Derbyshire is no stranger to film crews from all over the world, with our iconic locations and stunning landscapes utilised for soap operas, period dramas, Hollywood movies and everything in between.
However, for Wirksworth’s Ada Player, the decision to film her new Channel 4-commissioned short film, Peaked, in the town she grew up in was extra special.
‘Derbyshire was a really lovely place to grow up,’ says Ada, a performer who has earned plaudits not just for her acting but also her comedy and writing.
‘Growing up I was involved in InepenDANCE, local theatre groups, community theatre, panto and a group called Big Theatre too – there’s always been such passion for creativity here.
‘Wirksworth is gorgeous. There are so many art shops now and thriving creative businesses and that’s really what we wanted to capture in Peaked – the creative and arty spirit of Wirksworth.’
Ada has come a long way since her school days, predominantly spent at Wirksworth’s Anthony Gell, where performing ran through her veins.
The recipient of the 2021 Funny Women Comedy Shorts Award – which showcases the best and brightest comedy talent – Ada has appeared on television, in a feature film, and on stage.
Rave reviews have followed, including from the Telegraph who wrote about her appearance at the New Vic in The Killing of Sister George: ‘There are, fabulously, shades of the young Jane Horrocks in Ada Player’s beautifully tragicomic rendering of Alice.’
Despite her success and obvious creative talents, a performing career was not always a foregone conclusion.
‘It’s always been my passion, ever since I was in reception class,’ she recalls. ‘I loved the feeling of performing, but even during A-Levels I honestly didn’t fully know what I wanted to do.
‘The drama was really good at Anthony Gell. I grew up just with my mum and school was something I really enjoyed.
‘The drama teacher was great and we did a lot of school plays but they didn’t do it for A-Level so I moved to Belper to do Drama.
‘I did Maths, Further Maths, and Drama and actually got a worse mark in Drama than I did in Maths! So, it was up in the air because you have to decide to do something you know you’ll make a living from or go down the route of something you’re really passionate about.’
Ada decided to follow her dreams – including a short stint learning clown and improvisation in Paris.
‘That was amazing,’ she smiles. ‘It was with a clown teacher called Ecole Philippe Gaulier. He’d make you go on stage and try to be funny; if you weren’t he’d bang a drum and tell you how unfunny you were!
‘I think it was easier for me because I was so young and new to everything that I assumed I was going to be bad anyway. I got to eat a lot of croissants too!’
Ada’s journey took her to the University of Bristol, where she studied Theatre and Performance, meeting her writing partner Bron Waugh in the process, and now, her fledgling career has seen her come full circle with Peaked.
‘In our minds, because I write with my writing partner Bron, we always wanted Peaked to be set in Wirksworth (named factiously as Welworth) in the film,’ says Ada.
‘It’s not autobiographical, it’s just a really interesting place. The town’s topography worked well because the characters being mentally trapped and also physically enclosed in this green space.
‘The film is focused on two friends who have peaked too soon. Their best years were their teenage years and they’re still clinging on to that teenage dream. They’re in their twenties but living like they’re 15. They’re feeling insignificant and compensating extra hard.
‘They’re very deadpan and talk to each other in a dry way but there’s so much subtext, because they’ve got a teenage awkwardness pervading everything they do.
‘There are sad moments as well, you’re seeing people really try to connect but there’s so much stuff in the way and there’s an element of nostalgia too.’
For a short film, the process from conceptualising to filming was a long one, with no guarantees.
‘It was a long process,’ says Ada. ‘We made Jonny and Tommy, another short film, and I won the Funny Women competition and the producers approached us from that.
‘Then we sent them a short film script and they asked us to make treatments of what it could be and the idea evolved to the two girls and their friendship.
‘We pitched it to Channel 4 and wrote a 34-page script and were told it had to be a 16-page script! The whole thing took about a year, it was a real learning experience.
‘We didn’t know for a long time whether it would be commissioned. You get permission to write a script, which is a big deal, and that felt amazing but then you don’t know whether it will actually get made, so when we got the green light to proceed it was a brilliant feeling.’
Filming in her hometown was, for Ada, particularly memorable, with many local places featuring, including the Lime Kiln pub, Millers Green, the Star Disc and others.
‘The producers take the reins as far as the organisation is concerned. We gave them all the locations we wanted to go to. We asked to do some filming in Ken’s Supermarket, which was really lovely to do.
‘We’ve had some lovely feedback, including a lot of friends and locals commenting how it reminds them of growing up there - not just visually, but the memories of playing with friends in Fanny Shaw’s park.’
Scriptwriter, comedian, actress, filmmaker… there are many strings to Ada’s bow. But just how does she define herself?
‘I define myself by whatever I am being paid to do,’ says Ada.
‘I can call myself a writer, a comedian and an actress but I think it’s important to try to do everything. I care about the thing I am creating at any given time and put all my energies into that. As long as I am making something, I am happy.’
For Ada, exciting times undoubtedly lie ahead. Whatever happens in the future, one thing’s for sure, Derbyshire will always remain close to her heart – and there will be a chance to see her in action on her home turf next month.
‘I live in London now but am back a lot because my mum and gran live in Wirksworth still and I get very tired by the city.
‘I try to come home as much as I can. I don’t imagine I will be in London forever but it’s just where the jobs and opportunities are.
‘I’ve just had a small role in Mr Big Stuff, a sitcom, and I’ve also been in a Christmas film so that’s been an amazing feeling, earning a living from what I love to do.
‘Me and Bron have also just made a theatre show which we put on in London and we’re going to take it to Wirksworth Arts Festival on September 10. It’ll be great to perform it back in my hometown.’
Peaked is a Boffola production and can be viewed at channel4.com/programmes/peaked.
