Piece of Me is a new play by Claire Gaydon which explores the connection between UK digital data privacy and the life of Britney Spears. The show mines the parallels between Britney’s life and the invasions of privacy that she has faced over time, with the encroaching loss of digital rights in the UK. It also has some great songs! Claire spoke to us about writing the play and the music, working with producer Jakwob, and how learning about CCTV law inspired a music video.
- Without giving too much away, how did you make the link between your love for Britney Spears, and UK data privacy invasions, and what did you do to bring those connections to life?
Back in 2019 I learnt that according to data protection law, if you request footage of yourself from the owner of any CCTV camera they have to give it to you. I decided to do an experiment where I walked around London, miming the lyrics to Britney’s song Radar, and then requested the footage so I could make a kinda arty music video. I chose Radar because the lyrics are about watching someone (and it’s also an underrated banger!).
Less than 50% of the camera owners I approached for the footage adhered to data protection law and that got me thinking and researching about how our data is handled, and privacy in general. Watching the video back, I also started to think about how when I was a kid, I wanted nothing more than to be a famous popstar like Britney. But now, seeing everything that Britney went through I have a newfound appreciation for my privacy and anonymity.
For me, privacy invasion on UK citizens can feel intangible, it’s hard to explain and understand. Privacy invasion on celebrities on the other hand is something we all know about. So I figured if I could marry the two together in the show, I could offer a different perspective on it.
- The soundtrack for this show is very special. Can you tell us a bit more about it, and the role that your “primary school pop group” played in bringing the piece to life? Sure! So 3 out of the 4 songs we perform in the show I wrote while I was at school. We have an original recording of one of them too which we play for the audience. My primary school pop group has brought the show to life in the sense that the whole show is about the band! The narrative follows how we got together, the inevitable trials and tribulations that occurred and eventually what might happen if we ever got back together.
- The subject matter of ‘Piece of Me’ can get quite technical. What sort of work went into preparing the material? I did a lot of research which included meeting with experts. I was lucky enough to meet with Harmit Kambo from Privacy International and Emmanuelle Andrews from Liberty. Both interviews were incredibly enlightening and directly influenced the work.
- Has the content of the show made you reevaluate your own digital footprint? Yes and no. Inevitably I think about it a lot more and I do the easy things like rejecting all cookies and tracking online. But equally, when it comes to data mining I’m much more concerned about companies having access to the entire country’s data and the implications of that as opposed to my own personal data. My biggest concern at the moment is the way our data is used in ways we don’t understand – which we never agreed to – during democratic processes. This is why we need legislation to protect our data, it can’t just be on the individual.
- You performed a scratch version of Piece of Me at CPT back in 2019. How special was it for you to present the fully finished show there? Really special! I’ve been developing this show pre, during and post covid so it’s meant a lot that CPT have always supported and believed in the project.
- And how important are these types of venues for the future of theatre in this country? Honestly they’re essential. Camden People’s Theatre gives space for artists to genuinely take risks with their work which is invaluable for developing your craft and understanding who you are as an artist. The team is lovely and so supportive too.
- In a show with such dedication to a generational pop star like Britney, the music was always going to be important. What was it like working withJakwob? And finally, if there is one Britney song that will always resonate with you, which one is it? Working with Jakwob was so fun. He’s incredibly talented and totally got the brief of the show from day one. We actually recorded some of the songs in the same studio where the Spice Girls recorded their first album which blew my mind.
- And finally, if there is one Britney song that will always resonate with you, which one is it? Ah, I love so many Britney songs! I’m going to say I Was Born to Make You Happy because it’s underrated and I honestly think it’s one of her best.
