Positively Horror recently got the chance to ask Horror creative Reece Connolly some questions. Please enjoy the full interview below.
Please tell us a bit about yourself and your relationship with the genre?
I'm a writer, performer, and producer based in East London but originally from just outside Newcastle. I work across stage and screen, as well as creating short stories and illustrations. Pretty much everything I do has a tinge of horror to it in some way, it's undoubtedly my favourite genre. I love reading horror, watching horror, and making horror, and always have.
What was your introduction to horror, and at what age?
As long as I can remember I've been drawn to it. Anything weird, grotesque, dark and unusual has piqued my curiosity. I remember as a kid seeing these huge Stephen King, James Herbert, Thomas Harris books lying around the house, which my parents enjoyed reading. The cover art would endlessly fascinate and terrify me, which also really triggered my imagination. And so that was the sort of thing I continued to seek out and grow to love and respect.
You were in the wonderful indie flick A Werewolf In England which is available now, can you tell us a bit about that experience and why everyone should watch it?
It's a loving homage to the Hammer flicks of old, a classic monster invasion romp set in a crumbling Victorian inn, featuring a really motley crew of rogues fighting for survival. Incredibly gory, very camp, chock-full of nods to everything from Troma to early Sam Raimi. Perfect family viewing. I'd followed the work of Charlie Steeds [who wrote and directed the film under his studio, Dark Temple Motion Pictures, who specialise in these amazing homegrown horrors] for a while, so it was so so cool and exciting to get to work on something with him and his team. Challenging too, but in the best way - I learnt so much on that set, and am very proud of the finished piece. If it sounds up your street, definitely check it out!
As well as acting You're creating a horror webcomic called the Void-Witch, with the first episode available now, what are your plans for the comic?
It started as a quasi-experiment/challenge to myself, creating a mini-comic featuring some original characters I'd had lurking in my brain for some time. I love illustrating, but it had been an age since I'd tried writing + drawing a comic - so I thought why not! But the response to it was very warm and enthusiastic; people want to see more! And I have plans for how the story can pan out, so all I need to do now is get those stories out onto the page. I'd love more people to get to know those characters, and see the sort of stories I enjoy telling.
What is your favourite horror trope?
Something I love is when things subvert expectations, playing around with established rules and tropes, taking you by surprise. That's often where the really really fun things happen. Horror is so steeped in tradition and lore and cliche - so when someone comes along and takes that history and then twists it into something new and punky and unpredictable, that's super-exciting.
What is something you'd like to see more of in the future in the genre?
I want to keep seeing new and diverse voices being championed and supported in the horror industry. New authors, actors, filmmakers from communities and cultures that have been for so long totally unrepresented within the genre. We need more POC creators, women creators, LGBTQ+ creators, creators from different social backgrounds. And when a project comes along made by an underrepresented community, we have a responsibility as sn audience to show up for that, support it, champion it. Put your money where your mouth is.
Who are some of your favourite people working in the genre at the moment?
Anything Jordan Peele and Ari Aster are putting out is very far up my alley. I’m so excited to see what Nia DaCosta does with the new Candyman too. Whatever Robert Eggers is cooking up next, because The Lighthouse changed my life. And I'm obsessed with Brand New Cherry Flavour on Netflix right now - I want to crawl inside Nick Antosca + Lenore Zion's mind.
And are there any other projects you're involved with that you'd like to talk about?
I’ve got a solo show coming to the London Horror Fest this year, called SUCKER 4 U, about a man’s brief but passionate affair with the dread-god Cthulu. It’s very queer, very rude, really dark, and I can’t wait to unleash it onstage. Again, lovely family-friendly stuff. And currently also working on a Christmas show about the antichrist for a gorgeous little theatre on the North East coast. Bringing horror home! Hopefully more film stuff too. Always ready to work with Dark Temple again [Charlie if you’re reading this plz cast me some more]. Plus, I’m always churning out new illustrations [and hopefully more comics] on my Insta art account - @beyondtheplughole - so please check that out too. So yeh, support queer artists!
Thank you again to Reece for the interview. To keep up with their work just follow the link below.
https://linktr.ee/reececonnolly
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