Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Party Scene

Tell us about your show and what audiences can expect?

Party Scene is a high octane intense hour of dance and text with a banging soundtrack. It features an intergenerational international cast using Chemsex in the queer community as its jumping off point. It’s produced by Irish theatre pop culture juggernauts, THISISPOPBABY. Audiences can expected a pulsating slick dance theatre hybrid with an urgent theme.

Can you talk about some of the creative team involved?

The piece is made by myself and long time collaborator, choreographer Philip Connaughton. We wanted to create a piece that spoke to and of the current concerns of our community.

Where do you draw inspiration from for your work, both in terms of creation and performance?

Our work often stems from rave culture, queer culture and counterculture. We tell stories of and from the margins. Our work is often wrapped up in a party as means for collective catharsis.

What do you find special about this work and why do you think there’s an appetite for it?

We’ve had a huge reaction to the show in Ireland. It talks about Chemsex and much of what leads to issues with addiction and excess. Chemsex is an urgent theme in the LGBT+ community, but for those that are not in that world, the show offers insight and asks for empathy for those going through it. The show has created much conversation from queer people and also allies. There’s a lot to discuss afterwards.

Why is this an important story to tell?

Queer people need to look out for each other. We must shine light into uncomfortable corners of our community. We have to show up for each other. For the makers of this show – this is our contribution to an important global conversation about Chemsex.

Do you tend to take inspiration from events happening in the world around you in terms of your work? Do you think artists have a responsibility to respond to what's happening?

As entertainment and art is gobbled up in bite sized chunks on various digital platforms, we do have to ask ourselves, why this, why now? Theatre has the opportunity to speak about the world we live in right now. Theatre offers an amazing proposition; an audience decide to come to a black box for an hour; artists ask that the audience see the world from their point of view for that hour; the question is, what’s the most electric thing the artist can do? How do we make the most of this meeting, this town hall, this conversation between artist and audience.

How do you feel about the current arts landscape in Ireland and your part in it? Does it excite you and inspire you to keep pushing the boat out?

Our job is to be radical, to tell stories from the edges, to keep pushing the artform. Hopefully we continue to do that.

Why are arts festivals such as the Fringe so important for international exchange?

Festivals are fabulous chaotic exchanges of art, ideas and importantly, fun. We’ll see so much work that would never show up in our cities, broadening our own perspectives and ideas.

What can the wider arts community do to get more people involved in their specific disciplines?

Build audiences. Meet them in their own spaces. Build community with your audience. Speak to them in your authentic voice. Then show them your work. It starts slowly and builds. Authenticity wins the day.

Have you got your eye on any other shows that are part of the programme?

There’s a big Irish programme that I’m excited to champion while I’m in Edinburgh. The Wild Geeze are a queer cabaret duo that always deliver; they are at Gilded Baloon. Baklâ, Welcome To The Big Show and Good Morning, Faggi have all piqued my interest – they are at Summerhall. When it comes to my tastes, queer work goes to the top of the list!

How can Edinburgh audiences keep up with you beyond the festival?

We are @thisispopbaby on all platforms.