Article by Index Digital Team | 12th May 2023

Kent Artists Heading To Edinburgh Fringe

From autobiographical and timely issue-based theatre to contemporary circus, madcap physical theatre productions and light-hearted comedy, there is something for everyone at Edinburgh Fringe. And there are some fantastic shows going there this summer created by artists right here in Kent. If you're thinking off taking a trip to the festival, don't miss these performances...

The Great Ruckus

Acclaimed writer Izzy Tennyson returns to Edinburgh Fringe with a wickedly dark play about the absurdity of rigid Western ideas of grief and class. Inspired by her own mother’s funeral when she was a young adult, The Great Ruckus brings to life how death strums dangerously when families gather and selfish notions come to the surface.

Pleasance Courtyard (Baby Grand), 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH8 9TJ
2nd–28th August (not 14th), 2pm

Inspired by her own mother’s funeral when she was a young adult, Izzy Tennyson (Grotty, Bunker Theatre; Brute, Edinburgh Fringe, Soho Theatre) returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with a wickedly dark play about the absurdity of rigid Western ideas of grief and class. The Great Ruckus, produced by Etch Theatre, brings to life how death strums dangerously at family and class relations. Two sisters are navigating their way through their mother’s funeral, dutifully marching to Death’s drumbeat, when the warm embrace of family turns into a seething snake-pit of self-absorbed relatives.

As grandparents argue over whether the funeral reception will be a celebration of Marks and Spencer catering packs or a piece of Gothic tragedy, the sisters succumb to their own bad behaviour. Everyone seems to think this funeral is about them. In this razor-sharp observational piece, Jo and Ida’s delicate relationship cracks under the pressure of the family coming to mourn. Events like weddings and funerals force together people withdifferent temperaments, motives, and backgrounds. In the same family, some might be going up in the world, others going down or side-ways; some resentful of upward mobility, and others embarrassed by their relatives.

From the writer of award-winning Brute and critically acclaimed Grotty, The Great Ruckus gives a modern twist on the social satire and dynastic dynamics of Thackeray and Dickens. Izzy Tennyson comments: “This show has pushed me to a whole new creative challenge: it will be accompanied by a projection of original artwork of characters and scenes drawn by myself, in a savagely satirical style inspired by Ralph Steadman and Ronald Searle. Death and grief are serious subjects but life doesn’t stop being funny when people die, any more than it stops being serious when you laugh. The Great Ruckus embraces that.”

Public – The Musical

Conceived by West Kent-born creatives – and old friends – Kyla Stroud, Natalie Stroud and Olivia Zacharia, Public – The Musical, is a new pop-rock production exploring identity, connection and compassion, set to an electrifying new score. This witty and sensitive new musical follows four unlikely strangers trapped in a gender-neutral public toilet forced to navigate unexpected challenges, pungent opinions and some seriously sticky conversations.

Pleasance Courtyard (Pleasance Two), 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH8 9TJ
2nd-28th August (not 9th, 21st), 6.30pm

Plunge into the pop-rock world of Public –The Musical, exploring identity, connection and compassion, all set to an electrifying new score. Winner of the Pleasance’s Charlie Hartill Fund and VAULT Origins Award, this witty and sensitive new musical is created by queer-led theatre collective Stroud and Notes. Four unlikely strangers find themselves trapped together in a gender-neutral public toilet. With an hour to kill until maintenance arrives, the group must stop themselves from going around the U-bend while navigating unexpected challenges, pungent opinions and some seriously sticky conversations.

Told in real time, it’s a bathroom break they will never forget! Through catchy bops and heartfelt ballads, Public –The Musical runs the gamut of contemporary concerns. It candidly explores gender identity, the clogged world of toxic masculinity, allyship, the climate crisis, social media and more as these four strangers have their patience pushed to the limit.

Stroud and Notes is an original musical company conceived by queer singer-songwriter, Kyla Stroud (Winner of London’s Busk In London Competition), who dreams of building a network of kind, talented and diverse people to create meaningful work and great music. The team currently includes Hannah Sands (Associate director: Bloody Elle – a gig musical, Whatsonstage nominee), Natalie Stroud (Choreographer: That Was Then This Is Now TV) and Olivia Zacharia (Resident Musical Director at Crazy Coqs). Kyla Stroud comments: “The fact we’re debuting this show at Edinburgh Fringe, less than a year after coming up with the initial idea, is a testament to the incredible hard work from team Stroud and Notes and the belief we all have in this piece of work. The conversations in this show are relevant and important in the world right now, and what better way to get them out there than through a musical!”

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Bowjangles: Dracula in Space

Member of the astounding string quartet company Bowjangles, Ezme Gaze is one of four virtuosic performers taking epic horror and sci-fi caper and original musical comedy Dracula in Space to Fringe. Forget everything you think you know about string quartets. Bowjangles are irreverent genre-spanners that combine music, theatre and comedy in a truly unique way, this time asking the all-important question; would you sell your soul in order to sell your art?

Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose (Doonstairs), 3 Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1HT
2nd–27th-August, 4.30pm

An epic horror and sci-fi caper, string quartet Bowjangles present their original musical comedy Dracula in Space. This anarchic examination of creativity versus capitalism asks the all-important question: would you sell your soul in order to sell your art? Forget everything you think you know about string quartets: the Bowjangles company are irreverent genre-spanners that bring music, theatre and comedy together in a truly unique way.

In this explosive production, the award-winning foursome are blasting into outer space to meet a mysterious bloodsucking benefactor, whose proposition seems a little too good to be true. Dracula in Space is a love letter to classic horror films and their iconic scores, but at its heart, is camaraderie. This affectionate and hilarious production explores artistic ambition within the constraints of group dynamics. This deals with the roots of conflict and how we are affected by elitism, misogyny and class disparity, alongside navigating friendships and professional relationships – while trying to pay the bills. Ezme Gaze comments: “Bowjangles started in 2008 as a busking group, then our movements got a bit more choreographed, and over the years we also started singing and acting. Wenever set out to be funny, but we do seem to make people laugh. We’re marking our anniversary with an out-of-this-world production which brings to life an intergalactic horror. [Bowjanglesuses] choreography, song, comedy and a healthy dollop of self-awareness that completely alters your idea of what a string quartet can be... It’s a completely original format for a show that never drags. The cast have an abundance of charisma and chemistry with each other that makes an hour in their company a delight.”