Q&A with Robyn Green

 

Photo by Gavin Green

 

 

Robyn Green is the author of the new novel The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose. She works in the theater world, in costume design and curation. 

 

Q: What inspired you to write The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose, and how did you create your character Jonah?

 

A: I remember having a conversation with my agent about what kind of thing I wanted to write and she actually inspired me by simply saying why not write about what you love?

 

Once that seed had been planted the world of Jonah came together almost overnight; I knew I wanted it set in London in the heart of the West End, and by just having that setting in my mind the rest came together.

 

When it came to Jonah specifically I actually found I was writing a lot of myself into his character. Some of his experiences come from my personal life, especially the parts with him navigating life with a family member who has Alzheimer's.

 

His background of growing up by the sea also came from my own life, I spent my summers by the sea with my grandparents, so it felt natural to weave those experiences into his character.

 

Q: How would you describe the dynamic between Jonah and Dexter?

 

A: I think Jonah and Dexter have a very “push and pull” relationship, especially to begin with. They are constantly testing each other’s boundaries when it comes to work. The ironic thing is they both want the show they are in to succeed; they love being on the stage but both fear the unknown and failure.

 

I really wanted there to be tension between them from the get go, so having Jonah have his own hang-ups regarding Dexter before he'd even met him seemed like the natural course to take.

 

It was really fun writing their relationship; their problems could have easily been solved if they talked to each other, but of course that would be far too easy! The key to their dynamic though, I think, is they are actually really good for each other, it just takes them a while to see it.

 

Q: How did your own background in the theater inform the writing of the novel?

 

A: My first West End show was Les Mis, and I remember being struck at how incredible this story was being shown through song on stage (I was quite young and didn't have a clue what was happening back then but it's when I caught the theatre bug).

 

I then had this dream of being on the stage, and I peaked in high school when I was in a production of Evita at a local theatre. I adored the experience but I found my interests shifted to the magic that happens behind the curtains.

 

After university I took a hair styling course and started working on photo and video shoots before moving into costume design and curation, which is what I still do now.

 

Being behind the scenes has given me an insight into the theatre world not many people get to see and I wanted to shine a light not only on those who light up the stage but those who work tirelessly to make those shows happen.

 

I'm really lucky in that I work with a bunch of incredibly talented people, and anything I wanted to touch on in the novel that I didn't know the ins and outs of I was able to ask them; I really wanted the setting of The Persephone Theatre to be as real as possible, and I hope that readers can immerse themselves in that world. 

 

Q: The author Venessa Vida Kelley said of the book, “Robyn Green delivers a sassy romcom for every theater kid who ever dreamed of headlining an epic West End romance, capturing all the magic and mayhem of a love that goes delightfully off-script.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: Venessa is such a wonderful person and an insanely talented author and illustrator, so for Venessa to say those things about Jonah was honestly a dream come true.

 

It's strange as I never actually set out to write a romcom; I was focusing on romance, but when people started to read they told me they found it funny, which was honestly a very lovely surprise! And “sassy” describes Jonah and his friends perfectly (especially Omari who I had so much fun writing!)

 

I really do hope that theatre lovers find this book; there are a lot of theatre “easter eggs” to be found, and so far I don't think they've all been spotted! 

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I am a writer who has a notebook full of ideas, and my poor agent has to hear about all of them. We have a lot of conversations where I start with "Okay, so hear me out..." and thank goodness she's amazing and always helps me bounce ideas around until I find the one that really lights a spark and I'm ready to go.

 

Once I settle on an idea I then fill notebooks with character backgrounds, settings, research, and everything else in between. I love the process of coming up with new characters and their environments and then letting them flourish on the page.

 

I've recently just finished a project and I've started work on another, but for now I'm going to have to keep them shrouded in mystery!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb