Issue #17 - Monday 23rd August - FREE

MORE INSIDE...Nat Luurtsema InterviewBoom Jennies provide a political manifesto

»»

THE TERRIBLE INFANTS

Since its inception in 2007, The Terrible Infants has become a classic. First performed in Pleasance Two, the award-winning show has travelled both nationally and internationally. For this week only it returns for a run in Pleasance’s largest venue, the Grand.

“The show has evolved dramatically since we started, but we’re definitely looking forward to coming back” says co-creator and designer Sam Wyer. “There have been lots of reworkings, we’ve developed the costumes, the cast has evolved, there are new instruments and even new stories. The most significant change was the introduction of the character of Beatrice, the girl with a beehive on her head.”

This fantastic spectacle blends puppetry, live music, performance, story telling and physicality into a highly sensory theatrical feast suitable for big kids and small grown-ups. It positions itself somewhere between a dream and a nightmare; “there’s a splashing of both” says Sam.

Sam Wyer wrote the show with Les Enfants Terribles founder Oliver Lansley. “Oliver was up in Edinburgh

with Bedtime Stories. He wanted to redesign the Les Enfants Terribles company website to include some pictures of terrible infants, so I did a few sketches. He was so excited by them that he suggested we start writing stories together. Since we both had a healthy upbringing of sinister children’s stories we were able to crack on with sharing ideas, generating possible stories and discussing what characters might get up to. Oliver would write stories and I would illustrate them as we went.”

Oliver is also thrilled to be back at the Pleasance. “It’s our biggest show to date, and it’s fantastic to be in the Grand for the final week of the Fringe.”

The Terrible Infants has performed all around the UK and internationally in a whole range of venues. “One of our most exciting runs was in Poland”, tells Sam, “where we performed in a converted swimming pool to large audiences of 5 year old Polish children. That run changed the show dramatically. We moved the focus away from language, which is such a large part of the show, and increased the physical aspects of the show. It became more clown-like, more rhythmic. That was

an exciting moment for the production.”

The Terrible Infants has become instantly recognisable for its style, puppets and costumes. Sam Wyer designs the costumes, puppets and graphics. “There was originally a stock of materials I liked to use, natural materials where possible and lots of Hessian. Mostly, that’s remained the same, but my treasure chest of styles has expanded since then. For the first show, I have a debt to my parents who helped loads, my Mum with her sewing machine and my Dad in the workshop.”

Les Enfants Terribles also bring Ernest and the Pale Moon back for two dates at the Pleasance this week. Make sure that you catch both of these incredible shows while you can.

The Terrible InfantsPleasance Courtyard

23-30 Aug 14:00 /Ernest and the Pale Moon

Pleasance Courtyard25-26 Aug 23:15

INTERVIEW: NAT LUURTSEMAHow do you rate your

audiences so far?Well they’re much bigger

than previews, there are more laughs and so I’m ad-libbing more. We’re enjoying ourselves. A lot of my show is weird, and there are stories which come out of nowhere. Sometimes it can be distracting how disperate audiences can be – you’ll have one woman helpless at one joke and someone else on another one. It’s tough trying not to overrun. I’ve got a little conclusion, with only a tiny message, but it’s not the kind of thing you can whollop off quickly.

Is the Fringe helpful for you?

So helpful, yes. I’m learning loads and get better every day. I love the fact that I’m now thinking on my feet easily because I’m doing an hour every

day. But at the same point you do now think “I’ve had a lovely time, don’t get me wrong, but I really would like my own bed now”.

So it’s a hard month, then?

My Mum pointed out that since I’m only doing one hour of work up here, I should have got a temp job on the side. I started off doing extra Free Fringe gigs, but then my voice started to go and I decided to focus on my full show so that audiences wouldn’t have to watch someone whisper for an hour. I get ill every festival. I went blind one year and last year I caught swine flu. I’m physically pathetic. It’s making it easier that this year I’m trying not to drink. Still, three nights ago I had three drinks in Brooke’s, then staggered home and fell into a hedge.

Three drinks is e m b a r r a s s i n g – there are 14 year olds out there who could drink me under the table.

Could you have done, at 14?

Perhaps. My childhood was quite weird. I talk about it a lot in my show, and it’s strange to realise now quite how ridiculous it was. You don’t notice at the time, of course. I went to the only Masonic school in the country. I’ve even got a video from my childhood in the show. I feel almost guilty because I didn’t invent it, I’m just a conduit commenting on the things they made us do.

Any final words for potential audiences?

I advise people to hurry, because I’m starting to get ill. If I thought I was really germy I wouldn’t do it any more – I wouldn’t want to do that to people. But do hurry before it turns horrible.

Nat Luurtsema: In My Head I’m a Hero

Pleasance Dome4-30 Aug (Not 28) 15:45

THE SPECIAL RESERVE COMEDY BENEFIT

Established in 2004 in memory of Charlie Hartill – who died in January of that

year – The Special Reserve supports up and

coming young talent at the

Pleasance. Since its inception the fund has generated £65,000. The Special Reserve Comedy Benefit, held each year at the Pleasance, raises money for the fund.

At this year’s benefit, performers will include Jack

Whitehall (pictured, left), Greg Davies, Idiots of Ants, all joining host Tim Fitzhigham, with even more set to join.

There are three shows this year which are benefiting from the fund. Four sparkling new comics are given a platform to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe by The Comedy Reserve show. These four are definitely ones to watch.

Two plays, Territory and The Meeting are also supported by the Special Reserve. Each has received financial and industry support for their production costs and requirements.

The Comedy Benefit promises to be an extraordinary evening generating money for fantastic cause.

The Special Reserve Comedy Benefit

Pleasance Courtyard 25 Aug 22:30

@ThePleasance#pleasancetimes

RT @Stuart_RamseyIs at the Edinburgh fringe. Seeing childrens puppet show Penguin at pleasance, then off to see the real ones at zoo (ie penguins)

RT @Kirsty_BoyleI can’t rave highly enough about @HamletTM - if you’re at the Fringe this year go and see it at Pleasance Beyond, 5pm - you won’t regret it!

RT @clarkville Ginger & Black were brilliant. Highly recommend their show if you’re in Edinburgh. 5.45pm at the Pleasance.

Do you care about fish? You know, cod and stuff? We do, and we’ve got plans: big ones: to bring an end to all fishing by next Thursday evening. The revolution’s here! Whose side are you on? Our Manifesto:

AN IMPORTANT MESSAgE FROM UNITED CAMPAIgNERS ON OCEAN CONSERVATION

We are FOR:Defending all forms of

edible sea-life, especially: mackerel, halibut, prawns, tuna, eels and crabsticks.

Celine Dion - we’re just fans.

•

•

We are AGAINST:Fishermen, supermarket

chains, Iceland (the shop), Iceland (the country), Captain Birdseye, Rick Stein, the Japanese, etc.

•We AIM to:

Serve up a filet of fishy justice onto the cold plate of political apathy!

•

Join Us!We meet at 2.10pm daily, in the Pleasance Courtyard. Join us to fight injustice, make new friends, have a laugh and protect the ocean’s bounty from pillage and devastation at the hands of callous commercial fishing fleets. Come along, it’ll be fun! (And educational.) Welcome aboard!Let’s sail together towards an ocean of plenty. Bring a fearless disregard for authority, a passion for sea-life and some sensible shoes.

The Boom Jennies: We Want Action, Pleasance Courtyard, 4-30 Aug 14:10

I Love You Because, performed in the Pleasance Above, illustrated by venue founder and father, Christopher Richardson.

PIC OF THE PLEASANCE: I LOVE YOU BECAUSE

MONDAY 23RDBBC COMEDY PRESENTS

Pleasance Dome 23:00CARL DONNELLY

JOSH WIDDICOMBENAT LUURTSEMA

SUNDAY DEFENSIvEANDREW LAWRENCE

ITCH: A SCRATCH EVENTPleasance Courtyard 14:00

Hatty Hayridge (Red Dwarf )Phil Cornwell (Dead Ringers)

SIMON EvANSGEORGE RYEGOLD

STEvE MCNEILWENDY WASONALISTAIR BARRYSEGUE SISTERS

CLOvIS vAN DARKHELM

Please note that all line-ups are subject to change. Check the Box Office for the latest information.

MERVYN STUTTER’S PICK OF THE FRINGE

Pleasance Courtyard 12:55THE TAILOR OF INvERNESS

PIP UTTON - WHAT THE DICKENS?IvOR DEMBINA

SEYMOUR MACENATALIE OF FANTASY

ALI MCGREGORTHE THREE ENGLISHMEN

RONNA AND BEVERLYPleasance Courtyard 17:45

NORMAN LOvETTJESSICA RANSOM

KATE COPSTICK