Will is a popular GP but when a teenage patient kills himself, everything starts to unravel. As he tries to understand whether he’s responsible, his wife Mhairi campaigns for the NHS to reduce waiting times for people with mental health problems.
His daughter, about to finish school, continues to keep her clinical depression secret from almost everyone – including her dad. When Will’s best friend Imogen turns up, a chain of events is set in motion that force the family to confront some uncomfortable truths.
A darkly funny reflection on our society’s struggle to deal with broken heads.
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?
I’m Claire Wood, writer and co-director of one of EGTG’s Fringe shows, crackers.
crackers is about a GP, Will. He’s married, he has a teenage daughter and he’s always prided himself on being a good doctor and a good man. Before going any further, I should warn you that the play is about mental ill-health and there are repeat references to suicide and some references to self-harm. At the start of the play, Will learns that a teenage patient has taken his own life and then everything starts to unravel.
Tell us about the creative team and process involved?
I’m working with another Claire, Claire Morand on directing the play and we’ve got a brilliant team around us. Jennie Landels has designed the set and the costumes. Alastair Smith is building the set. Gordon Hughes is on lights. Siobhan McGovern is organising props for us. Courtney Smith is creating all our social content. Alex Paul is creating a soundscape for us. I’m excited to see the script getting so much love.
How does it feel coming to the Fringe?
Thrilling! The last time I directed a show in the Fringe was 2018 – five long years ago. It’s been lovely to see the Fringe gradually unfolding to a pre-pandemic style kaleidoscope over the past couple of years and this will be a very welcome return. The Fringe comes with built-in fairy dust I think!
There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?
We’ve got (by Fringe standards!) a HUGE cast. We have ten actors, ranging in age from 14 to 80. This is brand new writing – a premiere! And in the wake of the pandemic, mental ill-health feels like a topic that’s more pertinent than ever.
Is there anything specific you’re hoping for the audience to take away?
I’d like them to ponder why we find talking about mental ill-health so tough. I feel like we made real progress on this in the early months of the pandemic. For those few months when we were all told to stay home, conversations all started with ‘how are you?’ and for once, people really meant it. Three years on, it feels like compassion’s no longer a reflex and that’s a huge pity. It would be glib to suggest that asking people if they’re ok, solves all of their problems. But asking it and meaning it, can be a really good start.
Your ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t there…
If you’re talking individuals, Dominic Corr. I love the thought and the kindness he brings to his reviews.
If Dominic’s busy, I’d love David Greig to drop by. Anyone who manages to find a place for Kylie in a Borders ballad is my kind of hero.
But if you’re asking about who I’m trying to reach with this show, I want to talk to all the people who might be really struggling with their own mental health. Who might be feeling a bit down, or feeling that they’re not coping very well, but they wouldn’t dream of thinking that they’re feeling ‘ill’ enough to warrant talking to anyone about it. crackers is here to say that EVERYONE who is struggling, even if it doesn’t feel like a big deal – especially if it doesn’t feel like a big deal – will benefit from talking to someone about how they’re feeling.
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?
I’m really excited to see our other show, Shakers, directed by Hilary Spiers. Her Bloody Wimmin last year was funny and feisty and moving. She’s got an awesome cast for Shakers so that’s on my must-see list. I’m also really looking forward to Beautiful Evil Things by Ad Infinitum and I’m thrilled that Pina Bausch is in town over at EIF.
Relaxing? I’ll do that on 29 August.
In your ideal world, how can we improve the world of the Fringe, of performance, and the industry?
Some of the venues, like Summerhall, are doing some really good stuff to support new and early-stage artists to get their work seen in the Fringe. It would be great to see venue costs coming down a bit – but they need to make money too. It’s a tough time in the arts. We need fairy godmothers to keep the Fringe sparkling!
