Ulysses of Scranton is the new show from writer and director Conor Kelly O’Brien, who brings it to Edinburgh Fringe this summer.
Where: Auditorium at Bedlam Theatre
When: 7-29 Aug (not 17, 24, 25)
Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/ulysses-of-scranton
What is the show about, and where did the idea come from?
Ulysses of Scranton is a fast-moving, ensemble-driven adaptation of James Joyce’s Ulysses, reimagined through the very specific, very funny lens of Scranton, Pennsylvania. At the center of the show is a group of actors attempting to stage one of the world’s most famously “impossible” novels in under an hour — only to find that their own lives begin to reflect the text (or vice versa).
The idea came from two simple facts – I used to HATE this book (Ulysses), and as its 100th anniversary approached (2022), I kept hearing how “impossible” it was to adapt. The fact it could “never be done right” made me feel I couldn’t then do it “wrong”. I love the absurdity of trying to wrestle something that huge onto a stage. I wanted to treat my hometown, this small American city (Scranton) that is so often a punchline or metaphor on the world stage, with the same mythic seriousness Joyce gives Dublin.
Sell the show to a potential audience in one sentence!
Come see the world’s most complicated novel turned into a fast, funny, marathon (one hour or less).
What does the Fringe mean to you, and do you have any particular memories?
To me, Fringe is about true artistic expression and professionalism often being rewarded (though not always). That spirit has shaped so much of my life as an artist and producer. Some of my favorite Fringe memories are the quietest.
As cliché as it may sound, the feeling of a hot coffee in my hand on a chilly morning, when the entire day has potential (how our show will go, what other shows we will see, who we will run into over drinks, etc.), is one of my best memories. I also have a particular story about a certain stand-up comic and a certain bar that I am pretty fond of…but I’ll keep those details for another show.
What are you looking forward to in Edinburgh?
I am so excited to just be in Edinburgh again (first time visiting since 2024, and first time producing since 2019). Edinburgh during Fringe is such a special place in the world where everyone has collectively agreed that performance, culture, and
storytelling matter. I love not having to justify what I do as a “real job”.
I’m excited for our company to be part of that energy, to share a very Scranton story on an international stage, and to see what happens when this odd little show about Joyce, place, ambition, and theatrical survival meets audiences from everywhere. I’m also looking forward to seeing as much work as possible, getting coffee from Books N Cup Cafe, and seeing so many colleagues and friends I have missed.