Articles about Playback Theatre by Company members...



'Show Me the Way to Venue 11' - the Company's experience of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2005


by Tig Land


This was our second time performing at the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival. We had been invited to perform for a week in an intimate Edwardian ballroom, seating 32 people. Ideal for Playback and all it can offer!

The streets seemed strangely quiet when we arrived. It was the first week of the festival and people were tentative in their selection of what to go and see as most shows had yet to be reviewed. As always, the most daunting task is to get out on the streets and draw attention to yourselves. And how to do that? Well, take one Renault 5 van with an open top called 'Thomas', a well-known tune, a few silly stunts and six eager playbackers clutching handful's of fliers and you have the ideal recipe for having some fun on the streets.

And this we did. Like the day one of us walked the length of the Royal Mile and waited for a bus complete in wet suit, flippers and home-made snorkel. Or the time when we kidnapped a company member who 'appeared' to be innocently sitting amongst people in a busy café. Best of all, the entire company hanging out of 'Thomas' singing:

"Show me the way to Venue 11, There's a show at half past seven…"

to the tune of the infamous Tony Christie song "Amarillo," recently re-invented by Peter Kay - and now of course, by us.

Although every night the audiences were relative strangers to begin with, each evening bore its own delicious fruits. Proud parents told stories of anxiety and then celebration over the Scottish Higher exam results. Their children basked in their glow and told of their future plans. Honey-mooners from Europe told their epic adventure of getting hopelessly lost and then rescued in the Lake District. Inspired by this, a woman told a story that had been a life long dream of hers. She had married but regretfully, not in a church and her friend took her into a bride shop thirty years later pretending she was about to do just that. Five wedding dresses later and an ambition fulfilled.

Another evening we had an audience full of families and so young people told stories of camping sleepovers, of trips to fudge factories and of a pet rat lost in the park at night because a mother thought it needed some exercise. The theme of travel emerged during one performance and a shy coach driver told a story of how he had deliberately taken a wide diversion in order to fool his group of pensioners on a mystery tour to Whitby. Another highlight that same night was a woman's story of how she had lost her favourite white pillow, lovingly taken onto the plane and lost in transit between flights to the UK. The players in 'Three Voices' beautifully captured the relationship.

Although some may argue that deeper and more meaningful stories may not occur during public performances, we did experience this. There were stories told which clearly moved the audience and allowed me as the Conductor to explore what it raised with them further. One such moment was a man who earlier that day had experienced a play about Internet chat rooms, which left him feeling very uncomfortable. Probably the most significant moment of the week for me was the story told by a woman who had picked up a couple hitch hiking. When the lift was over, she witnessed one of them stepping straight into the path of an on-coming vehicle. It was seven days before the police informed her that the young man was still alive. Her concern and shock was played back poignantly and skilfully, leaving the audience thoughtful and reflective.

We had ordinary stories that became extraordinary and more amusing because of the re-enactment. Like the man who told of his summer job in the theatre and in order to keep his mind occupied, developed a love affair with the fire escape in the process! Or the dustman whose late night antics and early morning starts became a musical number!

Some of the more surreal moments came from innocent stories such as a trip to the Edinburgh Dungeons by a woman visiting the city for the first time who had been pretty scared by the whole experience. Another of a stop in a rather spooky Cornwall teashop where a big black hair was discovered baked into a scone.

The week flew by all too fast. We picked up two great reviews. 'The Stage' described us as "admirably fearless" and "thought provoking," 'The Edinburgh Guide' said we were "novel, highly original and entertaining" theatre. By the end of the run we were playing to full houses, people were being turned away and the reviews had not yet gone to press.

There was much laughter, organised chaos, Blue Peter type creativity and plain old fashioned fun had by the company together. The whole experience once again showed the commitment by each and every member of Random Acts to the contribution we bring to the world of theatre. My thanks go to Cherie, Helen, Jules, Kirsty, Rachel and Richard for their tireless energy, enthusiasm and love for the work we create together. There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind, that we won over a few more hearts to what Playback theatre can offer people.

However, perhaps my lasting memory of the Edinburgh Festival 2005 will be the faces of the people as we drove through the streets singing and wooing the crowds in 'Thomas.' The smiles we brought to people's faces made all the anticipated dread of braving the streets worth while. I for one can not hear the tune of 'Amarillo' now without automatically changing the words. All I can say is, here's to next year and you had better watch out Peter Kaye, Random Acts maybe closer than you think!

© Tig Land. August 2005