The Anglofiles: Bringing a "Snazzy" Somerset Story to the NYC Stage
Ever used Snazaroo face paint? Then you already know a piece of Joe Staton’s family legacy. This summer, the Somerset-born actor and Co-Director of RiffRaff NYC brings that history to the New York Theatre Festival with his debut play, Snazzy. Based on his mother’s memoir, the play dramatizes his parents’ journey founding the global brand at Butlin’s. We caught up with Joe to talk about his West Country roots and life as a British creative in the Big Apple.
You’re originally from Minehead, how has your Somerset upbringing influenced your creative work now that you’re based in New York?
Well, here’s the thing, I am from Minehead, it’s true, but I actually left when I was six. I lived in France until I was ten, and then Spain until I was eighteen. So it wasn’t so much my Minehead upbringing that influenced my work, but my international one!
That said, Minehead has a very special place in my heart. Every time I go back, I feel a real sense of belonging. I remember being a very happy child there, and I remember going back later with my Mum, driving through Exmoor and thinking it was the most beautiful countryside I’d ever seen. Who wouldn’t fall in love with that? That beauty and the happiness I felt there have for sure influenced me, especially with the play I’ve been working on right now.
Your play, Snazzy, centers on your parents founding Snazaroo at Butlin’s. For an American audience, how would you describe the cultural significance of the Butlin’s experience?
Oh my gosh, great question! I actually had to Google if there was an American equivalent; apparently, the Great Wolf Lodge is the closest thing. But it’s safe to say Butlin’s is absolutely iconic in Britain.The play goes deep into the history of both Snazaroo and Butlin’s. In fact, the first scene after the prologue takes place there. To give you a feel for the "Butlin’s origin story," here is a little extract from the play told through a Greek-style Chorus:
CHORUS 1:At some point between 1917 and 1923, a man by the name of Billy Butlin went on holiday to Barry Island in Wales.
CHORUS 2:He had a terrible time, especially when he was locked out of his Bed & Breakfast for an entire day, which apparently was quite common back then!
CHORUS 3:He was locked out because the owner went shopping!
CHORUS 4:This experience made Billy Butlin realize that this was not an ideal way for people to enjoy their holidays. So, he took matters into his own hands.
Having trained at both Italia Conti in London and Stella Adler in NYC, what do you see as the biggest differences between British and American acting styles?
I’d say the styles aren’t as different as people might think. In England, we still study Meisner, Adler, and Strasberg, all the greats they study in America.The real difference is how the industry operates. Basic things, like headshot styles, are different.
In the UK, a standard showreel is three minutes, whereas here they prefer it much shorter. One thing I loved about Stella Adler was the global perspective; my Shakespeare teacher was English, my Commedia Del Arte teacher was French, and my movement teacher was from Brazil. There is immense value on both sides of the pond, and I think we can always learn from each other.
Through your work with RiffRaff NYC, what have you found to be the most unique challenges for immigrant actors in the US?
It’s often a struggle for immigrants to have a voice here. Lots of us have worked so hard to earn our place in America, and people often take that for granted. It’s not easy being away from your family and friends, or being around people who don’t always understand your culture.
At RiffRaff, one of my greatest joys has been our immigrant short play festivals. We’ve had plays about a Scottish girl in NYC whose coworkers couldn't understand her sense of humor, and an Italian guy trying to connect with his new American family through food. It’s powerful to see. We have a rule that every show must have at least 50% immigrant actors involved to ensure those voices are truly heard.
You’re premiering Snazzy at the New York Theatre Festival, but you’ve mentioned wanting to take it back to the Regal Theatre in Minehead. Why is that important to you?
Snazzy isn't just about face paint; it’s about my parents and how they achieved this amazing thing together. The Snazaroo factory is still in Minehead, it never left.
I began my life there, and my dad, who died when I was two, is buried there. I’d argue that Minehead itself is a character in the play. Many people who were around when Snazaroo was being started still live there. Journalists have even reached out to say they knew my parents. Because I left at such a young age, it feels like this play is finally leading me home.
What was the process like adapting your mother’s memoir, A Snazzy Tale, for the stage?
It was very, very tricky! The book covers my mum’s life from the early 60s to 2004. If I put everything on stage, the play would be weeks long! I had to condense it to the years between 1984 and 1997, which was a real headache. I had to cut stories that broke my heart, like my mum meeting a makeup artist for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats and showing her how to use Snazaroo. But having my mum on hand to answer questions was invaluable. It gave me such insight into how she felt in those moments.
I hope the British expat community here feels like this is a little slice of home. We have a phenomenal international team involved. Shout out to our director Chloe Champken, and our cast: Brenna Peerbolt, Truman Gaudoin, Ronan Spierenburg, Naomi Orange, Ross Mason and Laura Laman.
Is there anything else you’re working on that we should know about?
Yes! I’m a company member of the Ensemble Shakespeare Company (ESC). They utilize the teachings of Patsy Rodenburg (the head of voice at the RSC), and they are insanely gifted.This July, I’ll be in their production of Julius Caesar at the Flea Theatre, starring Mark Dacascos (John Wick 3, Iron Chef). Shakespeare is a massive passion of mine, and I’ve never done Caesar before. With both Snazzy and Caesar in the works, July is going to be an amazing month!
You can learn more about Joe’s work at RiffRaff NYC and check out the Ensemble Shakespeare Company here.
