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Bebe Cave: The Screen Test - Edinburgh Fringe Interview

As part as our Edinburgh Fringe 2024 coverage we are running a series of interviews with artists and creatives that are taking part in the festival.
 
In this interview we speak to Bebe Cave about her show The Screen Test.

Where did your arts career begin? 
When I was cast as 'Robot' in my primary school's alternative non-religious nativity play called 'Santa's Toybox'. I was devastated not to be cast as something pink and girly like 'Fairy Princess' or 'Barbie, but I had a severe bowl-cut so my casting was in retrospect unsurprising. I was still determined to provide a powerful performance in such a challenging role. My mum made a fantastic robot mask out of cardboard and tinfoil, however it was too big and slipped down my face, temporarily blinding me, which caused me to lose my footing. I fell off the back of the stage, knocking another Robot off stage with me. He started crying (because he was weak) but something in me told me to get back out there. I adjusted my mask, and started climbing. The parents all gave me a standing ovation as I grappled back onto the stage. My mother says at that moment she knew I would be an actress - at 6 years old I already knew that the show MUST go on. 

Bebe Cave. Photo by Ori Jones Photography

What can you tell me about your show? 
It's a one-woman-show about an aspiring actress in golden age 1930s Old Hollywood. It's a dark comedy about acting, dreams, delusion and desperation. This story explores the ways that wanting something, or wanting to 'be' something can result in hilariously tragic  consequences.

How would you describe the style of the show? 
It's like if a 1930s screwball comedy farce was condensed into a monologue for an hour. 

How have you approached developing the piece? 
I watched a lot of old films, and I realised that comedy can be the most effective way to get an audience to sit up and engage with a piece of writing. Therefore I knew that the darker I wanted the show to be, the funnier it had to be. The development process was thrilling - I had no idea what I was doing at any real point in the process, just a vague sense of what I wanted it to feel like, so I just tried to follow my instincts and write down every idea and bit of inspiration that came along. After a little while, those ideas became pages of research and great jumping off places for scenes. Then a little while after that, structure slowly started to appear and then I booked some previews (scary) and worked it out as I went along!

How does your own experience help in shaping the show? 
I have lots of horror stories from the acting industry, both my own and from my friends, so I used our experiences as layers to add to this neurotic actress character!

How do/will you prepare yourself for a run at the Fringe? 
I lose my voice very easily so I will be preparing by inhaling lots of steam like a Victorian woman. I will also try and prevent using my voice when I'm not actually doing my show, so I will probably be mostly mute for the majority of the fringe. This will give me ample opportunity to master the communication skills of facial expressions and hand gestures.

What advice would you give anyone starting out in acting? 
Remember how it felt to play pretend as a child! Selling your wares in your imaginary shop, travelling to different dimensions by jumping on the trampoline. That feeling can be very useful when you're feeling disconnected from performing. It's supposed to be fun!

Other than the show, what’s something you’re looking forward to doing in Edinburgh this year? 
I want to climb up Arthur's seat and breathe the gorgeous Scottish air. 

What keeps you inspired? 
Watching new exciting work from other performers, especially people that you've never heard of before doing something totally different to you! That's what is so amazing about the fringe, around every corner is a star waiting to be born. There are so many talented people! It's both motivating and reassuring. 

Bebe Cave. Photo by Ori Jones Photography

What do you hope an audience takes away from seeing the show? 
That to have a dream is very human! And that I'm an amazing dancer (I have several dance breaks during my show solely for the purpose of justifying why I did tap-dance until i was 18 years old)

Where can audiences see the show? 
The Pleasance Below at 3.10pm every day! 

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