Mr Bruff meets Dennis Kelly (Discussing 'DNA')

In today’s video I interview Dennis Kelly, asking him the questions you sent in via Youtube, Twitter and email. Use the chapters below to navigate through the video. If you're studying 'DNA' do subscribe to the channel, as I will be uploading a series on the play in January. A special thank you to Mrs Swinburne for sending in questions from her class.

0:05 Importance of setting
4:05 Children and the nature / nurture debate
5:41 ‘are we doomed to repeat’
6:13 ‘Lord of the Flies’ connection
8:00 Kelly’s thoughts on Phil
9:35 The rights of the individual vs the rights of the group
11:35 Leadership
15:59 Why is Phil constantly eating?
18:25 Were Phil and Leah a couple at the start of the play?
19:22 Was Jerry a hamster?
19:57 Kelly’s thoughts on Leah
21:08 Pause vs beat

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[Jeffreykip]

I always read the end as if Phil has done something to kill Leah - it feels so obvious to me. She threatens him, he says she can't ruin things, she disappears (Richard says he thinks she went to a new school, but is not sure), Phil becomes a basket-case (I think because he destroyed someone who meant something to him). I really wish he'd asked about this. (Then again, Jerry is always clearly a parakeet in my mind, not a hamster.)

[mrbruff]

Timestamps:
0:05 Importance of setting
4:05 Nature / nurture debate
5:41 ‘are we doomed to repeat?'
6:13 ‘Lord of the Flies’ connection
8:00 Kelly’s thoughts on Phil
9:35 The rights of the individual vs the rights of the group
11:35 Leadership
15:59 Why is Phil constantly eating?
18:25 Were Phil and Leah a couple at the start of the play?
19:22 Was Jerry a hamster?
19:57 Kelly’s thoughts on Leah
21:08 Pause vs beat

[austinthesan-antonian]

Thanks a lot for doing this interview. I'm covering DNA in my theater class and it's been really hard to fit things together 'cause we've been reading it as a group which tends to distract/confuse me.

Really helped with research. 😊

[tomwise]

Kelly telling your English teachers the curtains aren't even blue, let alone why!

[realJacobASMR]

Wasn't he also responsible for Matilda the Musical?

[ambergray]

dennis kelly the guy who made utopia??