Category Archives: EdFestivals 2017

All our coverage from the 2017 festivals.

+3 Interview: The Last Days of Judas Iscariot

Posted in EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Features, Written Interviews by

“Right now my brain is fizzing with ideas for next year.”

WHO: Stuart Walker, actor – Judas Iscariot & Butch Honeywell

WHAT: “Brought to you by Parallax Theatre, Stephen Adly Guirgis’s The Last Days of Judas Iscariot is a riotous look at life beyond. 2000 years after that deed, Judas is finally put on trial for ‘that business’ in Judea. With a dash of prejudice, a sprinkling of rude words and a lot of surprises, it is inventive, full on and very funny.”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)

WHEN: 13:30 (90 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I have been to the Ed Fringe before as a theatre lover but this is my debut as a theatre performer! The atmosphere remains electric and highly addictive. Right now my brain is fizzing with ideas for next year. I feel truly inspired by the performances I’ve seen and the people I’ve met this year. My only complaint is the need to rest cuts into my theatre binge time.

Tell us about your show.

Parallax Theatre are reviving Stephen Adly Guirgis’s show with a cast of 10 for the 70th Anniversary of the Ed Fringe. Take a seat in the jury as we put Judas on trial for betraying the son of God. Was it a moment of greed, madness or even bravery? Under the direction of Alexander Knight we’re bursting onto the scene with this “outstanding” (Young Perspective) take on an already edgy script, refreshing topical references and breaking up the all American dialogue (originally meant for a New York audience) – e.g I perform my character Judas as a fella from East London. We want the words to hit our audience harder than ever!

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

I highly recommend ‘Flesh and Bone’ by Unpolished Theatre – it’s like a modern day Shakespeare play set in East London but forget Kings and Queens, this is about the gritty life of a family on a council estate. Powerful and punchy with verse, physical theatre, comedy and more. Eloquent yet raw. Let’s face it, more interesting than the Queen.

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A Girl and a Gun (Summerhall: 2-27 Aug: 18.00: 60mins)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals, EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Reviews, Rated: Outstanding, Summerhall, Theatre by

“A greatly rewarding hour of insight and grace for cinephiles, feminists, and iconoclasts everywhere.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars: Outstanding

Louise Orwin is one savvy film buff and her one-woman show, A Girl and a Gun (the title of which is derived from Jean-Luc Godard’s notorious quote “All you need to make a film is a girl and a gun”) is sixty minutes of finely crafted satire/tribute/criticism/fun on that very notion. For cinephiles and non-cinephiles alike, A Girl and a Gun offers laughs, thrills, and intimate insights into some of popular culture’s most beloved genres and setups within film, while asserting a masterfully subversive message.

Orwin is an electric performer, constantly keeping the audience guessing and engaged as she flits from scenario to scenario as “Her,” representing the interchangeable, lazily written female in so many Hollywood films. She is accompanied onstage by an unspecific male counterpart, as “Him,” a random actor who had responded to the show’s online call for male performers, and who is a different person every night. “Him” reads his lines from a teleprompter, and is, charmingly, just as surprised, shocked, amused, and impressed at the show’s content as the audience is at every turn. For Orwin has created an amalgam of sorts, of every misogynistic and abusive male-female dynamic presented in male-ego-centered films, to prove how toxic and destructive masculinity in popular culture can be.

“Him” is scripted to seduce, kiss, betray, bully, abuse, physically hit, and generally mistreat “Her” in carefully structured ways, so that sometimes he has free reign to strut around and take advantage of the audience and damsel in front of him, and other times he has no real choice but to act like a heel. Her commentary is strikingly simple, as she uncovers the terrible unfairness and cruelties beneath many a male/female action hero/damsel dynamics.

What is most impressive and reassuring about the show’s approach is the level of research evident behind the faithful recreations of the films it satirises. It is presented in a format all Tarantino fans will recognise; divided into chapters with pseudo-poetic titles like “Cherry Picker” or “Why You Don’t Have to be American to have an American Dream,” which is a particularly impactful one. Taglines, catchphrases and devices from lots of Tarantino’s writing are featured, including dances reminiscent of Pulp Fiction and Death Proof, and the opening theme from Kill Bill – indeed the piece is chock-full of cinematic observations and criticisms that are spot-on if you are a fan of the retro-worshipping, Western-esque American odysseys Orwin comes after. There is a particularly impressive and hilarious sequence in which Orwin and the male actor recite all the typical names of “Him” and “Her” in these films, like Charlie, Bobby, Big Charlie, Big Bobby, Tommy, Tony, Big Tommy, Big Tony; Suzie, Jenny, Little Suzie, Little Jenny, et cetera.

Points like these are also, in a larger sense, what makes Orwin’s show so clever and incisive; there are no individual films or even individual scenes that are criticised on their own. Rather, A Girl and a Gun takes aim at the sheer repetitiveness and laziness of re-used, tired tropes, with great success. One of the most memorable sequences comes near the ‘end’ of the experience, when “Him” has forsaken “Her” and she must, as she does in so many films, die. Orwin’s “Her” dies at least ten times in a row, in various gruesome fashions, from being shot with numerous types of firearms to being tied to a train track and run over. Her point lands with a surprising amount of grace, as we recall so many female characters who have been extinguished simply to prove the male protagonist’s point, and it is the sheer quantity of such deaths that packs the greatest punch.

The attention to detail in this show is also commendable, from the use of projection and subtitling to recall a movie being written and filmed, and on-screen directions for “Him” to don various costumes, play with numerous prop firearms and “act like he is in an action movie”. This device in particular leaves a meaningful impression, presenting both “Him” and “Her” as pawns of the written scripts, and suggesting it is not necessarily inherent to a man’s composition that he acts so cruelly — he is written that way, much as many men may have learned their behaviour from movies where that very same behaviour got the girl and saved the day.

A Girl and a Gun presents an ingenious deconstruction of male ego, cinematic influence, and the truth beneath the beauty of so many of society’s favourite films. It is a greatly rewarding hour of insight and grace, plus a goldmine for cinephiles, feminists, and iconoclasts everywhere.

outstanding

StarStarStarStarStar

 

Reviewer: Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Interview: Rory O’Keeffe: Rorytelling

Posted in EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Features, Written Interviews by

“…next year’s show will be called Rory O’Keeffe: Just The Bucket Speech.”

WHO: Rory O’Keeffe, Writer/Director/Performer/Narcissist

WHAT: “Affable young funnyman Rory O’Keeffe returns with a show about losing his faith and his bag (but mainly his bag). Join the ‘intelligent youngster’ (Time Out) for his second hour of jokes and stories. Or, as he narcissistically calls them, ‘rories’. ‘Thoughtful and self-aware, some of the better stand-up you’ll see at this year’s Fringe’ **** (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘You’ll be laughing – every time!’ **** (MumbleComedy.net). ‘Make no mistake: this is a downright clever show’ **** (Edinburgh49.org). ‘Utterly hilarious’ ***** (ThreeWeeks). ‘Comedy for a post-recession graduate generation’ **** (Fest). ‘A tightly composed and expertly delivered romp’ **** (EdFringeReview.com).”

WHERE:  Southsider (Venue 148)

WHEN: 15:15 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I am a deceptively young veteran and this will be my 9th year in Edinburgh. Here are my top 8 previous Edinburghs, in order of how much fun they were:

1. 2009
2. 2010
3. 2011
4. 2012
5. 2013
6. 2014
7. 2015
8. 2016

With age comes responsibility. This year’s been fun, though.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’16?

I moved back in with my parents and then back out again. It’s called ‘Boomerang Kid’ for a reason, guys. I have committed. You can’t just move back in once.

Tell us about your show.

I have finally given in to the Edinburgh Pun Title and called my show ‘Rorytelling’. I tell two Rories. One about losing my bag and one about losing my faith (#deep). It’s funny, and it’s in a delightfully charming back room of a pub. #humblebrag here: sometimes it’s so full that someone has to sit on the stage behind me like a bring-your-child-to-work day situation. It’s free and I give a good bucket speech. In fact, next year’s show will be called Rory O’Keeffe: Just The Bucket Speech. And I will just ask the audience for money for 50 minutes.

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

Matt Winning: Filibuster – funny show about climate change.Clever yet stupid. Silly yet serious. Cheap yet valuable.

Princes of Main – great sketch show in a great venue (Bedlam Theatre)

Macblair – restaging of Macbeth with Tony Blair as the ambitious lead. It totally works. I laughed really hard to show I understood all the clever references. I am that guy.

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+3 Interview: Blurred Justice

Posted in EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Features, Written Interviews by

“The aim is to raise public awareness of Yemen’s current situation; civilwar, humanitarian crisis and cholera outbreak. “

WHO: Dhvel Patel, Actor, ‘Sharif Fathi’

WHAT: “Amnesty International Award winning Blurred Justice is a thrilling and humorous play where the fate of one man lies in the hands of the audience. Sharif is a member of the Yemeni Houthi militia and is being tried in an eccentric court for taking part in an attack on Saudi Arabia. As he is being questioned, the play explores the meaning of the word terrorist and the complications of the Yemeni civil war with flashbacks of Sharif’s life, unravelling his personal motivations and important information on the involvement of the UK within the arms trade.”

WHERE: New Town Theatre (Venue 7) ​

WHEN: 23:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes. I’m a science graduate performing at the New Town Theatre for the first time.

Tell us about your show.

Kingston graduates and Directors of Performing Change; Yasemin Gava and Clarissa Kim produced the show, with Clarissa writing the script. This won the Amnesty International Marsh Award 2016. The production premiered at the Rose Theatre (Feb 17), International Youth Arts Festival (Jul 17) and will show at the Edinburgh Fringe and Camden Fringe (Aug 17).

In this piece, I play Sharif Fathi, a Houthi rebel on trial in a UK courtroom. I take the audience (members of the jury) through my Yemeni story (a series of flashbacks across a split-stage). The audience then vote whether I am innocent or guilty. Blurred Justice is powerful, though-provoking while being light-hearted at the same time.

The aim is to raise public awareness of Yemen’s current situation; civilwar, humanitarian crisis and cholera outbreak. The show adapts the script to reflect the most current facts e.g. UK ruling Saudi arms deal legit, cholera outbreak (recently covered by BBC news). It will be taken further as much as it can.

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

I’d recommend: The Missing Girl of Grigglewood, Edison as I have seen these.

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+3 Interview: Plan B for Utopia

Posted in EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Features, Written Interviews by

“Our goal is to reach new audiences, those who usually don’t see dance but enjoy theatre or comedy.”

WHO: Joan Clevillé, Artistic Director

WHAT: “‘You have a plan, and then you don’t. You have a dream, and then you wake up. You fall in love, and your heart gets broken. The question is: do you pick up the pieces and try again?’ Mixing dance, theatre and storytelling with a good dose of humour, Plan B for Utopia is a show about how we choose to live our lives: about having a dream, giving it up and trying again, but, above all, it’s a story about friendship.”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) ​

WHEN: 10:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’ve been coming to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the last eight years. It was the first place I performed in Scotland when I joined Scottish Dance Theatre in 2009. I couldn’t believe what was going on around me! In 2015 we premiered the first-full length work with my own company at the Festival, Plan B for Utopia. After more than 50 performances around the UK and abroad, it is very special to bring it back to Edinburgh, this time in a theatre venue like Pleasance Courtyard!

Tell us about your show.

The creation of Plan B for Utopia emerged from the need to reconcile my artistic practice as a choreographer (which can sometimes feel a bit removed from everyday reality) with personal questions around how to live my life in the most sustainable way. I wanted to find a choreographic language that could render the gravity and complexity of the global challenges that we face to something manageable, less overwhelming, closer to human-scale. Plan B for Utopia talks about the role that creativity and imagination can play as a catalyst for change. About the impact of our decisions on others and the environment around us, about what happens when things don’t go according to plan…

Since 2015, we have presented the show in venues across the length and breadth of the UK, from village halls in the Highlands to contemporary arts centres in London. We were invited to British Dance Edition and internationale tanzmesse in Düsseldorf which are two of the most prestigious international showcases for dance. This year, we are incredibly proud to present the work as part of the Made in Scotland and British Council Showcases at the Edinburgh Fringe. Our goal is to reach new audiences, those who usually don’t see dance but enjoy theatre or comedy. For that reason, we are delighted to be working with independent theatre producers China Plate.

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

Stay at Pleasance Courtyard to discover the very talented Urielle Klein-Mekongo with her debut show, Yvette. Then head to Dance Base to watch Oona Dohererty’s amazing solo Hope & The Ascension to Lazarus. Round it all off at Summerhall with On Ice and Power Ballad.

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Two Sides of the Curtain (theSpace on the Mile: 14-19th Aug: 19.05: 50 mins)

Posted in 2*, EdFestivals, EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Reviews, Theatre by

“Emotive and gripping”

Editorial Rating: 2 Stars:

Two Sides of the Curtain follows the struggle of Ada and Erich – lovers on either side of the “curtain”, who long to be together, but, for whatever reason, can’t. At least that’s what I think it’s about. I’ll admit I’m no expert on the history and politics surrounding the Cold War and the specific reasons why people were and weren’t permitted access to certain places, but even by the end of the performance I didn’t feel much the wiser.

Erich seems to have a job that gives him quite a lot of political and practical clout, including the freedom to travel around the country (presumably Germany) as he chooses, while much of Ada’s reluctance to run away with him seems to come from lack of will rather than fear of being caught in the process, though it’s never particularly clear why she makes the decisions she does. Indeed, it’s quite frustrating how little we get to learn about both characters throughout the piece, making it hard to empathise with them at any given moment.

Shifts in time and place are also difficult to comprehend – I spent much of the show trying to work out when and where the action was taking place, with very few clues – in either the script, direction or design – to assist. Token pieces of props or set – had there been any – may have helped to some extent, but it’s the lack of detail in the script which is the main problem. If writer Jack Kelly aims to create a thick fog of mystery surrounding the piece he certainly succeeds, but more detail up front would definitely help laymen like me wade through it with him, rather than being left languishing in an ignorant abyss.

In saying that, the play does have commendable ideas: the struggle of two lovers on either side of a dangerous line is emotive and gripping, as are the twists that develop in the closing couple of scenes – it’s a shame this all comes so late on. The performances are solid: Rachael Naylor as Ada is very natural and easy to watch, while Andrew Crouch as Erich shows great emotional range and charisma. There is potential here to make a really gripping show.

Overall this is a good effort from Sussex University Drama Society, but the flaws and holes in the script just make it too difficult to fully engage with. If you like a show where you have to do a lot of guessing and detective work to piece together what’s going on, or perhaps are a lot more clued up on what it’s like to live in Cold War Berlin than me on any given Saturday evening, this show might be for you. But I’m still trying to work out who, where and when I am.

Star (blue)Star (blue)

—

Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 19 August)

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

Stiff & Kitsch: By All Accounts Two Normal Girls (C Royale: 14-28th Aug: 16.40: 60mins)

Posted in 5*, C Venues, Cabaret, Comedy, EdFestivals, EdFestivals 2017, Musical Theatre, Plus 3 2017 - Reviews by

“Two extremely talented comedians who deserve to be playing to full houses”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars

There’s something to be said for taking a label someone gives you and owning it, turning it into a badge of honour. It takes guts and good humour. And that’s exactly what Rhiannon Neads and Sally O’Leary display by the bucketload in their latest outing as Stiff & Kitsch in By All Accounts Two Normal Girls – a show so named after a quote from my review of them last year.

The premise of the show is a discussion and self-help guide on how to achieve the level of “normality” the two girls have (according to, erm, me) by taking a comedic look at different aspects of their lives from jobs, to health, wealth and everything in between. Opening quip “things are about to get normal” sets the tone for a witty, honest and accessible hour of fun.

Each section is punctuated with a trademark musical number, which work really well to summarise and highlight their main comments, with choruses including repeated lines as blunt as “Keep your bullshit to yourself” (in reference to seemingly narcissistic social media use by their peers), and “I haven’t a fucking clue”, which we’ve all felt about one thing or another. What pleases most about this duo is their slick back and forth – in both the songs and general banter – the whole performance maintains a beautifully unrehearsed aura, like they’ve put it together especially for you in that moment.

The professionalism and confidence from Stiff and Kitsch have pleasingly stepped up a notch from last year – there is a bit more a swagger and presence within their performance, not un-aided by the life-size cardboard cut-outs of themselves that adorn the back of the stage. Yet with this growth as performers what they haven’t lost is their likeability: the sense that they are still one (or two) of us with the same flaws and insecurities as everyone else. What they do really well is to make each one into something to laugh about, and there are certainly plenty of laughs to be had in this show.

While my main criticism of their show last year is still largely accurate – the variety and creativity within the musical numbers is somewhat lacking – it is the only blemish on an otherwise polished and very funny show. I didn’t stop smiling once throughout the whole hour.

It’s not always easy to admit that you were wrong, but this time I’m glad to: Stiff & Kitsch aren’t two normal girls: they’re two extremely talented comedians who deserve to be playing to full houses. And if they call their next show that, I am retiring.

Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

—

Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 19 August)

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Interview: Sajeela Kershi: Fights Like a Girl!

Posted in EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Features, Written Interviews by

“10 years down the line I’ve learned a lot, found my voice and what I want to say.”

WHO: Sajeela Kershi, Writer/performer

WHAT: “‘My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style’ (Maya Angelou). Hilarious multi award-winning comedian is putting up her dukes and picking her battles! Winner of Asian Women of Achievement Award 2015 and Star of Edinburgh Award-winning show 2007. Written for and featured on a variety of BBC Radio.”

WHERE: Laughing Horse @ The Hanover Tap (Venue 259)

WHEN: 18:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

ALSO: Immigrant Diaries – Sajeela Kershi and Guests; 15:15 (60 min) @ The Three Sisters

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my 10th year of dipping in and out of the fringe. My first ever fringe as a performer back in 2007. Infamously I starred in the Edinburgh award winning show from Brendon Burns that year, ‘So I suppose this is offensive now’.

10 years down the line I’ve learned a lot, found my voice and what I want to say. However, you never stop learning. And Edinburgh is a boot camp to ship your show into shape no matter what level or experience you have.

This year I have bought up 3 shows, not only my solo stand-up/storytelling show ‘Fights Like A Girl’ but my award winning ‘Immigrant Diaries’ the run has finished now and a compilation show ‘Nasty women on the fringe’ which showcases some of the best female performers on the fringe. All three shows are attempting to make a comment on the state of the world events in the past couple of years.

Tell us about your show.

This show was written after the Anti-Trump Women’s march in London. I found myself at the front line and was also asked to be one of the key speakers. The show is about the things we fight for and fight against. I explore if the audience are ‘Fight or Flight’ by nature. Of course it’s my show so have a lot of personal experiences which lead to a story with myself and members of my family being held hostage in Karachi by an extremist group (don’t worry it’s funny given the circumstances).

I’ve been previewing the show before Edinburgh on what I call my ‘Comedy at your house tour’. In the absence of getting previews at circuit clubs as they have been snapped up by big agents. I took matters into my own hands about 7 years ago and asked friends initially and then contacts on FB and Twitter if they would host a taste of Edinburgh fringe in the venue of their choice so could be their living room, back garden, picnic, office etc (I’m known for doing gigs in strange places) they just need to get an audience of 10 or more people – they can have a whip around at the end for a charity of their choice (or pick one of mine) This years previews raised over two thousand for different charities as well as gave me an opportunity to test out material.

I’m proud of this show and all those who have been on the journey, It’s getting tweaked getting better every day.

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

The best night I’ve had out this fringe is watching Rob Kemps The Elvis Dead.

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+3 Interview: Alex Kealy: The Art of the Keal

Posted in EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Features, Written Interviews by

” It’s a political hour about nationalism, nostalgia, rhetoric and history, but there’s actually loads of great silly jokes if i’m honest.”

WHO: Alex Kealy, Performer and writer

WHAT: “Watch a ‘marvellous stand-up’ (Skinny) funnify the slow-motion explosion that is 2017 liberal democracy. Politics, amirite?! ‘Hilarious… fresh, insightful and original… a great hour of cerebral stand-up comedy – and Alex Kealy is a name to watch’ **** (FringeGuru.com). ‘Ferociously quick-witted… flawless script’ **** (EdFringeReview.com). ‘A fascinating hour’ (Skinny). ‘Sure to be a hit… Clever and original… Kealy’s style worked a treat’ (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘I came here for comedy not a political lecture’ (Audience member, April 2017). ‘Sharp comedy… charming, self-deprecating… has the potential to be very big’ (TheNorthernPH.wordpress.com).”

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

WHEN: 16:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’16?

A whole host of political and personal things happened that had a great effect on me this year, like everyone else, presumably.

Specifically and most relevantly, I’ve really enjoyed having to write a whole new hour of political comedy when politics has been shifting and slurring faster than drunken quicksand. It’s certainly *not* been having to can entire chunks of material because Trump has randomly fired someone or May has called a snap election.

Tell us about your show.

It’s a stand-up show written and performed by me, Alex Kealy, called “The Art of The Keal”. Which is a pun on the book The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump. Do audiences in Britain know the book well enough for my title to make sense? No. Do I currently have the capacity to tour this show in America where the pun would more clearly resonate with the audience? Also no.

Still, I’m having a lovely time – nice audiences and have enjoyed the little final tweaks to the show. It’s a political hour about nationalism, nostalgia, rhetoric and history, but there’s actually loads of great silly jokes if i’m honest. Laughing AND learning!

*The Cliche Police brandish their batons menacingly*

I mean, er…like it’s good, basically.

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

I’ve really enjoyed:

Mat Ewins – brilliantly innovative comic who uses tech and videos to great effect

Rose Matafeo – extremely likeable performer does super funny show

Found Footage Festival – bizarre training videos and infomercials collated by an American comedy duo, mashed together

Getting Some Early Nights – a very moving interactive piece whereby you make sure occasionally not to stay out late and instead go home, watch a little bit of TV, eat some vegetables and call your parents

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+3 Interview: Under My Thumb

Posted in EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Features, Written Interviews by

“We have been overwhelmed with the positive responses received so far, and we could not have found a more supportive venue.”

WHO: James Haddrell, Director

WHAT: “In a dystopian present, five women are imprisoned for crimes against society. Brought together by a common enemy and facing indefinite incarceration, their one remaining dignity is their continuing belief in their own innocence. The arrival of yet another prisoner seems no surprise, just another woman brought down by the world outside, but is she all that she seems? Shortlisted for the inaugural RED Women’s Theatre Awards in 2016.”

WHERE: Assembly Roxy (Venue 139) 

WHEN: 16:10 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No – as Artistic Director of Greenwich Theatre I’m here every year, either supporting young companies bringing their work to the Fringe or searching for the most exciting new companies to take back to London. This year is no different – we are supporting nine shows this year at Pleasance, Assembly and Underbelly, from clowning to music theatre, political theatre to award-winning drama.

Back in 2015 I directed my first show at the Fringe, a revival of John Retallack’s Hannah & Hanna – the debut production by CultureClash Theatre. I’m delighted to be back directing not one but two shows this year, but I’m particularly excited to have reunited with CultureClash Theatre for this production of Under My Thumb.

Tell us about your show.

Under My Thumb was first discovered by CultureClash Theatre when a short 20 minute version of the script was shortlisted for the RED Women’s Theatre Awards. Serin Ibrahim and Cassandra Hercules from CultureClash met with the writer, an astonishingly talented young writer called Cassiah Joski-Jethi, to talk about developing the script into a full length play.

After that, I was invited to lead a period of R&D with the writer and a full cast to explore the short script that had already been written and support the writer in developing it. We spent a week running scenes, improvising around the characters, developing an understanding of the scenario and talking about our own experiences of inequality in society. This was an amazing process, and the writer and I were incredibly lucky to have such a generous cast, prepared to share their thoughts and experiences openly and honestly and to contribute to the development of the show.

Then, with support from Arts Council England, we presented a short run of 10 test performances in Greenwich, inviting audiences to stay after every show to talk to us about the script, the characters and the premise, to see whether the show needed further development. With great feedback from audiences Cassiah spent more time on the script and then the show played at the Brighton Fringe and Incoming Festival earlier this year before finally being ready to open here in Edinburgh.

We have been overwhelmed with the positive responses received so far, and we could not have found a more supportive venue. We are presenting the show in the Snug Bar at Assembly Roxy, a dark, subterranean space that offers the perfect home for this claustrophobic, tense thriller. With the audience surrounding them, the six women incarcerated for alleged crimes against society can never leave and have nowhere to hide. Moments of projection fill in some of the back story for the audience, but the characters themselves are trapped.

We are now exploring a future life for the show. With audiences raving about it, I’m sure there will be another outing for Under My Thumb…

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

I am proud to be supporting a range of shows at the Fringe this year, so they should definitely start with some of those! The list of good shows at the Fringe is obviously overwhelming but I would recommend the two winners of the Les Enfants Terribles Award this year – GOODY by BoonDog Theatre and FORM by Rendered Retina, both at the Pleasance.

Also at the Pleasance, Patch Of Blue are back with a new show, WHEN WE RAN, after the success of WE LIVE BY THE SEA last year which transferred to New York. Hyphen Theatre bring the touching autobiographical story THE SOFT SUBJECT to Assembly George Square, and Edinburgh favourites Familia de la Noche are at Underbelly with two parallel shows, BEADLEDOM ALPHA and BEADLEDOM OMEGA, a unique pair of clown shows about life, death, and what happens when they get mixed up.

Outside of the Greenwich family, SKIN at Pleasance Courtyard is an amazing piece of hip-hop dance theatre about gender. I’ve also heard great things about VAN GOGH FIND YOURSELF, hidden away at the Natural Food Kafe…

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