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 Crew of Patches about the show Around the world in 72 Days

Date: 9th & 10th August
Time: 17:30
Price: £14 Concessions £10
Location: Barons Court Theatre
Ticket Link: https://camdenfringe.com/events/around-the-world-in-72-days/

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

It was quite an easy decision with this one, purely because it was based on Nellie Bly’s actual book, which she had called ‘Around the World in 72 Days’. The only thing we added was ‘The Story of Nellie Bly’ as a subtitle, purely so people don’t think we’re doing a show about the Jules Verne novel!

Tell us a little bit about the style of your show?

In true Crew of Patches fashion, chaotic – but in a good way! We have over 20 characters, some of them voice overs, and many, MANY quick character changes, so it definitely keeps us (mainly Jeff) on our toes. The audience is very much involved – Nellie and some other characters talk to them directly all the way through the play, so we’re aiming for an intimate feel.

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

We’re only going to have a couple of days in London while we do the show (all three of our team are from out of town), but I love the look of ‘Getting a Drink at the End of the World’ and if we can get over there in time, ‘The Ashes You Leave Behind’.

How are rehearsals going?

We haven’t actually started yet! The script is currently being transitioned from a solo show to a two-hander, so we’re working on getting that sorted first. Though there are a good few Zoom calls and meetings to keep everyone up to date,

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

Know the budget you are working with before you start. We’re doing this show with a micro budget, so it was important to know where all of our costs were coming from before we signed up to do the Fringe. And make sure the venue you’re working with is right for you. Some work by hire rather than profit share, so make sure you know where you stand on that too.

Who would be your ultimate dream audience member?

I’d love to say Nellie Bly herself, but I’d be terrified in case we missed something! I can imagine she’d be incredibly blunt and say ‘ Yes, it was very nice, but actually, this thing happened here and not there’. 

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

Klaus Featherstone. It has a very European abstract artist vibe, so I feel like Klaus suits that very well. And Featherstone mainly for the feathers!

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

Adventure, history, chaos!

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