User:Zebetz/Wish Experience

Wish Experience is a British theatre company, formed in 2011 by two US American practitioners, with the aim of producing interactive work and work which recontextualizes common experiences in a theatrical setting. Although the company formed in London, the majority of their performances have occurred as part of fringe festivals around the world.

The company was co-founded by its artistic director William Glenn, and it's producer Trish Parry as a response to a call for work from Battersea Arts Centre. Current company members include Glenn and Parry, with associate artists including Jeffrey Mayhew, Max McBride, and Kayden Dean. The first two productions, Mend, and Servin' Up Georgia: The Myth of the American South, were performed at BAC as part of Freshly Scratched 2011, a festival of works-in-progress held semi-regularly at BAC.

Prior to Formation
Wish Experience is the second theatre company formed by Glenn and Parry. Prior to forming Wish, the pair co-founded Secret Theatre, a St Petersburg, FL based company, with area practitioner Richard Miller. The company produced two productions, Richard III, and Half Dozen the Other: An Evening of Ten Minute Plays. "Richard III" starred Giles Davies in the titular role, and was notable for being a touring, rock 'n roll production performed in partnership with Bay Area band Sobriety whose front man, Robb Lee, played Richmond.

Half Dozen the Other: An Evening of Ten Minute Plays, a collaboration with All Out Repertory Company, was performed 14-15 July 2010 and was the final production of Secret Theatre. Shortly afterward Glenn and Parry left the United States for London. Composed of six ten-minute plays from Tampa Bay Area playwrights, Half Dozen the Other received support from numerous bay area businesses including the Home Shopping Network, and interest from local media including WMNF. Any jubilation was to be short lived; it was during the run that the tragic death of well-loved local actor Jeff Norton, occurred.

Company Formation &amp; Early Days
Glenn and Parry moved to London from the United States in 2010, to attend MA courses at the Royal Central School of Speech &amp; Drama, and East 15 Acting School. During this period, Wish Experience also teamed up with All That Glitters Theatre to present Token of Love as part of a festival of new work in the St. Andrews Crypts in Holborn, London. After completion of their respective courses, the pair submitted separate proposals for Mend and Servin' Up Georgia: The Myth of the American South for the October Freshly Scratched event at BAC. Both pieces were selected for inclusion, and appeared throughout the event.

Following Freshly Scratched, Wish Experience Ltd was legally formed and organized, with a further BAC collaboration taking place later that year when the company brought a new work, The Awesome Show, to the Wandsworth theatre for workshopping with a showing that January.

The Awesome Show
The scratch of The Awesome Show led to a more complete production which quickly made its way around London and through the summer festivals, including the Secret Garden Party and Guilfest. Initial explorations of ′awesome′ had led the company to explore such sensational topics as national monuments, sexual gratification, and explosions, and the new incarnation of The Awesome Show attempted to capitalize on the audience responses the company had received, but the results were not encouraging. The material the company was generating off the back of the previous production was tawdry and forced, and wanted honesty. The company describe the period as their ″darkest hour″.

History of Productions

 * Servin' Up Georgia: The Myth of the American South (2011), a piece of ″culinary″, improvisational performance performed in the Bees Knees space at Battersea Arts Centre as part of Freshly Scratched, October 2011. An exploration into the myths and stereotypes surrounding the concept of the American South, the production invited audience members into a reconstructed 'Waffle House' where they could order food and coffee and emerge themselves in the performance whilst they ate.


 * Mend (2011), a one-on-one multimedia performance which sought to recreate the experience of a childhood sick-day home from school. Audience members interacted with ″mum″ and were given soup and ribena whilst watching period appropriate media.


 * The Awesome Show (2012), an interactive performance exploring the concept of ′awesomeness′. First performed at BAC as a scratch in January 2012, The Awesome Show later toured the UK including stops on the West End, and at Guilfest and Secret Garden Party, before finishing its run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.


 * A Brief History of Beer (2013), an interactive comedy relating the abridged history of beer and brewing. Originally appearing as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, it subsequently toured the world with stops in England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.   playing.