Whisk(e)y Wars, Q&A with cast and crew

Following a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe, Whisk(e)y Wars is coming to the Wanstead Fringe this September. Written and performed by award-winning writer and actress Joyce Greenaway, the play follows Tam Tully as she battles to save her family’s eight-generation Ulster distillery from ruin. Blending wit with deeply personal stories about family, loyalty and survival, - the show merges tragedy, treachery and the pursuit of the perfect single malt together in a gripping one-woman family saga. Ahead of the production, I spoke to Joyce about the inspiration behind the play, the history and heritage at the heart of the story, and what it means to bring this story to Wanstead Fringe audiences…

Where did the idea for Whiskey Wars come from?

At the Hippodrome, An-Ting Chang of Chinese Arts Now blended classical European and Chinese traditional music and we drank and learnt about the origins of Chinese Tea- and Kavalan whisky! Newcastle, the setting, is a stunning coastal mountainous linear town with a rich history, I was angry about what was happening to ordinary women all over the world, I lost my jobs in Lockdown and distilled a massive multi character story into a solo show I could take to Edinburgh Fringe. 

What fascinates you about the world of whiskey and the family histories and traditions that surround it?

Messy faith and a family business maketh for rich drama and comedy, 'specially when it's honest.

The religious imagery of distilling - the spirit, the Devil's Cut, the Angel's share- imbues the story with colour and contradiction on so many levels.

What does Tam’s sense of inherited responsibility mean to her? Why is this something you wanted to explore in a one woman show? 

I'm a woman. Women like Tam Tully find themselves trapped by duty at tremendous cost with generational consequences. I researched deep then wrote it, stream of consciousness, in 3 days. I get to perform everyone. It's a rollercoaster. It's a joy.

The play explores challenging themes of tragedy and treachery alongside humour. How did you find the balance between the darker elements of the story and the more comedic moments?

I'm Northern Irish... It's in our DNA.

Tam is on a mission to craft a perfect single malt. How much is this pursuit really about the drink, and how much is it about something bigger for Tam and her family?

Oh it's both, but you genuinely have to see the show to untangle it. 

How important was it for you to capture a particular sense of Northern Irish place, voice and culture?

Very important. It's unique, complex, specific, honest but that authenticity also makes it universal.

What are the unique challenges/advantages of performing a solo show?

It's just me and a bottle of whiskey so it's cheap and easy to tour but I'm also everything, so it's full on exhausting! Producing/ticketing/marketing/PR I don't enjoy but I have many prayerful and practical supporters. 

What do you hope audiences leave with after seeing this show?

A sense of being transported and immersed in a meaningful story? Many hug and hold me afterwards or tell me they need to go home and have a think or chat with someone specific or it's stayed with them or they return 2, 3 even 5 times with friends or family, so I know it resonates on many levels; which is why I'm so proud of the show and keep doing it. 

Your show has already received a fantastic response at the Edinburgh Fringe. What has the reaction from audiences and critics taught you about the play?

Double 5 stars, even some standing ovations, even on the most difficult night, somebody has been moved. Could be it's touched a nerve and they push back hard or maybe Tam Tully has just told their story, they feel seen.  It has legs.

What’s next for Whisk(e)y Wars? And for yourself as a performer?

Who knows! I've written and directed new episodes of The Elderly Influencer now dropping out on YouTube, written an audio drama Noah and the Flood for Commission NI which transmits in the Autumn, am playing 800 year old Captain Langford in Josie Jaffrey's audio drama  Jack Valentine: Vampire Detective and a restless empty nester in a short film. I also hope that the WHISK(E)Y WARS journey takes a few glorious and unexpected turns. Basically I know what I'm doing for the next 6 weeks...   

Finally, what do you appreciate about Fringe theatre that’s different to other performance venues?

It goes out into the community and encourages people to give live theatre a punt. Brilliant.