Part of the Made in Scotland showcase at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, Starcatchers’ production of Float, created by Kerry Cleland, is a show aimed at babies and their grown-ups that captures how the Fringe can be a place of calm as well as chaos.
“Float is a beautiful, calm, immersive world designed especially for babies from birth to 12 months old and their grown-ups. Float invites you to relax with your baby and enjoy a gently interactive performance inspired by the healing powers of water. You and your baby are free to explore, engage with the performers, or unwind in Float‘s tranquil space. Float is a three-hour durational performance designed to relieve the pressure of time. Your ticket allows you to come and go during this time to suit the needs of you and your baby.”
Where: Cromdale Theatre at Pleasance at EICC
When: 9-22 Aug (not Mon)
Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/float
What can you tell us about your show?
Float is an immersive experience for babies aged 0-12 months old and their adults. The experience journeys through different moments with water, from the simplicity of a single drip, the calming sounds of the ocean waves, to the sparkling sunlight on the surface of the ocean.
What is it about and where did the idea come from?
Float is about water and how its forms, sounds, and visuals can slow everything down and connect us back to ourselves. The seed of the idea was a bit of a combo.. I wanted to make an experience that when I was a parent at that stage I would have needed and appreciated. I took the thoughts and feelings I once had as a new mother, the vastness, the chaos, and how moments being in or beside water helped me find a sense of calm and connection back to myself,
I then integrated this into a world that I think also allows babies to be seen and heard, away from the conversations overhead and the speed of the world outside. Then lots of other talented people came along and made it a beautiful space to be and play in!
How would you sell it to audiences in one paragraph?
Worried about being late? No problem, Float lasts for 3 hours, and you can come and go as you please. Feel so tired that you don’t know whether you can handle a show? No worries, you can lie down on a beautifully soft textured island and snooze; we will even give you a blanket. Worried you or your baby won’t like it? We worry about this too; therefore, we tailor to the individuals in the room. There are 5 different sections within the performance to try out, and you can come and go as you please.
Do you enjoy participating in the Fringe? And do you have any moments you particularly remember?
I absolutely love performing in the Fringe and have been doing so since my drama school days. It does feel very different now, though, with having two kids to get home to, not so much hanging about and much earlier nights! I think my favourite ever fringe moment was being out VERY late, leaving George Square Gardens and heading through the underpass at Teviot. A few friends and I were having a wee sing-song (as the acoustics in there are amazing), when a huge group of people came walking through – they all stopped in the middle of the tunnel and began to sing in 5-part harmonies ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ – they were the cast from The Lion King. We stood together, we sang, and then they all just walked on into the night. It was so random, hilarious and beautiful.
What are you looking forward to the most in Edinburgh?
I am looking forward most to performing and playing in the world of Float, continuing to see what we can find as we connect and respond to and with our audiences, and hopefully bringing babies and their adults a beautiful experience.
What’s next for the show?
We hope to continue to bring Float back soon and tour it to meet more new babies and their adults. We are also beginning to develop Float as not just a performance but a wellbeing space for older age groups, where people can come to chill out and experience this watery world for some calm and well-needed escapism.