Author Archives: Dan Lentell

+3 Interview: The Trial

Posted in *Written Interviews, Plus 3 2019 – Features by

“We wanted to take a real story, and put it to the general public and ask ‘how can we find justice’, ‘how can we change’ what is happening around us?”

WHO: Franko Figueiredo: Writer/Director

WHAT: “Part stand-up, part gig, with a sparkling performance by Inês Sampaio, The Trial is an interactive new play that questions gender constructions in the 21st century. Can we reject authority, and live and love in a different way? This interactive hyper theatrical performance is loosely inspired on Tieta do Agreste, a novel by Jorge Amado. Donning musical instruments, a microphone and a loop pedal, Inês Sampaio invites the audience to join her on a journey of questioning, growth and discovery. Be unprejudiced witnesses and play jury to her story.”

WHERE: Greenside @ Infirmary Street – Mint Studio (Venue 236) 

WHEN: 15:00 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time in the Fringe as writer/director since 2003 when we brought Agua Viva, a show about love & grief from a Queer Perspective. I have been to the Fringe since but as partners with other artists and theatre companies: producing Luna Park in 2016, and directing the Japanese piece Busu & The Damask Drum last year.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

After I directed Busu & The Damask Drum in Edinburgh we went off touring it. I also went on to produce a festival of a staged reading of contemporary Japanese plays in partnership with Yellow Earth in London for StoneCrabs. We (StoneCrabs) also kicked off a heritage funded oral history project: 100 years of LGBTQ+ Oral Histories on the Isle of Wight, which attempts to charter the LGBTQ+ history on the island for the last 100 years and will culminate in a Festival of performances, audiovisual exhibition and a book publication in September 2020.

Tell us about your show.

The Trial is pretty much Inês’ and my efforts, since we worked on Tieta, we decided to take on the elements that the audiences enjoyed in Tieta (the live music, the songs, the interaction, the decision making) and put it together to create a more post-dramatic show that brought awareness to the wave of homophobic and transphobic violence we are being assailed within Brazil, and indeed as we have recently learned the last couple weeks in the UK, America and many other countries hate speech is become scarily normalised. So we wanted to take a real story, and put it to the general public and ask ‘how can we find justice’, ‘how can we change’ what is happening around us?

The play is loosely adapted from the Jorge Amado novel Tieta do Agreste, and it was written by myself, Franko Figueiredo with support of Inês Sampaio and Almiro Andrade, it is being produced by StoneCrabs and it premiered last May in Brighton. We are currently touring it: Nottingham, London, Bedford, Isle of Wight before reaching Edinburgh.

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

For a very different take on LGBT issues have a look at The Happiness Project from Creative Electric. And just for some rather gender-fluid fun, there’s Rouge – circus for adults.

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+3 Interview: 30 Minute Musicals Roulette

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“TBrooke Seguin is our genius director/writer. She has been in the comedy scene in LA for quite some time, and came to me over 8 years ago with the idea that is now 30 MINUTE MUSICALS.”

WHO: Tom DeTrinis: Producer/Actor

WHAT: “Your favourite movies – musicalised! And you choose! Top Gun, Die Hard or Jurassic Park from the critically acclaimed Los Angeles comedy company, 30 Minute Musicals. With over 16 musical parodies of cult classic films under their belt, 30MM brings three favourites to Fringe. Each night the audience will vote on which “movie” they want to see – done in 30 minutes, featuring original music and all the laughs you can stand!”

WHERE: Assembly George Square Studios – The Flick at Underground (Venue 17) 

WHEN: 18:30 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is not my first time! Last year was my first. I directed TILDA SWINTON ANSWERS AN AD ON CRAIGSLIST (returning to Assembly at the Piccolo Tent…YAY!), and it was truly the most magical experience. I just HAD to return. So I called my Los Angeles work wife, Brooke Seguin, who writes and directs 30 Minute Musicals, and said WE ARE GOING. PACK YOUR BAG NOW. And here we are! WE ARE SO PUMPED!

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

A series of short films I co-created got into Slamdance, and premiered there this past January. It was a whirlwind of crazy, but so very exciting. I didn’t realize how much of a big deal it was until I heard how many films submitted to be in that festival – thousands! It was really an honor to have been included.

Tell us about your show.

Brooke Seguin is our genius director/writer. She has been in the comedy scene in LA for quite some time, and came to me over 8 years ago with the idea that is now 30 MINUTE MUSICALS. Basically, we take cult classic films, add in some original songs, wigs, crazy costumes, magical dancing, amazing performers, et VOILA! A show is born. We have skewered over 16 films at this point, and thought it was time to take it on the road! But we wanted the experience to be even more exciting at Ed Fringe. So, we are having the audience vote on which show they want to see each night – TOP GUN, DIE HARD or JURASSIC PARK – keeping the audience, and our company, on their toes each evening!

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

Well, TILDA SWINTON ANSWERS AN AD ON CRAIGSLIST for one. SHAMELESS PLUG!! Then you should see SLEEPING GIANT by Steve Yockey – some of our actors are participating in that show as well. And you must see TOM LENK IS TRASH, cause he is truly incredible. You should see both shows that Kirsten Vangsness is bringing to the fringe. She is a delight!

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+3 Interview: Witch Hunt

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“Stylistically we use clown/bouffon to elevate the surreal, grotesque and macabre nature of the material. We also use magic, rude limericks and nudity to get our points across and for cheap laughs.”

WHO: Abigail Dooley and Emma Edwards: Co-writers and performers

WHAT: “Following their award-winning show Enter The Dragons, A&E Comedy return with a surreal and darkly hilarious brouhaha directed by Cal McCrystal. These coven-ready weird sisters will be brewing a cautionary tale for our time as they ask who really holds the power in a world where the witches are hunting and predators have become the prey. Winner of Best Show at Brighton Fringe 2017. Guardian top pick at Edinburgh Fringe 2018 for Enter the Dragons. ***** (FunnyWomen.com). ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). ***** (Skinny). ‘Totally unapologetic, brilliantly outrageous’ ***** (ThreeWeeks). ‘Gleefully improper fun’ (Guardian).”

WHERE: Pleasance Dome – JackDome (Venue 23) 

WHEN: 17:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, we were here last year with our show Enter the Dragons. We had a brilliant time with fabulous audiences, sell-out shows and 5 star reviews. Prior to that we were both here in our youth in the 18th Century – Abigail with Compagnie Philippe Gaulier’s show The End of the Tunnel and Emma in an avant-garde production of Marat/Sade above a bus station (where she also slept).

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

It’s been a bit of a whirl-wind year. We were picked up by The Galton Agency who came to see us and lots of exciting things are in the pipeline. We toured Enter the Dragons throughout autumn and then this year have been heads down brewing up Witch Hunt.

Tell us about your show.

We set up A&E Comedy out of frustration of not seeing enough mature female-led companies out there, especially in comedy. Our first show, Enter The Dragons adopted a classical mythological quest (including many, many wigs and false teeth) to examine ageing. In Witch Hunt we take the fairy tale as our structure to explore the current notion of witches and predators (with even more wigs and teeth). Stylistically we use clown/bouffon to elevate the surreal, grotesque and macabre nature of the material. We also use magic, rude limericks and nudity to get our points across and for cheap laughs. We both devised and wrote Witch Hunt with the marvellous Cal McCrystal as director and the incredible Bryony Kimmings as Dramaturg.

We premiered Witch Hunt at Brighton Fringe in May to sell-out audiences, 5 star reviews and a Bobby nomination. After Edinburgh we are off on an Autumn tour of Enter the Dragons and a Spring 2020 tour of Witch Hunt.

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

There are sooo many great shows at Edinburgh this year. Here are a few of our recommendations. For a bite of the best circus-variety show then get down to the Atomic Saloon Show – described as Blazing Saddles meets America’s Got Talent! I’m a Phoenix, Bitch is a one woman roller-coaster of a ride. Bryony packs a punch at heartbreak, motherhood and more. Garry Starr Conquers Troy – Garry is a comedy genius (nuff said). David William Bryan, the king of one-man shows has two (yes two!) shows this year, Fragility of Man and Loyal Company.

Need more gal power and a haircut? Head down to Pamela’s Palace – three comedy queens with wit as sharp as their scissors. Medea Electronica is a unique gig-theatre experience like no other we have seen before, spell-bounding and extraordinary. HoneyBee Eleanor Dillon-Reams is a brilliant poet, watch her wield her powerful words in her play about identity and self-worth.

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+3 Interview: How to Hide a Body in New York

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“The group came together after meeting at the Upright Citizens Brigade back in 2016 and has been performing together since.”

WHO: Sterling Mulbry: Performer

WHAT: “NYC’s acclaimed sketch group travels across the pond to perform their outrageously funny jam-packed show… and escape the authorities. Join their Edinburgh debut where they’ll prove that Americans really are the worst! SisterWives features the comedic performer/writer talents of Sterling Mulbry (Comedy Bang! Bang!), Brandon Follick (Reductress), Emily Draper (Magnet Theater), Heather Cook (A&R Factory) and Blair Peyton (SiriusXM).”

WHERE: theSpace @ Surgeons Hall – Haldane Theatre (Venue 53) 

WHEN: 17:25 (45 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our first time performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe! We are beyond excited to be part of the Festival and to see all the other fantastic shows this year.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

This past year we have been writing and performing various iterations of our show all across New York City from famed venues including the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, founded by Amy Poehler, and the Brooklyn Comedy Collective. As we tweak our show and prepare for Fringe, we have also been releasing fun and snack-able sketch videos on our YouTube channel.

Tell us about your show.

The show How To Hide A Body In New York was written and produced by all five performers, Sterling Mulbry (Comedy Bang! Bang!), Brandon Follick (Reductress), Emily Draper (Magnet Theater), Heather Cook (A&R Factory) and Blair Peyton (SiriusXM). The group came together after meeting at the Upright Citizens Brigade back in 2016 and has been performing together since. The show will be premiering in Edinburgh, but pieces of it have been workshopped in venues all over New York. After Edinburgh, we hope to continue performing the show for new audiences in both America and beyond!

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

We are huge fans of New York comedians Catherine Cohen and Pheobe Robinson and highly recommend their shows. Check out Catherine Cohen: The Twist…? She’s Gorgeous at the Pleasance Courtyard and Phoebe Robinson: Sorry, Harriet Tubman at Assembly George Square Studios.

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+3 Interview: Passengers

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“Alberta Jones has an amazing way of designing a set which sets amazing challenges and limitations – so it is really a part of the dramaturgy in it’s own right.”

WHO: Kit Redstone: Writer

WHAT: “A dark comedy about the epic battles and alliances within the psyche and the beautiful power of the mind to protect itself from pain. Max wants to tell you a story, he’s not sure why or even who he is; savage, peacekeeper or critic. But he’s hoping you’ll be able to help. From award-winning writer Kit Redstone, writer of Testosterone: ‘A refreshing, genuinely smart piece of work full of undercutting humour’ (Lyn Gardner). Passengers uses ensemble theatre to charter the labyrinth of the mind and invites you to see the self in a whole new way. British Council Showcase.”

WHERE: Summerhall – Red Lecture Theatre (Venue 26) 

WHEN: 14:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’ve been to Edinburgh a fair few times. The last time I was there my collaboration with Rhum and Clay Theatre Company, ‘Testosterone’ was part of the British Council Showcase. It was a tremendous experience, and we got to meet and talk to delegates from all over the world and plan some international touring. I’ve always found the fringe a really intense experience, kind of like none other. But the thing I love most of all is the incredible depths of energy, strength and enthusiasm that we all manage to muster for an entire month.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

Probably the opportunity to tour Internationally with Testosterone. It was such a rich experience. We were in Brazil at the same time that Bolsonaro came into power, working with a group of trans performers to help them build a show. It was the most humbling experience. They were such an incredible bunch of people. We had to have a translator during rehearsals, but the joy of seeing them perform a show that they crafted from their own experiences, fantasies, imaginations was a pleasure to behold. I can’t express how much I gained from those touring experiences.

Tell us about your show.

So, the show came from my own experiences with a mild form of Dissociative Identity Disorder as well as a groundbreaking approach to psychotherapy, that all of us are made up of different personalities. The show is set entirely in the mind of Max, the protagonist, dramatising his alter personalities and the epic battles and alliances between them.

After writing a draft of the show, I invited director and dramaturg Jessica Edwards, whose previous work I’ve loved, to work with me as well as Set Designer Alberta Jones and Producer Jolie Booth. We were then lucky enough to add the brilliant Neil Chinneck and Jessica Clark to the cast, the script has been further developed with the ensemble – so everyone has had a hand in making this work. It is truly a collaborative effort. Alberta Jones has an amazing way of designing a set which sets amazing challenges and limitations – so it is really a part of the dramaturgy in it’s own right.
Despite the serious subject matter, the show is playful, wild, bombastic and surreal. And Jess has really teased out such interesting, creative ways of telling this strange story.

We’ll be doing three previews at Clapham Omnibus 25th to 27th July before heading to the fringe.

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

I’m so looking forward to Ridiculusmus ‘Die Die Old People Die’. I absolutely love their work, they teeter so masterfully on the edge of comedy and tragedy.

I’ll also be going to see Rhum and Clay’s War of The Worlds written by Isley Lynn for the second time. I just love their physical storytelling which is always so impressive.

I’m looking forward to seeing lots of Queer Theatre – Teddy Lamb’s ‘SinceU Been Gone’ looks great and reallly fun.

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+3 Interview: Scream Phone

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“Kerrie (co-writer and performer) is actually Edinburgh born and bred, so it’s great to descend on her parents’ house when we are in desperate need of some vegetables and cuppa!”

WHO: Natasha Granger: Performer

WHAT: “After the success of 2 Become 1, Swipe Right present their deliciously dark musical Scream Phone – directed by Pappy’s Tom Parry! The girls are having a sleepover and you’re like, totally invited! Pillow fights in their underwear, singing into hairbrushes, and gossiping about their crushes, what could possibly go wrong? As long as they don’t answer the oversized pink phone… dun dun duuun! Based on the retro game Dream Phone, they’ll take you on a killer journey back to the 80s with an infectious original soundtrack. Scream meets Clueless in this hilarious spoof horror musical!”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose – Doonstairs (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 17:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is actually our fourth time as a company up in Edinburgh, we came up three years in a row with our 90’s pop musical ‘2 Become 1’! Although after a year off the fringe and bringing up our new show ‘Scream Phone’ this time around, those fringe nerves are definitely starting to kick in!

Kerrie (co-writer and performer) is actually Edinburgh born and bred, so it’s great to descend on her parents’ house when we are in desperate need of some vegetables and cuppa!

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

Well, we’ve only gone and written a brand new show for you all! And yes, it did take us a year. After ‘2 Become 1’ we were scared we might be one trick ponies, but it has been amazing to have the time to develop our new show, and we have had so much fun performing it in our previews and can’t wait to see what EdFringe audiences think of it!

Tell us about your show.

Scream Phone is written by me (Natasha Granger) and Kerrie Thomason. We met studying Musical Theatre at university, and one year whilst up at the fringe we had the idea for our first show together, and so Swipe Right Theatre was born (Yes we were both on Tinder at the time).

‘Scream Phone’ all came about from one night when we were staying in my childhood room in Brighton, drinking wine, and playing my favourite game as a kid; Dream Phone. For those who don’t know the game, its basically like Cluedo, but instead of the lead piping there’s a giant pink phone, and instead of a murderer you’re working our who is your crush, it is BRILLIANT!

For ‘Scream Phone’ we have the amazing Tom Parry (Pappy’s comedy) directing and he has really helped bring our crazy ideas to life! We premiered the show at VAULT Festival and Brighton Fringe and we’re in the middle of planning an Autumn tour.

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

We have so many recommendations! First, of our director Tom Parry is bringing his hilarious show ‘Parryoke’ up, we’ve seen it and it is just incredible, plus it also has 80’s tunes in!

Elle Dillon-Reams is bringing her fearless one-woman show ‘HoneyBee’, Kate Tempest meets Fleabag? Err… YES PLEASE! We saw this at Wandsworth Fringe and it was so inspiring and moving!

Jim Campbell is bringing his very funny show ‘Beef’ up, and it’s Kerrie’s adorable puppy on the poster so it’s a winner for us!

We’re also very excited to see our friends Everybody’s Story productions who are bringing their very first show to Edinburgh ‘Tea with Milk’!

Lastly ‘Drowning’ by Jessica Ross, we love true crime so this show looks just brilliant. They have also been amazing supporters of female-led theatre coming up to the fringe!

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+3 Interview: Everything I See I Swallow

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“Maisy is an exciting performer whose work explores the social, political context of sexuality in society, and I am really interested in the female sexuality aspect of her work and where it is going.”

WHO: Tamsin Shasha: Performer, Co-Creator, Producer

WHAT: “Everything I See I Swallow is a provocative examination of a mother/daughter relationship, set against a backdrop of shifting attitudes to empowerment, feminism and sexuality. In a world where #MeToo and #TimesUp have become rallying cries against female sexual harassment, how does a woman defend the objectification of her own body and the gaze from those around her? How are the lines drawn and how is the rope tied? Fusing theatre and aerial rope work with the erotic art of Japanese rope bondage, shibari, Swallow is an unusual and compelling encounter.”

WHERE: Summerhall – Demonstration Room (Venue 26) 

WHEN: 18:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I took my solo aerial show Bacchic to Guilded Balloon in 2007 – Based on The Bacchae, I co-wrote it with Jonathan Young, and it drew favourable comparisons with that year’s production of The Bacchae starring Alan Cumming. Subsequently, it was selected for the 2008 Caravan Showcase which was presented by Farnham Maltings, and toured nationally and internationally throughout 2008 and 2009. In a 4 star review The Scotsman said ‘Clever, highly effective, an original, remarkable & mesmerising reworking…Alan Cumming will have to work hard to better the hugely talented Tamsin Shasha.’

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

Since last year’s Fringe we have received funding from Arts Council England to take Everything I See I Swallow on tour, which is super exciting. Their support has allowed us to offer to pay what you can tickets at selected venues, and to develop a programme of free aerial and drama workshops which are targeted toward empowerment and self-confidence for young people. The grant is helping us to reach more audiences and particularly young women with our work, and we are really passionate about being able to give these groups a voice.

Tell us about your show.

Everything I See I Swallow is co-created and performed by myself and circus artist Maisy Taylor – Maisy is the daughter of a good friend of mine and I’ve followed her work for some time; Maisy is an exciting performer whose work explores the social, political context of sexuality in society, and I am really interested in the female sexuality aspect of her work and where it is going. I wanted to work with Maisy to explore a cross-generational project in an aerial context – Maisy and I sat down together and found that we have a lot of mutual interests; our combination of skill sets, influences and contrast in age had potential to be explored, we thought.

Steve Cowton, Head of Theatre Operations at The Lowry, has followed my work over a number of years – He asked me if I wanted to present something for Week53 in 2018 (The Lowry’s biennial festival of performance for the compulsively curious) and I contacted Maisy. The Lowry subsequently commissioned us to create a short piece of work around the theme “Coming of Age”. This was how the show was born, and we are really excited to share it with audiences in Edinburgh, where it will premiere at Summerhall.

We are excited by show’s potential and of our amazing creative team, who have supported us from the beginning. We want to encourage debate and provoke questions, we want audiences to come away with a more complex understanding about the issues raised, and to have a really honest conversation about the themes we highlight.

After our run at the Fringe we’ll be taking Swallow on a short UK tour, visiting venues including Jacksons Lane, The Lowry, Harlow Playhouse and Cornerstone Arts Centre – See our website for tour dates. We then hope to tour further, nationally and internationally.

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

1. Contra – Performed by Laura Murphy and directed by Ursula Martinez, playing at Summerhall from the 31st July – 11th August (not 1st).

“A feisty feminist circus and theatre show”, it’s “dark, witty and uncompromising” and interrogates personal, social and historical occupations of the female body – We saw it at Jacksons Lane earlier this year and loved it – It’s bold, brave and strong and we highly recommend.

2. This Time – Ockham’s Razor, playing at Saint Stephens Theatre from the 1st – 25th August (not 6th, 13th, 20th).

We love Ockham’s Razor and can’t wait to see their new circus show. They’re a fantastic aerial theatre company who should not be missed.

3. I’m a Phoenix, Bitch – Performed by Bryony Kimmings, playing at Pleasance from the 31st July – 25th August (not 12th).

Go see the awesome Bryony Kimmings in her powerful, dark and joyful work about motherhood, heartbreak and finding inner strength. She’s a brilliant performance artist and we’ve followed her work for some time.

4. Teach – Bread and Butter Productions, playing at The Space @ Surgeons Hall from the 2nd – 24th August (not 11th).

Directed by the awesome Helen Tennison who also directs our Swallow, this compelling solo show, written and performed by Matthew Roberts needs only one description: The lesson that changed his life. A school in struggle and strife. A government that uses a knife. We can’t wait to see it.

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+3 Interview: Naomi McDonald: Copycat

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“The following year I attended the festival as a punter and it was the worst decision I’ve made in a while, only because I just felt so sad I wasn’t performing!”

WHO: Naomi McDonald, Comedian

WHAT: “Impressionist, comedian and singer Naomi brings to life all your favourite stars in her brand-new show. It’s your chance to see celebs as you’ve never seen them before! Adele croons over custard creams, Nigella Lawson defrosts meals in her bathtub and Melania Trump hits the bottle hard. This is a fast, fun hour full of impressions, spoof songs and full on ridiculousness. As heard on BBC Radio 2’s Celebrity Lip Service, Naomi is familiar to millions due to her work on Sky, Capital FM and Cartoon Network, as well as regular appearances on sell-out show NewsRevue.”

WHERE: Just the Tonic at The Caves – Just the Fancy Room (Venue 88) 

WHEN: 20:50 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I first performed at the fringe in 2016 in the infamous Newsrevue at the Pleasance. It was the most incredible experience and even though the thought made me feel rather sick; I knew I wanted to bring my own solo show to Edinburgh… one day. The following year I attended the festival as a punter and it was the worst decision I’ve made in a while, only because I just felt so sad I wasn’t performing! But after watching Colin Hoult’s phenomenal one-man show ‘Anna Mann- How we stop the fascists’, I knew 2018 had to be the year to bite the bullet and do it myself. And that’s exactly what I did and returned that year with my first debut solo show ‘Stardumb’.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

I discovered dairy-free Magnums. There is hope at the end of the vegan tunnel.

Tell us about your show.

Over the last 4 years I have been writing and performing on the comedy circuit, trying out new material, recording impressions-reels for YouTube and this year’s show ’Copycat’ is a product of all my favourite impressions and songs that have been developed into a fast fun hour of musical-comedy and sketches. It is directed by my incredibly talented and very lovely sister Jess McDonald. I’m very lucky to have a best friend who’s a sibling and a talented director, so the whole experience has been just beautiful! We have previewed it around various theatres and pubs in London and each one brings a different energy/ vibe and hurdle to combat… which is great prep for the ever-unpredictable Edinburgh Fringe!

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

Newsrevue! Dave Bibby! Joe Zimmerman! Eleanor Tiernan! Nick Helm! Tom Machell: Ticker! And Establishment: Le Bureau de Strange! They are all absolutely amazing and you should treat yourself to a ticket.

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+3 Interview: The Remarkables

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“The show is a ridiculous original musical written by Sean Wareing and Matt Smith, two students at the University of Exeter.”

WHO: Jonathan Taylor: Producer

WHAT: “This summer, a hero will brew. Everyone loves The Remarkables, the heroes who protect Towntropolis, especially Wesley Bench. In fact, everyone loves them a little too much. A musical comedy of epic proportions. Exeter University’s boldest musical theatre society, Shotgun Theatre, is the recipient of the 2014 Cameron Mackintosh Award for Best New Musical. Following their 4-star run of Godspell in 2017, they return with a brand new musical The Remarkables!.”

WHERE: Greenside @ Nicolson Square – Emerald Theatre (Venue 209) 

WHEN: 12:40 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This isn’t the first time Shotgun Theatre has visited Edinburgh, no. We brought Stephen Schwartz’s ‘Godspell’ up in 2017 and received some great 4-star reviews! This is our first time visiting with a totally Original Musical, and we are really excited to share the high-quality work that comes out of University of Exeter with festival-goers.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

After a year’s break from the festival, we knew that we needed to return! This is our third Original Musical, and we felt it was perfect to bring to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and share. The break from the festival really made us miss the energy and enthusiasm for sharing great work, and we are so pleased to be back again.

This year, we have produced three brilliant productions alongside developing this Original Musical. We’ve performed Urinetown, Bonnie & Clyde, and even a production of Spring Awakening that we especially enjoyed. For Spring Awakening, we partnered up with YoungMinds to raise awareness of Mental Health and were able to raise £250 for the charity from our ticket sales.

Personally, I have just finished my final year of University and happy to be graduating with a First-Class degree! I’ve been building some experience in producing, and really looking forward to meeting some like-minded people up at the Festival!

Tell us about your show.

The Remarkables follows Wesley Bench, a resident of Towntropolis who idolises the local superheroes: The Remarkables. The show is a ridiculous original musical written by Sean Wareing and Matt Smith, two students at the University of Exeter. We promise some daring fights and some hypnotising Yo-Yos, and can’t promise you won’t leave without wanting some Remarkables Merchandise! Our performance at Greenside @ Nicholson Square follows two preview shows in Exeter. At these previews, we have received 4-star reviews, with the show called ‘a thoroughly enjoyable and strikingly professional student-written musical.

Shotgun Theatre is a musical theatre society at the University of Exeter, built upon inclusivity and giving people opportunities to showcase their work.

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

We highly recommend University of Exeter Alumni’s 2 Mouthed Men, a brilliant sketch show that brings beatboxing and sketch comedy together. We love them, and you will too!

And if you are sticking around for the final week of the festival, we would also recommend catching Spotlights Show Choir’s ‘A Night at the Musicals’ at the same venue as us.

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+3 Interview: When the Birds Come

Posted in *Written Interviews, Plus 3 2019 – Features by

“I’ve passed the one year mark of scriptwriting FULL TIME – which is both a dream, and terrifying.”

WHO: Tallulah Brown: Writer

WHAT: “Margaret has always told her little brother Stanley it’s his fault the ice is melting. She doesn’t want to live in the Alaskan tundra. She wants to run away and be a normal teenager in Anchorage. Years later, the rift between the siblings has seismically grown. In a fast-melting world, will love be left behind? Hit writer Tallulah Brown returns to the Fringe following the blazing success of Songlines (2018): ‘Magic’ **** (Times). ‘Charming… unflinchingly accurate’ **** (Scotsman). ‘Sensitive and soulful’ **** (Stage).”

WHERE: Underbelly, Cowgate – White Belly (Venue 61) 

WHEN: 14:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Last year my play Songlines was at Pleasance Beneath for the month. I also live scored it with my band, so I actually sat on stage (with my trembling guitar), staring out at the audience, hoping they liked it, for every single performance – 45 in total…

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

I’ve passed the one year mark of scriptwriting FULL TIME – which is both a dream, and terrifying.

Tell us about your show.

I wrote ‘When the Birds Come’ originally as a radio play about five years ago. I’d heard about Newtok in Alaska which will be the first entire town to be relocated due to climate change. I grew up right by the sea in Suffolk, erosion and the Shoreline Management plans that the UK has put in place have always been an obsession for me. Newtok has been asking for governmental help to move away from the oncoming river since the 90s, this Summer 2019 marks the start of that move. The strangest of timings meant that this Summer was also when producer Debbie Hicks was looking for a two-hander to take to the Fringe. It felt like it was now or never. I re-edited the script I contacted the Yup’ik playwright Richard Perry, who was hugely helpful with my research. I worked closely with director Alexander Lassy and composer and sound designer Roly Witherow to create what I hope will be the most magical, almost fairytale, quite childlike but DARK telling of this climate-shifting story.

My play follows siblings Margaret and Stanley growing up on the Alaskan tundra. Older sister Margaret tells her little brother that it’s his fault the ice is melting, he is to blame for climate change. The second half of the play jumps forward 10 years. From 2015 to 2025 irreversible damage will have been done to the planet and I suppose the play asks what damage between siblings is irreversible? Casting we needed actors who could jump from acting aged 8 and 13, to 18 and 23, as well as having watertight American accents – so that was quite a search, but the two we found are brilliant.

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

Orlando by Lucy Roslyn, DugOut’s Ed Macarthur ‘Humoresque’ and ‘Goodbear: Dougal’, Lily Ashley’s ‘The Slinks’, the HighTide programme at Assembly looks like a banger (esp ‘Pops’!) AND all hail Fight in the Dog for yet another Edinburgh to do list – they do all the work for you! ‘Ticker’ at Underbelly I’m particularly excited for and Nicola Wren’s show ‘Superstar’ will be fab, as will be ‘Wake in Progress’.

DENIM’s Crystal and Glamrou both have shows this year (the only show I saw 4 times last year was DENIMS!) James Rowland has four shows there this year PRAISE BE I’ve watched his previous shows across multiple Fringes and they’ve always been fringe highlights for me. To have all of them there at the same time, is blowing my fringe mind. Everything everyone says about ‘It’s true, it’s true, it’s true’ is absolutely true true true. Rob Oldham and Rose Matafeo got me through a particularly bleak patch of last years Fringe, food for the soul, and they’re back – thank goodness and bring on the bleak patches for this years fringe! Ooo also if you’ve got little ones then The Herd’s ‘Slime’ is the one for you!

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