Desperately Seeking The Exit

The Fringe is a tough place for theatre: not only does it challenge every performance to stand out against an overwhelming backdrop of comedy, music and cabaret, there’s a danger that a performer can find themselves deep in a financial hole by the end of August. The cost of venues, board and food (usually bacon rolls eaten on the hoof) are painful: it is only with the advent of the free fringe that at least some of these dangers are being undermined.

Peter Michael Marino's Desperately Seeking the Exit might have a pessimistic title, but his enthusiasm is contagious. “My show is about a big West End flop. And apparently people like flops, or at least hearing the writer of a flop talk about his flop,” he laughs. “So, I think my show will stand out because of the subject matter, and hopefully because of the solo-show-stand-up-storytelling-hybrid elements, and the collaboration with my director John Clancy who has rocked the festival quite a few times in the past. And the sexy red pants I wear in the show.”

In a month where the stand-up reigns supreme – even those who die on stage add to the overall impression that humour trumps tragedy, at least for August – Marino is mindful of the Fringe’s atmosphere.  “I wrote this from a comedy angle from the start. My intention is to make the audience laugh,” he continues. “It's a real fish-out-of-water story: a Yank in London writing a musical based on an American movie with the music of an American band and the shared language that got in the way. But while comedy is paramount, it's the personal story that folks have responded to the most. If I can make you laugh and think, then I've done the job.”

“The words "Blondie" and "Madonna" certainly catch one's eye, and the word "musical" seems to be a popular one,” he admits, noting that the competition can be intense. “The Fringe itself inspired me when I directed a small cabaret in 2010. I saw so many shows that rocked my world, I wanted to do the same.” There’s an enthusiasm in his work for “the hundreds of solo performers whom I've seen and worked with over the years,” and a genuine love of the Fringe’s atmosphere: when asked why he wants to come back, he simply adds “Besides having an international audience and being surrounded by boundless creativity for a month and being inspired by incredible artists? I would say the food and weather!”

Yet despite the humour, there’s a personal challenge to this production. “ I've told the story of my challenging experience with mounting a huge musical to so many people over dinner or drinks, that I thought telling it all in one hour on a small stage would be an easier way to share the tale without the calories, tip and hangover,”  he concludes. “Although, I think that will still be an issue after a month of performing the show. Bring it, Scotland! This Yank is coming.”

Laughing Horse @ Ed City Football Club

2 – 29 August 2012

18.00 (1 hour)

Free