EDINBURGH 2018: BWW Q&A- The Abode

BWW speaks to playwright Davey Anderson about bringing The Abode to the 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about The Abode

It's about the 'alt-right' in America. We tell the story of a young man who leaves behind his dead-end job and empty life to follow a group of trolls into an underground realm, where he finds camaraderie and a sense of purpose by embracing white nationalism. His sister then goes on a journey of her own to try and rescue him. The world of the play has an 80s retro-futurist feel, as if all the strange behaviour we take for granted on the internet were playing out in real spaces with analogue technology.

It's being staged by Pepperdine Scotland, a theatre company coming out of Pepperdine University in California. Every two years they develop a project with a Scottish playwright and bring a company of young performers over here to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe.

What benefit does spending time absorbing the culture give to the students?

While the students are here they spend time on the West Coast, learning about the country's history and culture - including discovering its Gaelic heritage. They then go to Glasgow to work on the play. While they are there they have the chance to see contemporary theatre and to meet leading figures from Scotland's performing arts world. All this experience gives them a real insight into Scotland's past and present and the dynamism and variety of its cultural life.

Why is this such a valuable opportunity for them?
Putting on a major production at the world's largest arts festival and meeting and working with people like Cora Bissett and Lynda Radley is fabulous for young Americans looking for a future in US performing arts. Pepperdine Scotland also has an excellent track record of presenting work about important social issues, and has won a series of awards over the years including two Fringe Firsts. So having this kind of experience behind them is invaluable.

Do you think right-wing extremism is a key issue?
Very much so, both in the US and here. A year on from Charlottesville, Trump's presidency has been a huge boost for extremist far-right groups who spent decades at the margins. Political ideas that many of us find abhorrent are suddenly gaining legitimacy at the very highest levels of government. At the same time, digital technology is enabling those with violent intentions to find each other, exchange conspiracy theories and plot attacks.

For me, it's important to explore what attracts young people to these ideas and what drives this toxic behaviour. During the Fringe we will be working with the charity HOPE not Hate to encourage discussion and get people thinking about effective ways to stop the spread of fascism.

Who would you recommend comes to see The Abode?

I would recommend this show to anyone who has ever wondered 'Is it okay to punch a Nazi?' You can expect an entertaining romp through the psyche of 'oppressed white American men', energetically performed by the next generation of American acting talent. It should give you plenty to talk about in the pub afterwards and might just inspire you to look a bit further into strategies of anti-fascist resistance.

Timings and ticket information for The Abode are available on the edfringe website.

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