“Scotland is one of the best places in the world to be a young creative.”
WHO: Peter McCormick
WHAT: “Cormac is dead, and he’s not happy about it. Trapped in Purgatory, he is taunted by the echoes of his funeral as his Spotify Wrapped plays into the void. But when voice recordings from his ex resurface to haunt him, Cormac faces a critique of his life that is a far cry from what he thought he left behind. With pitch-black comedy, deep sincerity and the campest of soundtracks, Beyond Krapp is an existential reckoning of ego and achievement that celebrates the endurance of love in the battle to make our lives count.”
WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Cellar (Venue 33)
WHEN: 13:45 (60 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
It’s my first time being mad enough to actually take a show to the Fringe. I’ve lived in Glasgow for four years now, having first moved over for drama school with no clue and big and ambitions, and then realising that Scotland is one of the best places in the world to be a young creative. Having the Fringe next door made it feel more accessible and attainable as a goal, and over the last few years I’ve met people and had friends in shows and seen how much they’ve learnt from the experience. I saw ‘Sugar’ in 2022, written by the wonderful Mabel Thomas (who will be bringing ‘Serious Theatre for Serious People’ to Gilded Balloon this year) and that sealed the deal. Sugar was such an incredible piece of work and I was resolved to slide into Mabel’s DMs and demand to know how she pulled it off. She’s been kind enough to help me along the process of bringing Beyond Krapp to the Fringe this year. It’s that type of generosity and ‘why not’ that makes the Fringe special – that sounds disgustingly American, but it’s true.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
As but a humble punter in 2023, I’ve learnt that there’s so much more work required than I’d ever have imagined (cause I’m naïve and foolish). But seeing the Fringe from the other side is incredible, because you realise just how many passionate, equally stupid people there are here with you.
Tell us about your show.
‘Beyond Krapp’ began when my writing mentor, the extraordinary Meghan Tyler, asked what scared me. I read Beckett’s ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’ a while back and couldn’t shake the fear of failing to understand love in my lifetime. Fast forward two years and I’d turned that fear into a black comedy for the Fringe.
The play is written to toy with emotions and swerve between comedy and tragedy just as any discussion of love and death tends to. It’s very Irish – stoic, sarcastic, tragic and crude. There’s a future for it amongst any audience that is ready to laugh and is willing to have their heartstrings pulled while considering what can happen if we only want to face love on our own terms.
The best thing about going to drama school in Glasgow was getting to know some incredibly creative people who are also immensely generous with their time, and so many of them were keen to get involved with the show. My director, Ben Standish, offered to come on board after seeing an early version at a scratch night, while he also works on Vanishing Point’s ‘Love Beyond’ at the Festival. Our production team are also recent graduates who are working on both ‘Beyond Krapp’ and some of the larger festival shows, and the immensely talented Lucianne McEvoy and Aishat Lawal got involved when I sent them a cheeky message and told them how crucial it was to have voices that really understood the weird cocktail of comedy and stoicism that is served at Irish funerals. I’m so emotionally invested in this show and I think they all felt sorry for what a desperate sap I was being and said they’d help out if I’d just shut up about it. But I believe in it and I’m ambitious for it.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
They’ve got to see ‘Serious Theatre for Serious People’ at Gilded Balloon. It’s one of those shows that you can go into with absolute confidence that you’re going to get value for your ticket and watch bankable, brilliant talent deliver a properly funny show about actors trying to climb the treacherous ladder of fame and glory.
If you’re yearning for some naughty nuns, you’d be mad to miss ‘Bad Habit’ at The Space, where Glaswegian humour meets Californian sexiness from two fantastic new writers. And ‘The Sound of the Space Between’ also touches on grief but in a brilliantly creative way, using sound and technology to create an immersive live performance.
LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!
INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!
Get Your Coats On 