A new stage play ‘RANK’ based on Frome actor’s experiences as a taxi driver in the town, will debut at the Merlin Theatre as part of its ‘Made in Frome’ 50th anniversary season
The play, based on a true story, is written and performed by Frome-based professional actor Dan Gaisford. It is a dark comedy thriller exploring themes of class, gentrification, assumption and taxi driving as the audience follows one driver’s epic encounter with a young woman and her two small children.
Battling to tell his tale against the backdrop of an ever-ringing phone, it is clear he has become more involved in the lives of his passengers than he ever intended.
Drawing on his own experiences working as a taxi driver in the town, Dan moved to Frome with his parents, brother, nan, uncle, auntie and cousin to reopen the historic Griffin pub in the 80s and, after a brief decade away, returned to the call of home.
“Actors often have to take on other work,” said Dan. “In my case warehousing, bar work, cheese-packing etc., and my taxi driving started out in just the same way – providing great source material for character study, and anecdotes and lived experience for RANK.”
“Lockdown provided an opportunity to concentrate on writing and committing some of my experiences to paper, but trying to work on it with two toddlers in the house was absolute bedlam.”
From these Covid-days writing sessions, the darkly comedic exploration of working-class men was born; asking what we do when everything starts to go wrong and if we can truly trust the people around us.
Produced by award-winning OffPiste Theatre, Dan is thrilled to be bringing RANK to the Merlin before it goes on tour next year. He said, “As a story that came from Frome, it is only right Frome gets to see it first. I can pretty much guarantee there will be stuff in there that will resonate with a local audience. Plus, it’s great to be putting it on at the Merlin, which is a place completely tied into my acting back-story.
“A lot is also said in Frome about growing social divisions in the town and I think taxi driving gives a really interesting perspective on that. I’d be lying if I said part of the thing with RANK wasn’t to challenge some assumptions and stereotypes around class and mental health. But, at the very least, you’ll get a visceral, funny and compelling piece of storytelling.”
RANK is on at Merlin Theatre, Frome on Saturday 15th November from 7.30pm. Tickets from merlintheatre.co.uk
Picture by Pete Millson
