“We try to not fret too much on the small hurdles that seem to crop up out of nowhere when you least expect them.”
WHO: Angele Galea
WHAT: “A broken fairy tale for broken people. In a whimsical land of broken toys, Magnus Coffinkey must fix a bell atop an impossibly high spire. Success will make his wish come true. The price of failure is a permanently broken heart. Funny, honest and deeply devastating, The Trials of Magnus Coffinkey is a dark fairy tale where the power of storytelling is used to make sense of great personal trauma. Outstanding Theatre Award at Brighton Fringe, 2024. ‘Sublime. Heart-wrenching. Perfect’ ***** (TheReviewsHub.com).”
WHERE: Red Lecture Theatre at Summerhall (Venue 26)
WHEN: 10:30 (60 min)
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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
Our first time at the Edinburgh Fringe was as wide eyed visitors in 2008, where we enjoyed the feeling of all the artistic energy buzzing around us. That year we were also developing a musical and we were lucky enough to have enough support to bring that show (Porn – the Musical) to the Fringe the following year. The experience was overwhelming and by 2011, Porn – the Musical had won the award for Best New Musical at the Off-West End Theatre Awards. We felt that anything and everything is possible at the Fringe. We are now very excited to be bringing The Trials of Magnus Coffinkey, after winning the Outstanding Theatre Award at the Brighton Fringe. This time around we have a clearer idea of what to expect but since we’ll be going as producers, the experience will be different. Instead of being looked after, we’ll be the ones doing the looking after. Yikes!
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
Life can throw some pretty unexpected curve balls. You need to have sharp reflexes and think calmly, always keeping your eyes on the bigger picture. We try to not fret too much on the small hurdles that seem to crop up out of nowhere when you least expect them. They’re very much like the annoying gargoyles Magnus Coffinkey meets as he is climbing the tower to reach his goal.
Tell us about your show.
I co-wrote it with my husband Malcolm Galea as an homage to our first pregnancy which ended in miscarriage. The piece is presented as a broken fairy tale for broken people and that pretty much sums it up exactly. It’s dark, quirky, and devastating experience that presents hope in all its glorious fragility. We’ve been working together for over 20 years and produce educational children shows under the brand More or Less Theatre, and socially engaged shows under Give or Take Productions. Malcolm is a multi-award-winning playwright while I work in various media, including playwriting, music composition, and costumes, props and set design. The show was first staged in Malta where we’re based in 2023 before having its UK debut at Brighton Fringe in 2024. In 2025 we staged it again in Brighton’s Lantern Theatre to collect more reviews and so far we have no plans for after Edinburgh. In the UK, we’ve only ever presented the touring version of the play and our dream would be to see it staged with a full set and live music.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
We are looking forward to watching Come Back Home by Fadi Murad which is powerful and intimate exploration of grief, identity, and the weight of the past. There is a lot of intersections with themes we are portraying but this show weaves together text, video, and sound to unravel how loss shapes ambition and belonging. We’ll also be sure to catch Callum Patrick Hughes’ Day of the Locust. He’s a wonderful storyteller who incorporates music in his shows and has great charisma.
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