Bulgaria just told Hitler to fuck off, saving the lives of nearly 50,000 Jewish people… and lost a King.
A five-star, award-winning ensemble which tackles history and blends it with live folk tunes, The Brief Life & Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria, running at this year’s Fringe at the Queendome (Pleasance Dome), is for the jazz fans, the history buffs, or those just looking to grasp onto a real-life story – it’s a must-see (and that comes from Kyril, Prince of Preslav, Boris III’s Grandson).
Audiences can meet the men who could’ve done more, the women who did the most, and the reasons why the world has forgotten them all.
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?
We are Out of The Forest Theatre – a multi-award-winning ensemble-based company. We take misremembered or forgotten stories from history, set them to folk music, and use them as a lens to better understand today. We like to think our work is irreverently presented, knee-slapping, historical theatre with a modern revisionist twist. Our current show ‘The Brief Life & Mysterious Death, King of Bulgaria’ focuses on the Heroic Rescue of Bulgaria’s Jewish Population during WW2, and the events surrounding Boris III’s premature demise.
Tell us about the creative team and process involved?
We have co-writers Sasha Wilson and Joseph Cullen, with Dramaturgy by Hannah Hauer-King (also Director). Claire Gilbert is our Producer and we have Lorra Videv our Bulgarian Production Assistant (and stand up!). We first discovered this story in 2017, when Sasha’s Opapa (grandad, who lived to be nearly 101) gave us a book called ‘Crown of Thorns’ by Stephen Groueff, a biography of Boris III. When we finally got around to opening the book in 2019, we immediately knew we needed to pass on this story. We staged a week’s run at VAULT Festival in 2020 and then hit pause until the Arts Council generously funded some R&D earlier this year. With support from The Bulgarian Embassy in London and members of the Bulgarian royal family, we are delighted to be coming to The Fringe for the first time on the 80th Anniversary of these events, and our final performance on August 28th 2023 happens to be 80 years to-the-day of Boris III’s death.
How does it feel to coming to the Fringe?
Nerve-wracking, but we feel we are ready for this next challenge. We are proud of the work we’ve made so far, including Offie Award-Winning ‘Best Ensemble’ show ‘Bury The Hatchet’ in 2019, but have held ourselves back from taking the big Edinburgh plunge thus far… This is a story we are confident NEEDS as big an audience as possible, and so we’ve decided it’s the story worth shouldering the financial risk of the fringe to tell. Wish us luck!
There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?
You think you know WW2. You’ve all seen Dad’s Army and everyone has an opinion on Churchill. But who has heard of Metropolitan Stefan or Liliana Panitza? These extraordinary ordinary (and unknown) figures from European history deserve to be celebrated. Through their actions nearly
50,000 Jewish lives were spared from deportation (even though Bulgaria was a sworn ally of Germany). Bring your parents, bring your history buff friends, bring anyone who might enjoy some Bulgarian & Jewish music interspersed with more well-known folk songs!
‘Whether a jazz fan, a history buff or just someone who loves gripping real-life stories, this is a must see.’ Kyril, Prince of Preslav, Boris III’s Grandson
Is there anything specific you’re hoping for the audience to take away?
Just the knowledge that even at a very dark time, people found the confidence to do the right thing. It can be very easy to forget that there are decent people out there, especially when it seems communities are being disunited by right wing rhetoric. Don’t let the bastards grind you down – hunt out the positive stories and pass them on, inspire a bit of hope.
Your ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t there…
We don’t really have anyone we don’t want there – maybe this one girl Jenna Roberts that I went to primary school with, she was really mean and stole a papier mache reindeer puppet that I made Christmas 2000 I think, and I’m still pretty sore about it to be honest. But I’m 32 now so I’d have to go over and speak with her and really would not want to do that.
Otherwise – we think anyone from young adult upwards would find this historical story fascinating. We are nerds and would love to be applauded for our detailed research. But this is a piece of theatre, and as such we have presented a varied show full of historical accuracy / heightened theatricality & music / some physical comedy / Easter Eggs for cultural reference points.
It’s an intense month, so where you’re able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?
We paid for a gym membership 2 months ago, and fully intend to start using it soon… We are hoping to locate a sauna. We are fortunately based near The Meadows and so will be enjoying as much time outdoors as possible.
We are looking forward to the following shows by our friends – James Rowland’s ‘Piece Of Work’ (Summerhall), Adam Scott Rowley’s ‘You Are Going To Die’ (Summerhall), Callum Patrick Hughes ‘Thirst’ (Pleasance) and David Shopland’s ‘Raising Kane’ (Assembly). Female-led shows are available.
Our Production Assistant Lorra Videv & friend Gabi MacPherson have places in So You Think You’re Funny? Edinburgh Heats and we cannot wait to see them as well!
In your ideal world, how can we improve the world of the Fringe, of performance, and the industry?
Gosh. I think it would be amazing if there was some kind of specific fund for telling the stories of marginalised groups from foreign cultures. A theatre-maker called Abi Zakarian has a play about the Armenian genocide, and theatre company Bezna Theatre is a British-Romanian activist intersectional theatre collective dedicated to challenging inequality – we would love to see funding directed towards shows and companies with European stories like this. We are keen to continue our Anglo-Bulgarian relations, and if we could place a greater emphasis on International when we talk about The Edinburgh International Fringe that would be great. We are one world, so the stronger the connections and communities across it, the better for everyone. We need to look far and wide for the stories and then pass them on. We are keen to see more funding put into grassroots theatre in rural communities as well, – this is where people are hard to reach and often don’t travel, so a funding model that could transfer work from the Fringe to the fields, one which serves artists and communities alike, would be great. Who’s in charge of organising that?
