Rachel Jarmy was kind enough to take time to tale about her reasons for heading north of the border.
I've been looking through the Fringe brochure for four weeks now, and I have finally realised that I am almost completely unable to decide what is worth seeing in the Fringe. Can you persuade me that your show has something that I won't get elsewhere?
Every company claims their show is the best that there is. Some offer grand claims about reinventing their genre, breaking new ground, being the next big thing. But some of the best Edinburgh experiences are in the surprises - the understated little gems hidden in a pokey little venue, unused for 11 months of the year. We have a strong script, an excellent cast, and we sought out a venue that would suit the look and feel of the piece. We want to present the material as honestly and as genuinely as we can and THAT is where we hope that we might find our niche, in bringing the audience touching and moving characters and situations that, more than anything, feel real.
Having spent more time in A and E myself than I would like, I think I can understand the potential for drama. But aren't most of the characters who end up there disaster zones? Isn't it all drunks and idiots like me who forgot to get their pills and had a turn?
If that were true I fear we'd all be disasters! The amazing thing about A&E departments is that we are all dangling on the edge of being admitted to Cubicle Four. We could all, at any point, very suddenly be in a similar situation to the characters in this play, be it as a patient or as a family member. In fact, all the characters and scenarios are inspired by real people I’ve come across, and real conversations I’ve overheard. I believe this is why hospital dramas remain so popular - because injury, ill health and death are all very ordinary, and yet have extraordinary effects on all our lives.
The Fringe is full of young companies and, despite myself, I fear for them: what makes you come up from Cambridge to brave this annual lunacy?
We have pushed hard for the show to get here, by developing it over a number of months. We know the risks, and don't have any unrealistic expectations. We want to tell our story, and in turn entertain our audiences (and ourselves) in the biggest arts festival in the world. Performing at the Edinburgh Fringe is a thankless and expensive task - but it is a rite of passage for performers, technicians and creative professionals alike, and it is hugely character forming. The challenges presented by the melting pot that is the Fringe - creative, technical, financial and practical, are unique and extreme - but hugely valuable. Facing them successfully is one of the most effective experiences in theatrical development that there is. Bring it on!
Paradise in The Vault, Preview Aug 4-5 20:05, Aug 6-12,14-19, 21-27 16:15 (£10.00)
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