THE SCOTSMAN FRINGE FIRST AWARD

WORDS Anna Rieser

Tell us about the show.

Purposeless Movements is a piece of dance theatre that looks at the lives of four men who have cerebral palsy. Using movement alongside text the audience see how their physicality affects the way they see themselves and how others see them. Amid laughs and tears we are invited into their lives – we’re invited to stare at what doctors refer to as purposeless movements.

How do you find a balance between humour and weighty subjects in the play?

When dealing with heavy subjects it’s really important to me that the audience feel at ease – at least for some of the time – and humour/comedy is a way to allow people to relax. Finding a good balance between any elements in a show is the trick of putting it together – it ultimately comes down to gut instinct and experience of knowing what has/hasn’t worked before.

What do you most enjoy about Edinburgh Festival?

The sheer quantity of work being put on – it’s crazy that we do this year after years. Days have no meaning when it’s August in Edinburgh – you’re just counting down to the end of the month.

What do you least enjoy about the festival?

The utter exhaustion – in 2013 I performed a solo show in the Fringe. Twenty eight shows in a row without a break almost killed me.