Frequently Asked Questions
Who are you?
You mean you’ve never heard of us! Random Accomplice are Julie Brown and Johnny McKnight.
Where did the name come from?
We needed a name for an Arts Council application. We wrote down a list of words that we liked (from haberdashery to buoyant, collective to raging) and then narrowed the list down. We liked Random Accomplice better than The Haberdashery Collective.
When and why did you form the company?
After graduating from the Contemporary Theatre Practice course at RSAMD in July 2002, we were looking to create projects that not only excited us but challenged our ways of working. Six months later we presented our debut piece NOTHING TO FEAR ANYMORE at the Arches Theatre.
How would you classify the work you make?
Live Performance on Anti-Depressants /
Coffee / Helium*, Theatre without the Fourth Wall. We find it
difficult to classify the work we make – its best viewed as post-modern
theatre/performance in that it takes elements and inspiration from a variety of
sources: live art, traditional theatre, pantomime, comedy and cabaret. The most important thing to us is that we tell stories in an entertaining way.
* delete where appropriate
Where are you based?
Random Accomplice is based in the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. Our address is on every page of this website, you clearly never looked properly!
How do you develop your devised performances?
Like deciding who to work with, this varies from project to project. It normally consists of many artistic discussions (occasionally heated discussions), copious amounts of To Do Lists and coffee, big pieces of sugar paper pasted on the walls, topic/sections outline, huge amounts of written text (many that never gets used), the re-arranging of furniture and ideas, videoing improvisations and cringing whilst presenting (very rough) works in progress.
Can I get hold of scripts or DVDs of the work?
The script and DVD’s are available to programmers. Please see the website, facebook page or youtube for clips of the performances.
What does the future hold?
Well this year (2011) we've toured all around Scotland with Smalltown; packed our bags and headed off to New York for our critically acclaimed show The Promise; performed at NTS Five Minute Theatre event; developed The Incredible Adventures of See-Thru Sam at macrobert arts centre; ran Little Johnny's Big Gay Restaurant in the Arches cafe bar and also finishing the year off with a World Premiere - Love Hurts - at the Tron. But we don't just rest after that, oh no. Onwards and upwards. We also have a new, double bill touring around Scotland in early 2012. Nobody can call us lazy, except maybe our mothers.
What influences your work?
Everything and anything. Music, theatre, TV, literature, film, real life, our imaginary lives. We’ve been inspired from all sorts of sources including: David Lynch, Five Star, X Factor, Dolly Parton, Forced Entertainment, Johnny’s P5 Christmas Nativity play, Paul Thomas Anderson, Morecambe & Wise, Julie’s love of chocolate and her ski-pants, Charlie Kaufman, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Take That's comeback, Tim Burton and Bobby Baker.
Where do you get your ideas from?
We normally start with a theme and build the idea outwards through extensive research and artistic brainstorming. For example Nothing To Fear Anymore began with us making a show about couples who kill: Fred & Rose, Myra & Iain. We got to thinking…. what if it was Julie and Johnny? What would it take for us to kill and why would we do it? Given that we were sharing a flat at the time, the show transformed into the tale of two flatmates with murderous intentions towards each other.
How are you funded?
Our productions have been funded in a variety of manners - Commissions from venues, project funded from Scottish Arts Council and Glasgow City Council, self-sufficient touring, Co-Productions. If anyone wishes to donate or sponsor the work of Random Accomplice (we are a Registered Charity after all) then contact us.
Do you offer work placements?
The company is project driven at present. This means that we can’t offer work placements all year round. However, we would be very interested to hear from students or those looking for an internship. If your placement coincides with our latest production we’ll happily meet with you to see if we’re compatible. We've already had the delight of three interns - Ellen Ling, Shona Miller and Kevin Wratten.
How can I work with the company?
Send us your CV. Invite us to showings of your work. Ask to meet us. We don’t bite (unless very hungry). We were given a lucky break once so why shouldn’t we return the favour? If we do want to work with you then you’ll receive a lovely handbook that outlines our working practices and Equal Opportunity/Child Protection policy that we adhere to.
Do you provide educational projects?
In a word, YES! We've already delivered a 6-month project for North Ayrshire Council that resulted in MARYMASSACRE, we found it an exciting and unique way to make work that connects directly with it's audience. We are committed to providing educational packages for each project (tailor made to the client group) on request. We've also provided educational workshops alongside various touring productions. Please email us if you’d like to discuss Random Accomplice creating and delivering an education project for you.
How do you decide who to work with?
We have no set policy on this. Each project has a different feel, a different inspiration. We look to employ emerging artists with an enthusiasm for the work and the ability to work collaboratively.
Do you have a board?
Yes we do - and we like them very much indeed. Currently serving on the board of Random Accomplice are: Andy Arnold (Artistic Director, Tron Theatre), Julie Brown, Jane Davidson (Director of Education, Scottish Opera), Marianne Maxwell (NTS Audience Development), Johnny McKnight and Ruth Ogston (Trust Fundraising Manager, Scottish Opera).
What's been your favourite show to make so far?
Johnny: It's a bit like picking your favourite child, you're meant to say you don't have one (even though of course you do!) It does though change all the time and I love (and sometimes hate) them all for lots of different reasons. A wee favourite of mine has still got to be Something Wicked, it was great fun to make, was the first time we worked with other actors, and was our first Scottish tour. That said, I am rather fond of talking about myself, so the Little Johnny series are a riot to perform!
What's your favourite line from a Random show?
Julie: It's an old music-hall classic but I'm still partial to: "He was a test tube baby. Turns out he wasn't worth a F*** back then either" Intermission
