Mountview Fringe Takeover

The Edinburgh Fringe is upon us and once again the festival will be a hub of activity for Mountview graduates. If you’re heading up to Scotland make sure you check out some of the brilliant work of our talented alumni.

At Summerhall, The Shape of the Pain kicks off our Mountview Fringe Takeover. Named as an Edinburgh ‘must see’ by Lyn Gardner, the show is one woman’s attempt to articulate her experience of living with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Developed by directing graduate Rachel Bagshawwith acclaimed theatre maker Chris Thorpe, The Shape of the Pain runs throughout the fringe at 19:30. Also at Summerhall, acting graduate Delme Thomas acts in and has co-devised Lists for the End of the World, a show composed entirely of crowdsourced lists. Co-commissioned by ARC, the show will be on at 13:45 across the three weeks. Finally, Rachel Denning performs with innovative theatre company Graeae in Cosmic Scallies, a play by award winning writer and stand-up Jackie Hagan at 18:30. Tickets for both shows can be found at festival17.summerhall.co.uk.

More critically acclaimed work over at Pleasance Courtyard, where Offie-nominated musical The Toxic Avenger brings its five star, toxic love story every night at 22:30. Alumni Oscar Conlon-Morreyperforms and Ella Wheway and Sophie Mason are in the Stage Management team. Joining them at the Pleasance is Daphne Kouma who is in Offside, a play by leading spoken word artists Sabrina Mahfouz and Hollie McNish about women’s football at 15:40. Joining them at Pleasance Courtyard is When We Ran, a new devised show about two sisters fleeing the commune they grew up in by multi-award winning company Patch of Blue, who are full of Mountview alumni! Their show is at 14:55. One of The Stage’s Critic’s Picks is The Soft Subject (A Love Story), an autobiographical solo show by Chris Woodley about loss, survival and Brazil nuts. Amy Liptrott directs the show at Assembly Hall at 16:25. Also at Assembly, Kirsty Geddes plays in the five-piece band that backs up award-winning one-man comedy show Goose: Amphetawaltz. The show will be at Assembly George Square Gardens every afternoon at 16:30. Tickets for both shows here: pleasance.co.uk assemblyfestival.com

theSpace @ Surgeons Hall will stage more of the Mountview Fringe takeover, beginning with The Staff Room, which stars not one, not two, but three graduates! Charlotte Payne, Hilary Murnane and Craig Webb play teachers navigating their way through the minefield of education at 19:10, August 21-26. Secondly, Lord Dismiss Us, stage managed by alumnus Ellie Haffenden, is the first adaptation of Michael Campbell’s 1967 novel about love and chaos in a boys boarding school. It runs across the festival at 18:05. At theSpace @ Venue 45, Arnoud Breitbarth and Harry Style are the creative minds behind Forgive Us, Oh Father! at 16:05, a new musical playing from the 11th to the 19th August. Tickets and further info about the shows here: thespaceuk.com.

Over at the Underbelly, fringe stalwarts Sh*t-Faced Showtime will be back with their unique take on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at the Med Quad, every day at 22:00. Graduates Dora Rubenstein and Isobel Wroe Wright produce and are joined in the cast by Tom Tilley. At 13:00, Sarah Milton brings her one-woman show Tumble Tuck to the Underbelly Cowgate. Developed with the Old Vic and the Soho Theatre, the show explores the challenging world of competitive swimming. underbellyedinburgh.co.uk.

C Venues will be the stage for Brexit the Musical, in which our own Andy Watkins and Natasha Millarwill be playing Jeremy Corbyn and Andrea Leadsom respectively. Written by Brexit lawyer Chris Bryant, it runs throughout the Fringe at 18:55. Whilst at C, if you fancy a party Mountview graduate Ashley Jacobs will be MDing for both The Blues Brothers Live and The Rat Pack Live at 22:30 and 20:10. Finally at C, Knock Knock will see alumnus Niv Petel in a physical solo show exploring the complicated politics of the Middle East at 19:30. cvenues.com.

Elsewhere, Amy Millns will be performing in Not: Lady Chatterley’s Lover, a darkly comic parody of the DH Lawrence novel at Sweet Grassmarket throughout the Fringe at 18:30. Courtenay Johnsonproduces Mission Abort at Gilded Balloon at Rose Theatre. The show is at 17:45 and explores opinions on abortion legislation through one woman’s experience. Malcolm Hardee award winner Candy Gigi presents Becky Rimmer’s Bat Mitzvah! at Heroes @ The Hive, an explosive and vibrant comedy show at 13:15. Sarah Kempton will be flexing her improvisational muscles with CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation at Just the Tonic at The Caves at 15:00. Victoria Jones is in DeLorean, a new play about the man behind the iconic car from Back to the Future at Assembly Rooms at 12:00. At Assembly George Square Studios is Glitter Punch at 13:15, a coming-of-age play directed by Peter Taylor and written by Lucy Burke. Last but certainly not least is Arlene McNaught, who will be playing piano for cabaret show Gareth’s Surburban Gadget Game Show at Bourbon Bar at 12:15, August 5-12. Ticket information can be found here: sweetvenues.com/edinburgh gildedballoon.co.uk heroesoffringe.com edinburghfestival.list.co.uk

If you are at the Fringe this year and want us to shout about your show, get in touch atmarketing@mountview.org.uk or tweet us @MountviewLDN.