Seven Questions For... Ella Hickson

The Fringe is be a busy time for everyone, but few more so than Ella Hickson, the Edinburgh-based writer/director (and former theatre reviewer for The Journal) whose play Eight won a Fringe First Award in 2008. But last month, with a further three successful plays added to her CV (Precious Little Talent, Soup and This is Not the End) she came back to where it all started with Hot Mess, a dark tale of obsession and love. And in between directing the show, she still found the time to talk to The Journal.

1. What course did you do at uni, and when did you graduate?

I did English Literature and graduated in 2008.

2. How did you get involved with The Journal? Has being involved with a student newspaper helped your career in any way?

The Journal was founded by a very dear friend of mine, Devon Walshe, Devon and I were always hatching schemes together and getting excited by each other's projects - The Journal was one of Devon's best. I did several reviews for them and they often covered work that I had on in the city.

3. Were you involved with any student theatre/writing groups? If so, were they helpful? Were these groups welcoming?

I worked a lot with Bedlam Theatre. I helped produce The Penny Dreadfuls for a long time, several years, and I produced heaps of shows at The Bedlam - it's a invaluable institution, it's provided the spring board for countless British theatre practitioners - it's my spiritual home, long may it last.

4. What advice would you give to an aspiring playwright?

I'd advise anyone to have a long hard think about why they are doing it before they set out. You have to have utter conviction in the core of your ambition, the need to write, because there will be so many days when you don't want to or when the industry makes it hard, so you have to know for yourself, reviews, industry and success aside.

5. Do you have any advice for anyone trying to get involved with the theatre scene?

Join Bedlam Theatre! Start making theatre, start reading plays - start writing plays, just start doing it.

6. Where is your favourite place in Edinburgh?

I have lived in Edinburgh for six years now and have fallen love with it and in it lots of times so this is a hard one - maybe the Grassmarket, I live just near the Grassmarket and in summer you can sit outside and have a pint or sit and eat chips on a bench and it smells of the lime trees and the sun makes it positively dreamy.

7. What's your favourite memory of Edinburgh?

This is really hard - one that comes to mind is racing across the meadows with my pal Nadine - we'd been in the pub and were pretty tipsy and we started running and singing Nina Simone 'Aint Got No' really offensively loud. We fell over and lay on the grass, bellowed it out and laughed until our stomachs hurt. I miss Nadine now.