Emily McKendry is a multi-talented director, actor and playwright originally from Taree in NSW. Her first two plays, "The Haunting" and "Murder by Invitation" were very well received. Emily co-founded Odyssey Theatre in 2023 alongside Rebecca Smith and Caitlin Addinell. Today we take the time to meet Emily, writer and director of "Once Upon A Grimm Night", an immersive storytelling escape room experience currently being performed in Sydney.
About Emily McKendry
What’s your favourite fairy tale from childhood? Why?
It’d have to be Cinderella. I used to love the Disney film with the little mice and their corn, then was a bit shocked when I read the Brothers Grimm version: naaaasty. The live action remake is right up there with my favourite comfort films.
Which character from Once Upon a Grimm Night is most similar in personality to the actor/actress who plays them, and how?
I’d have to say Jared as The Narrator and myself as The Witch. Originally, I had thought that I would play the role of The Narrator but I always like to hold open auditions because you never know who will walk through the doors. We’d asked Jared to prepare for The Grimm but when he came in he’d prepared for The Narrator instead. His take on this wonderfully cabaret manic style Narrator inspired me to totally rewrite the character for him. As for The Witch – she’s socially anxious and prefers cats and crosswords to people – I did not set out to write myself but here we are.
What makes your show different from other interactive experiences?
I think the various types of interactivity blended within the one show whilst still maintaining a strong narrative structure. Most of the show is in fact scripted narrative, then on top we’ve got audience improvisation, escape room puzzles, and interactive potion making.
Why did you decide to perform your theatre experience at Old Government House?
You just can’t beat the immersive nature of an actual heritage location. We could try and replicate it somewhere else but it would cost a pretty penny and still never achieve the same ambience. One of my favourite parts of the show is when the audience enter The Witch’s lair – the gasps and audible appreciation of the setting give me little bursts of joy every time.
Do you have any funny or interesting stories of how people reacted during the last season of your show?
How long do you have? Audience interaction means that no two shows are the same. Unfortunately, a lot of them reveal spoilers for the show but The Witch scene always gets some hilarious audience responses.
There is a section where The Narrator asks the audience to consider their futures. One show Jared walked up to a lady and joked that he saw a lot of cats in hers, then with absolute glee she ripped her jacket open and revealed a T-shirt that was printed with the faces of all her 10+ cats. We couldn’t have written that better if we’d tried.
I know you’ve written 2 plays in the past. What inspired you to write this storyline in particular?
I used to write and be a Theatre Production Manager for Dark Stories Theatre, and a few years ago they got approached to create a production in a winery for a winter festival. It didn’t end up happening because there just wasn’t enough time to create it, but I got inspired by the idea of winter and harvest. Traditionally what would you do at that time of year? You’d gather around a fire and tell stories. BOOM; Grimm was born.
If there was any magical object you could bring into this Earth realm from Ever After…what would it be?
I’ve got to go with a classic – a magic wand. I grew up on Harry Potter and desperately wanting to be a witch and not a muggle. I’ve got my bibbity bobbity boo and levi-o-sa down pat.
Is there a sequel in the pipeline so we can see the adventures The Witch and Grimm Volkov get up to next?
You know, so many people have asked me that! I did leave the play open ended on purpose purely because I love the stories that linger with you and make you consider different possibilities. When writing the ending I’ll confess I created a rough outline of their future adventures but as for a sequel, who knows? Never say never.
Where can patrons book tickets?
To book tickets to Once Upon A Grimm Night, please visit https://www.odysseytheatre.com.au/once-upon-a-grimm-night-parramatta.
