Winner of the 2021 Platform Presents Playwright’s Prize. Nuclear Children, written by Ezra England, directed by Seán Linnen, is a dark comedy about mental health, a submarine accident and a melon.
Following the death of her father Isla is struggling to cope; plagued with intrusive thoughts and her deteriorating mental health, she runs away to university in the hope of staying sane.
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?
Hello! I’m Seán Linnen. I’m the director of Nuclear Children which is a dark comedy about a submarine accident, mental health and a melon. Written by the very excellent, Ezra England.
Tell us about the creative team and process involved?
I feel so lucky to have such a luminous group of people to work with on the show.
Ezra wrote the script and will be performing it too. They won the Roundhouse Poetry Slam last year and so anyone who has seen them perform their poetry knows how brilliant they are.
And then Hannah Sibai designed the most fun set, Robbie Butler lights it beautifully, Russell Ditchfield has whipped up the sound design and composed some gorgeous music, a member of the magic circle Gareth Kalyan has been helping us with some illusions, and Beth Barrington-Davis is our superlative Stage Manager.
It’s been a really joyous process and so much of that is down to them.
How does it feel coming to the Fringe?
This is my eighth fringe, and the seventh show I’ve brought up so I feel like I know the ropes pretty well now but every year I discover something new about the city and the festival. I love arriving into Waverley station – the city brims with potential and possibility. It’s thrilling.
There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?
It’s got a gigantic heart, some wonky yellow steps and a few surprises along the way.
Is there anything specific you’re hoping the audience will take away?
I hope that our audiences might feel encouraged to talk about their own mental health journeys with their friends and loved ones. And that anyone who is feeling isolated or overwhelmed, might feel a little less so. But, mostly, we just want to make everyone laugh.
Your ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t there…
Everyone’s welcome. We’ve an open-door policy here at Nuclear Children HQ.
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’ll only be around for the first week this year but I’ll still be sure to look after myself as, you’re right, it can be intense. Big wanders through the city. Breakfasts up Arthur’s Seat. Broccoli for dinner rather than the usual beer/burger combo. These are things I found helped in the past. And meeting a mate just for a cuppa and a catch-up is really underrated. You do not need to squeeze another show into your already jam-packed schedule.
Having said that, I’ll try and see as much as possible while I’m there…
Things I’m most excited about from a quick flick through the programme:
Flawbored’s It’s A Motherf**king Pleasure at Underbelly – I’ve just seen a preview of it and it’s razor sharp and so so funny.
Bitter Lemons at The Pleasance – I could sit and watch Chanel Waddock read a car manual. She’s dazzling, and she’s in this so I know it’s gonna be good.
Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story also at The Pleasance. A Drag Princess Diana – what’s not to love?
Also very excited by the sound of Klanghaus, You and Me, and Baklâ over at Summerhall.
In your ideal world, how can we improve the world of the Fringe, of performance, and the industry?
I think in the short term we need to address how many people aren’t paid or are underpaid for their work on the fringe. Every time anyone accepts less than what they’re worth, it pushes working-class artists further to the margins because they can’t afford to work for little or no money. It’s getting worse and worse and the result will be an industry that looks and sounds the same. And that’s not good for anyone.
In the long term, we need Universal Basic Income, we need more social housing, and we need successive governments to place our happiness and well-being ahead of GDP.
