​​Brandon Hicks is a writer and cartoonist based out of St. Stephen. His work appears in a number of publications, including American Bystander, National Lampoon, Fangoria, and CBC. Locally, he’s a regular contributor to The Manatee and The EDIT magazine. His short films and plays have had fun in several festivals, and his work has won awards from international galleries. He co-wrote the children’s book That’s Not True, with Shauna Chase, and is the author/illustrator behind the Beezle, Buzzle and Barb series from Humorist Books. His first novel is forthcoming this fall. 

Somehow amidst his busy schedule, Brandon finds time to write plays, and we have had the pleasure of sharing his work for the past many festivals. He’s back again with his latest, Keeping Tabs.

How would you describe your new play Keeping Tabs without giving too much away?

Keeping Tabs is a look at how people currently communicate. Most of our social, professional and even romantic interactions are now taking place behind a screen. I think we were heading in this direction anyway, but the pandemic has certainly expedited the process. I hope that it helps to highlight how strange this can still feel. 

It’s a physical play, full of farce, gags, and a ton of colourful characters, but it’s also a play about a woman, alone in her room, fiddling around on the computer. Both of these things are equally true.

How important is humour to you in your everyday life and what motivates you to write year after year for NB Acts? 

I’ve been lucky enough to make humour writing into my career, so it certainly drives what I do. On a personal level, it’s just a great way to contextualize your thoughts and ideas. It’s kind of like how in poetry, a rhyme can give a line some extra weight. Similarly, if the joke clicks, then the idea is valid. Through the use of absurdity, you can almost convince yourself that there is order to the universe.

I love the theatre scene here. When you’re working in Fredericton, you’re drawing from a pool of the funniest, cleverest and most creative people in the province. Notable Acts has created a great framework for highlighting local talent and making it accessible. 

Can you explain what it’s like writing a play and then handing it over to someone else to direct and act? Is it weird at all hearing other people deliver the jokes you’re written? 

When I write a script, I try to picture the whole thing happening in my head. My mind’s eye watches it happening and I try to record it in as much detail as I can. Once it’s done, though, I’m happy to hand it off to the people that are going to realize it.

I’ve directed a few shows myself, and the last person I wanted to hear from was the writer. As far as I’m concerned, after I finalize the script, it’s no longer my project. I’m happy to support the process, but it’s not the crew’s job to shepherd my vision from the page to the stage. It’s my job to provide them with a script that will stoke the flames of their own creativity. 

If you allow creative people to have a sense of ownership over a project, you’re guaranteed to get better results. 

Writing and drawing can be such a laborious process, full of compromise and self-doubt, so I rarely get the chance to laugh at any of my own stuff. But seeing what these actors, directors and the crew do with the blueprint I hand them is always such a joy. It always surprises me, and I laugh myself silly. 

What’s your favourite part of the festival? Is there something you look forward to each year? 

I live in St. Stephen, so it’s harder for me to engage with the local theatre community as much as I’d like to. If you are there, though, I’d recommend going to see everything. Again, Fredericton has a unique wealth of talent, and we’re fortunate to be able to see these shows. Theatre is only happening as it’s happening. You never know when we’ll be forced back inside for another two years, so don’t miss out!

Keeping Tabs is one of four ten-minute plays featured in this year’s Taking It To The Streets series of pay-what-you-can outdoor performances. Catch a performance July 24-27 at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery Courtyard beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Keeping Tabs by Brandon Hicks | Directed by Jane Deil | Featuring Diana Chávez, Kaylee MacNeil and Alex Pannier.

Gillian Salmon (she/her) is a writer, improviser, actor and stand up comedian based in Fredericton. She has been studying with Second City since 2020 and is currently nearing the end of their Conservatory program. Mainly focusing on sketch comedy, she loves to try experimenting with different perspectives and surreal situations as a commentary on reality. She likes to travel when she can and read when she can’t.

This year Gillian has two sketches included in our festival: Historical Walking Tour and Where We Go One, We Go All.

How’s it feel to be making your NotaBle debut and how has the opportunity challenged you as a new writer?

It feels surreal still. I submitted thinking nahhh, these will never get picked and then was pleasantly surprised when they were. Watching the first rehearsal was incredibly exciting to see my characters come to life. I’ve seen my writing performed before but only in Zoom format so to see something in real life it was extra exciting. 

The experience has challenged me as a new writer in that now I’ve got a taste of it and now I want more. So it’s challenged me to get my act together, pardon the pun, and to write more sketches. 

If you had to describe your play in one minute or less, how would you pitch Historical Walking Tour to a potential audience member?

Can I talk fast?

Historical Walking Tour is a reflection on typical walking tours in which historical locations have now become something else and the audience is required to suspend some disbelief and use their imaginations.

Where We Go One, We Go All is a satirical look at the conspirituality influence on the wellness industry. 

It’s two sketches because I am an overachiever and they were both short. In hindsight I should have submitted three because of the comedy rule of threes. This is a learning experience.

Is there a theme or message you are attempting to get across to your audience?

Only that there is room for absurdity in the midst of perhaps otherwise dramatic or serious theatre. 

Could you comment on the important role NotaBle Acts plays in supporting new and emerging writers like yourself?  

The thing that actually motivated me to submit were the writer’s rooms that were hosted via Zoom in April. I have a lot of sketches in the wings and the rooms gave me an opportunity to hear them aloud and make revisions, and then to ultimately submit. I had previously been wanting to submit a longer sketch show for the one act category but I saw the opportunity of throwing a couple in the ring for site-specific and thought, “why wait? If you get it, great. If you don’t, it’s still a good experience and you’ve got two sketches that are more polished.”

Gillian’s plays Historical Walking Tour and Where We Go One, We Go All will be performed outdoors as a pay what you can double bill (w/ A Toast to Happiness) from July 24-27, beginning at 8:30 p.m. near the Beaverbrook Art Gallery.

Historical Walking Tour and Where We Go One, We Go All by Gillian Salmon | Directed by Sydney Hallett | Featuring Thomas Johansen, Diana Chávez, Al Newling and Mallory Kelly.