Happy 4th July y’all! Our 10-to-See of American performers

Christian McRae
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Happy 4th July y’all! Our 10-to-See of American performers

As today is July 4th, what better day to bring you our 10-to-See list from the 280 performers this year at Fringe listed as coming from America. Happy Independence Day y’all!

1/ Please Forget

Steve Rannazzisi is a US actor and stand-up comedian who has acted in TV series ‘The League’, ‘Curb Your Enthusiasms’ and ‘Samantha Who?’, and in films such as ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop’. He has, however, also been personally involved in a storyline worthy of a Hollywood story in itself.

From Wikipedia: “Rannazzisi had said he had worked in the South Tower of the World Trade Center at Merrill Lynch, on the 54th floor during the September 11 attacks, and described his experience escaping death. He had said the events inspired him to move to Los Angeles and pursue stand-up comedy. In September 2015, after being contacted by a reporter from The New York Times for an article debunking his claim, Rannazzisi admitted his story was a lie. Rannazzisi was never employed by Merrill Lynch, which did not have offices in the World Trade Center then, and did not attend the State University of New York at Purchase, as he additionally had claimed.”

Unsurprisingly, he had to make a public apology. But four years on, he brings a unique perspective to the Fringe and his one-man show ‘Please Forget‘ takes a comedic look into public shaming. “What happens in cases where you have been legally acquitted but you are still judged as an undesirable?”

Tickets available now on the Fringe Box Office Website.

2/ America is Hard to See

This new play from Life Jacket Theatre Company uses a blend of verbatim interviews, Methodist hymns and original songs to investigate the lives in and around Miracle Village, a rural American community for sex offenders buried deep in Florida’s sugarcane fields. ‘Excellent and deeply moving’ (Independent). ‘Smart and troubling’ (New York Times). ‘Heartbreaking and complicated’ (New Yorker).

Tickets available now on the Fringe Box Office Website.

America is Hard to See

3/ Josephine

World renowned performer, World War II spy, and activist are few of the titles used to describe Josephine Baker. One of the most successful African American performers in French history, Baker’s career illustrates the ways entertainers can use their platforms to change the world.

Her return home to America after the war forced Baker to confront segregation and discrimination that she had not experienced since she was a child in St. Louis. She often refused to perform to segregated audiences, which usually forced club owners to integrate for her shows. Her opposition against segregation and discrimination was recognized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In 1963, she was one of the few women allowed to speak at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Her speech detailed her life as a black woman in the United States and abroad:

“You know, friends, that I do not lie to you when I tell you I have walked into the palaces of kings and queens and into the houses of presidents. And much more. But I could not walk into a hotel in America and get a cup of coffee, and that made me mad.”

This critically acclaimed off-Broadway biographical musical combines theatre, cabaret and burlesque to tell the story of this icon.

Tickets available now on the Fringe Box Office Website.

Josephine

4/ Death of the American Teenager

The Youth Theatre at the University of Utah are bringing a theme topical to Scotland’s past and America’s present to the Fringe this year. Whilst the tragedy at Dunblane spurred Scottish opinion to stronger gun controls, the debate continues in the US, despite over 20 school shootings with multiple fatalities/ injuries so far this year.

“What is it about guns? Today’s American high school students have been raised at a time when school shootings have become common and suicide rates have drastically increased. The fight for gun control is a fight that students, teenagers, and children are having to fight. This devised play with music explores how schools have becomes scenes of violence and how that shared experience will define this young generation. Guns are efficient, quick, and their results are irreversible.”

Tickets available now on the Fringe Box Office Website.

5/ AJ Holmes: Yeah, but Not Right Now

Think American theatre, and many Scots immediately think of Broadway and musical theatre. So who better to be included in our list than Andrew (A J ) Holmes who played Elder Cunningham in The Book of Mormon on Broadway, as well as being sole composer for Twisted.

This is AJ’s Edinburgh debut and his show promises an hour of stand-up, storytelling, and songs!

Tickets available now on the Fringe Box Office Website.

6/ The Battle of Kuamo’o

The US is a diverse country from the glaciers of Alaska to the deserts of Nevada. But it is to tropical Hawaii that we go next on our list with an opera sung in the Hawaiian language. Presented throug hula, chant, and song, this opera dramatises the battle between the chief, Kekuaokalani, who wanted to hold onto the ancient Hawaiian religion, and Liholiho, the young king, who wanted to part from the old and lead his people into the modern world.

Tickets available now on the Fringe Box Office Website.

7/ Nathan Hurd: Colour Blind

Nathan is a black albino who was adopted at birth by a white family. Legally blind, his perspective is unique. Nathan is also an accomplished actor having reoccurring roles in such hit shows like Legion and American Horror Story. Recently he won awards for Best Performance and Best Writing at the Cleveland Comedy Festival.

Tickets available now on the Fringe Box Office Website.

8/ Jewbana

Next to Florida and Susie K Taylor who explores the culture clash of her Jewish and Cuban heritage. Unlike the trailer (which has no sound!), the show promises to be loud, and a ‘hurricane of cultural clash’!

Tickets available now on the Fringe Box Office Website.

9/ Business Casual

Absurdist sketch trio ‘Business Casual’ from Los Angeles made the cut for wearing stars and stripe socks in the bathtub, and for having the oh-so-American names Hunter, Cory and …Jeremy.

Tickets available now on the Fringe Box Office Website.

10/ Four Woke Baes

This dark comedy is about four men with very fixed perspectives on monogamy who are all equally stirred up and challenged by an unexpected visitor that appears in their campsite. “It’s one thing to be “woke” on Facebook… but what about alone in the woods? “.

Read our interview with writer Jonathan Caren – Click here

Tickets available now on the Fringe Box Office website.

Note – Our recommendations for the shows listed above is based on preview material only, and is no guarantee of actual performance.

Meet the 2019 Performers – Sadie Clark (Algorithms)

Christian McRae
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Meet the 2019 Performers – Sadie Clark (Algorithms)

Today we meet the amazing Sadie Clark who has written a wonderful new play called ‘Algorithms‘, “for anyone who’s wondered why they feel so lonely when connecting with others is meant to be easier than ever”. A “bisexual Bridget Jones for the online generation”, this tragicomic one-woman play will appeal to many who have wondered at what stage in their life they will finally feel connected, ‘grown-up’, and ‘happy’. This engaging interview and amazing trailer will, we are sure, see many of you buying tickets for the show!

Can you introduce yourself and your show?

I’m Sadie Clark and I’m the writer and performer of Algorithms: a bisexual Bridget Jones for the online generation. It’s a tragic-comic one woman show that follows Brooke, the algorithm writer for an online dating site, as she struggles to find love, happiness and connection in a world defined more and more by online interactions.

What is the top reason people should see the show? 

It’s an honest and relatable look at the hell of trying to ‘get it right’ in this online world of endlessly Instagrammed perfection… but if you come for anything, come for the jubilant and exultant end, which is sure to put you in a good mood, even on one of those exhausting Fringe days where you’ve lined up five shows to see!

What does a ‘successful Fringe run’ mean to you? 

Finding true love… KIDDING! That’s Brooke (my character’s) aim – we’ve actually got a fun little marketing campaign for that going on. Hmmm… a successful Fringe run… of course it would be nice to win an award or get a five star review but honestly, a successful Fringe will be hearing from audiences who love the show because it’s made them feel a little less alone. I wrote the show to try express some of the frustrations and anxiety I was experiencing related to online dating and social media. I thought I might be the only person feeling those things but sharing the work as I’ve been developing it has shown me so many people have felt similar things. A successful Fringe will be one where audiences come up to tell me they’ve felt the same way – a reminder that we’re never alone!

What 3 top tips have you got for Edinburgh Fringe first timers? 

1. Pack warm and waterproof clothes! The first time I went up to the Fringe I had no idea it basically has its own ever-changing micro-climate. I ended up having to buy a jumper, jeans, raincoat and a scarf to keep warm flyering…

2. Schedule, schedule, schedule. I mean, this might just be a top tip for me because I bloody love a colour-coded spreadsheet … but with so much going on in different parts of the city and some things selling out in advance I would advise sitting down and thoroughly planning what you’ll see when.

3. I’m going to regret offering this up as a top tip because all of these places are already so busy… and I’m essentially giving you three for one here but treat yourself to: a milkshake at Black Medicine Coffee, the best vegan food at Lucky Pig and comforting Thai food at Ting Thai Caravan.

Your play is about turning 30. Much has been written recently about how we are still teenagers into our 20s. Do you consider 30 to be the hardest birthday in that you finally have to accept you are an adult?

I think it’s the hardest birthday because there’s so much external pressure to have ‘got it together’ by then. There’s this narrative in pop culture that it’s this ‘milestone birthday’ and after it you should be a cool, calm, collected individual who remembers to pay their council tax on time. I think Bridget Jones was so popular because it was such an honest look at not having your shit together in your thirties.

I don’t think I’ll be able to accept I’m an adult until I stop calling my Mum to ask for her advice every five minutes though… and I do think it’s hard for my generation to see themselves as adults because we seem so screwed when it comes to financial and job security. Especially those of us trying to survive in London; we’re not in the same position many of our parents were in at our age so instead of getting a mortgage and having kids we’re still flat sharing and buying pot plants…

But do we ever have to accept we’re grown up adults? I’m gonna ring my mum after this and ask her…

What key message do you hope comes across to your audiences?

That there’s no algorithm for the perfect life… the best thing you can do is just do you.

Bridget Jones infamously struggled with the London dating scene. Do you think it is harder to date in London than elsewhere?

There’s a line in the play about the dating scene “you’d think it would be easy in London with so many people but it isn’t… It’s almost like everyone has too much choice” and I think that quite aptly sums up my feelings about the London dating scene. There was an analogy I read in a book for part of my research about jam – they offered people 10 choices of jam in one area of a supermarket and 3 choices of jam in another. Where there were only 3 choices of jam to choose from, significantly more customers ended up buying jam. So basically what I’m saying is London is a table with 8 million jams on it and no one wants to pick a jam to buy in case one of the other jams they haven’t tried yet is better…

Everyone’s exhausted too: I’m exhausted, the person I’m trying to arrange a date with is exhausted, we’re all so busy – we’re trying to schedule dates for two weeks in advance because that’s our next free night but if I’m honest all I probably want to do on that night off is put my PJs on and watch Jane the Virgin.

You describe the heroine of the play ‘Brooke’ as a ‘bisexual Bridget Jones for an online generation’. Bisexuality perhaps doesn’t get the visibility of L or G in the sexuality spectrum. Does your play seek to explore bi issues?

Oh it absolutely doesn’t get the same visibility as the L and G of LGBT. Our sexuality constantly gets erased, ignored and questioned in the media and pop culture.

I wouldn’t say the play explores bi issues… I don’t delve into why we’re still being erased and stereotyped or why we have poorer mental health or why we don’t receive as much funding. Instead I’ve written a messy, complex character who happens to be bisexual. But it doesn’t define her: it’s just a part of who she is and she has a story to tell, which I hope is a universally relatable story of love and loneliness. The activism of my piece (if you will) comes from putting that bisexual character unapologetically centre stage, visibly dating people of all genders. It does make a few points that challenge or highlight some of the difficulties bi people face but they are not the basis of the show. Straight people get to tell universal stories unrelated to their sexuality all the time… I think it’s important under-represented groups get to tell universal stories too.

What are the difficulties people experience dating as a bi person?

The bisexual community is so diverse I can only speak from my experiences dating as a feminine looking bi woman but the three biggest things I’ve encountered are:

  1. Men interrupting my dates with other femme women because they don’t believe we could possibly be on a date together (often these men can get very aggressive).
  2. Lesbian women asking me on a first date if I’m going to leave them for a man in the end… they would NEVER ask another Lesbian on a first date “are you going to leave me for another woman” and essentially this is the same thing. My attraction to multiple genders does not make me automatically more promiscuous or more likely to leave someone than my hetero and homo peers!
  3. Couples who are just looking for a threesome…

How are you promoting your show in the run up to the Fringe?

You can follow us @AlgorithmsPlay on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and I’m @SadieLeylaClark on Twitter and Instagram. We’ve got previews coming up at The Undercroft on June 29th as part of Peterborough Pride Festival, at the Old Red Lion, London on July 12th and the Omnibus Theatre, London on July 18th, and finally at Norwich Puppet Theatre on July 25th. I’m also running free play writing workshops for Bisexual+ people in Peterborough and London in June and July so do follow me if you’d like to find out how you can come along to one of those.

Lastly do you want to tell us where and when we can see the show? 

You can catch the show in Edinburgh at the Pleasance Courtyard (Baby Grand) at 12:45pm every day of the festival except the 13th August. We’ve also got relaxed and captioned performances on the 14th and 20th August.

Algorithms will be performed daily at 12:45 at the Pleasance Courtyard (Baby Grand/ Venue 33) from July 31st- August 12th and from August 14th-26th. Tickets available now from the Fringe Box Office.

Algorithms

Meet the 2019 Performers – Kenny Emson (Rust)

Christian McRae
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Meet the 2019 Performers – Kenny Emson (Rust)

It is our pleasure today to talk to Kenny Emson, writer of Rust. His play is about a couple, Nadia and Daniel, with a secret. They have just signed up to rent a new studio flat but under a pseudonym. This is their chance to wipe the slate clean and start anew – but as much as they try to redefine themselves, the outside world closes in. Over to Kenny, to tell us more!

Can you introduce yourself and your show?

I’m Kenny Emson, the writer of Rust. Humble brag, I’ve won a couple of awards and been nominated for a BAFTA (which I didn’t win, boo hiss). Rust is a co-production between HighTide Theatre and the Bush Theatre. Spoiler: It’s about a long-term affair.

What is the top reason people should see the show? 

It’s funny. It’s sexy. It’s definitely more fun than walking up to Arthur’s Seat (no matter what people tell you). And that’s three top reasons for the price of one.

What does a ‘successful Fringe run’ mean to you? 

That we find an audience for the show that engage with its characters and themes. That we entertain them. That we make them laugh. And cry (at the bits they are meant to cry at!)

What 3 top tips have you got for Edinburgh Fringe first timers? 

 Eat. Drink. Be Merry. In that order. Daily.

This show forms part of HighTide and Assembly’s #Disruptionfest. Could you briefly give the background to that and how the shows were chosen for the programme?

Rust is part of Disruption Festival. #Disruptionfest demonstrates HighTide and Assembly Festival’s shared vision for new writing as a space of political, contemporary and provocative work, created by new, diverse artists. The season was programmed through a mix of open call outs and existing relationships with artists.

What key message do you hope comes across to your audiences?

It’s a show about love, about how that visceral emotion can make people do crazy things that can destroy lives. Hopefully our audience will understand and empathise with those decisions and come onboard for the ride with the characters.

Rust focuses on a couple who wish to start again after 10 years of married life, One hears of individuals running away to start a new life, but rarely, if ever,  of couples. Why do you think that is?

The cost. It must be hard enough for one person to chuck in their life and start again. To have two people commit to that and follow it through is a huge thing.

Is the Edinburgh Fringe still relevant or does it too need to rent a hypothetical flat, rename itself and renew, like the characters in ‘Rust’?

Edinburgh will always be THE fringe festival. Since the first time I came it’s always a highlight of the calendar. My liver can testify to that.

How are you promoting your show in the run up to the Fringe?

Rust opens at the Bush Theatre in London on 26th June – 27th July prior to transferring to the Fringe. We have a slick new trailer coming out, plus content from behind-the-scenes which can be seen on HighTide’s social media accounts: 

Twitter: @_HighTide_ 

Facebook: HighTideTheatre

Instagram: hightidetheatre

Lastly do you want to tell us where and when we can see the show? 

You can see Rust at Assembly Roxy Downstairs from 31st July – 25th August (except 12th) at 12.40.  

If you’re not in Edinburgh, it plays at the Bush Theatre June 26th June – 27th July or in HighTide Aldeburgh Festival from 10th – 15th September. 

Rust will be performed daily at 12:40 from July 31st – August 11th, and from August 13th-25th at the Assembly Rooms (Downstairs/ Venue 139). Tickets available now from the Fringe Box Office.

Meet the 2019 Performers – Tim Cowbury (The Claim)

Christian McRae
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Meet the 2019 Performers – Tim Cowbury (The Claim)

Today in our ‘Meet the Performers’ series we meet Tim Cowbury. His new show ‘The Claim‘ explores Britain’s Kafka-esque asylum system in a ‘comically absurd and quietly shattering journey’. Tim explains to us how he researched the play, and the messages he hopes comes across to its audiences.

Can you introduce yourself and your show?

I’m Tim Cowbury and I’m a playwright and theatre-maker behind The Claim. It’s a show I worked closely with director Mark Maughan to create over a couple of years and with the help of a lot of amazing performers, participants and experts. It’s about what happens when people try to claim asylum here in the UK and what this says about us as a nation. In some ways The Claim is an absurd fast-paced comedy, as two British characters attempt to interrogate and interpret the words of a Congolese man, mangling his story to ridiculous proportions in the process. But beneath the comedy of errors, word-play and misunderstanding there’s a gradually-unfolding tragedy and uncomfortable truth: this happens daily to refugees here as part of official policy, resulting from all-too-familiar prejudices, and it costs lives. 

What is the top reason people should see the show? 

The Claim is a refreshingly entertaining and adventurous way to tackle a really serious and urgent issue. We play a slippery and slightly metatheatrical game with the audience, the performers looking you in the eye and talking to you in more languages than you think…! We try to avoid preaching to the converted and stereotypical representation: there have been a fair few shows exploring refugee experience over the years, but we think we can guarantee you haven’t seen one like this.   

What does a ‘successful Fringe run’ mean to you?

To be honest…lots of people coming! And The Claim getting under their skin, encouraging them to consider its themes in a new light. If the show can contribute in its own small way to people acting on what they’ve seen – getting involved in a wider shift in how the UK engages with people coming here in circumstances like Serge’s – then that’s more valuable than anything. Our run at Paines Plough’s Roundabout at Summerhall is already a continuation of the show’s life as it had a sell-out London run and UK tour in 2017-18. And there’s an ongoing conversation about doing a performance of the show for the Home Office, along with the potential of international tour dates as we’re in Edinburgh as part of the British Council’s biennial showcase. We’re definitely keen to take it to other venues in the UK too. The more the show happens, the more it can contribute to social and political change, however small that contribution might be.

What 3 top tips have you got for Edinburgh Fringe first timers? 

  1. If you’re a punter, don’t just go to the obvious venues: the Fringe has become a monstrous machine but it’s not just about the venues who can pay most for advertising, and that’s not the true spirit of the fringe!
  2. If you’re bringing a show, don’t bother flyering on the Royal Mile. Flyer anywhere but there. First year I went with my theatre company Made In China’s first show, we hit up more unlikely spots and recruited at least two bona fide celebrities as audience-members and Fringe-friends.
  3. Either way, be prepared to completely pickle your liver. Especially if you have an early show. That first one of mine finished at 11.45am and once you’ve had your first post-show drink before noon, well…it’s a slippery slope. Or indeed a sheer drop.

Do you think the asylum process has improved or got worse for those seeing refuge in the UK since ‘The Claim’ was first written?

Sadly, I don’t think it’s really changed much yet – certainly the kind of situation that The Claim involves its audience in still captures what happens more often than not. There’s certainly more evidence than ever that the asylum process needs to change, but one of the absurdities The Claim is built on is that very clear evidence of fundamental problems has been mounting for years. The UN repeatedly called for change long before I began writing; as I was starting the first draft a global refugee emergency was declared; and since The Claim’s premiere the Windrush scandal has come and gone and we’re seeing new disturbing imagery emerging from the USA too. Small things shift, but what campaigners and whistle-blowers have long been calling a ‘culture of disbelief’ seems to still reign.

What key message do you hope comes across to your audiences?

That the problem goes deeper than the Home Office, than bureaucracy – despite that being a big part of it. The problem is ingrained in our Britishness: the noble and civilised values we tell ourselves we stand for, the chatty politeness we cloak our prejudices and problematic national history in. The problem, unfortunately, is partly us, and the way we see ourselves in the world. I include myself in this. The Claim plays a game with these kinds of messages, which is a slippery and sometimes uneasy thing to do. But I hope it means the message isn’t an annoyingly obvious or reductively simple one.

You have worked on collaborative projects with groups such as Freedom from Torture and Right to Remain. Tell us about the experience.

The Claim wouldn’t be what it is without groups like these: we first engaged with them in early research when we wanted to get clued up. Through them and other groups like GRAMNet, Counterpoints Arts and Detention Action, we met a lot of people with direct, sometimes very raw and painful experience in the asylum system. And we quickly realised that we could – and should – not just run off with what we’d gleaned and make a play by ourselves, but continue to work with these people and organisations in this making process.

And in fact, having said that little has changed in the official system, this aspect of The Claim shows that artistic projects can build on longstanding campaigns by these kinds of groups and make a real difference. There were a range of activities that happened alongside the premiere, designed in collaboration with the people met through migrant organisations. One of these was an audio installation created by people we’d met who’d been through the asylum system. We recently learned that one of the testimonies written for this installation is now part of official training for all asylum case workers (interviewers and decision makers) at the Home Office.

If you could change one thing about the asylum process in the UK, what would it be?

It’s ability to listen to and see the human beings caught in its system. That actually means changing a lot of things, but I think a lot of it might just be about the institutional attitude.

How are you promoting your show in the run up to the Fringe?

The Claim will be at the Festival for the full month performing daily (except Tuesdays) at Roundabout at Summerhall at 12:50pm (65 mins)! Make sure you catch our preview shows on the 31st July and 1st, 2nd and 3rd August at Roundabout. The best way to keep up-to-date with what’s going on with The Claim during the festival is to follow us on twitter @TheClaimShow and use #TheClaimShow. Other good twitter accounts to following are @JamesQuaife @MadeInChinaThtr @markjmaughan @Summerhallery @painesplough

Lastly do you want to tell us where and when we can see the show? 

You can see the show at the Paines Plough’s Roundabout Auditorium, which is part of Summerhall, at 12.50pm everyday (apart from Tuesdays). Book your tickets here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/claim

The Claim will be performed daily at 12:50 at the Roundabout@Summerhall (Venue 26) from July 31st to August 5th, August 7th-12th, 14th-19th and 21st-25th. Tickets available now from the Fringe Box Office.

Trailer for ‘The Claim’

Meet the 2019 Performers – Remy Beasley (Do Our Best)

Christian McRae
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Meet the 2019 Performers – Remy Beasley (Do Our Best)

Flying the flag for Wales today is Remy Beasley, who talks to us about her new show ‘Do Our Best‘; a one-person play about ‘how to harness your grief, find your pack and never give up.’ Fans of ‘Stella’ might recognise Remy as ‘Beyonce Evans’, and more recently she played ‘Hari’ in Welsh comedy series ‘Tourist Trap’. For Edinburgh, she has teamed up with Fringe First Award winner Hannah Banister who directs ‘Do Our Best‘. Over to Remy to talk more on Girl Guides, searching for belonging, and finding your pack.

Can you introduce yourself and your show?

I’m Remy Beasley. I’m an actor and writer from South-East Wales, currently residing in Walthamstow, London.

I’ve written a one-person show called Do Our Best which follows Sephie, a 30 year old narcissist who’s recently found herself back in the sanctuary of the Girl Guides since her life spiralled out of control.

What is the top reason people should see the show? 

If you like laughing and crying, closely followed by singing, and dancing, then this is for you. That’s four sensational reasons.

What does a ‘successful Fringe run’ mean to you? 

As long as I’m not playing to 70 empty chairs every day I’ll be every inch the success. Also, if I get to the end of the run without losing my voice I think I’ll feel like I’ve won an Oscar.

Have you performed at the Fringe before? What is the worst rumour you have heard about performing at the Edinburgh Fringe?

Yes. I performed here as part of the Roundabout season with Paines Plough in 2016 and had the best time ever. Mega audiences, a great venue, 3 amazing plays, so am hoping this time is just as brilliant.  

The worst rumour I heard was that I’d be sleep deprived and living off Kebab Mahals and gin, which all turned out to be true and utterly fantastic.

Do Our Best is a search for belonging. Do you think a search for one’s tribe is an issue many people can relate to in 2019?

Belonging is such an important common experience between humans and I think that, especially in 2019, when our world feels fractious and less than stable that reconnecting with this idea that as individuals, we are not an island is ultimately the road to health and happiness. Community is everything. Finding your Tribe can be a life-line in testing times.

What key message do you hope comes across to your audiences?

That the most honourable way to remember someone is to carry on living fully and whole-heartedly with those around you.  And that the act of trying is courageous and vital.

Why does the quest for a tribe end with the Girl Guides?

The Girl Guides are the ultimate feminist organization as coined by their old CEO Julie Bentley. They encourage safe and supportive spaces for young girls to challenge themselves and grow in confidence and skill. There was something about the sanctuary of this safe space full of nurturing, maternal hands, that I found really heartening. In Do Our Best, without realising it Sephie is looking for a support system, and Brown Owl and the Girl Guides are a constant, steady force for good. 

Wales has not been terribly well represented at the Fringe in numbers of performers this year. Why do you think this is and will you be flying the flag for Wales in Edinburgh this summer?

There are a huge amount of exciting Welsh artists making work at the moment, some of which will be here at the festival and some not.  The majority of Welsh artists are from working class backgrounds and it costs tons of money to do a festival stretch, so I’m guessing partly monetary reasons for the lack of representation.  The incredible team at the London Welsh Centre in Kings Cross we’re so generous to us and let us rehearse there for next to nothing.  They have incredible spaces for making work in which was v. helpful. You’re relying on a lot of goodwill.

I’m always flying the flag for Wales, it’s the best country in the world, but obviously I’m biased.

I’ll be hanging out and having a gin with Welsh new writing pro’s Dirty Protest, who are up here with their show How to Be Brave by Sian Owen and all the other Welsh contingent whilst we’re slogging our guts out over the summer.

How are you promoting your show in the run up to the Fringe?

Relentless social media bombardment and if there’s time, we’ll do some London previews pre-August. Please follow my personal account @remylea for updates on the show.

Lastly do you want to tell us where and when we can see the show? 

Yes yes yes. You can see us 1st-25th August at the Iron Belly in Underbelly Cowgate. We’re playing basically everyday at 2.50pm.

Do Our Best will be performed daily at 14:50 from August 1st-11th and from August 13th-25th at the Underbelly, Cowgate (Iron belly/ Venue 61). Tickets available now from the Fringe Box Office.

Meet the 2019 Performers – Jennie Eggleton (The Burning)

Christian McRae
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Meet the 2019 Performers – Jennie Eggleton (The Burning)

‘The Burning’ is the latest production from physical theatre company Incognito, who aim to re-tell traditional stories in a fast-paced and unique style. Seasoned Fringe performers – past productions by Incognito include ‘Dorian Gray’ and ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’; this year they are performing a play which follows the lives of women and their witch hunters ‘in an epic story through time, history, capitalism, and the consequences of societal fear when faced with change‘. Incognito Performer Jennie Eggleton gives us more insight into ‘The Burning‘.

Can you introduce yourself and your show?

Hi! – I’m Jennie Eggleton and I am one of the performers in The Burning.

What is the top reason people should see the show? 

I mean it’s pretty difficult to narrow it down to just one reason, but if I must… It’s got to be the powerful, high energy physical performances that will challenge your perception of the ‘witch’… plus some kickass music from Phoebe (one of our performers)

What does a ‘successful Fringe run’ mean to you? 

I think the idea of a successful Fringe run is about getting great feedback from audiences who love the show and really understand why we have created it and what we want to say. Also getting to the end of the run and still getting up and wanting to perform come rain or shine each day is always a good sign!

What 3 top tips have you got for Edinburgh Fringe first timers? 

1. See as much as your budget allows! I love how many varied shows you can see in one day – it still blows my mind every time I perform there.

2. Sleep and hydrate! Quite dull but easy to forget amid the blur of shows, bars and late-night comedy!

3. Don’t dismiss all the flyers you’re given.  I know by the 13, 15th you will be very weary of cheery performers or flyerers flogging their wares but if you have a moment to read what’s in your hand you may find that hidden gem you’ve actually been dying to see.

Your production follows the lives of women and their witch hunters through time. Is this a modern rendition, historical or timeless?

The story intertwines true historical accounts of witches and their persecution with a very modern story of a young woman looking back on her ancestry. I think audiences may (or sadly may not) be shocked at how the treatment of women in some ways is still the same as ever… The more we research the play the more I am completely overwhelmed by the parallels between female persecution then and now.  Having said that the story also celebrates womanhood and female friendship, and that is a theme that is completely timeless.

What key message do you hope comes across to your audiences?

We hope that audiences will join us in examining both modern and historical ‘witches’ and who really put that label on them.  What does it mean to branded with that word and why do we still insist on categorising women in that way?

Who are the witches and witch hunters in modern British society?

This is a complex question but if I really simplify the definition of a witch to a woman who does not conform to the norms of society, or a woman who breaks the mould, then you can relate that to fantastic modern women who are ground breaking and ‘different’. Maybe these are female celebrities or women in politics – women who speak out and make trouble. It is then clear to me that it is the media/social media that becomes the modern ‘witch hunter’ – people who feel they can attack and try to marginalise these women with no fear of reproach. Obviously this a wide generalisation, but the freedom of social media means that people can say what they like and harm who they like, and they are hidden behind the faceless power of these sites – something that has a lot of similarities to an historical witch hunter.

Your show has an all-female cast – a first we believe for your Theatre Company Incognito. Are there still too few productions that are all- female?

The Burning is the first all-female show Incognito have produced, which is a great step for the company, though they did have an all-female production team on the last Edinburgh Show which was fab! I think recently there have been some amazing shows that have really highlighted audiences’ hunger for all-female productions. I just saw ‘Emilia’ (which one of our cast members, Cora, is currently in) and the atmosphere was electric, and I definitely felt like there was something shifting – the theatre itself felt like it was shaking with the roar of the audience! Hopefully it means that all-female shows will continue to get more funding and support (which is still the most difficult thing about making theatre) and that it will become part of the norm, rather than something that is a huge talking point every time it happens.

How are you promoting your show in the run up to the Fringe?

You can find us on social media on Twitter ( @incognito107 ), on Facebook, on Instagram ( @incognitotheatre ), or follow the amazing Chloe Nelkin Consulting, our PR team, for any updates!

Lastly do you want to tell us where and when we can see the show? 

Come and join us at Pleasance Courtyard (Upstairs), 31st July – 26th August at 3:15pm

The Burning will be performed daily at 15:15 at the Pleasance Courtyard (Upstairs/ Venue 33) from July 31st to August 12th and from August 14th to 26th. Tickets available now from the Fringe Box Office.

Meet the 2019 Performers – Emily Jenkins (Bobby & Amy)

Christian McRae
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Meet the 2019 Performers – Emily Jenkins (Bobby & Amy)

Today is the last day of the Royal Highland Show. A timely opportunity then to talk to Emily Jenkins, writer and director of ‘Bobby & Amy‘, which explores the impact that Foot and Mouth disease had on rural communities. A homage to the nineties, this new dark comedy explores themes and topics somewhat neglected at Fringe this year. Over to Emily to find out more.

Can you introduce yourself and your show?

Hi! My name is Emily Jenkins and I am the writer and director of Bobby & Amy – a new dark comedy about foot-and-mouth-disease. Set in rural England during the late nineties, Bobby & Amy is about friendship, heartache and it asks what happens when our way of life is threatened by those who don’t understand it.

What is the top reason people should see the show? 

Our actors are incredible! Kimberly Jarvis and Will Howard play not only Amy and Bobby respectively, but another 21 different characters all without a single prop or costume change. It’s so exciting to watch! It’s a funny and moving show all at the same time.

What does a ‘successful Fringe run’ mean to you? 

A successful fringe run, for me, would be for the audience to come out of the show and think: “Out of all the hundreds of shows I could have chosen to see today, I’m so glad I picked this one.”

What 3 top tips have you got for Edinburgh Fringe first timers? 

1. It’s ok not to go out every night.

The Fringe can be a crazy alcohol fuelled party – but you’re there to work, to help your career, to let people hear your voice and show them your art. Of course go out and party, but it’s ok to go home some nights and rest! Otherwise by the third week you’re going to be pretty damn knackered and the show will suffer.

2. Do a proper food shop and make yourself packed lunches.

Edinburgh is so expensive and if you’re out all day seeing shows it can be easier just to buy something to eat on the run. But after four weeks of eating out, your finances can really take a hit. No one wants to spend time in their digs making sandwiches, but your bank balance will be grateful in September!

3. It’s too windy for an umbrella – bring a raincoat! – and a waterproof rucksack!

The fringe can be amazing if it’s sunny, but when it’s raining it can be a nightmare. The wind sweeps through the roads and turns your brolly inside out. Get something waterproof with a hood, and make sure your rucksack is waterproof. I once damaged a MacBook beyond repair after thinking my bag was waterproof and flyering all day in the rain. THAT was an expensive mistake.

Your play centres around the impact on your home town in the aftermath of foot and mouth. Is that impact still being felt and relevant today?

Definitely. There’s been a major shift in the way of life in many rural – and urban – communities. In my town, for example, there used to be a farming community, but now it’s a weekend escape for people in the city. Privatisation has a lot to do with it. It’s still a beautiful place to be – there are art galleries, restaurants, great local walks and several pubs, but many of the people who grew up in the area have been left behind and work opportunities are minimal or tourism based.

What key message do you hope comes across to your audiences?

I want to start a discussion around the importance of our rural communities and the contribution farming makes to our economy. However the central message of the play that Bobby and Amy learn is to fight for what you believe in, even if it feels like a losing battle.  

There are many acts this year focusing on austerity, Brexit and Gender. But so far we have only encountered your show focusing on rural issues. Given agriculture is so important to Scotland, why do you think we see so few shows exploring rural themes?

Great question! I think people tend to forget about rural issues because politics, culture, and media are so city-centric. People think what happens out in the sticks doesn’t really matter but agriculture contributes £11 billion to our economy and 71 per cent of land in the UK is currently used for farming. We rely on agriculture for pretty much everything – food, drink, renewable energy, habitats for our wildlife, as well as providing 500,000 jobs, but it all tends to be ignored.

You state that your play is a homage to the nineties. The 90s to us was a fantastic decade – end of the cold war, peace in Northern Ireland, and great music where you could go out for an alcopop without a care in the world! Foot and Mouth aside, what made the 90s a great decade for you?

The nineties was a great decade. What I loved most though were the Spice Girls. I was obsessed. I loved the message they gave out about the importance of female friendship and girl power. I even made my mum queue with me outside Woolworths (RIP) when then film came out so I could get the VCR in a limited edition box tin – my one had Scary on the front!

How are you promoting your show in the run up to the Fringe?

We’ve got a quarter page advert in the fringe programme (check out page 353!) designed by the brilliant Flavia Fraser-Cannon and Malachy Luckie. The wonderful ladies of the play Drowning have created a #WomenOfFringe list, which we’re very proud to be featured in, and our PR is managed by the fierce Chloé Nelkin Consulting. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to hear our latest news and to see us most probably having far too much fun in the rehearsal room – @bobbyandamyplay

Lastly do you want to tell us where and when we can see the show? 

Pleasance Courtyard (Upstairs) at 12.45 every day, between the 31st July – 26th August (except the 12th!)

Bobby & Amy will be performed daily at 12:45 at the Pleasance Courtyard (Upstairs/ Venue 33) from July 31st-August 11th, and from August 13th-26th. Tickets available now from the Fringe Box Office.

Meet the 2019 Performers Slipshod Theatre (Space Junk: A Soviet Musical)

Christian McRae
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Meet the 2019 Performers Slipshod Theatre (Space Junk: A Soviet Musical)

It is our absolute pleasure today to introduce Jake Mace and Mike Dorey of Slipshod Theatre. They are bringing their show ‘Space Junk: A Soviet Musical‘ to the Edinburgh Fringe this summer. Their fun, informative video interview explores the background to the show, what it is like to perform at Fringe and what audiences can expect to see. Space Junk will be performed daily at 21:10 from August 2nd-10th and August 12th-17th at the Space@Suregons Hall (Theatre 2 / Venue 53). Tickets available now from the Fringe Box Office.

Slipshod Theatre – Space Junk: A Soviet Musical

Meet the 2019 Performers – Margaret Perry (Collapsible)

Christian McRae
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Meet the 2019 Performers – Margaret Perry (Collapsible)

Today we meet award-winning Irish writer Margaret Perry who introduces her new show Collapsible. ‘A funny, furious new monologue about holding on in this collapsing world’.

Can you introduce yourself and your show?

I’m Margaret Perry, a writer from Cork, and Collapsible is my debut monologue. 

This is a story about work, identity and trying to wade out of the dark; inspired by a period in my life when I was unemployed and isolated and began to stop feeling like a real person. It asks, who are we without other people? (With plenty of jokes.)

What is the top reason people should see the show? 

To meet Essie; a complex, funny bisexual woman played with heart and fury by the astonishing Breffni Holahan. Essie will tell you what it’s like inside her brain and ask you if you’ve ever felt like that. (Not literally – if you hate audience interaction that’s another reason to see Collapsible. No one will speak to you. No one will ask you to come on stage. You’ll just get to sit in the dark for an hour).

What does a ‘successful Fringe run’ mean to you?   

Good post-show conversations.

If one person left the theatre feeling a little less alone inside their own head, I’d be happy!

Have you had work staged at the Fringe before? What is the worst rumour you have heard about taking work at the Edinburgh Fringe?

I’ve never brought a show to the Fringe before so I’m heading up there with the blissful ignorance and naivety of a new-born baby. Many people have told me about their weeps on cobbled street corners at 5am, so I am ready for the crying – happy crying, sad crying, tired crying, frustrated crying. Like any self-respecting baby, I am prepared to weep. A good weep can be very cathartic. 

This show forms part of HighTide and Assembly’s #Disruptionfest. Could you briefly give the background to that and how the shows were chosen for the programme?

The idea of the HighTide Disruption season is to present shows which disrupt a received idea – about gender, about sexuality, about romance, about capitalism, about addiction, about theatre itself. Collapsible is disruptive in that it presents a bisexual character in a story in which her sexuality is not the focus; and it asks big questions about the way our work is increasingly tied to our identity in a capitalist system. If what we do is intrinsic to who we are, then what happens when what we do is – nothing?

What key message do you hope comes across to your audiences?

I try not to put any specific message or takeaway into my work. I hope people will get a wide variety of different things from it. But I do hope that it’s a play for anyone who’s ever felt a bit crumbly, a bit wobbly and that it could make people feel less alone in that feeling and offer some hope.

Tells us a bit about the staging and set design for this play

Without giving too much away – let’s just say our performer won’t quite have her feet firmly on the ground.  

Some people say that when one aspect of your life fails – be it wealth, health or love, everything fails. Others say that when one of those aspects (be it love, health or wealth) is going right, the others will follow. Do you think we need all three in balance or are we always in a state of permanent collapse, where we have to cope with some major aspect of our lives going a kilter at any one time?

Find me a person who has every aspect of their life ticking along in perfect harmony – I’m not sure that’s possible and I think that’s absolutely okay. Life is for living, not executing like a military operation, with every moment of your days portioned out and polished for maximum productivity. (At least that’s how I justify my pointlessly ongoing direct debit to the gym…) 

How are you promoting your show in the run up to the Fringe?

You can get all our show updates on Twitter; give us a follow on @CollapsiblePlay for all our updates.

Lastly do you want to tell us where and when we can see the show? 

Find us at Assembly Roxy from 31st July – 25th August (Not 14th) at 13.20.

Collapsible will be performed daily at 13:20 at the Assembly Roxy Upstairs (Venue 139) from July 31st to August 13th and from August 15th-25th. Tickets available now from the Fringe Box Office.

Meet the 2019 Performers – Superfan (Like Animals)

Christian McRae
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Meet the 2019 Performers – Superfan (Like Animals)

” If we could talk to the animals, just imagine it
Chatting to a chimp in chimpanzee
Imagine talking to a tiger, chatting to a cheetah
What a neat achievement that would be.” So sang Dr Doolittle! Ever wondered how animals interact and relate to each other and with humans? Superfan have and their play ‘Like Animals’ is inspired by the true stories of research scientists working to communicate with animals. ‘Like Animals‘ blends surreal comedy with moments of tenderness and vulnerability to explore the impossibility of ever truly knowing someone else. Over to Superfan to tell us more about their play!

Can you introduce yourselves and your show?

We are Pete (Lannon) and Kim (Donohoe). We’re part of SUPERFAN – a new Scottish performance company – and the creators and performers of Like Animals.

What is the top reason people should see the show?

It’s weird and funny, and it’ll make you think about how you express love, and you’ll learn some strange things about dolphins.

What does a ‘successful Fringe run’ mean to you?

Lots of people seeing and enjoying the show and thinking about it afterwards. That, and making it through the run without catching the dreaded ‘Fringe flu’.

What 3 top tips have you got for Edinburgh Fringe first timers?

1. You’ll always miss a show that everyone’s raving about, so try not to spend the whole month with FOMO!

2. Give yourself LOADS of time to get between venues, even if google maps tells you 5 minutes you will need a lot longer to get through the crowds, flyers and queues.

3. Edinburgh’s a city, not just a festival, so be a considerate visitor. The very best way to do this is to always have the exact change for the bus!

Human-animal interaction is real to many people – both non-communicative and through speech. Your show explores this topic. Which animals did you choose to represent and why?

We have chosen two specific animals – Alex the Parrot, and Peter the Dolphin – because of their fascinating real-life stories and the relationships they had with their humans.

What key message do you hope comes across to your audiences?

I think we’d like our audiences to come away with questions rather than a message, about how we communicate with each other, and how good we are at really listening to each other.

If animals like dolphins can communicate, can they also express emotion like love and hate, and memory? Or is a purely human trait?

That’s a tricky question, and a big part of the reason these stories are so interesting to us! It’s sort of impossible to ever really know for sure because we can’t help but give animals human traits, but we don’t know what they’re really feeling or if they have the same ways of feeling as we do. We do know that we have observed animals doing things that seem like grieving, or playing, that don’t necessarily seem to make ‘sense’ in terms of survival.

But it’s difficult – how can we even know other humans are feeling things in the same way as we are? The words we use to describe feelings can sometimes seem inadequate and that’s what the show is about – do you mean ‘I love you’ the way I mean it? Does it matter?

You wear a wetsuit in some of the publicity shots and jump into a paddling pool! Will there be a ‘splash zone’ like at sea world and do audience members get to interact with the animals?

The audience are generally pretty safe from getting splashed, but you never know! There isn’t any audience interaction in the show, but we hope audiences can enjoy seeing the animal’s personalities come to life on stage.

How are you promoting your show in the run up to the Fringe?

We’re on twitter (@wearesuperfan ) and Facebook (Superfan Performance). We have a preview in Glasgow at the Tron Theatre before we head to Edinburgh, and two previews at Summerhall on July 31st and August 2nd – tickets for those are just a fiver.

Lastly do you want to tell us where and when we can see the show?

We’re on at Summerhall (Venue 26) in the Old Lab every day at 2.15pm from 31st July – 25th August (apart from 1st, 12th, and 19th August ).

Like Animals will be performed daily at 14:15 at Summerhall Old Lab (Venue 26) July 31st, August 2nd-11th, 13th-18th and 20th-25th. Tickets available from the Fringe Box Office.

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