The Players of Diadon is a play by Ellis Green, directed by William Homer, and co-produced by Hideout Theatre and Stoke The Embers, opens at Edinburgh Fringe this month.
“.A dark comedy about the masks we wear, and the stories we tell.”
Where: Patter House, Gilded Balloon
When: 16 – 25 Aug
Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-players-of-diadon
The team tell us more!
What is The Players of Diadon about and what inspired it?
In a far-off kingdom, King Diadon spends each night watching his life story performed by a company of players.
But on performance number 18,338, he’s finally had enough – and gives them three days to come up with something new… or face the chop.
Unfortunately, teamwork isn’t their strong suit. As panic sets in and chaos erupts, newcomer Rick – confused, unqualified and somehow their last shot at survival – begins to suspect that hidden truths may be lurking behind the curtain…..
The Players of Diadon started with commedia dell’arte as our foundation. For this project, we found something really interesting in using this as a means to explore the inner and outer states of our character.
It’s usually performed with masks, and our dark comedy is very much about the metaphorical masks we put on – beneath which dwells the existential.
That contrast – between the roles we perform and the truths we suppress – interested us. Nothing is quite what it seems on the surface.
Why should audiences come to your show and what might they expect?
Audiences should come to have a bloody good time and to feel energised.
We want the dynamism of this cast to bleed into the audience, hopefully making them feel right there with the characters as they experience this rollercoaster of emotions.
It’s an unapologetic laugh-out-loud thrill ride that should also leave audiences questioning the power of stories and the responsibility that comes with that power.
If you like a seriously good laugh, but also a seriously tight story that’s thought-provoking, this is the show for you.
How did you make your start in the business?
Hideout Theatre was founded in 2021 by eight graduating actors from the Guildford School of Acting.
Initially brought together to devise a piece for their end-of-year scratch season, our showcase was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Undeterred, we pursued the project and nurtured the dynamic creative energy within the group, leading to the birth of Hideout Theatre.
Hideout Theatre’s The Players of Diadon is a co-production with Stoke The Embers, a theatre company that strives to champion the creative potential of artists from all walks of life.
Stoke The Embers brings artists together through various development and performance opportunities, including scratch events, industry panels, and writing workshops, making them the type of experimental and community-focused organisation that resonates with Hideout Theatre’s approach to storytelling.
Most excitingly, this is our Fringe Debut! We are incredibly excited to be taking our next steps in the industry, with Edinburgh Fringe feeling like the perfect home for our show.
What does Edinburgh Fringe mean to you?
This is a real milestone for us as a company. When we sat down at the end of last year and looked ahead to what we wanted to achieve, Edinburgh Fringe very quickly raced its way to the top of the list.
For the Fringe First Timers in our troupe it presents opportunity & excitement about the unknown, whereas others are looking forward to returning to the incomparable magic that is Edinburgh Fringe.
What’s next for the show?
We’d be lying if we said we didn’t want the show to have a future beyond the Fringe. That hope is definitely there.
But right now, what’s next is being fully present in Edinburgh – finding our audience, planting the show’s roots, and seeing how it lands.
This is the version of The Players of Diadon that we’ve always wanted to bring here, and we’re excited to share it.
After that? We’ll see who wants to be part of the journey.