The most sparkly and relatable Jellyfish you will see this year, or probably any year really.
Completely wacky and yet surprisingly provocative
Gracie and the Start of The End of The World (Again) tells the story of a Jellyfish's journey to becoming an environmental radicalist through a romcom style quest to win the heart of actor Timothée Chalamet. It is written and performed by Zoe Bullock and yes, it is very Fringe indeed. Completely wacky and yet surprisingly provocative this is hands down the best piece of environmentalist theatre I have ever seen. The show was the recipient of the 2024 Art Award chosen by Assembly to raise the profile of new Scottish writing at the Fringe and it's easy to see why.
Bullock’s writing is perfectly paced as she displays a masterful manipulation of tone, seamlessly sliding from absurd comedy though heartfelt emotion and ending with dark brooding tension. Her performance matches this, successfully getting the audience on board and delivering an important message through her zany vehicle. Oh, and the costume is completely fabulous, tentacles and all.
There are estimated to be around 700 ‘dead zones’ in the world’s oceans. These are areas characterised by a lack of oxygen resulting life being unable to sustain itself. Human water pollution is the main contributor to the creation of these zone which are killing off huge chunks of coral reef and hosts of marine life. What would the fish do if they realised, would they want revenge? What would you do? Gracie challenges us with the question of human responsibility to nature and if doing nothing is ever enough - an apt question in the age of Extinction Rebellion protests, growing tensions and unmet environmental targets.
Expect to leave with huge laughs as well as maybe a lump in your throat and an appetite for change.
