The Edinburgh Fringe is almost upon us and to get prepared for another Scottish summer Read About Stuff is running a ‘Five From The Fringe’ interview series, where creative teams answer five questions about their upcoming Festival shows.
In this interview, Lucy Bosivert discusses Infinite Monkey Theater Co’s Oops! We Lost A Nuke
Can you tell me a little about your show and what audiences can expect?
Oops! We Lost a Nuke is a retro, queer cacophony. This comedic play, set in the 1950s, features four characters performed—sometimes simultaneously—by two actors. When an unassuming pacifist abuses his position within the U.S. government to hide a nuclear warhead, it becomes clear that his affair with his secretary and his wife’s affair with a visiting nuclear physicist are the least of their worries. Audiences can expect chaos, quick costume changes, puppets, props, and gender-bending.
What drew you to this specific story, and why does it belong at the Edinburgh Fringe?
We drew inspiration from the limited cast and intimate feel of many of the fantastic Fringe shows we saw last year. We’ve wanted to write a story centered on gender and queerness for a little while and the technicolor visual style of the 1950s, coupled with its restrictive gender norms, made building queer characters particularly interesting.
What has been the biggest challenge in bringing this production to life?
The biggest challenge has been balancing our ambitious creative style with the portability and quick setup/takedown that Fringe necessitates. All of our props have been built to fold up into a suitcase and there were definitely some bumps along the road when we were fabricating them.
How does the design of your show (set, sound, or lighting) impact the presentation of your story?
In our final scene, both actors are split down the middle, each playing two characters simultaneously. Designing those split costumes, along with figuring out the staging and costume changes, was a significant part of shaping the show’s voice. We aimed for something with a lot of moving parts and, let me tell you, that is what we got.
If you could sum up the show in one word or phrase, what would it be and why?
Exhausting (non-derogatory).
Oops! We Lost A Nuke runs at Just The Snifter Room at Just The Tonic at The Mash House (Venue 288) from August 20th – 30th. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/oops-we-lost-a-nuke
