After an amazing response last year we have once again resurrected our Brighton Bites mini-interviews. These short and snappy Q&As offer an, occasionally witty – often hilarious, insight into the acts strutting, sailing, surfing (insert preferred form of transport here) in to join the line-up of England’s largest arts festival, Brighton Fringe. 2018 was a record-breaking year for the Fringe with over 575,000 people attending the festival; and with 2019 promising to be more inclusive than ever, our Bites aim to give you a taste of what’s in store across the 4,500+ events and performances that are on offer.
First up in today’s offerings, Boxfish Theatre tell us about their show Bin & Gone which they’ll be performing at Sweet Werks 2.
Describe your show in one sentence?
The son of a Saturday night favourite, a father who performed with Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Andy Williams; the child who ended up with nothing, penniless and in care.
Why Brighton Fringe?
It is a fantastic platform to showcase your show. We had a fantastic time premiering our show at the Brighton Fringe Festival last year to a great success of 5 and 4-star reviews. We had a fantastic time working alongside Sweet Venues, so couldn’t resist.
How did the show get to where it is today?
It started a few years back when meeting the writer Tom Glover from my technician at my old school. Tom would ask me personal questions about me losing my dad and the impact it has had on me. We then made a timeline of my father’s career right up to his death. Then it made it easier for us to see how he became a star before 3-2-1 and what happened after the show was axed. We would workshop ideas and pieces of the script. Making sure we were not portraying the story in chronological order but weaving in my dad’s story as well as mine. We have also had tremendous support from our GoFundMe Page. Everyone’s donations have helped us make progress in the right direction and to play to a much bigger audience-Thank you.
What do you think sets your show apart from all the other festival offerings?
I think what sets my show differently to the other festival shows is that it’s a very personal talking about and playing my late father Ted Rogers. Talking about his success; being asked personally by Bing Crosby to be his comedian of choice to 3-2-1 being axed and growing up seeing my father struggle losing his business, being penniless, my dad dying and ending up in care.
What show do you not want to miss at this year’s Brighton Fringe (apart from your own!)?
FREAK
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given, or would give, for performing at a fringe festival?
My best advice given to me was to make sure at the venue in plenty of time and make sure you have contacted everyone in your reach to come and see your show.
With the theme of this year’s festival being ‘DARE to Discover’, we’d like you to tell us a TRUTH – something about you or the show that fans may not know.
Dusty Bin makes an appearance in the show and you get a chance to get a picture with him and the This is Your Life Book.
Bin & Gone runs at Brighton Fringe from 6-12 May 2019. Brighton Fringe takes place between 3 May – 2 June 2019; www.brightonfringe.org
Nicole Craft | Image: Contributed
