EDINBURGH 2017: BWW Q&A- Gazing At A Distant Star

Tell us a bit about Gazing At A Distant Star

Gazing At A Distant Star by Sian Rowland is about people who go missing, and the people they leave behind. Originally presented in support of Missing People (the charity that rocketed into the public eye when the Missing People choir reached the final of Britain's Got Talent this year), the show follows three people as they strive to understand what happened to their loved ones, where they went and why. Rather than a thriller about the search for a missing person, Gazing At A Distant Star is a beautiful, emotional drama about loss and the search for resolution. It was selected to launch the new Greenwich Theatre Studio in London where it played a sell-out run in January.

Why bring it to Edinburgh?

You can see anything at the Edinburgh Fringe, but the work that plays to the best advantage in an environment of shared lighting rigs, rapid change-overs and limited storage space for props and sets are those that can hit you emotionally with the clarity of their storytelling and the simplicity of their staging. In that context, Gazing At A Distant Star is the perfect example of pure play writing. Presented with simple production values, the show is fundamentally about three people telling their story to an audience. However, with a host of dramatic sparks linking the characters and theatrical moments with the three actors animating each other's stories, Gazing At A Distant Star proves that you can create a complete, moving, uplifting, heartbreaking play within the constraints of the Edinburgh Fringe where almost every show has to get-in and get-out in 15 minutes!

What sets it apart from other shows at the Fringe?

Unlike a lot of Edinburgh shows Gazing At A Distant Star is tried and tested, having played to rave reviews from audiences and critics at Greenwich Theatre in London. It is endorsed by a national charity and will play a unique role in celebrating the work they do in reuniting missing people with their loved ones. Audiences in London described it as both uplifting and unforgettably moving, and it is developed from a range of true stories.

Who would you recommend comes to see you?

Anyone looking for the best in new playwriting, for unforgettable storytelling, for three astonishing performances and for a hint of just what the new Greenwich Theatre Studio is all about.

Why is it important for people to see it? The idea of missing people is not uncommon at all in popular culture, but the stories are almost always about a dramatic search for the person who has gone, the unravelling of a mystery. Few of the stories explore just what it means to be left behind, not knowing whether that person is alive or dead, whether they disappeared by choice or accident, whether they are facing a rapid discovery of a tragedy, a happy ending, or decades or ignorance. Gazing At A Distant Star gives a voice to those people, those who are left behind.

Timings and ticket information for Gazing At A Distant Star are available on the edfringe website.

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