Female-led and produced, PALS (written by Mirren Wilson) is a Scottish adventure-comedy premiering at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Amidst the buzz of Edinburgh life, budding photographer Sadie and her three friends are suffering from the modern affliction of being in their early 20s. PALS tells the story of these crude, chaotic yet completely normal gal pals as they embark on a camping trek in the West of Scotland. In a bid to escape their lives, have a riotous time and avoid several mental breakdowns, these “Perfectly Average Lassies of Scotland” are completely out of their depths, in more ways than one.
PALS is produced by Higgledy Piggledy Productions, an Isle of Skye/Edinburgh-based emerging theatre company, specialising in female-led theatre, local Scottish stories and Gaelic language.
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?
PALS is a new Scottish adventure-comedy play telling the story of four crude, chaotic yet completely normal gal pals as they embark on a camping trek in the West of Scotland. In amidst the buzz of Edinburgh life, budding photographer Sadie and her three friends are suffering from the modern affliction of being in their early 20s. In a bid to escape their lives, have a riotous time and avoid several mental breakdowns, Sadie takes her friends on what should be a wholesome holiday. However, these lassies are completely out of their depths, in more ways than one!
Tell us about the creative team and the process involved?
Strap yourselves in!
My name is Mirren Wilson, and I’m the writer and producer of PALS. Hilariously, I started writing this play about 7 years ago and it’s taken me FOREVER to finish it. It’s been one of those things that I’d pick up every so often, casually write a few more scenes and then leave it for another 6 months. It’s only in the last year that I’ve got my arse into gear and finished it.
PALS is being presented by Higgledy Piggledy Productions, an emerging Scottish Theatre Company specialising in local-Scottish stories, female-led work and Gaelic language. Creative director, Tanya MacDonald is originally from the Isle of Skye, so not only is she directing PALS, but she’s our Gaelic advisor to make sure our Gaelic is tip top. We joked that Tanya is here so “Mirren doesn’t die” – she’s been my admin queen and personal cheerleader.
In terms of the process so far, we hosted a sold-out Fringe Fundraiser Rehearsed Reading in March this year, which was the first-ever sharing of the text. That was minorly stressful, but invaluable, as I realised the script was double the length it needed to be! Since then, we’ve done some dramaturgy days with F-Bomb Theatre’s Rachel O’Regan – which I would highly recommend. I learned so much from Rachel in such a short space of time which has helped to tighten up the script and emphasise the play’s themes. We’ve also hosted an open casting call, to meet underrepresented Scottish women and collaborated on a London Scratch Night with Slainte Theatre (a Scottish and Irish-focused company).
We’re now about to launch a Crowdfunder campaign since we’ve been unsuccessful in every funding application we’ve ever done, so the work never stops. We’ll go into rehearsals in mid-July and then before we know it, Fringe will be happening.
How does it feel coming to the Fringe?
Oh my lordy, I’m thrilled, proud, hyped and terrified. I have that wonderful voice of anxiety creeping in every so often and whispering “What if nobody comes?” and “What if it’s shit?” But, I have to keep reminding myself that, at the end of August, I will have created a show. And that is a success in itself.
I’ve performed at Fringe, I’ve reviewed at Fringe and I’ve worked at Fringe, but this is my first time writing and producing for Fringe. And let me tell you, it’s been a learning curve!
Last year, I went to support my friend Shelley Middler (who wrote and produced The Collie’s Shed, which has just been on a Scottish tour) and I had THE WORST FOMO for not doing anything creative! I came out of her show and immediately decided I was doing fringe next year, and I’ve been grafting my wee bum off since last August to do everything I can to make PALS as strong as it can be.
I’ve always wanted to write plays and get them out there, and unfortunately producing work independently seems to be the most feasible way of making that happen at that moment. I’ve been frustrated for a long time about the lack of in-depth roles for young women in Scottish theatre, so I feel proud and energised that I’m actively trying to do something about it
There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?
First of all, we’re Scottish – so we’re already in the minority at Fringe. Our show is led by four young Scottish females, and you may or may not be surprised at how rare that is! If audiences who have travelled far and wide, want to see something that has been produced locally – this is the show for you.
One of my lovely cast members made a really nice point that in female friendships, girls are either seen as “the bitches who don’t get on” or “the girly girls who are joined at the hip.” But our gals don’t fall into either category – they love each other, but they’re all very individual.
PALS is also a show about connecting to nature and being outdoors. There’s still not that many shows about nature and connecting to the landscape, potentially because it’s quite difficult to achieve. So this is one for the hillwalkers and the wanderers.
Is there anything specific you’re hoping the audience will take away?
The journey of the play comes from these four girls feeling “average” and feeling like they’re not where they should be, and we see them dive into their imperfections in a very exposing way. I want the audience to feel seen, I want the audience to go “I’ve been there” or “Oh my god that’s me.” and I want the audience to come out accepting themselves (and each other) a little bit more for who they are and where they are at in life.
Your ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t there…
Oooh ideal audience! I’m going to go full dream situation here and then work back to realism. The front row is all of ABBA, Lewis Capaldi (I think he’d love it), Phoebe Waller–Bridge (obviously), James McAvoy, my “long-suffering and incredibly patient” boyfriend Ben, and my mum.
I’d love for the big Scottish theatre names to check in to PALS and catch some new writing featuring emerging Scottish actors – it means the world just to feel seen. People like Cora Bisset, Jemima Levick, and Elizabeth Newman – all fabulous women who are doing fabulous things!
Our target audience is primarily young women, and we’re reaching that at the moment which is amazing. But I also want the play to interest all the men in the world – these girls are your friends, sisters, partners, future wives!
I asked my boyfriend why men should be interested in PALS and he said “Well it’s an insight into what women are like, and what female friendships are like when men aren’t there. It shows how funny, crude, independent, strong and utterly unhinged they can be – in all the best ways. I also think men will recognise these characters in the women in their lives.” I don’t think I could have put that better myself. PALS is like the love-child of Derry Girls and the Inbetweeners…but Scottish
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’ve actually got a couple of really nice non-theatre-related things planned during August. My boyfriend is taking me, and our beautiful doggie Holly, up North to a cabin for a couple of days. This is pretty much at the start of the Fringe, so I’ll set up the show, make sure it’s okay, and then take a break before returning to the madness. I’ve also got a Highland Cow experience booked in with my mum where we get to go and brush baby Highland cows – canny wait for that!
In terms of shows I’m excited to see, I mainly want to support my friends and other shows that are Scottish or female-led, but I also love site-specific or experimental pieces. This is a tiny list of shows I’ll definitely be seeing: Wish You Were Here by Michael Johnson, Float by Kirby Thompson and Orla Graham, Character Flaw by Phillipa Dawson, Mary Queen of Rock by Pretty Knicker’s Productions and Hot Girl Summer by Pink Palace Productions.
In your ideal world, how can we improve the Fringe, of performance, and the industry?
To quote Abba, “Money, money, money.” It would be great if Fringe didn’t bankrupt its show creators, and unfortunately that’s the reality. Nobody does fringe to get rich. By the time you’ve added everything up, companies usually have to pay around £2,000 upfront across registration and venue fees to even participate, and that’s not accessible. I think these costs can definitely be negotiated a little bit, because surely venues make enough money from ticket sales, events, and the bar, to give the artists a higher cut of the profits?
To me, the industry seems like it’s in two halves; there are the people who consistently make work on the main stages, then there are the people who are forever “emerging” because they can never break through the barrier to the main stages. There needs to be a link between the two, so that new talent is thrown into the limelight, and artists are developed with an end goal.
I would love to see the return of repertory theatre and Pitlochry is great at this. You can easily have a mix of new performers, plays, technicals and creatives whilst still making some safe choices to drive the ticket sales. This is where our modern greats like Judi Dench, Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith and Ian McKellen have come from. Even if theatres tried it for 1 season a year, we would be able to showcase a whole new range of talent.
PALS runs at venue 24: Gilded Balloon: Patter Hoose
(3 Chambers St, EH1 1HT)
Runs – July 31st, August 1st-12th, 14th-19th, 21st-26th
Photo Credit – Ray Kelly Photography
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