World Premiere Of THE ALCHEMY OF SADNESS to be Presented At Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Messy House Productions will present The Alchemy of Sadness. Ahigh-stakes PR crisis puts two colleagues in a pressure cooker environment, exposing the emotional toll of workplace conflict.

theSpaceUK @ Niddry St (Upper), 11 - 23 Aug 2025 (not 17), Week 1 12:50 (13:50) & Week 2 11:10 (12:10). The play is written by Alex Garcia-Laguer and directed by Leticia Mora.

Inspired by writer Alex Garcia-Laguer's personal experiences of working at a high-pressure, fine dining restaurant with an unstable and emotionally demanding manager, The Alchemy of Sadness is a new drama that examines boundaries, power struggles, and the complex energy exchanged between colleagues. Set in a PR firm, the story follows Thiago, a rising young professional, who is assigned to work alongside his demanding boss, Liam, on a high-stakes crisis management project for a renowned chef. Both view the assignment as an opportunity to advance their careers, but as pressure mounts, their relationship becomes increasingly unstable, marked by shifting balances of control, rivalry, and unresolved emotional tension. Incorporating elements of surrealism, the play depicts physical transformations tied to their emotional unravelling, creating a tense exploration of how love and hate intertwine to forge unexpected bonds.

Writer and producer Alex Garcia-Laguer said, "This show grew out of a question that haunted me during my years working in entertainment and restaurants - two industries both grappling with the need to build more ethical work cultures: whose job is it to change a toxic workplace, leadership or employees? There's something at stake for everyone, and immense pressure to deliver; but I've seen how ambition and survival instincts can twist even well-meaning environments into primal habitats, where colleagues become predator or prey. With this play, I wanted to capture the tension between the strange laws of attraction and repulsion that emerge in these spaces, the invisible toll we pay for playing our part, and what that reveals about who we really are"

Alex Garcia-Laguer is a writer and producer based out of Los Angeles, California. He spent his 20s working on writing Avant-Garde theatre in Brooklyn, NY with the Original Idiots theatre company. Afterwards, he moved to Los Angeles where he's been working as a writer and a narrative designer, focusing on audience engagement and interaction for brands and artists. Most notably, his work over the years in fine dining has bled into his artwork by allowing him to tell chef's stories through curated and devised pop-up dinners that bring together local artists and community members across various industries.

Performance Details

Running Time: 60 mins | Suitable for ages 16+

Company information

Director Leticia Mora Writer Alex Garcia-Laguer

Stage manager Amy Rauchwerger

Cast

Thiago Oscar Fabela Liam Zachary Story Aurora/Mari Kristen Tarrago

Listings information

theSpaceUK @ Niddry Street (Venue 9), EH1 1TH

11 - 23 Aug (not 17), Week 1 12:50 - 13:50 & Week 2 11:10 - 12:10

Mon - Saturday £13 (£11 concs)

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