Category Archives: Bedfringe

Bedfringe 2024 Interview: Stevie Vegas: Circus Skills Workshop 2024

Posted in *Written Interviews, Bedfringe 2024 by

“I have been running a Circus Skills Workshop in the Garden (or in the main bar area if the weather is poor) for probably 5 or 6 years now. Great to be a part of something that I have adored as a punter.”

WHO: Stevie Vegas

WHAT: “Stevie Vegas is a fool-time Entertainer (Juggling / Comedy / Magic) based in nearby Rushden and very much available for your next Party/Event!

He will be providing a Drop-in Circus Skills Workshop in THE GARDEN which everyone (Adults & Children) are welcome to attend.

Why not come along and learn a new skill such as Juggling, Diabolo, Devilstick, Platespinning, Pedal-Racing, Toothbrush Twirling, Stilt-Walking, Poi Spinning and much more?

Stevie is a regular on the UK Pun Circuit (Pun Championships / Pun-off / Punnit) so you are never too far away from the next prop-based gags while he amazes with awesome Juggling skills too!”

WHERE: Quarry Theatre

WHEN: 28 July 2023 @ 14:30 (60mins)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Bedfringe?

I began attending BedFringe shows probably a decade ago, then after Sir James Pharaoh kindly presented me with a framed BedFringe poster to thank me for all the shows I had been to see that year, I suggested I could run a Circus Skills Workshop and become a regular addition to BedFringe’s offerings, and he surprisingly said Yes! The next year, my quotes appeared throughout the BedFringe brochure and on the front page!

I have been running a Circus Skills Workshop in the Garden (or in the main bar area if the weather is poor) for probably 5 or 6 years now. Great to be a part of something that I have adored as a punter.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I won the UK Pun Off in Leicester back in February, and I have just released my new jokebook which has over 500 jokes and puns!

Tell us about your show.

A Circus Skills Workshop where anyone of any ability can come along and receive some tuition in around 15 different skills props. It’s usually attended by families with young(ish) children, but it’s suitable for anyone that fancies giving it a go!

It’s a friendly encouraging environment, and my demonstrations and performances throughout the workshop keep things light-hearted and keep the laugh and enjoyment rate up! Even better if we get good weather!

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

Huge fan of John Robertson: Dark Room.

Richard Pulsford – Get Rich Quick. He is a good mate who has won the UK Pun Championships and is very punny.

Alfie Moore: Work in Progress is always good (probably seen his show – always a new episode which he is trying out for his “It’s a Fair Cop” Radio 4 show) a dozen times over many years and different festivals!)

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Bedfringe 2024 Interview: Vince ‘Too Tall’ Taylor

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“If you like someone who doesn’t take themselves (or anything else) too seriously then I can promise you an entertaining time.”

WHO: Vince “Too Tall” Taylor

WHAT: “Despite his many years in the music business Vince “Too Tall” Taylor is still trying to make sense of a confusing world. If you sympathise or just want to hear witty original songs about dead cats, rucksacks, Gen-Z, AI and chucking phones away catch this tall but modest man.”

WHERE: Quarry Theatre

WHEN: 18 July 2023 @ 20:05 (40mins)

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Is this your first time to Bedfringe?

I played in 2023 – a beautiful evening, or at least it was until I hit my first chord and opened my mouth to sing. The birds stopped singing and the sun went in but I gave it my best to entertain and amuse.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023a and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Well, I managed to trim the hedge and …oh you mean musically. Well, I’ve played many gigs and plenty of local radio coverage (I have the looks for radio). I’ve also got a load of outdoor festivals lined up for the summer so it promises to be hay-fever all the way.

Tell us about your show.

Despite being in music for many years I have now reinvented myself as a tall man singing about life. In truth I have been a tall man for some time but now I sing about my love of opera (!) luggage, falling off roofs and numerous other daily catastrophes. But there is also hope – the hope comes in the form of the songs being very short. If you like someone who doesn’t take themselves (or anything else) too seriously then I can promise you an entertaining time.

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

I have met many musicians from the area and there is some real class about – check out the highly talented Sarah Chiari, Julie SImpson, Murray Easton for starters.

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Bedfringe 2024 Interview: Samuel Love: Theirties (WIP)

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“10 days is great for a festival, short enough for people to remain excited about what is going on, but long enough to make an impact.”

WHO: Sam Love

WHAT: “This show is my work in progress loosely based on what it’s been like entering my 30’s mixed with stories and observations that I have made since leaving my 20’s and how it is overstated about how bad it is once you enter the third decade of living.

How it’s still fun and that I have managed to escape a life of crushing responsibility thus far.

It is mostly just about me, and the older I get the less patient that I get with the things that happen around me… expressed in hopefully an amusing manner!”

WHERE: Quarry Theatre

WHEN: 21 July 2023 @ 18:00 (45mins)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Bedfringe?

Yes, this will be my first time at the Fringe, as a Stand-up comedian I’ve heard that it is a great place to get some work together for pushing on into longer comedy sets.

That the Bedfringe goers are up for it and a great crowd.

10 days is great for a festival, short enough for people to remain excited about what is going on, but long enough to make an impact. Like a holiday, a weekend has you missing out on things you wanted to do. but 2 weeks holiday has you waiting around the last few days thinking about going back to work. 1 month of a festival just makes everybody end up exhausted, acts and punters alike.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Since 2023 I’ve just been gigging as much as people will allow me to and as much as I can handle in order to get hopefully quality content together without losing my mind. I’ve learnt a few things but I am 2 years into being a stand-up comedian. So for all intensive purposes I’m 2 years old. I’ve still got a lot of learning to do.

Tell us about your show.

This is a work-in-progress show that will be loosely based around me entering my thirties, to be honest, it is just funny observations and stories about things that I don’t really like. wrapped up in my getting less patient in my 30s except I have always been this person when I was 16 I was like a 30 year old man.

I will have support from another very good comedian on the circuit to open the show.

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

I can only speak from the comedy perspective as that is what a majority of my time is spent doing although im sure there are many brilliant shows.

Paul foot is a brilliant comedian and is doing his show called “Dissolve”.

Justin Moorehouse “The greatest performance of my life” another great comedian and with a title like that it would be a shame to miss it by the sounds of things.

Max Fulham “work in progress” I’m unsure if thats the name of the show or if he is doing a work in progress or maybe both. He is hilarious and great fun for all the family if you wanted to take some children with you.

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Bedfringe 2024 Interview: Confessions of a Teletubby

Posted in *Written Interviews, Bedfringe 2024, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“It’s always wonderful to be part of a bigger beast rather than going it alone!”

WHO: Nikky Smedley

WHAT: “Arguments and poo! Sex and swearing! Blood, sweat, tears and giant rabbits!

Life on the set of Teletubbies might not have been quite as you imagined… Fresh from sell-out shows at Edinburgh Fringe, Confessions of a Teletubby lifts the lid on what went on behind the scenes of one of the most globally successful TV shows ever.

Nikky Smedley played LaaLaa (the yellow one) in the original series of Teletubbies for six years – that’s a lot of custard for a grown woman to get excited about.

Come and hear how she got the job by dressing as a bistro table; what it was really like inside one of those (surprisingly large) Tubby suits; how the NooNoo really worked and why children loved the show so much.”

WHERE: Quarry Theatre

WHEN: 25 July 2023 @ 20:00 (70mins)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Bedfringe?

This IS my first time at Bedfringe. Firstly I love the name – very clever play on words. It’s a funky-looking festival with a great line-up. I’m super excited to be part of it. As a solo performer, it’s always wonderful to be part of a bigger beast rather than going it alone!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I premiered the show at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe – three shows only, just to test it out and we sold out two of those. I’ve been touring, tweaking, honing and perfecting the content ever since and think it’s a better product now than what I started out with. Nothing like touring to help you learn how to make a show the best it can be.

Tell us about your show.

‘Confessions of a Teletubby’ pretty much does what it says on the tin. I spent six years of my life performing on Teletubbies, getting excited about custard and chasing a giant vacuum cleaner whose operator drove a better car than me! My show tells the story of how I got that job, and what it was really like to be part of such an amazing TV phenomenon.

Modern life can be pretty terrifying and gloomy, so I wanted to make a show that took people back to happier, safer, more innocent times and reminded them of the silly fun and joy that can be found in simple delights (like custard).

The show skirts a knife-edge between sharing all sorts of backstage gossip and secrets, and keeping the magic alive. Which isn’t to say that it might be a bit of a shock to some, finding out that one of their favourite giant yellow puppets is a bit of a potty mouth!

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

Joey Page – Pr*ck
Great title and anything that has a Malcolm Hardy commendation is okay in my book.

Kemah Bob – Miss Fortunate
Because I love her and her original outlook.

Luke Rollason, Luke Rollason, Let Down Your Hair
Once again a fab title and excellent image – yes I am shallow and do judge books by their cover!

Tony Slattery – Resuscitated
Because he recently followed me on Twitter, unprompted, and I was chuffed. See – shallow.

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‘Be Not Afeard: A Sensory Telling of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest” (Bedfringe, 22 July 2023)

Posted in 4*, Bedfringe 2023, Rated: Outstanding by

“Like all the best Shakespeare done proper, ‘Be Not Afeard’ can be enjoyed by those of us who live and breathe the bard as well as those who couldn’t give a honk about the Swan of Avon.”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Outstanding)

Theatre is a sensory experience. Arguably, theatre was the first sensory experience conjured by the earliest humans that was indisputably distinct from the natural world. The Victorians liked their theatre grand and pagentrick, a feast for the senses, which is why they favoured scripts such as ‘King John’ with its many parading princes. The original Globe Theatre burnt down as a result of a prop cannon gone wrong. Costumes, properties, scenery, standing with one’s legs apart shouting lines at the audience – these are all variations of the conjuring art of Theatre.

The Tempest lends itself to such magic. It is possible that Shakespeare wrote the part of Prospero for himself at the end of his star-studded career – “Now my charms are all o’erthrown, And what strength I have’s mine own.” What a closing night that must have been. Percy Stow’s pioneering 1908 silent movie version of The Tempest makes this paragraph’s point far better than I can.

So it’s wonderful to see a live production, aimed at us CBeebies viewers, delivering such a wealth of sensory charms, none of which would be out of place in a grown-up version, and delivering the same with such artistic precision. For the script, Collar & Cuffs Co. have taken inspiration from the underpinning themes of The Tempest without getting bogged down in the occasionally cumbersome plot. It’s the elegant equivalent of summarising Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana with just a picture of a potato and a pipe of tobacco. Like all the best Shakespeare done proper, ‘Be Not Afeard’ can be enjoyed by those of us who live and breathe the bard as well as those who couldn’t give a honk about the Swan of Avon.

Daughter 1.0 (8yrs) wrote in her notebook – the one with Arthur Rackham’s etching of Disney’s Maui arm wrestling Caliban on the cover:

“Yesterday I went to the tempest. When I walked in I Saw a big mat and three bins and a tent. We were asked to sit on the edge of the mat. The story was about all of us going on a long journey to find a magic artist and take them home.

I liked when they sprayed us with warter and balls I realy enjoyed it and it looked like the little kids did too!”

What this show did need was more bustle and less bossy. Bustle is Widdow Twanky or Captain Mainwaring taking themselves far more seriously than anyone else in the room. We can all giggle at that. Bossy is being slightly hungover at a raucous kids’ show and being endlessly told what to do in a way that might make artistically-minded disruptive kids want to throw a chair at their constricting early years teacher.

This is the show that Shakespeare would have taken his son Hamnet to if the latter hadn’t been so taken with the snake roll’d in a flowering bank With shining chequer’d slough. It’s a show that will stick long in the mind for its artistry and ingenuity.

Reviewer: Dan Lentell

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‘The Hare and the Hedgehog’ (Bedfringe, 23 July 2023)

Posted in 5*, Bedfringe 2023 by

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“You have to take silly really seriously to make such magic happen.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

Children’s theatre is hard because you have to make it look easy. I once saw newsreel footage of Her Late Majesty inspecting preparations for a sumptuous banquet at Buckingham Palace. Wow, tough crowd. Britain’s longest-reigning monarch was not easily impressed. There was a cake which, a breathless royal watcher solemnly intoned, had taken a team of top bakers and pastry chefs so long to make that several of those bowing and scrapping in the royal presence were the children or grandchildren of the original egg crackers. There was enough gold leaf to Goldfinger a hippopotamus, more layers than a Scandinavia crime drama, and icing as intricate as the plaster cornicing in Brighton Pavillion. HM smiled thinly, nodded and passed on. Ostentatious and insincere displays of emotion were not her thing. The same applies to children for whom everything is a wonder and so nothing is a wonder. It takes a Merlin to captivate such open and shut little minds.

We enter to find Andy Lawrence looking younger than he did 12 months ago. This is a man around who time and space happily bend. As my brood of chicks grows, I am more and more impressed by those saints among us who can turn a gaggle of noisy brats into a gathering of earnest ears, eager to absorb the erudition coming at them. You have to take silly really seriously to make such magic happen and Andy’s tales are gorgeously silly – as light and fluffy as a cake fit for a queen. It looks effortless, but packed into each of Andy’s daily 40-minute Bedfringe morning sessions is the cumulated effort of years of storytelling, puppetry, stagecraft, and experience. Time bends. It folds neatly into a wizard’s bag of tricks.

Daughter 1.0 (8 years) wrote the following in her notebook, the one with sequins stitched onto the cover so that they show a rainbow when rubbed one way and a frog, sitting on a toadstool, playing what I think is a flageolet, on the other.

“Today I went to The Hare and the Heghog. At the front there was some cushions for children to sit on. On stange there was an old wooden chest an old seet and a few music boxes.

He lold a story of a heghog Who beat a Havisham hair in a race and how Havisham hair became kind.

I liked when he used Strings to make the hair move along, I also liked when he got big funny ears to make him look like the hair.

Last year and yesterday I saw pigs and bears don’t come in pairs. Pigs and bears don’t come in pairs is a show of two stories “the three little pigs” and “Goldieloks and the three bears” And I liked seeing the same man doing another funny show.”

Someone somewhere once described heaven as waking up each morning to a fresh P. G. Wodehouse novel on the bedside table. They neglected to follow up by saying that the next item on the agenda of eternal bliss is a saunter down to Bedfringe with your angels to watch Andy Lawrence doing something divine, bringing the young and the young at heart together in another masterclass in the power of theatre.

 

Reviewer: Dan Lentell

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EdFringe Talk: Aionos

Posted in Bedfringe 2023, EdFestivals 2023 by

“As a producer/designer/technician/administrator/activist it’s a big investment, but as an arts-goer and punter it’s extremely cost effective way to keep up with global live performance.”

WHO: Ian Garrett

WHAT: “Aionos – An African-Futurist mixed-reality production where Ancient Egypt meets Star Wars as you travel virtual worlds to help an Egyptian queen heal a broken love and navigate spacetime to recover an ancient technology. This unique hybrid theatrical experience in VR, streaming, and in-person will take you across time, space, and the metaverse in a collaboration between Toasterlab, Debbie Deer Productions, and Immersive actor/director/designer Ari Tarr. Aionos brings live and remote actors and audiences together for an unforgettable adventure in a companion piece to Debbie Deer’s Nefertiti: The One Who Comes.”

WHERE: ZOO Playground – Playground 2 (Venue 117) 

WHEN: 13:05 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my 12th time to the Fringe! My first was in 2008 and then I was over consistently in different capacities until the 2020 festival was cancelled,. This is a return in that way. It’s addictive… I’ve been involved in hit shows like Counting Sheep in 2016, ambitious but okay shows like Transmission in 2017, and any number which struggled regardless of quality. I also co-ran the Fringe Sustainable Practice award from 2010 – 2017, and have been involved in the festival form that side. While a lot of my current interest is around questions about who gets to take part in the festival given how expensive and time consuming is, it’s still an important launching pad for so many things where you can really try anything and then get to see so much. As a producer/designer/technician/administrator/activist it’s a big investment, but as an arts-goer and punter it’s extremely cost effective way to keep up with global live performance.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

We took 2022 just to see what the return to the fringe would look like and didn’t try to bring work again. It was too risky as an international company to do that. But it gave us time to reflect on some of the core questions we had about how we work. We had started developing a concept around presenting a show with remote performers in 2019 after years of thinking about all the challenges of producing at the festival: it’s expensive sure, but it’s hard for folks with families and caring responsibilities to relocated for a month regardless of money. So many folks have other work obligations that this is difficult too, and it seemed like every festival some company canceled last minute due to visa issues and we were really starting to rethink our involvement with the carbon footprint of our work. So seeing the festival pick up on 2022 and noting even incremental change where digital remote work wasn’t a novelty but a necessity, and the Fringe being stronger with its position on values and commitment to carbon neutrality, and the work with council on housing, etc. We really wanted to bring something which started to think about those things from within a creative process through this Meta-show idea of hybrid performance.

Tell us about your show.

In addition the hybrid presentation, the show itself is a coming together of goals. One is just seeing if we are able to build the infrastructure to support having half our cast/crew back in Toronto. But we’ve also partnered with York University in Toronto to do rigorous research on this way of working.

The show is devised insofar as it’s inspired by work of XR performance maker Debbie Deer, and guided by performance training by XR actor Ari Tarr. Our company Toasterlab focuses on shows that blend XR technology with live performance, so we co-developed the concept and then started working with a diverse set of artists and partners this year. So in addition to these core artists and our professional contributors like Aisha Bentham and David Jansen (maybe only familiar to Canadians) there is credit to the IBPOC fellowship with Single Thread Theatre and their leading Performance XR work in Canada, lots of work with FlipsideXR which is a Canadian company building a VR performance platform, and with researchers and a handful of research assistants at York University. So, where I say devising is the process of developing the form and content in collaboration, that’s how this all came together. It’s sort of Toasterlab’s core approach, working iteratively to develop projects that balance narrative, technology, and performance design.

This will be the premiere of both this show and this way of working. It’s nothing if not ambitious and we know that can be a challenge.

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

What Can Indian Look Like at Greenside! On of our leads Shaharah Gaznabbi is also one of the two performers in that alternating anthology solo show. It’s also literally shortly after Aionos so they can make it over. It may not be technically ambitious, but previous iterations when it was just Gaz’s counterpart Natasha, have been great and it’s something that I think it really well suited for the fringe. Y

Also, Liz Toonkel’s Magic for Animals, also at Greenside. I’ve known and been a fan of Liz’s for years and haven’t had a chance to see this show yet. So I’m making a point of it while we’re over.

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Bedfringe 2023 Interview: Abbi Jinks: On The Write Path

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“After several years working as a transformational coach and doing a lot of my own inner healing, my show is a selection of poems and insights into a life filled with more positivity, more meaning, and more JOY!”

WHO: Abbi Jinks

WHAT: “Abbi Jinks is a transformational poet and performer. She writes and speaks from the heart, with passion and with truth.

Abbi writes about things that might change your life! She speaks about self-love, about fear, about resistance, choice and power! She articulates her poems so beautifully and in perfect rhyme. Her work will leave you feeling inspired, elevated and motivated. Through her positivity and joyful vibes, Abbi will remind you that life is for feeling good! Her words may make you think, question and ultimately transform. She is a gifted wordsmith and is both empowering and uplifting.”

WHERE: Quarry Theatre

WHEN: 23 July 2023 @ 15:00 (40mins)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Bedfringe?

Yes and I’m so excited! It’s been less than a year since I first started performing my poetry and it has been a whirlwind year! I love the diversity and inspiration of a festival, it really feeds my soul to be surrounded with all the creativity and magic of performers and artists. And I love the buzz of every moment on stage. There’s something about live performance that really feels like home to me.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I’ve been writing and sharing my poems all over the place! I’ve been trying out new things, challenging myself and I launched my first ever book!!!! It all began in the summer of 2022 after I wrote a poem for a friend’s wedding. I then felt the call to perform it completely spontaneously at a festival and then set myself a challenge to write and perform a poem a day and eventually I had enough for a book, and more!

Biggest lessons for me have been to BELIEVE IN MYSELF! It counts for everything. Even when those doubts come up, just keep going. I’m doing it!!

Tell us about your show.

My show is an adventure into transformation! My poems are inspiring, encouraging and empowering. After several years working as a transformational coach and doing a lot of my own inner healing, my show is a selection of poems and insights into a life filled with more positivity, more meaning, and more JOY! There are also a few that might make you splutter on your coffee! I talk about what I’ve given up to get where I am today and it may hit a nerve. Come and see…

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

Sparky! Another poet who shares boldly from his perspective whom I had the pleasure of hosting alongside others on the GuRoots Den stage at the recent Bedford Kite festival.

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EdFringe Talk: Hello, The Hell: Othello

Posted in Bedfringe 2023 by

“Does hell exist? What is the punishment in hell? If given a second chance, what choice would humans make? Regret or repeat the same mistake?”

WHO: Eungyo Kang

WHAT: “Millions of years after Othello killed Desdemona, Othello and Iago are living an endless, repetitive life in Hell. Punished for the sin of the past with recurring, relentless nightmares whenever they close their eyes, their bodies fade a little more each day. Until one day, Iago realises how to escape their terrible predicament. Hello the Hell: Othello by Jakhwa Creations, is inspired by Shakespeare’s tragedy and newly interpreted to focus on the afterlife of the characters, recreated with a fresh narrative and creative physical theatre.”

WHERE: Assembly Rooms – Ballroom (Venue 20) 

WHEN: 13:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

We are a performance team called ‘Creative Jakhwa’ from Korea, and this is our first visit to Edinburgh. Edfringe has always been our dream stage. Thanks to the Korean season presented by A to Biz and Assembly, it is a great honour to participate in the world’s best festival and communicate with audiences and the best artists from all over the world.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

In March of this year, we participated in the Adelaide Fringe Festival in Australia. It was our first overseas performance. In the meantime, we have performed several large and small performances only in Korea, and we have been very recognized and we have a strong pride in our work. And fortunately, we were able to perform on the stage called the Adelaide Fringe Festival. It was a valuable experience and a new stimulus. Now we have a desire to meet more audiences and artists from all over the world and we want to fly to Edinburgh as soon as possible.

Tell us about your show.

Does hell exist? What is the punishment in hell? If given a second chance, what choice would humans make? Regret or repeat the same mistake?

Our performance is a physical theatre called ‘Hello, The Hell: Othello’. ‘Hello, The Hell: Othello’ is an interpretation of Shakespeare’s tragedy ‘Othello’ and written by Korean writer and director Bonggun Kim. It deals with the afterlife of the protagonists with our fresh interpretation and creative movements. Our performance will be at the Assembly Rooms Ballroom from the Thu 3 – Sun 27 AUG (Not 14, 21). For this run, our show is performed in Korean with English subtitles.

Millions of years after Othello killed Desdemona, Othello and Iago are living an endless, repetitive life in Hell. Punished for the sins of their past with recurring, relentless nightmares whenever they close their eyes, their bodies fade a little more each day. Until one day, Iago realizes how to escape their terrible predicament.

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

There’s a team I’d like to strongly recommend to you. It’s a team called ‘KOCOON’ from Korea. KOCOON presents a new type of show that combines comedy and K-pop as a team with the concept of a gag idol. Recently, Korean idols such as BTS and BLACKPINK have gained a lot of popularity, and many people have become interested in K-pop, and it will be a great experience to see KOCOON perform. Not only them, but also the ambient-house music team ‘IL WOL DANG’, Moo Soo Theatre group’s ‘The Maids’, and Creative Group Geo-gi-ga-myon’s non-verbal mask theatre ‘The Messenger’, which are all excellent, so I would appreciate your interest.

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Bedfringe 2023 Interview: Agnes

Posted in *Written Interviews, Bedfringe 2023 by

“Our show follows Agnes after her ascension to sainthood as she reckons with her powers, identity and legacy, with the audience joining her on a time travel revenge mission to track down her murderers in order to exact vengeance.”

WHO: Ella: Director

WHAT: “In 304 AD Agnes of Rome was executed at the age of 12 after rejecting the advances of grown men. We follow Agnes after her ascension to sainthood as she reckons with her powers, identity and distorted legacy. The audience join Agnes on a revenge mission through time to track down her murderers.

Combining shadow puppetry, music, and a healthy dose of time travel, Agnes is a new show by ‘THE company to watch’ Ricochet Theatre with their signature humour and poignancy.

Earlier this year Agnes was shortlisted for the Charlie Hartill Award, and Ricochet can’t wait to come back to Bedfringe with this work-in-progress performance, where they were awarded ‘Pick of the Fringe’ in 2021.

Agnes is a historical piece, but her story raises vital and timeless questions surrounding the way history is moulded and the desire to control our legacies; Do we have that power? If we don’t, who does?

“Ricochet Theatre are THE ones to watch” ★★★★★ GET YOUR COATS ON”

WHERE: Quarry Theatre

WHEN: 29 July @ 16:00 + 30 July @ 12:00 (60mins)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Bedfringe?

This will be our third stint at the wonderful Bedford Fringe Festival. We first came to Bedfringe back in 2021 with our first ever performance of our first ever show as a company The Same Rain That Falls On Me which won that year’s Pick of the Fringe. We returned in 2022 with the same show for a one off performance whilst also bringing along a new show Intricate Rituals which was a dark comedy one woman show using shadow puppetry.

Both experiences have been incredibly fulfilling – as a theatre company starting out we are so lucky to be able to access such a well-facilitated venue. The team are so friendly and supportive of our work. Bedfringe is quickly becoming the place we come to test out our new work and grow as artists – there simply isn’t a better festival to do that!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Since 2022 we have finished a tour of a double bill of monologues and put together our new show Agnes. We’ve embarked on a series of Research and Development rehearsal weeks, bringing together our team across the UK (not an easy feat!).

Agnes was shortlisted for the Charlie Hartill Award with the Pleasance theatre – something we weren’t expecting! Although we didn’t win, it was an incredible experience to connect with and share the stage with other budding new theatre companies and to have a chance to share a story we’re care so much about.

We’ve also launched Bulletpoints, a writers’ showcase event – since beginning this we’ve read over 100 scripts and connected with so many exciting new artists!

Tell us about your show.

In 304 AD Agnes of Rome was executed at the age of 12 after rejecting the advances of grown men. She subsequently became the patron saint of girls, chastity and sexual abuse victims, though her story has become distorted and obscured over time. Our show follows Agnes after her ascension to sainthood as she reckons with her powers, identity and legacy, with the audience joining her on a time travel revenge mission to track down her murderers in order to exact vengeance.

Our version of Agnes’ story encapsulates several topics of interest to our company – artistic and historical legacy, forgotten stories, adaptation, staging time travel and revenge, to name a few. These concepts echoed our prior interest in staging the impossible, subverting narrative structure and exploring themes and stories from unfamiliar perspectives. In our previous show, we staged a character eating a dead mouse – this time we want to send a woman through time, perform miracles and bring paintings to life.

We are not interested in naturalistic staging but we are interested in revealing the artifice of the performance through methods including overhead projection, on-stage set and costume changing, on-stage lighting operation and perhaps even puppetry. Combining shadow puppetry, music, and a healthy dose of time travel, Agnes is a new show by Ricochet Theatre with our signature humour and poignancy.

We aim to surprise, move, entertain and provoke our audiences. Agnes is a historical piece, but her story raises vital and timeless questions surrounding the way history is moulded and the desire to control our legacies; Do we have that power? If we don’t, who does?

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

Well we’ve started up Fringe Friday on our social media channels so you should deffo check back in to hear about the exciting work going on at Bedfringe this year.

We have to give a big shout out to Yet To Be Theatre with The Geneva Convention of Human F**KS for their female centric witty gender commentary. We’re also keen to see Hidden Stories by Plays The Thing as we are interested in untold female stories in history (hence Agnes!) and Faustine by Light at Midnight Theatre – making Marlow’s Faustus female.

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