Amelia Rodger is an early-career writer and performer fresh off of the Fringe 2024 5-star show ‘PALS’ by Mirren Wilson. Originally from Perth, Amelia trained at Performing Arts Studio Scotland before being selected to be the first mentee on The Ten, a talent development programme for the most exciting emerging performers in the UK. We spoke to Amelia about her debut play ‘Jumper Bumps‘, the inspiration behind the show, and her hopes for a successful August.

Can you tell us about ‘Jumper Bumps’?

‘Jumper Bumps’ was written in three days from a compilation of notes from my iPhone. I didn’t touch it for a couple of years until I sent it to Emma [Ruse, producer and director] with the line, ‘Remember you like me,’ thinking she would rip it to shreds, I really didn’t expect her to turn around and say she’d like to produce it!

‘Jumper Bumps’ is basically a homage to female friendship and the power of self advocacy and discovery. I wanted to create authentic characters with obvious flaws and not chastise them or villainise them for being completely human. As an audience member the thing that connects me to a character or storyline are the unpolished elements, the journey of learning and I hope that’s what ‘Jumper Bumps’ takes the audience on; a journey. I want it to resonate and educate and bring a big smile to everyone’s face. It tackles heavy subject matters but I have been very conscious about their inclusion.

I want this play to mirror real life and in real life a lot happens, it doesn’t wait until your ready it comes in big full waves. I’m not trying to be ambiguous when I say ‘Jumper Bumps’ is about everything and nothing; it’s an insight into life as a young woman when you’re not quite sure who you are or how to conduct yourself and what happens when you’re faced with life changing situations.

What inspired you to write the play?

As an actor I’m continually frustrated with the lack of diverse and genuine characters available to women. As women we live in a society that still tells us how to act and think in our everyday and I’ve found that also transfers into the characters made available to us as actors.

I guess I’ve never felt fully seen or represented on stage, the conversations I have with the females in my life never authentically depicted. We’re given one thing, never a multitude. We’re only allowed to be complex if the complexity includes all the negative stereotypes. Why can’t we be everything that we are?

I wanted to show women that it’s ok to not have it all figured out, that being unsure of yourself and how you fit into the world isn’t a weakness but an opportunity for discovery and growth and that changing your mind is ok. That women work well together and can build each other up; we are not in competition with each other or ourselves. That we get to write our own stories even if it takes a little heartache along the way whilst breaking through the societal constructs that have contained us for generations.

Who are your biggest influences as a playwright?

I wouldn’t really call myself a playwright. I wrote this as more of a cathartic exercise than anything else. The people in my life are my biggest influences. The conversations I have with family and friends and the experiences I’ve had with partners; that all shapes who you are and how you navigate life. I like conversational work, work that has that self deprecating, slightly macabre humour.

I enjoy plays that read like fiction books. ‘GirlPlay‘ by Sarah Richardson, ‘Pops‘ by Charlie Josephine, ‘Eggs‘ by Florence Keith-Roach, ‘Island Town‘ by Simon Longman to name a few. Then anyone from Phoebe Waller Bridge, Duncan MacMillan, Ella Hickson, Kieran Hurley, Alan Bissett, Douglas Maxwell, Sophia Chetin-Leuner; I guess their common denominator is looking at the human condition and using humour to convey the darker parts.

How difficult is it to get a play financed and produced, particularly a debut play?

It’s difficult. I was pretty clueless before beginning this process and I’m very lucky to have a producer doing the bulk of the work because if I was doing this alone I really don’t think I’d have gotten very far. It’s a minefield. There are a lot of funds and supporting bodies but everyone is needing financial help so they’re completely oversubscribed. It’s application after application and rejection after rejection – a little like being an auditioning actor.

But yeah, I am very fortunate that Emma after reading the very first draft wanted to produce ‘Jumper Bumps’ and having her industry knowledge and backing has been a massive weight off my shoulders. I’ve had a couple friends ask me how I’m doing it and I just reply, ‘Emma’. If there’s one piece of advice I could give it would be get a producer and if that’s not an option then research literally every single scheme, bursary and funding body and apply early as the process can take a long while.

Also don’t be discouraged if it’s a no, if the big funding doesn’t come through. It’s not a rejection of your work or a comment on its worthiness, there’s just a lot of people going after the same thing. Keep going and keep investing in yourself and your work, it will pay off. We were lucky enough to receive Keep It Fringe this year and the rest we’ve Crowdfunded; there are people out there who believe in supporting the arts and especially new writing.

Emma Ruse is producing and directing. What has she brought to the show as a contributor?

She is and I’m buzzing. Me and Emma have known each other since we were 17 when we met in our first year at Performing Arts Studio Scotland and she has always been the calm to my inner and sometimes outer storm(s). She brings patience, professionalism and the biggest amount of  encouragement. I really wouldn’t be doing this if Emma hadn’t believed in me as an actor and in ‘Jumper Bumps’ as a story worth sharing.

I think embarking on something as gruelling as Fringe, with a very personal play that is my first endeavour as a playwright required someone who not only knew the game – had all the industry knowledge and insight – but also knew me as a person. She’s not just my producer and director, she’s my biggest supporter, voice of reason and most importantly friend. She has secured the venue, the logistics, the finances all while checking in with me, reading my redrafts and listening to my constant freak outs.

You performed in the play ‘PALS’ last year. How did you find the Fringe as an experience?

I did! An experience I will forever be grateful for. Mirren Wilson the writer of ‘PALS’ created a character that I completely fell in love with and I am very sad I was unable to return this year as Sadie. I found Fringe just a whirlwind blur. It’s so so so tiring but equally exhilarating. Getting to perform every single day to new audiences is a complete dream and Fringe really allows you to take risks as a performer, you get to find your feet and sink your teeth in in a way that I guess you’re not always able to in other jobs.

There is this rawness to Fringe, this real, ‘We’re in it together’ mentality. I think you rely on and connect with your audience in a very visceral way during Fringe and we were completely spoiled with how amazing our audiences were last year.

With ‘Jumper Bumps’ being your debut, is there anything you’re particularly looking forward to (or dreading!) about the Fringe? What would constitute a successful August for you?

Oh god, I’m dreading no one showing up or just completely hating the show haha but let’s not dwell on that scary thought. A successful August for me personally would be for people to come and see the show and for it to resonate with them, in whatever way that manifests. I’d really love for people to feel seen and heard. I’m looking forward to  sharing the space with the audience, it’s an amazing feeling being in such close proximity with all these people, telling a story and going on the characters journey together. I hope that people get it, get me, get what ‘Jumper Bumps’ means to me.

Are there any other shows or performers at the Fringe that you would recommend audiences see?

I’ve been quite bad at keeping an eye out for what’s on this year, I’m very absorbed in my own rewriting at the moment but I’ve got a few that I’ve either seen previews of or have caught my eye on socials: ‘PALS‘ by Mirren Wilson (I’m very excited to see the new cast members and experience the show as an audience member rather than a cast member), ‘Do Astronauts Masturbate in Space?’ by Briony Martha and Zak Reay-Barry, ‘r/Conspiracy‘ by Ella Hallgren, ‘Homo(sapien)‘ by Conor O’Dwyer, ‘Mary: A Gig Theatre Show‘, ‘Happy Ending Street‘ by Jenna Stones and Lucia Ireland at Dolls n Rags Productions. I’ve also been recommended a couple which are ‘You have Failed Me For The Last Time‘ by Optimiserables theatre company and ‘Seltzer Boy‘ by Connor McKenna.

‘Jumper Bumps‘ is at Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower – Ruby from Wed 30 Jul – Sun 24 Aug 2025 at 16:20.