Broadway Baby chats to Butterfly with a Bomb Productions, who are bringing the supernatural Giving Up The Ghost to EdFringe '15.
Our team has three very different backgrounds and have specialised variously in writing, devising, acting, music, dramaturgy and directing.
Tell us about your show
Carrie Clairvoyant has never succeeded in raising a genuine spirit until dead rock star Dean takes up residence in her house, leaving Carrie with no option but to call her estranged exorcist sister, Mary. Mary's daughter Jess is immediately drawn to Dean, but can she abandon her beliefs for a man who may be the devil incarnate? Is there any point in Dean carrying on living when he's not truly alive? And will Mary and Carrie ever face up to the events that drove them apart years earlier?
Giving up the Ghost was first performed as a work in progress in Glasgow in September 2014. Since then we have used audience feedback to develop the piece for its Edinburgh premiere. Whilst primarily aiming to tell a story, the piece also deals with issues such as suicide, mental illness and religion.
Why did you decide to take your show to Space UK this year?
We felt that theSpaceUK provided an exceptional level of support for a company taking their first journey to the Fringe. The venue they have offered us is in a prime location for visitors to Edinburgh, and the audience capacity is ideal for the intimate atmosphere of the piece.
What makes your show unique amongst the thousands of others at the festival?
Our team has three very different backgrounds and have specialised variously in writing, devising, acting, music, dramaturgy and directing. Through bringing these skills together in our Fringe piece, we have created a rich and multi-layered story, which finds the humour in dark places and aims to immerse our audience visually and emotionally.
What has been the biggest challenge in getting your show ready for Edinburgh?
Edinburgh is our most expensive venture so far and currently we are spending a lot of time preparing our crowd-funding campaign and searching for suitable sponsors. We're really enjoying thinking up lots of Giving up the Ghost 'themed perks for our contributors, covering everything from exorcism tips to drinks invitations, so even the challenging parts are proving plenty of fun so far.
How did you create your show?
Giving up the Ghost began its journey with a workshop at Stage to Page in Glasgow in March 2014. From here, an initial storyline was developed into a full-length heavily text-based play.
Having received positive reactions to the more experimental elements of our first production, we were keen to experiment further with our second. In rehearsal for Giving up the Ghost, we began by stripping away as much unnecessary 'clutter' as possible, opting to create our minimal set from rostra, which were moved into different positions to indicate changes in mood and location. We are now working to build up further layers of meaning beyond the text using music and movement.
Can you tell us a bit about your company’s background?
Butterfly with a Bomb was formed in 2013. From beginning as a team of three artists brought together to perform one piece, we discovered that our skill sets combined enabled us to establish a shared vision, which resonated with our individual mindsets. Our contrasting backgrounds combined with our similar interests in collaboration and experimentation with the theatrical form means that we both challenge and complement each other. Since our company's formation we have produced two full length plays, and our work has been seen at events including the Arches Crossing the Lines and Stage to Page.
Show Name: Giving up the Ghost
Production Company: Butterfly with a Bomb Productions
Venue: theSpaceUK @ Jurys Inn
Dates: 24th-29th August
Times: 13.20
Twitter Handle: @ghostfringe15
