Quick Q&A: Sandcastles

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Where and when: Assembly Rooms, 4th-27th August, 12.50-1.50pm

What it’s all about… Sandcastles by Steve McMahon moves back and forth in time and memory to depict the tumultuous lifelong friendship of millennials Hannah and Beth. Beth is moving to New York. Hannah should be happy for her. When Beth goes missing Hannah can’t reconcile how she reacted with the fact that Beth might be gone. Sandcastles is an exploration of grief, millennial angst, friendship and growing up; a bold piece of storytelling that will stay with you for a long time. Assembly ART Award (2022) winning piece from fringe favourites Brite Theater (Deliverance, (Can This Be) Home, Richard III (a one-person show)).

You’ll like it if… You like bold new writing with a focus on female characters.

You should see it because… We won the Assembly Festival ART Award 2022 for this show.

Where to follow:
Twitter: @stevemcmahon13, @BriteTheater
Instagram: @britetheater
Facebook: @britetheater

Ticket link: https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/sandcastles

Quick Q&A: Rapsody

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Where and when: Pleasance Courtyard (Above) at 17:20, 3rd-29th August

What it’s all about… Join Elz, Jams, Toni and latest arrival Jaime, as they confront the realities of our modern-day class system through live rap, trap and drill. Living in a hostel and battling impossible odds from the beginning, their worlds are upended by the arrival of a newcomer from a privileged background, with deeply held religious beliefs. As the dynamics of the hostel shift, all four struggle to get by, rapping the things they can’t bring themselves to say.

You’ll like it if… The idea with Rapsody is to bring in a different audience than the typical theatre goers. Although I’m sure they’ll be all there anyways, hopefully we can educate them about a class of people that are heavily underrepresented in the theatre scene and they can appreciate what a group of working class young artists can do. But we really want to break some new ground with this project, Rapsody speaks the same language as the ignored children of the UK. I believe it’ll resonate with working class kids like myself, hopefully when they see us spitting bars and speaking like we speak, we can lead by example and give disadvantaged kids the permission to feel part of the conversation in the arts. And to show them it’s not just completely dominated by the middle classes.

You should see it because… Everybody should come and see Rapsody. People should be taking notes about the day-to-day living of the poorest young people in this country, this play will be eye-opening for everybody who gets a ticket. I can’t say how audiences are going to feel but we want them to take away the lives of the four characters in the play and make what they want of that. As long as we do our job as actors, writers and directors. It’s up to them what they choose to take away.

Anything else we should know…: I’d just like to say that we’ve spent the best part of two years developing the writing of this project. It all comes from a place of hunger and authenticity, it’s not another poverty project written by a middle-class man who wants to fetishise the working classes. Corey Weekes and I are from very similar backgrounds as the characters depicted in the show. We know this world inside out and I’m personally sick of seeing stereotypes depicted in theatre so hopefully, Rapsody can help change that narrative.

Where to follow:
Twitter: @RapsodyThePlay, @thepleasance
Instagram: @Rapsodytheplay, @thepleasance
Facebook: @thepleasance

Ticket link: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/rapsody#overview

Quick Q&A: Oedipus Electronica

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Where and when: Pleasance Courtyard (Forth) at 15:30, 3rd-26th August

What it’s all about… Oedipus Electronica is about the loss of a child, and the transformation that can occur through creativity. The myth is told through Jocasta’s eyes. Jocasta is a writer struggling to process the news that she will never be a mother. She exorcises her demons through writing a savage, contemporary adaptation of the Oedipus myth.

You’ll like it if… you want to see a SHOW. It’s a full-on, powerhouse production for audiences who want to be shaken to the core and taken on a rollercoaster ride through ecstasy and devastation. Black audiences who want to see themselves represented, female audiences who want to see their wants and desires expressed unapologetically. Audiences who will relish seeing sex, drugs and live Electronica on stage.

You should see it because… Anyone who knows what it is to struggle (i.e. to be human) and likes their theatre strong.

Anything else we should know…: The audience will take away the redemptive power of creativity. The show is full of triggers, flashing lights, smoke and swearing. You’ve been warned!

Where to follow:
Twitter: @pecho_mama
Instagram: @pecho_mama
Facebook: @pechomama

Ticket link: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/oedipus-electronica#overview

Quick Q&A: No Place Like Home

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Where and when: Pleasance Dome (10Dome) at 14:55, 3rd-28th August

What it’s all about… No Place Like Home is an award-winning solo show about gay club culture and the places we can call home. Mixing spoken word poetry, dance, music and video art, the show focuses on a fateful encounter between two men on a night out in gay bar, exploring the difficulty of trying to find home in a place many use for escape. Though tragic, the show is full of love, joy and sharp, witty humour that will challenge your perspectives on queer space you might not even know you had.

You’ll like it if… you like Whitney Houston, The Wizard of Oz and stories with big queer feels – this award-winning solo show is for you! It’s a brilliant night out, with all the feels that’ll make you laugh, cry and want to dance with somebody who loves you.

You should see it because… We want people, queer or otherwise, to leave with the knowledge that if you can embrace every part of you, even the parts you think are unacceptable, you’ll always be at home, wherever you are.

Anything else we should know…: The show was the Winner of the Les Enfants Terribles Award 2022 – where we were praised for the unique mix of four disciplines, spoken word poetry, original music, dance and video art. This extraordinary fusion is the creation of Alex Roberts, Cameron Carver, Jac Cooper and Virgnie Taylor, with Lighting Design from Amy Daniels. The design contains hundreds of sound, music and light cues that combine together to beautifully capture the cathartic experience of a night out in a gay bar in the city.

Where to follow:
Twitter: @alexrobertsco
Instagram: @alexrobertsco

Ticket link: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/no-place-home#overview

Quick Q&A: Today I Killed My Very First Bird

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Where and when: Pleasance Courtyard (Beside) at 14:10, 3rd-29th August

What it’s all about… Today I Killed My Very First Bird is a semi biographical, poetical rendition about growing up in South East London. It started off as a poem written at a bus stop, and has been developed by piecing together a series of poems to create this epic story which follows a gangster for the last 24 hours of his life. It explores childhood trauma and the environment in which that child grew up in, taking away his innocence only to create a beast. It’s fast paced with no holds barred and says it exactly as it is.

You’ll like it if… I would imagine it would appeal to people from all walks of life however, I would definitely recommend being 16 years old or over.

You should see it because… Everyone should come and see the show. It’s an insight into the gritty criminal underworld of South East London. I would like audiences to take away a piece of my soul and a greater understanding of how trauma affects everyone especially children.

Anything else we should know…: I think it’s important that people who are not necessarily from theatrical backgrounds are heard. This story comes from lived experiences and opens up the debate on a number of issues that plague our society such as childhood trauma, addiction and crime. The play hopefully gives an insight into the root causes of these problems.

Where to follow:
Twitter: @voodoo_monkeys, @TRPlymouth,
#TodayIKilled

Ticket link: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/today-i-killed-my-very-first-bird#overview