Spy Movie: The Play - Interview

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, Jack Michael Stacey and Matthew Howell discusses their show Spy Movie: The Play.

What can you tell me in your words about your show?
Jack: Spy Movie: The Play! is what happens when a screenwriter’s blockbuster dreams are rejected by Hollywood... so she decides to stage her epic spy film live, with a fringe theatre budget and a whole lot of imagination. The audience are cast as film producers, invited to witness this one-night-only “screening” of the greatest spy movie (n)ever made. Expect car chases, helicopters, explosions (some real, some... less so), and zero gravity—all conjured with cardboard, confetti, and chaotic creativity.

Matt: It’s our love letter to spy films—and to the beautiful disaster that is fringe theatre. It’s action-packed, full-throttle comedy with a heart, some questionable props, and far more lasers than are strictly necessary. Imagine James Bond meets Fawlty Towers.

Where did the inspiration for this piece come from?
Jack: It started as a sitcom pilot (Section 13) about a disgraced MI6 unit, but when The Hope Theatre offered us a Christmas slot, we thought—why not blow up the scale? We asked: what’s the funniest way to stage a Bond-style blockbuster with no budget, no crew, and no clue? That became our show.

Matt: We leaned into the limitations, and it became funnier the lower our budget got. What’s the DIY version of a helicopter chase? Coat hangers, remote-control copters, and lots of optimism (and cable ties).

How have you approached developing the show?
Matt: Like building a mission: improvise wildly, recruit a brilliant team, and fail forward. Since 2023, every run has helped us refine the gags, the timing, and the story.

Jack: It’s been a joyful mess of trial and error. We’ve rewritten jokes, retimed stunts, and even recast Barbie dolls. It’s about balancing two stories—the spy film and the chaos of making it—and finding the heart in both.
   
How would you describe the style of the show?
Jack: The Play That Goes Wrong meets Mission: Impossible, with a dash of Noises Off and a blast of glitter cannons.

Matt: It’s fast-paced, multi-rolling, shamelessly slapstick and proudly theatrical. One moment it’s live-action cartoon, the next it’s heartfelt indie drama. The most ambitious low-budget theatre you’ll see this year—maybe ever.

Can you describe the show in 3 words? 

Matt: Shaken. Stirred. Jiggled.
Jack: Ambition. Chaos. Joy.

How do you mentally and physically prepare for a run like the Fringe? 

Jack: Train like it’s a mission.
Matt: Lager.

Away from your show, what are you most looking forward to about being in Edinburgh?
Matt: Seeing weird, one-of-a-kind shows you’ll never see again. That’s the joy of the Fringe—discovery through chaos.

Jack: Coffee in the Pleasance Courtyard, watching the world go by. It’s like people-watching on fast forward.

What is one hidden gem in Edinburgh that everyone should visit?
Jack: There’s a tiny cinema just off the Royal Mile—perfect for recharging with a film and a drink.

Matt: The Pleasance bar. Ideally after seeing SPY MOVIE: The Play!

Are there any other shows at the Fringe you’d like to recommend?   
Jack: Shoot From The Hip—brilliant improv, always different, always hilarious.

Matt: Anything Gary Starr touches, anything involving clowning, and definitely The Importance of Being... Earnest?—a masterclass in theatrical mayhem.

What was the first piece of theatre you saw which had a big impact on you?
Jack: The 39 Steps on stage—it was so inventive, showing how much magic you can make from so little.

Matt: One Man, Two Guvnors—the laughter stayed with me for weeks. It showed me that theatre could be wildly, joyfully funny.

What do you hope an audience member takes away from seeing the show?
Jack: Imagination, laughter, and possibly a sore face from grinning. Just don’t take any props—we’re still using those.

Matt: That theatre doesn’t have to be polished to be brilliant. It can be chaotic, messy, joyful—and still blow your mind.

Where and when can people see your show?
Jack: We’re at Pleasance Courtyard (Above), every day at 12:55pm throughout the Fringe— 

Matt: —except the 11th and 18th. We need those days to recharge the lasers.