The Skinny On... Leyla Josephine

Leyla Josephine is a multi-talented whirlwind of an artist whose work straddles poetry, film and theatre. Recently nominated for a Scottish BAFTA for her short film Groom (as Leyla Coll-O’Reilly), fresh off a tour for her first poetry collection In Public/In Private and appearing at numerous festivals this summer, it’s fair to say she’s keeping busy.

She’s also one of the contributing artists to acclaimed Glasgow-based theatre company Wonder Fools’ Positive Stories for Negative Times: Season Three, an innovative youth theatre programme open to 10-25 year olds worldwide.

Josephine’s play Ms Campbell’s Class Fifth Period features a bunch of teens, bored out of their mind in an awful English class, and is one of six new works created especially for Positive Stories. The other contributing artists are Bryony Kimmings, Tim Crouch, Robert Softley Gale, Sara Shaarawi and The PappyShow with Lewis Hetherington. Youth groups can sign up until Friday 26 May and have until 1 September to perform a play for free or submit an alternative creative response inspired by the plays on offer. The project culminates in Positive Stories festivals across Scotland in June and July this year, with performances from groups who’ve already signed up in Edinburgh, Ayr, Inverness and Perth.

The Skinny: What’s your favourite place to visit and why? 

Leyla Josephine: Donegal – it’s a home from home. I've spent a lot of time there with my family and dogs. It’s a great reset with a dramatic landscape, good Guinness, white beaches, surfing, live trad music. I also love Marseille. I spent time there last year writing my book and it was super-charged and exciting – I can’t wait to go back. 

Favourite food and why?

I love Japanese food and the rituals and traditions that come with it. My favourite comfort food when I’m at home is pasta and pesto – you just can’t go wrong with pasta and pesto. 

Favourite colour and why?

Orange, except when it comes with a marching pipe band. 

Who was your hero growing up?

Rose from Titanic. She’s a bad bitch. When was the last film you saw a woman in a corset wielding an axe in boob-high freezing water?

Whose work inspires you now?

Michaela Coel, Julia Ducournau, Lynne Ramsay, Ruben Östlund, Maya Deren, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Andrea Arnold, Sharon Olds, Chen Chen, Kim Addonizio, Ocean Vuong, Billy Letford, Roseanne Watt, Louise Bourgeois, Diane Arbus, ABBA, Wet Leg, Rihanna, Madonna, Robbie Williams, Dolly Parton, Rura, and Lankum. I have no consistency in my taste.

What three people would you invite to your dinner party and what are you cooking?

John Berger, Paris Hilton and my mum. I’m not a great cook so let’s order a curry. 

What’s your all time favourite album?

The Bridget Jones soundtrack. 

What’s the worst film you’ve ever seen?

I don’t like focusing on art I don’t like, because I do truly believe there is no bad art, just different tastes... but I will say the only film I’ve ever walked out of is The Perks of Being A Wallflower (sorry!).

What book would you take to a desert island?

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, it changed my life and I could read it over and over and over. 

Who’s the worst?

George Ezra. I have no explanation, it’s a guttural thing (sorry!).

When did you last cry?

Today – I cry everyday – sue me. 

What are you most scared of?

It sometimes really freaks me out that I’m the only thing in my head, and ketchup.

When did you last vomit and why?

No idea. Turns out you vomit less when you’re not drinking DragonSoop on a Sunday afternoon. Who would have thought?!

Tell us a secret?

Not all my poems are true. 

Which celebrity could you take in a fight?

Nicole Kidman.

If you could be reincarnated as an animal, which animal would it be?

A Kunekune pet pig called Gloria. 

What’s your most memorable festival experience?

One of my first festivals was Rockness 2008. Laura Marling with the Mystery Jets, The Cribs, Basement Jaxx, and Optimo all played. I felt like I was free for the first time ever. They were giving out Southern Comfort neon plastic beads. I fell asleep in the sun wearing them and had SOCO branded into my neck when I woke up. That didn’t go down well with my mum, or in Maths first period on Monday morning.

I’ve been lucky enough to go to plenty more festivals since and had more highbrow experiences but I think nothing beats the feeling of being at an age when anything feels possible and everything feels new and music feels like it belongs to you and only you. Being at a festival dancing with mates away from my parents for the first time felt like a revolution. A very dusty, smelly, cheap and immature revolution.

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Positive Stories for Negative Times: Season Three sign-ups open until Friday 26 May at positivestories.scot

In Public/In Private is out now

Catch Leyla Josephine at festivals across the UK this summer, including the Edinburgh Fringe, Belladrum, Glastonbury and more TBA