EDINBURGH 2017: BWW Q&A- Cosmic Scallies

Tell us a bit about Cosmic Scallies.

Cosmic Scallies is about Dent and Shaun who live in Skelmersdale, a town just outside of Liverpool. The play takes place over a day and we follow Dent's unsuccessful attempts to get prescribed medicine. Shaun is a friend from school who tends to say the wrong things but his heart is always in the right place....sometimes. We find out what they think of the world they live in - It's funny, painful, uplifting, devastating and incredibly everyday.

Why bring Cosmic Scallies to Edinburgh?

I like to think Cosmic Scallies can speak to a much broader audience regardless of the specificity of where the play is set and that's what sets Edinburgh apart. Add a writer like Jackie Hagan into the mix and I feel you've got a concoction of something really exciting. Then there's Graeae's ethos of high quality accessible work and Royal Exchange, Manchester's long standing commitment to new writing and all things pointed to presenting Cosmic at Edinburgh. We're very proud to be part of Northern Stage's season at Summerhall.

What sets Cosmic Scallies apart from other shows at the festival?

One thing Cosmic Scallies will have is creative captioning as well as audio description for every show. The venue is accessible too. Without banging the drum too loudly I think the writing really sizzles and you fall in love with Dent and Shaun because of their lovable complexities. It's a part of the country that rarely and properly gets represented. The response from people who have read the play has been interesting - most have said they really recognise the characters.

Who would you recommend comes to see it?

Anyone who is interested in the value of life. I don't mean that in a philosophical way. I think the play illuminates on what you think you know about people who are disabled, who are poor and who are left abandoned. I'd like the play to stir something in people where they leave thinking 'what can I do to make society work better?'

What do you hope audiences take away from the show?

Art gives artists the chance to say something about the world around them - and at the moment there's lots going on! Some people have the luxury to pick and choose what they want - food, music, social media platforms whatever. But what happens when society doesn't offer you the opportunity to obtain those luxuries? This play very much says 'The Scallies strike back!'

Timings and ticket information for Cosmic Scallies are available on the edfringe website.