DOWN TO CHANCE to Premiere at Pleasance Courtyard During Edinburgh Fringe
Maybe You Like It returns to the Fringe with a real-time thriller based on the 1964 Alaska Earthquake, running July 30 to August 25.
By: A.A. Cristi Jun. 20, 2025
Maybe You Like It brings DOWN TO CHANCE to the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe—a gripping two-hander based on the true story of a mother and radio reporter during the largest earthquake in U.S. history.
Maybe You Like It, in partnership with Theatre Royal Plymouth and Pleasance, will present DOWN TO CHANCE at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The production runs from July 30 to August 25 (excluding August 12) at Beside, Pleasance Courtyard, with daily performances at 2:10 PM. A captioned performance will take place on August 15.
Set in the aftermath of the 1964 Alaska Earthquake—the most powerful ever recorded in North America—DOWN TO CHANCE is a fast-paced, real-time two-hander exploring survival, truth, and public trust. The play follows Genie Chance, a working mother and part-time radio reporter who becomes the voice of a shaken city, broadcasting emergency updates from her car with her son in the backseat. As news of a deadly aftershock looms and she’s forced to confront rivals and systemic resistance, Genie must decide whether to risk inciting panic by revealing the truth or protect the public with silence.
Performed by Ellie Jay Cooper and Robert Merriam, the production features 20 characters played by just two actors. Directed by Caleb Barron and produced by Jamie Simpson, DOWN TO CHANCE blends humour, absurdity, and moral tension in a high-stakes love letter to community resilience and the life-saving power of radio.
Ticketing Information
DOWN TO CHANCE runs July 30 through August 25 (not August 12) at Beside, Pleasance Courtyard. Performances begin at 2:10 PM and run 60 minutes. Tickets range from £10 (previews) to £15 (Fri–Sun), with 2-for-£15 deals available on August 4 and 5. The show is recommended for ages 12+, and content includes potentially distressing themes related to a real-life natural disaster. The captioned performance will take place on August 15.
Tickets are available through the Edinburgh Fringe box office: Book Tickets
Cast and Creatives
Ellie Jay Cooper is an actor, director, and Co-Artistic Director of Maybe You Like It, with credits including Liars (ITV), Patrick the Pug (Disney), and regional tours of Pleading Stupidity. Her directing credits include Carrie: The Musical and Like A Plant.
Robert Merriam returns to the Fringe following work with The Improverts and Offcuts Improv. His stage credits include Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends and Maria Friedman: Legacy. He trained at the Royal Academy of Music.
Director Caleb Barron is a writer and dramaturg and co-founder of Maybe You Like It. His credits include Pleading Stupidity, Sorry (I Broke Your Arms and Legs), and Folk on the Edge.
Producer Jamie Simpson is an interdisciplinary artist based in Cornwall. She trained at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and works across devised theatre and immersive events.
Maybe You Like It is a Cornwall-based company known for fast-paced, collaborative storytelling across theatre, audio, and digital platforms. As Pleasance Associate Artists for 2025–2027, they continue to develop original work that explores the framing of stories and the communities who tell them.
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