E–commerce purchasing has significantly disrupted our shopping habits, many of the high-street giants turning to the web to reach audiences they perhaps wouldn’t be able to due to location. The rise is a sign of our times, and shows no signs of slowing down. Amazon, perhaps the world’s most famous and wealthiest e-commerce site has rivalled its competitors due to the variety in products it offers, it’s easy to use site and its infamous ‘prime’ delivery option, whereby customers can receive their goods the following day. But what goes into this seamless monetary exchange? How can, compared to any other retail business, can Amazon provide this service? Kezia Cole and Richard Hay’s Fulfilment delves into the real experiences of those who work behind the scenes in Amazon Fulfilment Centres, giving a voice to the hard workers behind the multi-billion dollar business who present a harsh reality. Fulfilment shows throughout August at Undrbelly Cowgate as part of this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe Festival. Read on to find out more about the show!
London thrives with a multitude of stories, its ability to draw individuals from all over the world makes it one of the world’s most exciting cities. Cultures collide as the city hustles and bustles – Cecilia Gragnani‘s one woman show, Diary of an Expat humorously delves into her own experiences of migrating from Italy to the UK.
London is renowned for its multi-culturalism, it’s an aspect of the city that makes it great. Immigration is an element of society that has had a great focus placed on it, and mainly for the wrong reasons. Director Katharina Reinthaller discusses directing Cecilia Gragnani’s Diary of an Expat, a show inspired by Cecilia’s own story of leaving Italy to pursue a new life in the UK.
Indicative writing with an honest pledge, Jack Rooke yet again pulls at the heart strings reflecting on the brutal truth of grief. Following acclaimed solo show, Good Grief, Rooke returns to the Fringe, this time exploring the complex nature of suicide. A mantle piece to the framed photographs of Rooke’s fallen companions, this show is an honourable letter to the Happy Hour where friendships were born.
Sascha Moore’s Trashed is a strong call for change in the way we treat male mental health and discusses how love and loss mean different things between the classes. Goody (David William Bryan) has been working the bins for the best part of 19 years, with his life hanging on a cliff edge we see the complex emotional destruction one man goes through in order to clench on to any glimmer of happiness.
Circus requires risk, wit and recovery which is abundant in Sam Goodburn’s Dumbstruck. Failure is contestable to success, but it is the way you recover from these tribulations that delivers a sellout show. More often than not, specifically in clowning, comedy is struck in the failures but unfortunately this at times fell flat during Dumbstruck.
Dust is an illustrative and graphic portrayal of a suicide fuelled by depression, drugs, lust and sex. A complex narrative which moves between ghost and living bodies, existing somewhere between the living and the dead. Playwright, performer and self-confessed ‘chronic oversharer’ Milly Thomas, engages us in her dark yet empathetic story.
Joe Sellman-Leava
Worklight Theatre are a company driven by personal stories. Their latest show, Fix, examining the causes and effects of addictions within society. Worklight Theatre will showcase Fix at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival at the Underbelly, Cowgate throughout August. Ahead of their month long residency, duo Joe Sellman-Leava and Michael Woodman talk more about the show.
Four exciting new productions are at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year thanks to the 2015 IdeasTap Underbelly Award. IdeasTap and Underbelly work hand-in-hand to showcase a diverse season of original work from young, emerging UK talent; one of which is Ben Norris‘ new one-man show The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Family.
