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, I chat to Hebe Bartlett about their new show Nuns!.
Can you tell me a little about your show and what audiences can expect?
So our show is a medieval fantasy comedy, told through theatre, dance, circus, improv, and with a little bit of magic thrown in for good measure. It’s a fast-paced comedy about Sister Gertrude, a medieval nun who believes she is going to hell for having sexual desires. When word of witch-burnings reaches her secluded convent, she sets out to rid the world (and herself) of devilry and naughty lustfulness. But when she is joined in her quest across Bavaria by mysterious witch-hunter Yarrow, their friendship may make her question what she thought she knew to be true.
Expect yearning, burning, and concerning…ly good theatre.
What drew you to this specific story, and why does it belong at the Edinburgh Fringe?
So we started with an idea – rather than a story – in mind, and we devised collaboratively so the story has emerged naturally throughout the process. It sort of feels like chipping away at an egg. Our main character was originally the comedy sidekick, and then we realised that her arc was way more interesting, and her obvious flaws meant that she had somewhere to go. Nuns! belongs at the Fringe because it’s a show for people who love theatre and love comedy. I think our show celebrates theatre, and its potential to create a fully-developed imaginary world on a tiny budget.
What has been the biggest challenge in bringing this production to life?
I mean it’s our first show as a company, so everything is new to us. Also, our director decided that my character should do magic, and I can’t say too much, but props to the magicians – they really have magic in their bones.
How does the design of your show (set, sound, or lighting) impact the presentation of your story?
The design of the show sits at the core of our process, and is fully integrated within the creative process. This is because our company member Lili is also a designer within her own right, and has created everything you will see on stage, along with her mum Sue, and Hannah (our other company member). The look of our show is tactile, home-made, and purely original. The world we’ve written is brought to life through Lili’s beautiful artwork. Come and see it – it’ll be worth it.
If you could sum up the show in one word or phrase, what would it be and why?
Lord of the Rings but women are allowed to talk to each other and also there are nuns.
Nuns! runs at Studio Five at Assembly George Square Studios (Venue 17) from August 5th – 31st. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/nuns
