“This time I feel a tiny bit more seasoned and wise, but I imagine any built up confidence will leave me as soon I reach Edinburgh in August.”
WHO: Eleanor Birdsall-Smith
WHAT: “There are 400,000 nurses in the NHS today. This is their story. Tending offers a heartbreaking, hilarious and very human look at the experience of the nurses on the frontline of our health service. Based on over 70 interviews with nurses of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities, Tending immerses you in their day-to-day lives. It asks an essential question: when the system’s under pressure and lives are on the line, who takes time to care for the carers? ‘One of the most timely plays of the Fringe’ **** (Scotsman). ‘Truly extraordinary’ ***** (ScottishField.co.uk). ‘Compassionate… beautiful, and master-crafted’ ***** (BritishTheatreGuide.info).”
WHERE: Underbelly, Cowgate – Belly Button (Venue 61)
WHEN: 14:15 (60 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
This is actually my second time at the Fringe, I was up last year producing ‘Cowboys and Lesbians’ at Pleasance. I’d never set foot in Edinburgh before then, so it was quite a shock to the system! This time I feel a tiny bit more seasoned and wise, but I imagine any built up confidence will leave me as soon I reach Edinburgh in August. However I’m incredibly excited to have the chance to participate in another year of it, as mad as it may be!
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
Most of the things I learned last year were small and specific silly things, like how many flyers are needed in advance, and needing double sided flyers! We just had the poster on our flyers last year which was a big mistake. I also learnt how unfortunately effective flyering is, and as a result how there are no excuses not to do it (a lesson learnt the hard way when my director refused to do any for the day and our audience halved in size).
Tell us about your show.
Our show ‘Tending’ is the first verbatim play to explore the lives of NHS nurses, using over 70 interviews with real nurses, it offers a heartbreaking & hilarious look at the frontline of our health service. It was created by El Blackwood, whose childhood best friend is a nurse for the NHS and who inspired the show. It’s being directed by the wonderful John Livesey and I’m producing it! John and El brought a reduced workshop version of it to Greenside last year and got such an amazing response they decided to bring it back, and this time as a fully fledged play and for the whole month at Underbelly. I was brought in for this iteration and it has been amazing, I cry in every rehearsal, it’s such a moving and beautifully put together piece. After Edinburgh the show is going to Brixton House as part of their Housemates festival which is very exciting and then after that who knows!
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
We would love to recommend ‘Abrasion’ by Meg Rose Dixon, which is about Endometriosis, ‘You’re Needy (sounds frustrating)’ from taste in your mouth, both shows that Charlotte Anne-Tilley is bringing to the Fringe; ‘oh, calm down’ and ‘Serious theatre from serious people’ and finally the amazing Love Song Productions are bringing ‘Seconds to Midnight’ to Pleasance
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