Edinburgh Previews – what to watch out for
Published July 12, 2024
To mark the upcoming Edinburgh Fringe, our Performance Programmer Katy discusses some of the fantastic previews we have had the pleasure of hosting, and are still to come, at Exeter Phoenix.
Edinburgh Fringe buzz has well and truly begun with over 3000 productions announced to take place in the city this summer.
Local performers and theatre makers have been busy rehearsing and presenting previews of their work here in Exeter, and we are delighted to present a round up of this brilliant work. If you know anybody heading up to the Fringe, we recommend you point them in the direction of the following shows.
Back in May, Spot on the Ceiling Productions performed Dexter Harding’s new play SOS BRN to two packed out audiences. Based on a true story, Dexter’s play is both comical and deeply moving as it follows the story of Brian who is coming to terms with the loss of his best friend.
The actors are soon-to-be graduates from the University of Exeter and their sparky performances brought Dexter’s well-drawn characters to life with great consideration and bundles of charm. This emerging theatre company are definitely one to watch.
Fruitful Productions are another Exeter-based theatre company composed of budding queer writers and performers. The company recently took part in our Scratch Night and they are now taking their new show Cherry to the Fringe, which focuses on young queer experiences and asexuality in particular.
We are excited to see this largely underrepresented community taking centre stage and giving a voice to young people who are currently navigating their way into adulthood while trying to find their true self.
Directed by South West talent, Selwin Hulme-Teage, Squidge is a brilliant but devastating one-woman show written and performed by Tiggy Bayley about those left behind by our education system and the politics of love and hope. It is an ultimately empowering story that follows Daisy’s journey from feeling utterly helpless to taking back control of her destiny through an unlikely friendship.
The play shines a light on how children from minority and disadvantaged backgrounds are overlooked and ignored, and how acts of kindness can transform your life.
On Monday 15th July, we are presenting a work-in-progress preview of Lucy Bell’s darkly comical new play Scaffolding. This will be her award-winning company Documental’s debut at Edinburgh Fringe after being picked up and supported by Bristol Old Vic and the Pleasance Theatre Trust.
Another woman-centred story, inspired by Lucy’s own experiences as a mother of a non-verbal teen, Scaffolding introduces us to Sheridan as she asks all the big life questions and prepares to take on the care system.
The company’s small but mighty creative team consists of women from a range of different backgrounds and life experiences, and together they seek to explore the deep-seated beliefs people turn to when the s**t hits the fan, by creating a play that profoundly connects with all kinds of people, whatever is happening in their lives.
Read about Lucy’s writing process here.
Documental on Instagram
Last but not least, Channel 4 new writer Ella Evans will preview her outrageous queer comedy show Femme Fatigue at Exeter Phoenix on Tuesday 6th August.
If Frankie Boyle was feeling very tired, existential and female and grew up in a middle-class house in Devon, this is probably the show he would make. Femme Fatigue is a solo comedy show about fatigue, queer rural life, eccentric family dynamics and a journey towards love and self-acceptance.
With widespread tiredness and long covid affecting many people today, Ella hopes that this show will draw attention to the condition and the devastating impact chronic fatigue can have on a sense of self and identity, as well as revealing the positive impact and blessings that having fatigue has brought.
We are proud to see local creatives taking on big issues from mental health to LGBTQ+ experiences, and platforming stories from communities such as learning disability families who are still not very integrated or visible in mainstream society. Each story is unique and informed by the communities they represent, with the creators taking inspiration from their own lived experience. They promise laughs, possibly tears, but ultimately leave us with a message of hope for the future and how humanity can prevail in our darkest moments.
Please do show them your support if you can, whether that’s spreading the word and sharing their show on social media, donating to their Crowdfunder, or attending a performance.