The Edinburgh Fringe is 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 Martin Murphy about The Ghost of White Hart Lane.
Can you tell me a little about your show and what audiences can expect?
This is the story of John White, the Scotland and spurs star footballer who was tragically struck by lightning and killed aged 27. The Ghost of White Hart Lane follows John White’s son Rob’s journey as he searches for the father he never knew
What drew you to this specific story, and why does it belong at the Edinburgh Fringe?
John White grew up just outside Edinburgh. Despite being one of the most successful footballers of the early 60s, having been part of Spurs ‘63 side who became the first ever British team to win a European trophy, not enough people know about his extraordinary life.
What has been the biggest challenge in bringing this production to life?
The main challenge was how to get everything into an hour long fringe show. John’s son Rob White & Julie Welch, Britain’s first female sports reporter, wrote an amazing book by the same title as the play which covers John & Rob’s lives in real detail. My biggest task was having to choose the key moments that would make it into the play.
How does the design of your show (set, sound, or lighting) impact the presentation of your story?
We wanted to keep set and props to a minimum to allow the story to be the key focus but we have some fantastic AV from Matt Powell which helps paint the picture as we jump through locations and time.
If you could sum up the show in one word or phrase, what would it be and why?
Even the smallest decisions we make in life can have life changing consequences
The Ghost of White Hart Lane runs at Underbelly Bristo Square (Venue 302) from 5th – 31st August. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-ghost-of-white-hart-lane
