyone will be okay. There’s a responsibility you have (as a writer/producer) to consider the impact a piece might have on an audience—it’s always something I’ve been aware of anyway.
What do you hope readers, performers or audiences might come away thinking about after engaging with the play?
I’d just like the play to highlight how challenging it is to be sober in a world where any excuse to drink is celebrated—encouraged even! As Maggie says in one of her monologues ‘ no one says well done when you stop drinking, do they?’ For me personally, I’d love it if people came away with a respect for anyone who chooses not to drink in a social situation. Respect their decision and leave it at that. Make the choice NOT to drink as normal as drinking—don’t make anyone feel like a leper for not conforming to societal norms.
Now that Buckled is being published, what does that moment mean to you?
And what are you most excited about for the play’s life ahead?
Getting the play published means EVERYTHING to me! Six years ago if you’d have told me I’d BE sober (never mind write a play about it) I’d have said you were mad! I’m most excited now about seeing the life that Buckled can take on without me—I’d love to see what other directors might do with the play and how different actors could interpret the characters and themes of the piece.
What challenges and opportunities does the play offer actors, especially in its quick shifts of tone and style?
The ensemble nature of the piece means the three actors are onstage for a large proportion of the play and so there’s no real ‘break’ for them as performers. Also, as scenes are relatively short and changes in location form part of the action, performers have to be confident with the order of the scenes, especially as some scenes follow a similar pattern (e.g. Maggie AA/Callum support group)—it would be a disaster to mix them up! For an actor playing Ruby, there’s a lot of fun to be had, especially performing the roles of people she references—her boss being one. There’s an opportunity here to play around with accents and physicality to create humour.
You work across playwriting, performance and dramaturgy. Do those different practices feed one another in your creative life?
Absolutely. I originally trained as an actor and working in theatre for six years gave me a good grounding in script work before I evolved into drama teaching, and then later, playwriting. The role of a dramaturg is one I particularly enjoy now. Working with other writers in the development of their pieces helps ME to develop my practice as I get to see and read such a variety of work from people who all have something different to say.
What are you working on next, and are there themes you find yourself returning to as a writer?
I’m currently working on a piece rooted in Mother/Daughter relationships which explores the impact of dementia on families and the role of women as care-givers to their parents in mid-life. It sounds very serious, but (as with all my writing) I try to find the moments of joy, connection and humour within the challenging situations the characters find themselves in. I guess at the heart of all my work are themes of relationships and family dynamics. I definitely like to write characters with the capacity for growth and I always try to end my plays with a sense of optimism and hope. I think that’s important—without hope the world would sometimes be a very difficult place to navigate.
