Jessica Lazar brings her production of David Greig’s 2002 play Outlying Islands to Jermyn Street Theatre. Set on a remote Scottish island in 1939 on the eve of the Second World War, the play tackles the themes of identity, belonging, self-determination and ownership. We spoke to Lazar who, having previously directed the play in 2019 at King’s Head Theatre, has found herself re-examining both herself and the play.
Q&A with Jessica Lazar
What can you tell us about Outlying Islands?
In August 1939 (just weeks before the start of the Second World War) two natural scientists from Cambridge arrive on an uninhabited Hebridean Island, accompanied by its grim leaseholder and his shy niece. They have been sent by an unnamed government ‘Ministry’ to survey the island’s birds but they soon discover their mission is more sinister than they knew — and that the old man knows much more about it than he let on. As details emerge, plans unravel, and everyone must decide where their loyalties lie.
When did you first become aware of the play and what were your initial thoughts on directing it?
It’s not often one discovers a new favourite play: reading Outlying Islands for the first time was a rare delight. David Doyle, now Executive Producer of Jermyn Street Theatre, is one of my closest collaborators and he insisted I read it in 2018. He knew I would love it. It was also the first play I had experienced by David Greig, who I think is one of the greatest living playwrights. If you don’t know his writing it is witty and profound, with an extraordinary flair for dialogue and a precise and inventive understanding of theatre. I remember being struck by the subtlety of the characters and by the complexity of their desires, and by how it plays with genre and expectation, and I couldn’t wait to direct it.
How much has that vision changed throughout the development and rehearsal periods?
Several members of the creative team and I collaborated on a version of Outlying Islands in 2019 and, although the production was very successful, we have been keen to return to it. Then it seemed to be about the politics and philosophy of self-determination; many people interpreted it through the lens of Brexit. In 2025, seen in the context of a pandemic and war in Europe, it is a radically different play. It is more tragic and more dangerous, and much more complex. The presence of a new cast and new team members, in a different venue, has ensured an entirely new creation. But occasionally we find ourselves recalling or interrogating ideas and research from six years ago; when this happens, we cannot help interrogating our past selves. It is a fascinating and unusual experience. It has been incredibly exciting to discover the play anew.
Is there anything you hope audiences take away from the play?
A thrilling evening that asks questions about freedom, loyalty, and truth.
Outlying Islands is at Jermyn Street Theatre, London from 11 February to 15 March 2025
