Christopher Hayden Directs UK Premiere of ON THE EXHALE at Edinburgh Festival

After a devastating school shooting, a woman develops an obsession that begins to take over every aspect of her existence. The UK premiere of Martín Zimmerman's 'startlingly original' (New York Times) play is a compulsive and visceral examination of American gun violence, directed by double Fringe First Award-winner Christopher Haydon, director of The Christians and the virtuosic solo show Grounded.

On The Exhale is the first UK production from Audible, the world's largest seller and producer of downloadable audiobooks and other spoken word entertainment, and will be recorded and made available on Audible to millions of listeners around the world.

With headlines of US school shootings becoming an all too familiar occurrence, On The Exhale is an intimate and charged one-woman performance that explores both the heart-wrenching aftermath of a parent losing a child and the intoxicating power of gun ownership. On The Exhale was originally inspired by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings of 2012 and opened off Broadway in New York in 2017.

Director Christopher Haydon said, "On The Exhale is a gripping, visceral experience. It provides a vital critique of America's gun culture whilst asking profound and universal questions about how we cope with grief and our desire for vengeance."

Christopher Haydon was Artistic Director at The Gate Theatre (2012-2017) and formerly an Associate Director at the Bush Theatre. Credits at the Gate include: Diary of a Madman (Traverse Theatre), The Iphigenia Quartet, The Christians(Traverse Theatre, winner: Fringe First), Grounded (Traverse Theatre, Studio Theatre Washington DC, national and international tour; winner: Fringe First, Best Production - Off West End Awards), Image of an Unknown Young Woman (winner: Best Production, Off West End Awards). Freelance directing credits include: The Caretaker (Bristol Old Vic/Royal and Derngate Northampton); Twelve Angry Men (Birmingham Rep/West End).

Martín Zimmerman is a playwright and screenwriter based in New York. This will be the first time his plays have been performed on UK stages. Martín is an Executive Story Editor on Netflix's Ozark, was a Staff Writer on Netflix's Narcos & has been the Alliance for Latino Theater Artists (ALTA) Artist of the Month. Plays include: Seven Spots On The Sun, On The Exhale, White Tie Ball, The Making Of A Modern Folk Hero, The Solid Sand Below, and Let Me Count The Ways. He's a recipient of multiple awards/prizes, including the Terrence McNally New Play Award, Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award Citation, Humanitas Prize New Voices Award, Sky Cooper New American Play Prize.

China Plate is an independent theatre studio that works with artists, venues, festivals and funders to challenge the way performance is made, who it's made by and who gets to experience it. Launched by Ed Collier and Paul Warwick in 2006, the company is currently collaborating with Caroline Horton, Chris Thorpe / Rachel Chavkin, Contender Charlie, Dan Jones, Sarah Punshon, Rachel Bagshaw, Urielle Klein-Mekongo, Inspector Sands, Joan Clevillé, David Edgar, Katie Lyons / Ella Grace and Ben Wright. China Plate are Associate Producers at Warwick Arts Centre where they develop and commission new work, Artistic Associates at the New Wolsey Theatre where they are Directors of PULSE Festival, Programmers of New Directions (the NRTF showcase) and Programme Consultants for Hull City of Culture 2017 (Back to Ours Festival). They are producers of innovative development programmes including The Darkroom, The Optimists (producer training), The First Bite and Bite Size Festivals and the NRTF Rural Touring Dance Initiative.

Running Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes | Suitable for ages 14+

(Venue 15) Traverse 2, Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2ED

2 - 26 Aug (not 6, 13 & 20), preview 2 Aug £13 (£9), 3 - 26 Aug £20.50 (£15.50)

Preview 2 Aug: 4.15pm

Press performance 3 Aug: 1.45pm

4 Aug: 9.30pm

5,11, 17 & 23 Aug: 11am

7, 12, 18, 24 & 26 Aug: 1.30pm

8, 14, 19 & 25 Aug: 3.45pm

9, 15 & 21 Aug: 6.45pm

10, 16 & 22 Aug: 9.15pm

BSL interpreted performance Sunday 5 Aug 11am

www.traverse.co.uk | 0131 228 1404

Previews

26 & 27 July South Street Arts Centre, Reading

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