It is August which only means one thing – it is Camden Fringe time! Over the next few weeks we are chatting to acts that are performing at the festival and finding all about their show and what they would call this years iconic Camden Fringe Pigeon! Today we speak to Red Patch Productions about the show The Trying Rooms.

Date: 3rd August
Time: 17:00
Price: £14 Concession: £12
Location: Teatro Technis
Ticket Link: https://camdenfringe.com/events/the-trying-rooms/

How did you come up with the name of your show that you’re taking to the Camden fringe? 

The show is a double bill, with two stories that centre around trying very hard to get something right; be that a relationship, communication, figuring out one’s identity, or surviving this crazy world. The Trying Rooms therefore fitted this theme. The audience are being brought into a space, a world, a room, where they will be invited to consider what ‘trying’ means to them; because at the end of the day isn’t that all we really have? The trying to be a better person, a better mother, child, friend. 

Tell us a little bit about your style of show? 

The Trying Rooms is a dance theatre double bill, an eruption of words and movement. It is a tragicomedy that untangles two turbulent relationships. The first half is a solo titled The Agony of Definition, that delves into the rift between one’s inner and outer world, with a desperate attempt to bridge that gap. Following that is Daughtered, which digs at the bond between mother and daughter. I will be joined on stage by my mum; at 60, Sharon Pilgrim-Morris is making her theatre debut. The show has an original score also made by myself. 

What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at the fringe?

I’m sharing Theatro Technis with Junction Theatre company, who’s show Second Hand Problems looks really interesting – it’s about the female experience and the feeling of limbo, and it shares some similar themes to The Trying Rooms, including motherhood and coming of age. The show Sex Chat Granny by Harriet Waterhouse also really caught my eye – so many stories are centred around youthfulness and it’s ups and downs, so I’m excited to go along to see the story of a ‘woman slipping into the invisibility of middle age’. 

What advice would you give to others who want to perform at Camden Fringe next year? 

It seems really daunting at the beginning, to make something happen independently and bring a show to life, but if you apply with plenty of time it’s definitely doable. Every theatre I have spoken to has been incredibly helpful, as is the team behind the Fringe itself. They even have a podcast with over 50 episodes that digs right into the process of putting on your own show, unpacking how initially daunting it seems. 

What is the best thing about performing at the Camden fringe? 

Camden is the centre of so much creativity within London, with many venues that go out of their way to support early career artists like myself. This is my first Fringe season, and it’s really exciting to bring my first full length show to the place where I found my identity as an artist; I trained in the borough, at London Contemporary Dance School in King’s Cross. I hope one day to bring a show to Edinburgh Fringe and beyond, but right now it feels very special to perform in a place that means so much to me. 

London can be an expensive place to perform in – what key advice would you give to performers that is a sort of life hack? 

Still trying to figure this one out myself to be honest… having not much funding and so many jobs to do to produce, direct and perform in my own show means I can’t pay anyone else at the moment to do the admin for me. I’ve had to learn how to effectively market, navigate contracts and insurance, complete funding applications, organise promo material shoots, design posters and compose the original soundtrack for the show.

At times it’s felt really overwhelming, but the thing that has helped the most is prioritising seeing the process as just as important, if not more, than the final product. If I only focus on marketing as a means to sell tickets, it becomes a very anxiety-inducing chore, whereas if I change my focus to each item of marketing material being a piece of art and creative expression in itself, the whole thing becomes a lot more fun. 

What are your three favourite things about Camden? 

When I was studying in London, I used to love walking along the canal from Caledonian Road, through Camden and all the way to Regent’s Park. Even though it’s such a busy part of London, by the canal it feels like a little peaceful oasis. I love Primrose Hill and The Lock Tavern, which was our favourite pub as students! Lastly, the music scene in Camden has such a rich history. 

Who would be your ultimate dream audience member? 

Either Phoebe Waller-Bridge, creator of Fleabag, or Gabriela Carrizo and Franck Chartier, who founded the Belgian dance theatre company Peeping Tom. I think all of them have made pretty genre-defying work, and it would be incredible to share my work with them, after being so inspired by theirs. To be honest, I’m really grateful to be able to share my art with anyone – the most meaningful audience members tend to be the friends and collaborators that have supported me so much… or my mum! 

The iconic image of the Camden Fringe is the Pigeon – if you could call this year’s pigeon a name to represent its style what would it be and why? 

The main character in my show is called Claybourne, and they also like to dress in a similarly gentlemanly way to Camden Fringe’s pigeon. Perhaps they could be cousins… Claybourne and Jeremy? Claybourne and Cornelius? I quite like Cornelius. 

If people want to find out more about you, where can they follow you on social media? 

We are on Instagram as @redpatchproductions and our website is redpatchproductions.co.uk.

And Finally in three words – Why should people come and see the show?

Support grassroots theatre!!