EdFringe Talk: Golden Time (and Other Behavioural Management Strategies)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“We want the show to create a sense of joy and connection through storytelling.”

WHO: Giulia Grillo

WHAT: “Golden Time is a primary school incentive rewarding free time for good behavior. Kate is an assistant teacher with terrible time management and needs your help. Blending interactive performance, spoken word and comedy, join Kate as she attempts to avoid distraction and save time. Kate Ireland is a Glaswegian writer and performer whose words have recently connected with people online through her discussions around productivity and incentive culture. Directed by Giulia Grillo, this show is Kate’s solo theatre debut and is creatively captioned.”

WHERE: Ace Dome at Pleasance Dome (Venue 23) 

WHEN: 13:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my second time at the Edinburgh Fringe. My first experience was as a University of Manchester graduate. The University selected my show PULP to represent the students’ talent at the Festival.

When I went I was in my early twenties and had recently moved to the UK from Italy. I didn’t know what the Fringe would be like. It was a truly inspiring experience to embrace my creativity and expand my imagination in terms of what theatre can look and feel like.

I watched sensory pleasing shows with found teddy bears used as puppets, shows in which essential oils and perfumes were sprayed over the audience’s seats and shows where the audience had to step on stage, read the script and tell the story.

It was bonkers and it inspired me to be bold when it comes to storytelling. This is what Kate Ireland and I are trying to do with Golden Time (and Other Behavioural Management Strategies) heading to Pleasance Ace Dome from 30th July – 25th Aug at 13:30. We want to punch the audience in the gut with our show and create a sensory collective experience that people will remember long after the festival.

We think that what makes theatre so special and important in this historical moment is that it creates community and brings people together in a physical space. Their bodies experience a story together simultaneously. A friend once told me people’s heart rhythm synchronizes when they’re watching a show.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

This last year has taught me definitely to make work locally whenever you can and accepting it doesn’t have to be perfect. Find your peers, reach out to the local artists you like saying ‘ I wanna work with you, how can I help you?

We need to create the opportunities for young creatives to come together, upskill or share skills. In Manchester I found a supportive network of young artists I could make grass roots theatre with whilst not feeling pressured.

Blether was the local creative community where I started to develop my directing and performance skills. Blether is an arts collective made of women and queer people who run monthly workshops and creative events in Levenshulme in Manchester. In winter 2024 I had just graduated, I was out of work and feeling quite demotivated. One day I reached out to the Blether Instagram as they were looking for more volunteers to help run the events.

Through Blether I met Kate in January 2024. I had no idea she was writing a theatre show. One day in April – we had known each other only a couple of months- I remember I was in Italy for Easter visiting my family and she just called me and said ‘I want you to direct my show’. And I was like: what show?!

She had just finished writing as part of the Roundhouse Young Artist Scheme.

Since then, the show has been shaped by our shared experiences running creative workshops for Blether and other organizations. We want the show to create a sense of joy and connection through storytelling.

Tell us about your show.

The show is produced by PJ Cunningham on behalf of our arts collective, Blether.

Kate and I have worked many hours on the show over the past year. We wanted to bring the show to the Fringe this summer and needed a brilliant producer to help us with the managerial, financial, and practical elements of bringing a show there. I instantly thought of PJ, a brilliant Manchester based producer I worked with in January. She called me in December 2024 to direct a show for PUSH Festival at HOME, Manchester. Now I was calling her to join our Golden Time gang! She accepted and here we are now!

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

We must mention the shows of our fellow Stage Manager & Lighting Designer Maddie who is one of Third Floor Theatre (TANKED at Zoo Playground) and Tom Bass (16 Pickle Studio at Greenside @ Riddles Court). Both shows address tender themes presented through clowning. Their playful storytelling and experimental approach chimes with ours.

I also need to mention a show presented as part of the Here and Now programme called ‘A Citizens Assembly’, by Andy Smith & Lynsey O’Sullivan. The play is set to be read and performed by people and not actors.

The show aims to engage young people and community members in a dialogue around climate change. People in the play are not performed by actors. The play is written and designed to be read by the audience. The format of the play really creates a sense of a collective and it encourages people to be brave, to listen and respect each other’s perspectives.

I would recommend TANKED by Third Floor Theatre, Blip by Tom Bass and Andy Smith & Lynsey O’Sullivan ‘A Citizens Assembly’!

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!