Queer female theatre company Dreambite Collective make their Fringe debut with the premiere of Katrina Bennett’s new play Cruising, a sizzling, subversive romcom about polyamory, protest, and passion in a warming world.
“When a dancer and a climate activist meet over margaritas on a Mediterranean cruise, their attraction seems like the perfect holiday fling. Until the pair realise they share more than just chemistry: both are in a relationship with the same person. As potential romance explodes into fierce rivalry, the duo launch a competitive campaign of ecosabotage against the mega-polluting ship. With the heat rising, can their connection and desire for a better world survive these dangerous waters?”
Where: Bunker Three at Pleasance Courtyard
When: 5-31 Aug
Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/cruising
What can you tell us about your show? What is it about and where did the idea come from?
Cruising is a queer romcom about a former climate activist and dancer who form an unexpected connection onboard a cruise ship. The romance and the excitement of their initial meet cute is thrown off course when they realise they’re both in an open relationship with the same person. What follows is an unlikely alliance between the pair to destroy the mega-polluting cruise ship as they grapple with their uncertain futures, both in the face of impending climate collapse and their fragmented relationships.
Cruising initially came from the desire to tell a story about ethical non-monogamy, the web of connections that can form around these relationships, and the complications that can arise when meeting metamours (your partner’s other partners). A claustrophobic cruise ship seemed like a fun environment to heighten the stakes. But, when I started researching cruises and learning more about their devastating impact on the climate, it felt important to make that a crux of the play. Hence polyamory and protest joining forces.
How would you sell it to audiences in one paragraph?
While the climate crisis could seem like a heavy choice for a lunchtime show, Cruising is actually really funny. That may sound cocky, but I swear that I’ve successfully verified this through rehearsed readings of Cruising and audience feedback. The play has all the hijinks and warmth of a romcom, while delving into the helplessness many of us feel about this existential crisis yet leaving you with hope that all is not lost. With connection and community, we can see light on the horizon.
Do you enjoy participating in the Fringe? And do you have any moments you particularly remember?
This is the first time that Dreambite is taking a show to the Fringe! Dreambite is a queer, women-led theatre collective and we know that it’s important for us to be in spaces like this. Before this it’s always been financially impossible.
However, Cruising felt like such a perfect show for Fringe, a funny two-hander with deep contemporary resonance, so when the Pleasance wanted to programme us, we were determined to find a way. It’s taken a lot of work and planning but we’ve managed (just about!). Now we can’t wait to move past the boring production admin and get to the fun bit—rehearsals, performing, and seeing how audiences respond to the show!
What are you looking forward to the most in Edinburgh?
Honestly, I’m so excited to have a break from my day job and to spend the month being creative. While it’ll be so much fun performing Cruising every day, I also can’t wait to cram in seeing dozens of other shows. I worked front of house in Edinburgh back in 2019 and it was such a formative time for me.
Before then, I’d had such a limited and traditional idea of theatre but watching new, exciting work every day made my mind explode with all these new possibilities of what theatre could be. It really set me on the path to start writing for theatre. Now, I’m more than ready to have my mind blown again.
What’s next for the show?
Cruising’s future is somewhat in the hands of the theatre and funding gods. However, if we get bums on seats and audiences respond well, in a dream world we’ll have the opportunity for a transfer post-Fringe so we can bring Cruising to even more new audiences. After a lot of sleep, obviously.