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 find out about the show The Last Night Out.

Date: 8th –11th August
Time: 13:00
Price: £10
Location: Etcetera Theatre
Ticket Link: https://camdenfringe.com/events/the-last-night-out/

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

I can’t say it’s a particularly dramatic story, it just felt like the right and natural title. The show began life as a single small duologue I did for an online event at the National Youth Theatre during lockdown. Back then it was called “The Last Chat” because the conversation between the characters was framed as a zoom call, but when it got expanded into a play I realised that calling it “The Last Chat” felt like a bad description, as well as feeling dull and clunky. The Last Night Out sprung to mind immediately and I decided to stick with it. It’s an apt description, but I’ll say no more to avoid spoilers. 

Tell us a little bit about your style of show?

I’d say that the show would fit perfectly alongside things like Normal People and One Day, small-scale stories about human dramas, but with a great sense of humour to boot. It’s simple and unpretentious, like one of those nights with a small group of friends where you come out of it knowing you’ll remember that night for the rest of your life. 

I wrote the play initially as a challenge to myself. My comfort-zone is in writing prose stories, usually in the sci-fi or fantasy genres and usually with a strong element of surrealism to them, but after a while I began to get interested in the idea of getting rid of all my usual quirks and making something that is solely focussed on two people and their complicated relationship. I drew on my own life for inspiration as well as that of a friend, who very kindly allowed me to tell parts of her own life story, and very quickly found that compelling drama and comedy really can be made with almost nothing. Two people, that’s all you need, and suddenly sparks are flying. 

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

I honestly don’t know. I haven’t made a formal plan yet. I think the wonderful thing about the fringe is the spontaneity of it, as well as the incredible variety. I think my strategy will be to take a walk after a performance and see what leaps out to me. That’s how I like it. 

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

Personally, I’d say that the best way to make things happen is to meet other people. Go to networking events, open mic nights, scratch nights. It’s easy to underestimate the value of just talking to people in real life. Even if it doesn’t lead to something in the immediate future, you’re making yourself part of a community, and that’s a beautiful thing in and of itself. 

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

At the moment it’s the generosity of The Etcetera Theatre, who have been extremely helpful as I’ve tried to navigate my way around being a producer for the first time ever. Those guys are great and I look forward to finding even more reasons in the future. 

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

Rehearsing at home is a good place to start, if you can manage it. I’ve also opted not to go for the traditional flyer approach to marketing and instead have opted to print a T-shirt with the show logo on the front and a QR code to book tickets on the back. It’s reusable, it’s environmentally friendly, cheaper than repeat orders of flyers and a lot more fun for the people you’re marketing to. It also means they can book there and then so they don’t end up forgetting and missing out. 

What are your three favourite things about Camden?

It’s such a colourful bit of London with a lot of different cultural influences. It’s accessible, and there’s plenty of places to grab a bite to eat! 

Who would be your ultimate dream audience member?

Either my favourite author of all time, Robert Shearman, Simon Bird from The Inbetweeners or the casting director Nina Gold. 

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?

They give me real Timothy/Girtrude vibes, cute enough for the cartoon design but posh enough to match the top hat. 

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

There’s the social media pages of my production company,
Instagram: @threecointheatre
Facebook: threecointheatre).

Or you can subscribe to my personal YouTube channel for information on the show as well as my short stories, audio dramas, video essays and vlogs! (youtube.com/@Paul_M_Bradley). 

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

Funny, beautiful & bittersweet.