Tag Archives: EdFringe

‘Sherlock Holmes: The Last Act’ (Venue 20, Aug 8-25)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Nae Bad by

“Rooted in the best that has gone before Miles-Thomas delivers something I never looked for, never knew I wanted, but suspect I will no longer be able to do without – an intimate understanding of the famously finicky curmudgeon direct from the horse’s mouth.”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Nae Bad)

I’ve just had a really good lunch. Breast of Guinea Fowl and a glass or two of something uncomplicatedly red. Peace and quiet in the tranquillity of Edinburgh’s clubland. A very short stroll to the Assembly Rooms and I’m ready to be told a chuffing good story, chuffing well, by a chuffing good actor. SPOILER ALERT: I get exactly that. An uncomplicated hour of familiar canonic classics.

Nigel Miles-Thomas’ classical portrait of Holmes is a lively, astutely judged and gratifyingly authentic homage that should easily pass muster with the purists. Rooted in the best that has gone before Miles-Thomas delivers something I never looked for, never knew I wanted, but suspect I will no longer be able to do without – an intimate understanding of the famously finicky curmudgeon direct from the horse’s mouth. Holmes without Watson to translate him into human is a tall order.

Edinburgh’s own Conan Doyle has been adapted more times than the Napoleon of Austerlitz has had hot biographies. Adaptations of the Sherlock Holmes universe are ten a penny but EdFringe punters have come to expect solid gold by those taking the road more travelled. There’s gold in this thar script by Holmesian hyper scholar, David Stuart Davies. Davies’ Holmes is humble, he recognises how much he needed Watson and is man enough to admit that he might have said so more clearly and more often. Holmes on the level is a much more amiable after-lunch companion than would have been the emotionally stunted, emotionally unavailable Sheldon Cooper Sherlock the arrogant SOB high on his own genius.

Cards on the table, the show’s director Gareth Armstrong produced what I consider to be the finest thing I have ever, and am ever likely to see at EdFringe – ‘The Rape of Lucrece’ performed by Gerard Logan in 2012. This was not so brilliant, nothing could be. I find myself wondering if there is rather too much material that’s been left in. A Fringe hour is like a suitcase, there is an artistry to packing it right and there’s something here that’s missing by its very presence. The high Victoriana set and properties did not sit comfortably with such determined minimalism. I’d have liked to have seen more movement, more business, more theatre framing Miles-Thomas’ exquisite portraiture. 

Like all brilliant careers, the Holmes universe lends itself to the retrospective scope. This is an adaptation which delivers the goods, although you’ll have to unpack them yourself. Let’s be clear, this is a potboiler but it’s as welcome as a Le Creuset coming out of the Aga and into good, companionable company. Get your Inverness capes on and go see this!

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‘Black and White Tea Room: Counsellor’ (Venue 20, Aug 8-11, 13-18, 20-25)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Nae Bad by

“It’s as though the Roaring Forties had popped by for high tea on a balmy summer’s day.”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Nae Bad)

We enter to find a man sitting alone at a table. Control. This is a man in control. This is a man with a preference for control. The telephone rings. His visitor has arrived at the station. If the visitor follows the man’s instructions, then he will arrive shortly. The man puts a vinyl record on. There is no sound. The record spins round and round but no sound do we hear.

The visitor arrives. He is younger. He is dishevelled. He is not at ease. The visitor’s pulsing anxiety is in uncomfortable disharmony with the quiet tearoom where the man he has come to see provides counselling sessions in addition to light refreshments. There are rituals to be observed. Trust must be built. The man guides his visitor through the opening steps of their structured conversation. Trust will be essential if progress is to be made even as the mystery as to who these individuals are deepens, unravels, and ties itself in further knots. The man is not just any man, he is The Man – the kindly brute. The visitor is not just any random, he has a past to dredge and resentment to air.

As The Man, EdFringe favourite Nicholas Collett is as understated as a deadly cobra waiting to strike. Like a magician of auld he conjures the sturm directing the gale forces into a cyclonic hurricane of emotional turmoil in which both men will be torn apart. The Man is not without his own pain, not without his own losses. The Man is all too human which is why having an actor celebrated for his dramatic and emotional intelligence is such an important fit for this occasionally puzzling play. Collett is the lightning rod that keeps the ornate edifice from burning down.

As the visitor, Jonathan Kemp (of Drama Studio London faculty fame) delivers the drang, the stress that upsets The Man’s tranquillity with a sudden devastating revelation. It’s as though the Roaring Forties had popped by for high tea on a balmy summer’s day. Our perceptions are turned on their head. Has the visitor got a plan? Does he know what he is about? Kemp milks the mystery treading the line between uncertainty and hesitancy with nimbleness. Like something out of Hemmingway, we wonder if Kemp can land his catch. SPOILER ALERT: he does and he does so with an unforgettable, uncomforting authenticity.

This is a script which works in some places and which sags in others. This is a script where the overall wood and the individual trees are not always in perspective. There are gaps not all of which can be explained as a result of British actors tackling a sensitive chapter in Korean history. Still, for those of us who enjoy the bold subtleties of contemporary Korean storytelling, this is a fine vintage from a respected winery blending high drama, some dark comedy, and much to think about.

Come for the high-octane acting. Stay for the rip-roaring ride. Get your feather-down puffer coats on and go see this!

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‘3 Chickens Confront Existence’ (Venue 139, Aug 8-11, 13-18, 20-26)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Outstanding by

“Three superbly measured and talented performances.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

Go see this. Seriously stop reading this review and go see this show. This. Is. It. This is THE show to see this EdFringe. Ludicrous premise. Superb chicken costumes (by the lady who made the hats for ‘Boardwalk Empire’). A genuinely thought-provoking script. Three superbly measured and talented performances.

Three chickens, each alike in indignity, in a battery farm awaiting the inevitable. Can they find meaning? Can they discover purpose? Can they be anything greater than their crappy situation? Over the course of 60 tightly caged minutes, we see ourselves as we are – trapped, vulnerable, pecking for a pellet of joy or comfort as the end draws near. Will it be a welcome release or simply a deeper form of darkness? You’ll laugh till you cry and then you’ll just cry.

Three beings are trapped in a world not of their making. They are confined as confined can get and yet so much of not a lot happens. There are rivalries and jealousies. There are quiet moments of reflection, sudden bursts of terror, and always the ever-present shadow of the inevitable end – gruesome, heartless, unstoppable.

If you aren’t triggered by the themes in this show, then there is something wrong with you. If you can walk away feeling the same after as you did before, then there is something wrong with you. Theatre is supposed to be triggering. Theatre is supposed to change how we look at the world. Theatre is an unkind mirror. Get your real feather coats on and go see what’s staring back at you!

 

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‘Tom Greaves: FUDGEY’ (Venue 139, Aug 7-13, 15-18, 20-26)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Outstanding by

“A show bursting at the seams with drama, sturm, und drang.”

Editorial Rating:5 Stars (Outstanding)

Effortless takes effort. If art is anything it is the ability to make a thing look natural that isn’t. Perhaps the most annoying thing about Olympians is their total lack of puffed outness at the end of the race. I want them to look how I feel after encountering any sort of gradient after months spent trotting around the falter-than-flat Cambridgeshire fens. Instead, they have all this… what’s the word… composure. Learning to go through life composed is one of the hardest things to achieve and, like so many things in the age of viral rage, composure is in short supply.

For centuries, those with the means taught their offspring the art of ‘composed’ by shipping them off to boarding school where the routines and regime could (not so gently) bash them into a composed shape. James Bond’s sang-froid is the intentional product of this system. Problem. It turns out that most little human beings don’t like being separated from their parents and that placing very young children into institutions can do more harm than good.

We enter to find little Tom Greaves prepping for his first day at boarding school. It’s a big deal that he’s going. It’s a massive point of self-identity and pride for Pater Greaves that his progeny can take the toll road less travelled and start off several runs up the social ladder from the kids little Tom is currently spending his carefree days with. But there is trouble in paradise. Little Tom can see, even if he cannot yet fully understand, that his parents are deeply, irreconcilably unhappy with each other. As will become painfully clear during the subsequent stage traffic, adult Tom’s world is as unstable as a top-heavy very unstable thing and no amount of front, bluster, laddish banter, and emotional disconnection can compensate. As becomes painfully clear, the early death of innocence does not have a happy afterlife. The very things that were obtained at so great a cost are anchoring poor Tom to the storm where he must now suffer for our amusement.

Effortless takes effort and it would take a lot of effort to unpack all the stagecraft, all the tricks of the trade, all the raw energy that has gone into this super powerful and super memorable production. This is a show bursting at the seams with drama, sturm, und drang. This is storytelling at its most profound. This is a dark comedy for people who like to see society’s imagined social betters falling apart and failing, flailing at life. This is a production for people who like their theatre chaotic and spontaneous yet also techie and on-target.

Come for the comedy-drama. Stay for the mayhem. Leave with a revitalised sense of what real living theatre can make happen. Get your smart new uniform coats on and go see this!

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‘The Last Laugh’ (Venue 17, Aug 7-11, 13-25)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Outstanding by

“Damian Williams as Cooper delivers a masterclass in pathos done proper.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

We enter to find ourselves backstage in a somewhat very shabby dressing room. The decor may have faded but the stars of yesteryear are shining bright as Tommy Cooper enters. Thomas Frederick Cooper (1921-84) was a giant in every sense of the word To fully appreciate his stature we must stand on the shoulders of other giants. The towering titans of comedy selected to join Cooper wherever it is that he is, by writer and director Paul Hendy, are Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse.

In the hour of stage traffic that follows we get singing, we get gags, we get musings on the meaning of life, we get an insight into the sheer chuffing effort that effortless laughter demands. Hendy’s script is a vehicle for three finely honed impersonations of three instantly recognisable and immensely loved and respected icons of British popular culture. ‘Impersonations’ is a clumsy word which entirely fails to describe the acting talent, insight, and ability on offer. This is a triptych of heavy-lifting portraiture which captures not only the individuals but also their relationships with one another in this super-select creative group.

Damian Williams as Cooper delivers a masterclass in pathos done proper. There is an edge and edginess to his performance, the ideal counterweight to Cooper’s larger-than-life utter daftness which Williams delivers by the leaky bucket full. Simon Cartwright as Bob Monkhouse is pitch perfect as he perfectly pitches every familiar gesture and on-screen mannerism. Bob Golding, reprising his take on Eric Morecambe, completes the picture with that characterful character study which has been celebrated as a Fringe favourite.

This is a show with big personalities requiring big performances and yet it is perfectly balanced. Even when the discord and tension are heating up, the drama stays steady and the laughs come fast and furious. Here is a play that does exactly what it says on the tin and does it really, really, really well. Get your dinner coats and fezes on and go see this!

 

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‘Aude Lener – Love Reboot’ Venue 53 until 24th AUG (not 11th)

Posted in 4*, Comedy, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by

“Wanna feel loved? I’m no magician; I’m just French.”

Editorial Rating: 4  Stars (Nae Bad )

As a regular visitor to the Fringe for some years now, I’ve always had a soft spot for single-handed shows. So often the preferred vehicle for solo female performers, they can frequently take you by surprise, drawing from the almost infinite well of personal imagination and experience, unhindered by the theatrical presumptions inherent in a full-cast play. This slick, energetic, and well-staged production is written and performed in English (with occasional forays into Française) by the French film and TV actress Aude Lener.

Part stand-up comedy, part pop-philosophical treatise, part scatological cabaret, Lener delivers a wryly amusing exploration of a single woman’s life as she realises that the pursuit of love is slipping through her ageing fingers. As she wearily notes with a particularly gallic take on her situation: “Wanna feel loved? I’m no magician; I’m just French.” There is physical action a-plenty as Lener presents us with a rapid-fire series of vignettes enacting her somewhat crazy social and family life. These include a rather clever whiteboard presentation; much skilful use of a banana as a visual metaphor (oh, how the ladies in the front row giggled); the funniest rendition of Amazing Grace I’ve ever heard; and the recurring ghostly presence of her Aunt Madeline, who is dead but won’t lie down and keeps intruding into Aude’s life like an escapee from some grand guignol show at a seedy theatre in 1950s Pigalle.

Lener herself is something of a dramatic phenomenon. Her demure movie star face is elastic enough to quickly contort into a thousand visual caricatures to suit as many different voices, some her own internal monologue, others those of relatives, friends, and a succession of would-be lovers. With her pacy and emphatic delivery, she packs much observational humour, wit, and physicality into this 50-minute whirlwind of a show. Maybe it’s a cliché of national stereotyping for me to say that Lener’s French accent imbues her comedic insights with a philosophical authority that just wouldn’t be there if it came from a British actress? But it does.

So if, like me, you’re looking for something a little different to seek out in a small black-box studio theatre and won’t lose sleep if you never again see yet another angst-ridden portrayal of Emily Brontë or Mary Shelley, get yourself to TheSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall (Theatre 3) to laugh along with this quirky little gem.

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‘Victor’s Victoria’ Venue 20, until 25th AUG (not 7th or 20th)

Posted in 5*, Cabaret, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“You may know him as Doc Holliday or Samson or Demetrius… I knew him as Dad.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

Spoiled for choice as we are at the Fringe for drama and stand-up comedy, it’s always good to side-step every now and again into that much-loved genre Cabaret & Variety. One of the standout shows in that category this year is this very engaging and entertaining show in the Drawing Room: one of the more cosy medium-sized theatres at the Assembly Rooms on George Street.

In this slick one-woman show, Victoria Mature – the daughter of Hollywood golden age legend Victor Mature (1913-1999) – tells the story of her life with a famous father. Though his star may have faded a little in recent years, even Generation Z must surely be familiar with that craggily handsome, lantern-jawed face from all of those sword-and-sandal biblical epics that show up on TV every Christmas and Easter? He was equally at home as a hard-boiled noir detective or in a Western. As his daughter notes early in this show: “You may know him as Doc Holliday or Samson or Demetrius…I knew him as Dad.”

As Victoria takes us through her own life and her father’s glittering career, her lively monologue is interspersed with projected movie clips inspired by his career. There are also musical interludes from several shows with which both she and her father were involved. As an opera singer with an international career, Ms. Mature certainly knows how to put a song over. We were treated to her warm, dramatic soprano voice, accompanied by a live pianist, giving powerfully emotional renditions of excerpts from Broadway shows and classical opera, as well as movie soundtrack favourites. The range of material is fascinating, ranging from Dvorak to Kurt Weil, via the Gershwins. No prima donna (in the pejorative sense, at least), Victoria cheerfully invited the audience to sing along with the best-known numbers.

Victoria has inherited a great deal of her late father’s showbiz sparkle. Her raven black hair reflects his Italian ancestry, accentuated by the off-the-shoulder black cocktail dress she wears throughout the show. Indeed, there were moments during the songs when, pouting in concentration between lines, there were striking glimpses of her father shining through in her facial expression.

In telling his and her life stories, there are anecdotes aplenty from the golden age of Hollywood. As a precocious child star herself, she met and worked with what sounds like a Who’s Who of studio-era Tinseltown. But this is no mere name-dropping exercise; her reminiscences of this bygone era are told with panache and all of the theatricality one would expect from a woman who had an insider’s view of the movie business.

The show runs at the Fringe until 25th August, so get along to see this, its UK premiere, while it’s still in a relatively small venue where the encounter is close-up and personal. I suspect we’ll be seeing and hearing more of it in the future.

EdFringe Talk: The Funny Thing About A Panic Attack

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“The real victory — the daily victory! — is the opportunity to show up to rehearsal every day, and to feel my show, and myself, grow, evolve, and become something I never thought possible.”

WHO: Ben Kassoy

WHAT: “Author and dancer Ben Kassoy brings poems from his spectacularly original book to life in The Funny Thing About A Panic Attack, a genre-defying solo show celebrated as ‘inspired, powerful and thoroughly entertaining’ (LA Hidden Gems) and ‘intimate, affecting and revelatory’ (StageAndCinema.com) at sold-out shows in New York and LA. Directed by award winner Joanna Simmons (Mark Pleases You, Best Man Show), The Funny Thing About A Panic Attack is bursting with humour, heart and wonder, using spoken word, dance and physical theatre to reveal the connections between panic, poetry… and pancakes.”

WHERE: ZOO Playground – Playground 3 (Venue 186) 

WHEN: 17:10 (45 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes! First time to Fringe, first time to Scotland (I’m from the US), first time writing & performing a solo show! My friends have instilled enough FOMO over the last few years that I just HAD to be here this year. Yup, I decided I wanted to do EdFringe loooong before I even had a show. Kinda backward, sure, but hey — here we are! The journey has been amazing thus far: stellar reviews, sold-out shows in New York and LA, folks coming to see it from all over the US — I am truly ~thrilled~ to share my work in Edinburgh.

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

When it comes to art (and, honestly, maybe even anything?) the joy is in the work. Regardless of outcome, the process is the gift that keeps on giving. The labor of love in making this show has been gratifying and challenging in equal measure, and the “success” of the show can’t be measured in ticket sales or reviews or awards. The real victory — the daily victory! — is the opportunity to show up to rehearsal every day, and to feel my show, and myself, grow, evolve, and become something I never thought possible.

Tell us about your show.

Based on the poetry collection I published last year, The Funny Thing About A Panic Attack is a solo show that uses spoken word, dance, and physical theatre to reveal the connections between panic, poetry…and pancakes. (By the way, silly question: are pancakes a thing in Scotland? For the uninitiated, pancakes are hot round pieces of bread that we Americans drench in syrup and feed to children for breakfast.)

ANYWAY, I wrote the poems in the collection about living with — and overcoming! — panic attacks, and I’ve adapted them from the page to the stage (#POETRY) into a genre-defying show that’s been celebrated as “inspired…powerful and thoroughly entertaining” (LA Hidden Gems) and “intimate, affecting…revelatory” (StageAndCinema.com). We have an incredible team, including director Joanna Simmons, musician Matt Lipkins, and choreographer Julio Medina.

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

Y’ALL. I’m totally biased, but the comedy scene in Los Angeles is truly BLOWING UP, thanks to some of the funniest, most brilliant performers in the world. And….so many of them are bringing their shows halfway around the world (a 10-hour flight!) to Edinburgh. LUCKY YOU. Do yourself a favor and check out as many of these shows as possible!

-“2lian Stern Keeps 2trying”: Come for the jokes, stay for the music — smart and hysterical, you’ll want to see this show over and over to pick up on every brilliant lyric and jam out to your new favorite earworms. Julian Stern is a singular talent.

-“The Dolphin I Loved”: This show is peak clown: slightly unhinged, totally brilliant, and belly-achingly funny. Kelly Reilly is an absolute star!

-“My Mother Doesn’t Know I’m Kinky”: Spicy, funny, and timely — this is for anyone who’s had sex or a mother. Jean will delight and move you in equal measure!

-“The Best Man Show”: Perfectly calibrated chaos, there’s a reason this won Best Comedy 2024 at Hollywood Fringe in LA!

-“My Little Phobia”: One review said, “Imagine if Lucille Ball did a bunch of acid, had a psychiatric break, and lived at Grey Gardens.” I couldn’t have said it any better.

-“Medicine Woman”: You’ll be spellbound and wildly entertained; see why Medicine woman has already won 3 international awards!

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EdFringe Talk: NoVa

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“Every year, we discover a bit more about all the ramifications of the festival.”

WHO: Remi Jacques

WHAT: “With gravity-defying acrobatics and dazzling juggling, this family show is full of warmth and side-splitting humour. Nova is proudly presented by Canadian ‘masters of slapstick’ (Scotsman) Les Foutoukours who previously brought you the five-star clown show Brotipo. Nova rediscovers the magic of circus, where dreams take flight and anything is possible. It marries clowning with a celebration of childhood creativity, set in an enchanting attic with towers of books and lit by flickering candles. The audience is left with a sense of wonder and reminded that even in dark times there is light to be found.”

WHERE: Assembly Roxy – Upstairs (Venue 139) 

WHEN: 15:45 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, this is our fourth time at the Fringe! Each time is an incredibly fantastic but demanding adventure for the entire team. Every year, we discover a bit more about all the ramifications of the festival. Each of our visits has brought us new knowledge but also friends and collaborators that we meet again all over the world. The festival is also one of the most interesting places in the world, I would say, because of its quantity but also because of its diversity in artistic offerings. There is no judgment here, there is something for everyone: dance, theater, puppetry, circus, burlesque, cabaret…

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

Many discoveries have been made from years to yers. One of the great finds of 2023 is the Meet the Media event! Having the chance to take 5 minutes with different newspapers and critics is a highlight of the month. We also have discovered plenty of small hidden spaces that can accommodate different forms of art. We have learned that having a strong presence throughout the festival is more coherent than coming with a small team that takes turns. This year we will have 7 people working full time during our stay, compared to 4 last year. We have also set up systems for appointments with professionals for meetings and sessions following the presentations. We are now also part of the companies that participate in the Best of the Fest and also give pitches in different networking events. Handing out flyers is good, but creating a parading team that represents the show works better and is more interesting for everyone, both the audience and the artists.

Tell us about your show.

We are a non-profit organization celebrating its 27th year of existence. The show we are presenting this year was designed and conceptualized to make its debut here! We wanted to offer a signature Foutoukours show. It is a high-level acrobatic clown performance for the whole family, with poetry, performance, and also dramaturgy. Following its appearance at the Fringe, the show will hit the road again in October for tours in Canada, and presentations in Brazil, Chile, and Colombia are in discussion! Rémi Jacques, the founder of the company, has ensured the dramaturgical writing of the show, the clown research, as well as the costume, set, and makeup designs. Jean-Félix Bélanger worked in collaboration with Jasmin Boivin to create the magical universe of the music. He also worked for over a year on the magic of the candles!

This show is above all about gentleness, hope, and perseverance. A show that draws its origins and influences from various tales. The universe is magical but also sometimes harsh. We wanted to present a show that touches both through laughter and dram. A show where poetry, movement, clowns, and hope are intertwined!

Both young and old will find their place attending this show. The youngest will find pleasure and wonder for completely different reasons than the adults, who will experience the same emotions. At the end of the show, young and old will leave with a sense of gentleness and beauty, and especially with a spark of hope in their eyes for everyone.

In these darker times, this show speaks of the quest for light within us and around us.

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

Bill’s 44th Because it is an intelligent, disturbing work that is so representative of life today. A must-see for its puppeteering dexterity! It was in our top 3 shows of 2023.

OH OH by Baccalà Because clowns who do their job well are extraordinary to see, and there are so few of them! A simple and joyful show to savor!

Yuck Circus Feminist as desired, offbeat, funny, and technically strong, Yuck is a must-see.

N.Ormes by Agathe and Adrien A show of poetry in body and movement. An important message for our times is conveyed in this show without moralizing. Circus at its best, raw and true, without artifice.

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EdFringe Talk: The Weight of Shadow

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“Flabbergast Theatre have the perfect mix of serious meets funny, which magnifies both sides due to their contrast. This inspired me massively to bring in humour into my show, and not be so ‘constipatingly’ serious the entire time.”

WHO: Sasha Krohn

WHAT: “Symbolically based on true events, The Weight of Shadow depicts mental health deterioration. Inspired by Sasha’s partner, Ciana Fitzgerald, it blends dance, mime and aerial acrobatics, reflecting the enigmatic language of the psyche. The show immerses viewers in the 24-hour struggle of a psychiatric patient to grasp reality, echoing Sasha’s artistic vision. Fitzgerald’s influence infuses the performance with emotional depth, portraying the complexities of mental illness through Sasha’s lens. The production serves as a poignant exploration of the human mind’s resilience amidst turmoil, resonating with audiences through its portrayal of inner struggles and external manifestations.”

WHERE: Assembly Checkpoint – Assembly Checkpoint (Venue 322) 

WHEN: 12:15 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is the first time showing my own work at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which is equally exciting and nerve-wrecking. The Edinburgh Fringe has a high quality performance program that’s incomparable to any other performance event that I have experienced so far. The variety of shows and genres, the networking possibilities, the atmosphere throughout the month, are all something very beautifully unique. The large variety of shows, also attracts a very versatile audience, which is brilliant for performers and audiences alike.

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

(As I wasn’t part of the Fringe in 2023, I’ll answer more generally.)

2023 was a very inspiring year for me. Towards the end of 2023 I had the honour to work with Flabbergast Theatre. As my work is mainly of darker-aesthetics and rarely uses humour as a tool of expression, it was eye-opening working with them. Flabbergast Theatre have the perfect mix of serious meets funny, which magnifies both sides due to their contrast. This inspired me massively to bring in humour into my show, and not be so ‘constipatingly’ serious the entire time.

Tell us about your show.

‘The Weight of Shadow’ was written and directed by myself, and only possible through the help of my fiancée Cíana Fitzgerald . She is the subject , the inspiration behind this show, as she was the one experiencing what I depict. Cíana helped me find the right physical language by explaining exactly what situations or surroundings feel like to her whilst navigating mental health issues. The physical languages that I used to facilitate these emotions and explanations, are composed of aerial acrobatics, dance/movement with different influences (locking, krump, contemporary) , mime elements and somehow a lot of rolling, getting stuck and collapsing …somehow.

As an aerial acrobat it was a challenge to use previously ‘clean presentable tricks’ and make them useful, expressive, dirty, without losing myself in the ‘need to show off’ , but also equally fulfilling to allow myself to perform movements for the sake of expression and emotion, rather than for claps & craic.

Finally, using the same emotions and elements that Cíana described, I then started writing and recording the soundtrack for the show over the course of 2 months.

The show started as a smaller project of 30 minutes and played in Donegal, Ireland in 2023 and was only possible through the incredible help by FidgetFeet Aerial Dance Theatre & Irish Aerial Creation Center, in Ireland. They gave me the finances, space and time to be able to start researching and developing. But it hasn’t been staged in the current format of 55 mins yet. Edinburgh will be the first time I’m staging it in its now final format, and hopefully will be followed by plenty of opportunities across Europe and beyond.

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

‘Paperswans’ is a visually beautiful, absurd theatre piece that draws its inspiration directly from Vyte Garrigas experience as a woman from a post-soviet country and shows and explores themes of oppression, self-discovery, the price of freedom and more. Absolutely stunning and must-watch in my opinion

Another show to watch will be Skedaddle Theatres’ ‘ A Brief Case of Crazy’ . A hilarious, heartwarming and deeply moving story about one persons quest for romance encounters a boisterous boss, a rather troublesome briefcase. Brilliant physical comedy !

‘Rebels and Patriots’ is another must-watch. It is an Israeli-Palestinian co-creation about the consequences of conscription to the IDF and call to end the bloodshed in the region. Floating Shed talk about their experience as young people in Tel-Aviv and their mandatory conscription into the IDF and the connected toxic masculinity and trauma that came with it. It’s a very very poignant piece that couldn’t be more relevant and needs to be experienced.

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