EDINBURGH 2026: BOY IN A BOX Q&A

BWW catches up with Paul Coates to chat about bringing Boy in a Box to the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about boy in a box. 

The play was inspired by the outrageous statement made by US Governor Nikki Haley at the RNC Convention in 2020 that, “America is not a racist country.” I was working with The Actors Studio™ on Zoom during the pandemic and created BOY IN A BOX as a personal reaction and response. Not only is racism rampant in America, it is on fire all over the world, in so many ways, perhaps worse than ever in history. I wanted to create a world that intertwines abstract with realism, a ghastly story of a brilliant history professor who makes a final attempt to wake us all up to the atrocities that created America and the desperate need to fix what’s left of it. The play has been compared to the Gordian Knot - a knot impossible to unravel, which sums up our current global situation to a tee.

Why bring it to Edinburgh? 

A friend in London who has been to Fringe and performed at Fringe, and who knows this piece said, “if you can get the right venue, you MUST bring this important play to Edinburgh.” The Gilded Balloon was honestly my first choice and they invited me almost immediately - I had to say yes. The other reason for coming is to perform for audiences outside America. I have a strong suspicion that the piece works internationally, as well or better than in the US. And I’ve never been to Fringe or Scotland, I’m HONORED to have been invited.

How has the show been received so far?

BOY IN A BOX was selected as “Best Of Fest” at the Whitefire Theatre in Los Angeles, in its 15th Solofest, this past February. The sold out show (s) have been lauded and praised. Links to two reviews, for reference: Nohoartsdistrict and latheatrix

Who would you like to come see it?

As this is my first time at EdFringe, I’m on a learning curve. It seems the Festival is filled with wonderful comedy, music, performance art, stand up, etc - BOY fits into none of this, rather it’s a call to arms, a call to stand up, to act and to try and find a solution - I think this might be a provocative way to try something different whilst enjoying everything else Fringe has to offer. 

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

Reflection? Self-examination? Ownership? And clearer view of how we got here, and what we might do to change the world. (Tall order, eh?) There are no easy answers, but living in the question isn’t a bad thing…. at least we are asking. 

Boy in a Box runs at Edfringe from 5-30 August

Photo credit: @BoyAtom

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