It was Inspired by myself, how people don't believe in me. I've surpassed people's thoughts.

With the anticipation of the upcoming performances of Northern Girls: Bridlington, Aidan from ARCADE sat down with our debut writers to get some insight into the thought's behind their pieces and what it means to be a Northern Girl to them.

Here we introduce the last of our debut writers, Emmie-Louise Fraser .

If you prefer to listen to the interview, please see the video above.

Hi there, I'm Aidan from ARCADE and-

I’m Emmie from Northern Girls-

and we're here today just to discuss Emmy's current writing project that she's doing with Northern Girls Bridlington, as a debut writer. And just to talk a little bit about the process, what she's found interesting and what's inspired what she's writing. So first of all, you are from Bridlington, I assume?

Yes, I am.

You've been here all your life?

Born and raised.

Me too. So, a little introduction before we get into your work, what would you say is the best thing about Bridlington?

Basically all the drama as well as the plays going on.

Yeah.

All the performances and writing that goes on.

Yeah. So, are you quite involved with that already do you do any acting or writing?

I do mainly acting, yes, things like at The Spa.

Oh yeah

And with a group called Northern Lights Theatre.

Oh yeah, I know Northern Lights Theatre. Very cool. So, and how long you've been doing that for?

I've been doing it for a couple of years.

Yes. Nice, now you've sort of switched roles in a sense and now you’re behind the scenes, as the writer so how have you, how have you found that sort of changing?-

I’ve found it fine because it makes me happy knowing, even though I'm not going to be doing the performing part, I'll be doing the writing part. Which, I don't care which I’m doing, as long as, I’m doing-

As long as you're involved somehow. No, that's great, I think, I think it's always interesting to try something new, because you never know what you know you're gonna find out. And speaking of this piece for you, you are writing. Is it inspired by yourself? Is it inspired by someone else?

So it was inspired by myself, of how I came from a small town; how people don't really believe in me, thinking I wouldn’t do too well in drama. And how I’ve done really well in it and how I’ve surpassed people’s thoughts.

Oh great, that's I mean - that's great to hear. So, it's a very, I mean, I think it'd be a very uplifting piece for people to watch and that's really interesting, and almost, it's quite interesting, that you're writing about doing well in drama and someone is then performing that so you've almost like, the piece proves itself just by existing. So, what about it then, is it just yourself and that's the sort of main thing that inspires the sort of Northern Girls theme or is there any other influences from being from Bridlington?

It’s basically both those influences, so people who - they have my disability as well, they can do better. People will think, as well as myself, knowing my family helped me with the support and trying to help me gain support I need. Yeah, many other students didn’t help me a lot. Yeah, it just really helped me become who I became.

That's great. So, what was it, do you think about drama that's helped you? How [has] it like changed you, in a sense?

Yeah, basically being on stage and just going out there doing my best. Trying to dress for the part, may not be a great singer but trying to sing the part as well.

Oh, that's great I mean, you’ve just got to give it a try. You wouldn’t know if you didn't try so, I think I think that's great. I think more people should have the attitude that you should just go out and do whatever you want to do because, why, why not, right?

Yeah.

So, then what about this process is it that you found the most enjoyable?

Its writing a writing a monologue, which will go along with the play. It’s basically, it's nice to know that my writing is being put into something. It may not be famous or anything, as long as I know, it's just a nice little show piece.

Yeah, it's nice to know it exists and you know it's going to be seen by quite a lot of people so I think, I mean, you should be proud of that just generally. Are you excited or more nervous about seeing someone else sort of interpret what you've written and act it out?

I’d say more excited. Knowing, even though I may not be saying my words but knowing that someone is saying my words my own way. Yeah, makes you happy to know.

Yeah, and when you say words your own way is that sort of, I guess, in reference as well to your-

Do you write it in a particularly northern way?

I really talk about it my own way. Rather than a northern way because I’m not much of a northern person.

Yeah well, I mean, I guess it really begs the question of like what actually is being a northern person because you're just as northern someone who has a really broad Yorkshire accent, do you know what I mean?

So, you are doing that but you're just doing it your own way, which, which is the only way you can, obviously. And that's, I guess that's, that's an interesting question then because I would have liked to ask you, what do you think a Northern Girl is? But perhaps more specifically, it’d be better to ask, What do you think, how would you define a Bridlington girl or a Brid girl?

I define them as being a bit, bit maybe overconfident, a little bit snarky about some ways, I would say sarcastic, we’re very sarcastic. I think we're very smart in some points even though we don't seem like it.

Yeah, so I guess there's a lot of misconceptions from outsiders about how we are. And do you think that from your experience of growing up and seeing northern people on TV or in film or in theatre. Do you think that we’re maybe represented incorrectly, or do you think it's pretty accurate?

There are some points when a girl is nice and polite. There are some actresses who are like that and some that are quite the opposite.

Do you think that just, that they do actually show the range actually and it's not as - I think some people I guess I think, maybe, maybe not, not so much now but there definitely was a thing of, northern people were always sort of seen as like a comic relief?

Is there a lot of humour in your writing?

No, I’m not the funniest type sorry!

Well, I mean you never know, I think you will be surprised. I mean I don't know, I mean obviously I don't know too much about your piece, you might find there was a part for you for that was you know, relatively normal but actually when you watch it and it's performed people find it humorous so you never know. I mean, if your piece was particularly dark and depressing then that wouldn’t be the case. But keep your, keep your mind open definitely.

Well, I'm very much looking forward to seeing what you've returned and hearing and seeing how it all pans out but thank you very much for joining and talking with me today. Good luck with the rest of the process, thank you very much.