EDINBURGH 2018: BWW Q&A- Dominoes

BWW catches up with writer and performer Phoebe McIntosh to chat abut bringing Dominoes to the 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about Dominoes:

Dominoes is a solo show about Layla McKinnon, a history teacher who is days away from getting married. Like any bride-to-be she is all at once excited and nervous about her impending nuptials. She already has the same surname as her fiancé, which, to her, has never been more than a funny coincidence until she begins to look into her family history and discovers that the reason for the link is because her fiancé's ancestors used to own her ancestors as slaves. With her black best friend on one side and her white fiancé on the other, mixed-race Layla is forced to answer some difficult questions about who she is and decide whether to go ahead with the wedding.

Why bring it to Edinburgh:

It means a great deal to me as a performer to be taking my work to the biggest festival of its kind in the world. I'd say it's a bit of a mecca. For me, the festival offers open-minded audiences, like-minded artists and is a creative playground . My play connects Scotland to the Caribbean; digging up Scottish history at the same time as digging up personal, family history for the main character. It is the perfect place for Dominoes and a brilliant opportunity and I can't wait for it to get going!

What would you like audiences to take away from the play?

A sense of curiosity about what may be hiding in their only family trees. I'd love for people to leave the auditorium buzzing with conversation about what they would do in the main character's situation and the legacies of slave ownership in Britain. There are so many complexities surrounding race and we need sensitivity when engaging in discussions about it. Maybe this play will encourage that.

How has Dominoes been received so far?

The reception so far has been brilliant, and it's been really exciting to hear what people think of it. Everyone who's seen the play seems to have strong views on the issues it raises and also quite clear opinions on whether Layla has made the right decision or not. Some people have really connected to the wedding story line - how it feels to be getting married and how life changes in that moment. Some have connected more strongly with Layla's heritage and her search for the answers to her questions about her identity. How we deal with the history of slavery is a subject which provokes strong feelings. In this play, hearing it told from the perspective of someone who is mixed race adds an interesting viewpoint to the debate.

Who would you recommend comes to see Dominoes?

Dominoes is a show that anyone can relate to, so I'd really encourage everyone to come and see it (honestly, I'm not just saying that!). It's for anyone who has ever questioned their own identity, anyone who has ever felt different and unsure of where they fit in, anyone planning to get married or contemplating the meaning of marriage. It is for mixed-race, black and white alike, for anyone who's curious or just has an hour to spare and wants to be transported by a story they didn't expect.

Dominoes is at the Assembly Rooms - Studio Five from

1st - 27th August (not 8th, 13th, 20th)

For further information visit: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/dominoes

Photo credit: Richard Budd