Funbox's Anya goes with the flow ahead of new Underwater Adventure
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Four years ago, Anya Scott-Rodgers received the job offer of a life-time – joining the cast of legendary Scottish folk music/children’s entertainers Singing Kettle.
To say that things have changed since then have been an understatement – after the long running group was retired by owners Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise in 2015, she joined forces with her Kettle co-stars Gary Coupland and Kevin Macleod to start a new group offering family-friendly theatre – Funbox.
“I touch as much wood as I possibly can as I’m saying this – it’s been going really well,” Anya said. “Yeah, it’s been a huge learning curve and there has been difficult moments as always with a business, but it’s gone really really well and we’re having the time of our lives as well performing!
“We knew we could perform, we knew we could write, and everything but – did we know we could run a business? No. Do we still think we can run a business? No! But somehow everything seems to be working itself out.”
‘Working itself out’ is an understatement. Since the group’s first performance – helped along by a successful £20,000 crowdfunder that brought in more than half its target in its first 24 hours, Funbox have quickly risen from nowhere. In a two-and-a-half year period, they’ve already amassed a staggering nine shows, six DVDs, five CDs and 28 costumes. Where on earth have they found the time?
“We don’t know!” Anya laughed. “This is our job! This is a 24/7 job for us and that’s fine – that’s how we get to do it.
“We’re quite lucky that we get to invest so much time into something that we love and get paid for it. When you love your job that much, nothing’s an issue – you just throw yourself into it headfirst.
“You know there are moments when you could really be doing without another four hour van drive or you want to just spend some time with your family, but on the whole it’s just so rewarding.”
And one of the great things Funbox has given Anya, Gary and Kevin is the chance to spread their wings a little bit more creatively, with creative control over the productions.
It’s given them a chance to separate themselves from the things they had done previously with the Singing Kettle. “Because it’s our thing now we get to have the final say on the script, the gags, the jokes, the songs – so it’s really special.
“We’re a bit more adventurous I think, and we always try to push for something a bit new or special in the shows as well – budget and imagination pending! But yeah, it’s good to have our own baby.”
Their latest baby – 2017 show Funbox’s Underwater Adventure – comes to Eden Court this weekend as it continues its tour around the country.
Yet despite all that, there are still other shows to be worked on – a Christmas show has been worked on since April (this week Funbox are recording their festive album), and they’ve already been booked in for an appearance at Eden Court in August 2018 with upcoming show Dinosaur Safari.
So what goes into putting together a Funbox show? “We usually try to think of a good strong theme, because part of the big thing for our shows is the kids love to get dressed up and they love to get involved.
“So we think what do they want to get dressed up as? What’s in the shops just now? What’s the best costume? And we just sort of take it from there, then. You get your theme then you get your title – and then there’s apparently a story in there somewhere!
Seeing the costumes that people come up with in particular is one of Anya’s favourite parts about putting on the shows – and Underwater Adventure has been no exception. “We had a boy actually who turn up for a deep sea dive in a full deep sea diver’s outfit, with plastic bottles in his back and everything – so we do love to see the creative outfits, they’re great!” she said.
“I always marvel at these parents that manage to do these things and do them so well, so it’s great to see the effort people put in for us.
“The best thing is, we have seen a few grown-up mermaids! Not the men, but we’ve seen some lady mermaids before, so that’s always nice to see – big mermaids and little mermaids together.”
Funbox: Underwater Adventure comes to Eden Court on Saturday and Sunday. For tickets: www.eden-court.co.uk
