Peter Michael Marino's DESPERATELY SEEKING THE EXIT Set for Free Fringe Transfer this August - Directed by John Clancy

In his solo show entitled DESPERATELY SEEKING THE EXIT to be performed at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Peter Michael Marino tells the warts 'n all story of how the much anticipated musical featuring the music of Blondie opened on London's West End in 2007… and closed a month later.

Directed by multiple Fringe First and Best of Fringe Award-winner John Clancy, DESPERATELY SEEKING THE EXIT offers a front row, behind-the-scenes peek at how his £4m musical was made and unmade: From the hatching of the idea, to the deals with MGM, Debbie Harry and even Madonna; right up to the workshops, the previews, the scathing reviews, closing night and the ensuing fall out.

Read BWW's interview with Marino here.

This 60-minute solo comedy also tracks the journey of an American writer finding his voice in a country that speaks the same language.

Of the show which opens 2-29 August at the Laughing Horse as part of the Edinburgh Festival Free Fringe, Peter Michael says "I think it's a rare thing to hear someone involved in a major flop musical talk about it … and laugh about it. It's a funny show; brave, and a very insightful peek into the many things that went awry, leading to the closure of the show."

Award-nominated Vertigo Theatre Productions brings Desperately Seeking The Exit to Manchester's Taurus Bar, Canal Street, for two nights 30/ 31 July.

The successful cult film starring Madonna was developed into a stage musical and had its world premiere at London's Novello Theatre on November 15, 2007. The musical version featured music and lyrics by Blondie and Deborah Harry. The production was directed by Angus Jackson, with book and concept by Peter Michael Marino. The musical starred Emma Williams as Susan and Kelly Price as Roberta, with Steven Houghton as Alex. Despite a star-studded opening night, the musical was critically mauled, and announced its final performance just thirteen days after opening night for December 15, 2007, losing over £3.5 million.

Peter Michael Marino is a writer, actor, director and teacher. He received the 2010 and 2011 Backstage Reader's Choice Award for Favorite Comedy Teacher for his acclaimed "Flying Solo" classes at The PIT. He also received the Back Stage Bistro Award for his cabaret spoof, Lance Jonathan: More About Me! He is the co-writer of the lesbian pulp homage Hollywood Nurses. He has directed and developed shows with Delilah Dix (Edinburgh Fringe, Ars Nova, Laurie Beechman Theatre), Mark Giordano's Mad Man (The PIT), Sheila Head's Head Games (IO West, Ars Nova), and Alicia Levy's Chickapalooza (The PIT, Ars Nova). As a performer, he appeared in STOMP for five years off-Broadway and on tour, as well as in numerous regional productions and workshops.

Obie Award-winning director, John Clancy is a playwright, and a partner in Clancy Productions, an acclaimed international theatrical touring and Production Company. He is the founding Artistic Director of The Present Company and a founding Artistic Director of The New York International Fringe Festival. He has directed six Scotsman Fringe First winning productions at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, including Americana Absurdum (Brian Parks), Cincinnati (Don Nigro), Horse Country (C.J. Hopkins), screwmachine/eycandy (C.J. Hopkins) and his own Fatboy. Both Horse Country and Cincinnati went on to win The Best of the Fringe Award at the Adelaide Fringe in 2004. In 2002 he received a Glasgow Herald Angel for excellence in direction at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. John was awarded The New York Magazine Award in 1997 for "creativity, enterprise and vision".

The show runs at Laughing Horse @ Ed City Football Club from 2 – 29 August 2012 at 18.00 (1 hour). Free. www.seekingtheexit.com