“The most important lesson of the last year has been that no matter what happens – pandemic, political upheavals, financial emergencies – theatre survives.”
WHO: Tim Hardy
WHAT: “In 1634, Galileo is ordered to stand trial for heresy. Galileo never understood his differences with the Church were not about reason, logic, and scientific fact. They were about politics. When he finally came to realise this, it was too late. Written by Nic Young, Hardy has toured the Trials of Galileo throughout the UK, America, Malta, and Spain and had a sold-out run at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe. Winner of the Best Actor Award, Buxton Fringe 2022. ‘The superb Tim Hardy triumphs as Galileo. His acting is outstanding in a spellbinding story…’ ***** (EdFringeReview.com).”
WHERE: Greenside @ Infirmary Street – Mint Studio (Venue 236)
WHEN: 10:15 (60 min)
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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
I’ve played ‘The Trials of Galileo’ twice before in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and happily it seems to be a piece of theatre which attracts a lot of attention. The Edfringe is special quite simply because it is so famous and attracts talent from all over the world. And by its very nature you can see outstanding and entirely unusual work it would be impossible to mount in any other context. It has been said that theatre brings people together, and this is never more true than in this festival.
I’ve also recently played The Brighton and Buxton Festivals, both of which – by their very size – had an intimacy which allowed a real sense of being part of the local community. Also, in Buxton I was very pleased to be awarded ‘Best Actor of the Festival’.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
The most important lesson of the last year has been that no matter what happens – pandemic, political upheavals, financial emergencies – theatre survives. And this is most obviously true at a festival such as this, where almost literally a ‘hole in the wall’ or a converted classroom can contain a wonderful piece ofn drama: indeed ‘Two planks and a passion’ is all we need.
Tell us about your show.
The Trials of Galileo started life on BBC Television. A series called ‘Days that Shook the World’ included an account of Galileo’s trial. Written and directed by multi-award winner Nic Young, he subsequently developed our one-man show, which opened in America in 2009 and has been playing around the world ever since. The issues examined in our show resonate very much with a modern audience: freedom of speech, the courage of the outsider to speak his truth no matter what dangers might befall him. The show enjoyed a very successful run at one of the world’s great Catholic centres – Notre Dame University in America, and this gives a clue as to one of the reasons Nic’s text has been so well received; it is not a polemic against the church, it is much more even-handed in presenting the argument between a Pope who had to deal with the real world and a man who’s tragedy was that he never understood the issue was not about proof but politics until it was too late.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
No question: ‘Alison Skilbeck’s Uncommon Ground’ at Assembly Rooms: a unique piece of writing and acting which is brilliant and all that this festival is about. Also produced by ‘Hint of Lime’. And anything else that just takes your fancy – follow your instinct and you may see something wonderful that you will never forget.
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