Currently completing a run at Soho Theatre is Jade Franks’ acclaimed work ‘Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates x)’, which recently took the Edinburgh Fringe by storm, winning awards and playing to a succession of full houses. 

The show is produced by Jasmyn Fisher-Ryner via her own company, JFR Productions, and is the latest in a line of theatrical successes that began with ‘For Black Boys Who Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy’. 

I feel as though Jasmyn is very much one to watch out for – right now and in the future – so I arranged a chat before she gets too busy… 

CM: Can we start by talking about what to expect from ‘Eat The Rich’? How would you describe it in terms of style or genre? 
JF-R: The style is definitely a comedic theatrical form of storytelling. You will expect to laugh – like a proper belly laugh – as well as cry and feel uncomfortable at times. If you’re anything like me, you’ll end up picking up words and lines from the play that you will only be able to say in a scouse accent. 

CM: Can you tell us a bit about the content of the show? Who is it about and what story does it tell? 
JF-R: The show is written and performed by Jade Franks, about her experience studying at Cambridge as a working class scouser, and having to navigate the world of the elite through balancing her studies and secretly working as a cleaner.

Through which I learned that working in any form is not allowed at Oxbridge universities – crazy right?!

CM: What are the primary themes of the show?
JF-R: The show is basically about money, class and calling people out… unless they’re your friends who have proven they’ve got your back! It looks at how anti-capitalist we really are when our values come up against comfort, ambition and social survival.

CM: Can you tell us a bit about the show’s creator and how you came to be working with her? 
JF-R: Jade is an incredible writer, actor and outreach coordinator from Liverpool.

We met at the Royal Court Theatre, where we both worked in the education department. When I moved into producing ’For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy’, I was excited to continue working with her when she came on board as the Outreach Manager for the show. 

She has a real passion for making theatre accessible to everyone, and her dedication, energy and incredible ideas helped shape the show’s audience in so many ways. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to lead on the outreach for the show!  

CM: What do you love about the play? What made you want to bring it to the stage? 
JF-R: I love the play’s vulnerability. I love that Jade is not afraid to discuss the challenges she faced whilst at Cambridge, as well as some of the joyous times she had making new friends and experiencing a different world. 

Jade sent me 20 pages of the script whilst we were at Royal Court and I instantly loved it. The way she writes draws you into the world she has written effortlessly and I was so excited to be part of the show’s journey.

I wanted to bring the story to stage because I truly believed that the show would have an incredible impact and would resonate with a lot of people. 

‘Eat The Rich’ is written in a way that makes anyone who’s ever felt different or excluded feel recognised, without needing the specific experience of studying at Cambridge.

CM: The show had a recent run at edfringe – how did that go from your perspective?
JF-R: Edinburgh Fringe went incredibly well! By the day four into the run, we completely sold out every show, got a five star review in The Guardian and won a Fringe First Award! 

By the end of our time at the Fringe, we had won two additional awards – Holden Street Awards and The Filipa Bragança Award – and added two additional shows that also sold out – in less than twelve hours!

We almost didn’t make it to the Fringe because an investor dropped out just a month before, but thanks to the incredible support and donations from friends and family we were able to make it happen. It still feels so surreal and I’m so grateful. 

CM: Can you tell us about JFR Productions and what motivated you to set up your own company? 
JF-R: JFR Productions is a multifaceted production company dedicated to crafting moments and cultivating stories across theatre, events and digital projects.

We’re interested in the full journey from a passing thought to a finished production, and in making sure the work we create is accessible and open to all cultures and communities. Because why should anything be gate-kept! 

I’ve always known I wanted my own company in the arts, but after producing ’For Black Boys’, it felt like the right moment to fully step into leading my work through JFRP.

I love working with emerging artists and helping them find pathways to their first major projects, whether that’s a theatre show, an event or a podcast. Everyone has a story or an idea to tell, and my dream is to help make space for those voices to be heard.

CM: What has been challenging for you about bringing work to the stage? What has gone smoothly? 
JF-R: Money. Money is always the biggest challenge. The arts are struggling a lot financially and not everyone has access to a bank of Mum & Dad. As a producer, I spend a big percentage of my time trying to find funding to bring work to the stage. 

I’d say what has gone smoothly is finding my network of people, whether they work directly on my projects or are people who I can rely on for sound advice and counsel.

Having a community of people I can turn to has kept me going. I’m still excited to further my network, but I really appreciate the people who have helped me get to where I am now. 

CM: What made you want a career in the arts? What steps did you take to begin it? 
JF-R: I trained as a dancer for about ten years starting in my early teens, which was really my gateway into the arts. One of the first things I ever watched was the Hackney Empire pantomime and I completely fell in love with theatre there.

When I stopped dancing, I moved into workshop facilitation at Hackney Empire, which is where my love grew for working with community groups and young people.

I was lucky enough to take part in youth programmes at Hackney Empire too, and that really showed me how important it is for young people to have access to creative opportunities and spaces where they can explore theatre. 

In 2017, I started working at the Royal Court Theatre in the education department, where I learned how to create projects from scratch for different communities. That naturally led to producing events around shows and eventually to producing theatre itself.

I never actually set out to become a producer, if I’m honest. I didn’t really know what one was, it just sort of happened, and one day people started calling me a producer, and I thought “I guess this is what I am now”. 

CM: What aims and ambitions do you have for the future? 
JF-R: Honestly, I’m just seeing where God takes me. My main goal is to run a successful production company and really get my head around the business side of things, alongside the fun, creative part. 

I’m so grateful for what I’ve achieved so far and I’m praying I keep getting to work on exciting, authentic projects with brilliant people. I love work that really makes a difference for those involved and for the audiences who see it. I’m here for anything unapologetic!

CM: What’s coming up next for you after this? 
JF-R: I’m lead producing a show with HighTide Theatre and Soho Theatre called ’A To B’, which will be on at Soho Theatre in June 2026, and I’d honestly recommend everyone come and see it.

It’s a coming-of-age romcom where we follow two people on their separate journeys to a blind date where, unsurprisingly, anything that can go wrong does.

It’s fully rooted in black British Caribbean culture, which is so exciting, and even though it’s based in South London, it’s still a great play… though East London will forever be the best, haha!

‘Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates x)’ is on at Soho Theatre until 31 Jan, see the venue website here for more. The show heads to the Liverpool Everyman and Bristol Old Vic in the spring. 

LINKS: sohotheatre.com | jfrproduction.com | instagram.com/jfrproductions 

Photo: Fay Summerfield