Lesbian Space Crime: ‘We had serious conversations about whether you can see an octopus from space’

Rosanna Suppa (They/them), Robbie Taylor Hunt (he/him), Eleanor Colville (she/her), Elizabeth Chu (she/her) and Catja Hamilton (she/her) talk about making Lesbian Space Crime, which runs at Soho Theatre until December 22nd.

Tell us about Lesbian Space Crime!

Robbie: Lesbian Space Crime is about Sue Albright, a bad-ass-tronaut, hyping herself up for her first ever space walk, when she’s caught up in a constellation of bad times. Her nightmare hippy ex-wife publicly accuses her of committing a crime in space, thus outing her in the process, then all cosmic hell breaks loose. But is she a legend for making the first ever space crime a gay one? Is she a dirtbag for not being out-n-proud? Is she the #queericon she’s meant to be?!

What inspired the show's creation?

Rosanna: Wacky Racers and Pantomime villains and a real appetite for silly nuanced queer stuff.

Eleanor: Cartoons, joking around, crazy exes.

What have been some weird highlights of the creation process?

Liz: Um.. What part of the show is not weird????

Robbie: We had a few participation workshops with young people — some from Alexandra Palace’s young company, some with Russell Actors group in London. The first time LSC saw an audience was in front of 15 or so sixth formers and their teachers in a rehearsal. Getting their laughs was so fun, especially when they’re cackling at dick-jokes in front of their teachers. They were then desperate to learn the dance moves so we had a big group dance-along, it was amazing.

Catja: Having very serious and legitimate artistic conversations about whether or not we can see an octopus out of one of the windows of the space station.

Rosanna: My old school coming to see a run and singing about being a big ol’ dyke in front of my drama teacher who knew me 10 years ago when I was “straight”. A wonderful full-circle moment.

Favourite prop?

Liz: [LIZ WROTE A SPOILER: REDACTED] ;)

Robbie: Crocheted star for emosh reasons.

Catja: Dumbledore’s beard. And if I read the rehearsal reports correctly I believe his wand is a stick someone found on the way to rehearsals? (Rosanna: yes, Liz found a stick)

Rosanna: A banner we spent half a day painting for a joke that lasts truly 1.2 seconds that we then cut in previews.

What d'you want for Christmas?

Robbie: You. (Seems creepy in the written form).

Rosanna: cash

What do you think the first space crime will be IRL?

Liz: Space murder

Robbie: Some queer boy will get hammered on mojitos at the Uranus launch party and slip out of his mesh romper get arrested for indecent exposure.

Rosanna: theft of Saturn

What d'you want straights to get from the show?

Liz: Read queer theory.
Robbie: Stop being straight, yup this is a conversion show. (Jk, straights are very welcome, they’ll have a bloody hoot too. Sure a few sapphic jokes might go over their heads but it’s a chaotic spectacle for all, no matter who you like to kiss.)

What d'you want queers to get from the show?

Rosanna: Laughs, tears, ennui.

Liz: To see queerness hurtled through on stage in all its silly glory, and to know that there is a million different ways to be a queer legend!

Sue Albright Rosanna Suppa

Gaia Saffron, Louisa, Ensemble Eleanor Colville

TWINC, Ensemble Robbie Taylor Hunt

NASA, Jimmy, Bret, Reporter, Ensemble Elizabeth Chu

Lighting design Catja Hamilton

Lesbian Space Crime runs at the Soho Theatre until December 22nd. Tickets here.