A new dark comedy marks American actor Bailey Edwards’s debut as a writer and performer at the Edinburgh Fringe – I asked him to tell us more about Play Dead, Ovid, dogs and grapefruit.
“Echo has a broken heart. A gutted-from-the-inside, cut-off-your-toes broken heart. Help is just a phone call away, but he opts for a classical (feral) form of revenge. This queer, unruly adaptation of Ovid features a dog crate, two microphones and seventeen grapefruits.”
Where: Iron Belly at Underbelly, Cowgate
When: 5-30 Aug
Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/play-dead
What can you tell us about your show? What is it about and where did the idea come from?
Don’t call him. Don’t text him. Steal his dog. Play Dead is a darkly comedic new play about heartbreak, addiction, and the myth that might explain all of it. For legal reasons, we cannot tell you about the real-life events that inspired this story, but suffice it to say, everyone has a story about the craziest thing they did for love. Now, you might not take it as far as our Echo — but we are interested in that story. The one you’re already telling yourself about why it was meant to be.
How would you sell it to audiences in one paragraph?
We usually start with the ingredients. A dog crate, two microphones and seventeen grapefruits. Echo has a broken heart, a gutted from the inside, cut off your toes broken heart. Help is just a phone call away, but he opts for some Classical (feral) revenge. Play Dead looks at addiction as a love language and that inexplicable drive to melt into the person you love. It’s a show that will confound your expectations and leave you wondering what else is inside that dog crate.
Do you enjoy participating in the Fringe? And do you have any moments you particularly remember?
Our little company has worked in the USA, Japan, Argentina and France. We’ve put on shows in former frat houses, crowded living sofas and outdoor showers. But this is our first time bringing a show to the Fringe. We are long overdue and very excited to spend the month in Scotland.
What are you looking forward to the most in Edinburgh?
Honestly? It’s daunting. Twenty-five nights is the longest run we’ve ever done of the show — but it’s also very exciting. Every performance teaches you something new, and we’re very curious to see how Play Dead changes over the course of a month, what different audiences bring to it, what lands differently on a Tuesday than a Saturday. The Fringe feels like the best possible place to find that out. Also, there’s a fancy sandwich shop on Buccleuch Street that still shows up in my dreams.
What’s next for the show?
Before we head up north, we have just done a preview at Camden People’s Theatre [24 Jul]. Then after Fringe, figuring out a way to sleep in an Epsom salt bath before getting back to our irregularly scheduled program.