Buzz: A New Dramaturgy: Fat Rascal @ Edfringe 2017

Fat Rascal Theatre presents 

Buzz: A New Musical

Winner of The Eddies Award 2016 and the Balkan/Otherplace Award 2017

Back by popular demand, Buzz is a hilarious musical journey through the history of the vibrator and a brutally honest story of a singleton’s quest to fall back in love with herself. Think Bridget Jones meets The Book of Mormon… Sex Ed just got a revamp.

Performance Details

Venue: Pleasance Two @ Pleasance Courtyard (V33)

Dates: 2nd - 28th August (not 14th)

Time: 15:30 (60 minutes)

Ticket Prices: £6.50 previews, £7.50 - £10 concessions, £8.50 - £11 full price

Buzz is a feminist production proudly celebrating women’s independence and sexuality. This is not your average musical. With a cast of 7, Fat Rascal Theatre transports the audience from the cave women of the Stone Age to Victorian London’s Hysteria Pandemic, from Cleopatra’s Egypt to the Land Girls of World War II. Buzz is a fun approach to feminism, a comedy with a message aiming to liberate young women and open up conversation about taboo subjects. 

What was the inspiration for this performance?

I began researching the history of the vibrator during my second year of drama school (I know, what a wild social life). I’ve always found sex through the ages absolutely fascinating but after I started digging into specifically female sexuality and masturbation I opened a whole can of worms.
To me the history of the vibrator represents the progress of female sexuality through the ages and across the globe in its fascinating, funny and strangely poignant glory. 

Is performance still a good space for the public discussion of ideas? 

Absolutely. Live theatre is still the most dynamic, thought provoking and inspiring form of communication. For us it creates a fun, safe and communal space to laugh at embarrassing human experiences, challenge the taboo and empower our audience. 

How did you become interested in making performance? 

I took part in my first Youth Music Theatre project when I was 12. I went to Edinburgh for the Summer and we devised a musical in 2 weeks (Force 9 and a half) which was then performed at the Fringe. The show was directed by Peepolykus’ wonderful John Nicholson, assisted by the now incredibly successful Luke Sheppard. 

I found their method of working so inspiring it really guided me to where I wanted to fit within the industry. I formed a theatre company in Yorkshire at 15 and started producing my own shows, then at 18 I was accepted onto East 15’s Acting and Contemporary Theatre course; The focus of which is on creating your own work. 

Is there any particular approach to the making of the show?

We work very much as a team guided by myself, the writer of the show and Cat, our fantastic director. We all get on incredibly well so it’s really easy to find new laughs, we feel very safe to try new ideas around each other and this is where we find some of our best material. 

Does the show fit with your usual productions?

Absolutely. Despite working on other shows 'Buzz' was our company debut and has set a tone for the work we want to create. 

Theatre which is fun, entertaining, rude and silly but with a real message and purpose at its heart. 

What do you hope that the audience will experience?

You might just have a jolly good laugh or we might open your mind to something new. You might start a conversation about sexuality, find a renewed self love... You might go and change the world. 

Or you might just think 'Gosh, Beyonce's good isn't she?', go home and hoover to 'Crazy in Love' whilst in the nude. Whatever happens we hope you leave with a smile on your face and a metaphorical minge twinge. 

What strategies did you consider towards shaping this audience experience?

We created something that we find funny and that we ourselves can relate to. We used words that we all understand. We tried to find a way to represent everybody that might come to see this show in some way or another. 

We want to make theatre which is thought provoking and challenging but that appeals to everybody, especially those who would usually be put off by political or feminist theatre, and allow them to feel welcome and enjoy themselves!

After a year of performances at venues including York Theatre Royal, Sheffield’s Theatre Delicatessen and Brighton Fringe, Fat Rascal Theatre are thrilled to bring Buzz back to Edinburgh before it heads to The Lowry, Salford.

Fat Rascal Theatre is an award-winning theatre company, and currently part of the New Diorama Graduate Emerging Companies scheme. They are young, bold and cheeky, exploring taboo subjects with a cup of Yorkshire Tea in hand. They discuss social and political issues through an accessible and appealing format to engage a wider audience. 

They want to create incredibly entertaining, dynamic and gripping theatre which people are going to want to see for fun, and want them to leave having had a great time but also feeling ready to take on the world. They believe that theatre should always aim to inspire, educate or liberate and should be available to everybody.