Q&A with Michelle Kelly
Our next writer Q&A is with Michelle Kelly, whose monologue Roll to React explores the harm that racial microaggressions cause long after the moment has passed, and how minoritised people carry the weight of deciding how to react.
Michelle Kelly. Photo by Sergej Komkov.
Why did you want to tell this story?
This monologue is inspired by personal experiences, which I know a lot of other people can relate to, but which I rarely, if ever, see stories about. I posted online about one particular experience shortly before applying for this commission and I got so many replies from people I didn't even know, sharing similar things they've gone through and saying they understood. It felt so affirming to know that I wasn't alone, and in that moment I knew I wanted to tell a story that can be affirming to others.
And for those who watch the story and don't relate to it, I hope it gives them an insight into living in a body and world that differs from theirs. The character in this monologue is not me, and her experiences are not mine, but just like me she needs for people to understand.
How has this writing process been for you?
Scary and fun! I'm new to sharing writing that isn't comedic and I was genuinely shaking when I hit 'Send' on the email to Middle Child literary manager Matt with my first draft. He was so supportive and encouraging and helped me find this character's voice, which I'm very grateful for.
Tell us about your writing set-up.
A lot of my writing happens in my head when I'm doing something else - walking the dogs, washing the dishes, lying in bed trying to fall asleep - so by the time I actually sit down at my computer, I'm able to just let all the words that have been circling around in my brain flow straight out onto the screen. When it's time to sit at my computer I need to be in comfy clothes, with both a hot mug of tea and a cold glass of water, and I need silence. Ideally I also need to have eaten something before I begin, because it's easy for me to get too into the zone and suddenly hours have flown by and my stomach is screaming at me to please feed it something.
Without giving major spoilers, what's your favourite line in your piece, and why?
Oh, I definitely can't tell you that without major spoilers. You'll just have to watch it and try to guess.
Was your character influenced by real life people?
My character is an amalgam of many people I have known and she's also something completely unique. I think all characters kind of end up like that.
How do you feel about your character?
I feel proud of her and sad for her and hopeful for her. I can't wait to find out if audiences feel the same, or if their experience of meeting her is different.
Does your character do or say anything that really resonates with you?
Yes, definitely. As I said, this story is inspired by personal experiences I wanted to talk about, and so my character talks about them. She doesn't always have the same viewpoint as me, but figuring out what she thought helped me to develop my own thoughts.
Who would play your character in the film version?
I can't name a celebrity, because in this amazing reality where my writing is being made into a film, I'd want her to be played by someone no one's heard of. A woman of colour from Yorkshire in her early 20s, who is very resilient and hard-working and deserves to be the lead in a film.
If your play has had a life before now, how has it developed? And if not, how would you like to see if developed in the future?
Pretty much as soon as I started writing this monologue I realised it is a single thread in a larger narrative. I'd love to keep writing, to get to meet the other characters who exist in Alex's world, and build the story out into a one-act play with four characters. Wish me luck!
What are you most looking forward to during rehearsals and the performances?
I cannot wait to see what an actor and a director do with my writing without me there the whole time to influence their decisions. I'm an actor so I know that theatre, especially new writing, is such a collaborative process and now I get to see what two new collaborators will bring to this story.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about applying for Fresh Ink 2026?
Be honest and straightforward in what you want to write about and why it matters to you. That's what I did. I really didn't think I would be selected, because I wasn't trying to write what I thought anyone wanted to hear in my application, but it turns out that sincerity was a benefit, not a drawback.
Michelle’s monologue Roll to React will be performed on Saturday 19 July at 4.30pm and Sunday at 3.00pm, alongside Everyone We Know Has Kids by Samuel Sims and Jay Grainger and Meet You at the Corner by Laura Wilson.