Fresh from a London WIP performance at the weekend, CVNTCLAVE, a new queer solo show from Arden Fitzroy, is heading to the Edinburgh Fringe.
“Inspired by the hottest film of recent times: Conclave. But queer(er). During conclave, cardinals are locked inside the Vatican together to elect the next Pope. It’s a spiritual gathering. It’s not a war – all the fighting has to be invisible. Enter the confessional of Cardinal Cvntvs, who wouldn’t dream of plotting to take down his competitors, because Cvntvs’ Vatican is definitely not an endless repository of salacious queer drama, petty squabbles and psychosexual, above-tepid rivalries. Nope. This is serious shit.”
Where: Lime Studio at Greenside @ George Street
When: 7-29 Aug (not 16 or 23)
Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/cvntclave
What is the show about and where did the idea come from?
CVNTCLAVEÂ is a one-Cardinal-show exploring power, faith, hypocrisy, and how much tea can go in that cup before it runneth over. We follow the Confessions of Cardinal Cvntvs on the eve of the conclave, wherein Cardinals are all locked up in the Vatican together to elect the next Pope from among their number. As Dean of the College of Cardinals, the duty of running it falls to Cvntvs.
Watching the film Conclave totally enchanted me with the idea of this messy world of messy people all trying to appear to be something more than human, or trying to squash down everything that makes them human. This paradox, together with the relatable queerness charged through it, launched me down a rabbit hole of research into conclaves, Vatican politics, and queerness in organised religion – and several shorter theatrical experiments later, here we are.
How would you sell it to an audience in one paragraph?
If you like Conclave, Mean Girls, or messy queer divas, if you feel I’ve just mentioned the same thing three times, if you’ve never engaged with any of the above but secretly love a bit of drama or flood the group chat when something happens on The Traitors – pull up a pew. Cardinal Cvntvs is here to provide, even though his Vatican is definitely not an endless source of salacious queer drama, petty squabbles, and psychosexual, above-tepid rivalries. Finally, you too can be part of the conclave – one of the most secretive, exclusive rituals on the planet.
How have you prepared for the Fringe?
Sharing that clip from Conclave where Ralph Fiennes gives himself a haunted stare into the mirror, going, ‘You’re a manager. Manage.’
What are you looking forward to in Edinburgh?
Getting to see the shows of so many brilliant, talented people, including some that I’m lucky enough to get to call my friends.
Other than that, the experience of performing and talking about CVNTCLAVE is probably the most fun I’ve ever had, and I hope it shows – we have some unhinged plans that aren’t entirely limited to the show itself. This involves a Swiss Guard. Yes, really.
What’s next for the show?
The funniest possible outcome would be to play the Vatican. Or at least, a room of Cardinals. Even if they turn up in plainclothes and don’t say that they are. Mama didn’t raise a quitter. Leo and his Air Jordans are most welcome.
Actual next steps: there’s some exciting news about to drop imminently (depending on when this comes out) for London, and hopefully a bit of a tour heading into 2027.