In our ongoing Edinburgh Fringe interview series, we are speaking to artists and creatives who are bringing their shows to the Scottish capital this summer.
In this interview, Ruxy Cantir discusses their show Pickled Republic.
What can you tell me in your words about your show?
The show is proper bonkers and ridiculous. I love playing it. And I think loads of people enjoy it because it tickles that ridiculous playful part of our adult brain. We don’t get a lot of chances to be silly as adults, you know? So I wanted to do a show that’s simultaneously ridiculous and profound, with a chance to engage with some heavy themes by laughing.
Where did the inspiration for this piece come from?
There were a few things that inspired me to make this show, including a hugely inappropriate funeral story from my native Moldova I’d heard, involving a keener (funeral cryer) climbing into a coffin. But I suppose the main source of inspiration was the act of pickling and preservation. We pickle almost everything in Moldova - tomatoes, carrots, gherkins. And while I remember the process of pickling in rural Moldova being quite joyous and colourful, in adulthood, it made me think about some deeper stuff it touched on around preserving, making life longer, death, search for purpose and what exactly is a life well lived?
So all of that combined in a jar, festered for 9 years, and here we are!
How have you approached developing the show?
Well the show took 9 years to make. I built it one character/scene at a time and tested them in scratch nights in Glasgow and Edinburgh. It was so important to me to test new material that’s rooted in clown, vaudeville and physical theatre in front of an audience, just to see if the material had legs and that what it was saying was clear. It also took a while to find the right team for the show - it’s important to surround yourself with the people who find absurdism equally as inspiring. I couldn’t have done it without the team I assembled in the end, many of whom are creatives I’ve cultivated a working relationship with for years.
How would you describe the style of the show?
It’s an absurdist cabaret for adults. To paint a picture of what the show feels like, imagine Eugene Ionesco Theatre of the Absurd meets David Lynch smoky mystery.
Can you describe the show in 3 words?
Riotous, ridiculous, bonkers
How do you mentally and physically prepare for a run like the Fringe?
I’ve never done a full run at the Edinburgh fringe, so I’m elated and terrified at the same time. Pickled Republic is a really physical show, so I started training at the gym in March. And then mentally… I suppose just reminding myself about doing this run in August every day for months has got my brain used to the idea and got me all psyched up. I’ve also got a brilliant team around me who will be with me at the fringe, so I think that will help keep me grounded and feel supported amidst the ups and downs of fringe.
Away from your show, what are you most looking forward to about being in Edinburgh?
I can’t wait to see shows! There are friends coming to perform shows at the fringe, as well as many artists I admire - so I’m really looking forward to seeing their work and being inspired.
Are there any other shows at the Fringe you’d like to recommend?
I’m really looking forward to seeing Balfour Reparations by Farah Saleh, which is also part of the Made in Scotland Showcase this year and also plays at Summerhall Arts.
I also know Trygve Wakenshaw - fellow clown and physical theatre maker, great mime - is coming back to the fringe this year, with 3 shows! I saw his show with Barnie Duncan - A Different Party - a few years ago at the fringe and thought it was brilliant, so I’m looking forward to seeing it again and the other two shows Trygve is bringing, one of which is for young audiences!
What was the first piece of theatre you saw which had a big impact on you?
Great question. The one that sticks out in my mind is a show called Three Trees created and performed by my clown teachers at Dell’Arte International, where I trained as a physical theatre maker and performer. It was the first full clown show I’d ever seen and it was incredible - I didn’t know that was possible to do on stage! Hilarious, touching, and a total revelation. It was also quite special to see my teachers perform - everything they were teaching us and talking to us about, we saw it materialised. It blew our minds.
I hope they walk out feeling a sense of elated joy. The show is so ridiculous and silly, even while dealing with some heavy themes like the search for purpose, that I hope the ridiculousness of it all makes them skip out of the theatre laughing.
Where and when can people see your show?
You can see Pickled Republic at 13:15 every day from 31 July (preview) to 25 August (not 11, 18 August) at Summerhall Arts in the Anatomy Lecture Theatre.
Post a Comment