PRODUCING TEAM BEHIND HIT SHOW JURASSIC PARK BRINGS THREE SHOWS TO THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE THIS SUMMER
SUPERBOLT THEATRE RETURNS TO EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL IN 2017 FOR THE FOURTH TIME, FOLLOWING SELL-OUT RUN IN 2015, WITH AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTIONS THE JURASSIC PARKS AND MARS ACTUALLY
THEY WILL BE JOINED BY KANE POWER THEATRE, MAKING AN EDINBURGH FESTIVAL DEBUT. MENTAL WILL ALSO PLAY AT ASSEMBLY ROXY FROM 2 - 27 AUGUST
Following the success of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2015, Superbolt Theatre returns this summer with two shows:
The Jurassic Parks is an updated version of the sell-out, multi award-winning, laugh-out-loud spin on Spielberg’s classic. Welcome to the unlikely setting of Lyme Regis Community Centre, where the Park Family – Terry, Jade and Noah – embark on a journey to a misty past. Where, when things go wrong, family feuds are faced with the rapturous roar of DIY dinosaurs. A theatrical celebration of cinematic nostalgia and a moving reminder of the ones we love.
Mars Actually is Superbolt’s brand new show, fresh from sell-out previews and winning the Origins Award for Outstanding New Show at VAULT Festival 2017. By the light of the Sun, By the gaze of the moons, We stand together. As red planet dwellers, Wiser for the errors, Of our Earthly ancestors. With truth, love and care, We breathe without air. Chuck, Gracey and Conway are here on Earth to tell you about life on Mars, Actually.
What was the inspiration for this performance?
After touring Jurassic Park intensely for two years, the time had come to create a show that was more politically charged. Looking at particular people’s insatiable desire to conquer and colonialize, Mars was a natural theme.
Elon Musk and The Mars Project have been big influences in that respect.
Drawing on personal experiences of otherness (hailing from Ecuador, Norway and Switzerland), we wanted to tell a story of (legal) aliens, to comment on the various responses to the needs of migrants and refugees, globalisation versus xenophobia and Brexit. All in good Superbolt style – with our trademark cringe comedy, heart-warming stories and immersive characters.
Is performance still a good space for the public discussion of ideas?
Absolutely - possibly more so now than ever! As we bow our heads into our hands, to gaze at devices that tell us what’s going on in the world, live performance has an impact on audiences that should not be underestimated or taken for granted.
How did you become interested in making performance?
We all found an interest in theatre making at an early age, inspired by inventive theatre companies, innovative artists, but also a personal desire to challenge ourselves as human beings, and we find telling stories on stage is an ever-challenging, ever-changing experience.
Is there any particular approach to the making of the show?
We always strive to let our form emerge from the content. Our shows come from research and investigation into different themes – we don’t create theatre “out of thin air” as is common in devised theatre.
Then we bring our knowledge and reflections into the rehearsal room, and a translation process takes place, where we interpret the words and thoughts from our research into a theatrical language – both physically, musically and in writing.
Does the show fit with your usual productions?
Yes, in many ways it does. We have found “our style” and have learnt to play on our strengths, yet we always seek to push boundaries and experiment where we feel the story needs it.
Jurassic Park is a story of a family that deals with the loss of their mother by going on a journey into her favourite film. Mars Actually is about Martians who deal with their background by putting themselves out there, telling their story to the audience. Our shows are performed by our characters, who make themselves vulnerable to the audience, which hits a nerve in both tragic and comical ways.
What do you hope that the audience will experience?
In Mars Actually there is room to consider how women in our society are left without a choice in so many walks of life. We hope that the story of our Martian civilization, modeled on aspects of Earth, will reflect structural oppressions that happen here. We’re simultaneously aiming to give people relatable stories and endearing characters that ensure that the audience are having a joyful time.
What strategies did you consider towards shaping this audience experience?
We considered many strategies as we want to make sure we choose the right structure and language to best tell our stories. Finding a balance between the known and the unknown seems to be a way that works for us.
Some anchors in what we know we do well allow us to take risks in other parts of the show. It’s nerve wracking, but all the more rewarding when something new and unexpected works a treat.
It is also important to us to listen carefully to the wisdom of the audience – the applause, the deafening silence and all the laughter speak volumes about what we’re doing right, and what we can improve.
Superbolt Theatre’s Artistic Directors and Performers are Maria Askew, Frode Gjerløw and Simon Maeder. Their work tours internationally, with Dinosaur Park recently playing at Adelaide and Melbourne Festivals, followed by an extensive UK tour. Past productions include Centralia, Piatto Finale and The Uncanny Valley.
THE JURASSIC PARKS
Venue: Assembly Roxy, Upstairs, 2 Roxburgh Place, EH8 9SU (Venue 139)
Time: 19:00
Running Time: 65mins
Running Time: 65mins
Age Guidance: PG
Dates: 2 – 27 August, playing in rep with Mars Actually. Preview 2 August.
Tickets: Preview £8; 4, 6, 10, 15, 17 & 23 August £10 (£9); 8, 12, 19, 25 & 27 August £12 (£11).
MARS ACTUALLY
Venue: Assembly Roxy, Upstairs, 2 Roxburgh Place, EH8 9SU (Venue 139)
Time: 19:00
Running Time: 65mins
Running Time: 65mins
Age Guidance: PG
Dates: 3 – 26 August, playing in rep with The Jurassic Parks. Preview 3 August.
Tickets: Preview £8; 5, 9, 16, 22 & 24 August £10 (£9); 7, 11, 13, 18, 20 & 26 August £12 (£11).
Bookings: www.assemblyfestival.com
The Jurassic Parks is created and performed by Maria Askew, Frode Gjerløw and Simon Maeder. Associate Director and Dramaturg - Tid, Lighting Design and Stage Management - Ina Berggren. It is produced in Edinburgh by Hannah Osborne.
Mars Actually is created and performed by Maria Askew, Frode Gjerløw and Simon Maeder. Associate Director and Dramaturg - Tid, Lighting Design and Stage Management - Ina Berggren. It is produced in Edinburgh by Hannah Osborne.
Superbolt is an award winning international theatre ensemble founded at the Jacques Lecoq Theatre School in Paris, with its members hailing from Norway, Switzerland, Britain and Ecuador. Their work tours internationally, playing to people of all ages and backgrounds. They devise all of their work collaboratively using diverse theatrical styles to create popular stories with humour and heart.
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