“Blood, sweat and tears went into making this show what it is today and it’s an absolute monster. Sometimes it feels like it could eat us, it’s so immense.”
WHO: Nic Lawton
WHAT: “Welcome to the kitchen where dreams come to die. Master Sausage only knows one thing. Eat, sleep, sausage, repeat. But when a fresh-faced Apprentice arrives, sinister questions rear their heads. Is there more to life than this? What does it mean to be happy? And what’s in those sausages anyway? Featuring dynamic physical theatre, a pitch-black comedic script and a killer soundtrack, Expial Atrocious’ absurdist thriller demands to be seen and heard… Have you got the guts? ***** (Everything-Theatre.co.uk). ***** (FringeBiscuit.com). Nominated for an OffFest award at VAULT Festival 2023.”
WHERE: Underbelly, Cowgate – Iron Belly (Venue 61)
WHEN: 17:10 (60 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
We performed at the Fringe for the first time last year with an earlier version of BUTCHERED and let me tell you, it was the single most greatest experience we’d ever had as artists and as people. The festival gave us a taste of what it was like to be a successful touring company, and we have been hungry for more ever since. We performed at Greenside @ Nicholson Square and had a wonderful time networking with other artists and companies, and found that through the support and immaculate vibes of the festival, we solidified who we were as a company. We make gutsy absurdist horror theatre. And we do it well.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
Some big things we’ve learned from last year is to be confident and passionate about your work. It’s infectious when you get excited about what you’re doing, what your work means to you and how cool it would be if other people saw it.
We’ve learned to be fearless in our theatrical processes but also in the admin side. Send those emails, ask for that feedback, shoot your shot for a spot in a big theatre’s upcoming programme.
Be present and engaging online and in person. Listen to and support others. Sharing really is caring, whether that’s in the form of a retweet on a poster or giving out a piece of advice.
If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Opportunities are everywhere if you look for them. Ask that theatre to go for a coffee with you, offer out that incredibly niche workshop to your local creative venue, shout from the rooftops about the kind of support you need to help you breathe life into your artistic visions.
And finally, go big and monstrous or go home. We’ve learned to take risks, apply for every opportunity and reach out to likeminded artists and organisations along the way. Take some big scary steps and see what happens. You may be surprised.
Tell us about your show.
We are Expial Atrocious – a West Midlands-based theatre company who are carving our way into the horror theatre scene. Co-founded in the back of a Wetherspoons in Worcester by theatrical soulmates, Nic Lawton and Ez Holland, we aim to find new and unusual methods of storytelling and present the familiar in unfamiliar ways. With the weird, wonderful and wicked at the heart of our practice, we are inspired by creating dynamic visuals, immersive soundscapes and shows that make you say “what the f*ck?”
Our horrible little show BUTCHERED was written, produced, choreographed, composed and is performed by us. Blood, sweat and tears went into making this show what it is today and it’s an absolute monster. Sometimes it feels like it could eat us, it’s so immense. From the day of its conception in February 2022 to right now, BUTCHERED is our favourite thing we’ve ever made and we hope to keep thrilling audiences with it for many years to come. It’s loud, it’s demanding, it’s about two underground sausage-makers and the guts it takes to be a human…
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
Go and see things that will shock you. Take risks on lesser known artists and companies because you may surprise yourself and find your new favourite show. And if you like the work we make, here are some of our recommendations:
We’re beyond excited to see @KitschTheatre return to the Fringe with their blood-thirsty comedy, Attachment: The Leech Show. It was the funniest show we saw last year and cannot wait to howl all over again! 14th-19th @ 17:15, Ivy Studio, Greenside Infirmary Street.
Our good friends @_blackbright are bringing their post-apocalyptic kitchen-sink drama, The Hunger, to the Fringe and we can’t wait to be immersed in the horror of it all… 2nd-28th (not 15th) @ 13:10, Studio Four, Assembly George Square Gardens.
Also cannot WAIT to see the incredible @alistairhallyes in his haunting rural thriller, Declan. 15th-27th @ 14:35, Belly Laugh, Underbelly Cowgate. And The Society for New Cuisine @SFNCplay is a dark fable we cannot wait to sink our teeth into. 3rd-27th (not 14th) @ 18:40, Iron Belly, Underbelly Cowgate. Massive shoutout to the rest of our Underbelly Buddies who we cannot wait to see at the Fringe! Big butchered love gang, see you on the road x
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