MANIC STREET CREATURE TO BE PRESENTED At Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022

A fresh and thrilling take on a modern love story from the composer of critically acclaimed Electrolyte. Love, lust and late nights collide in a musical rollercoaster, taking the audience through the euphoria and distress of two people dealing with their own and each other's mental health.

Ria is working with her band to complete a new album - songs charting the rise and fall of a recent relationship. But the more Ria progresses, the more she's drawn back to the darkness of her troubled past, until we're not sure where memory ends and reality begins.

Creator of the show Maimuna Memon, says: "I have never felt such a need to write a show as with Manic Street Creature. It comes from a very personal and passionate place. Over lock-down, poor mental health sky-rocketed. Being so close to someone whose mental health was at breaking point was frightening, exhausting and gut-wrenchingly painful.

This story is a difficult one to talk about, but so incredibly important. Through music, I want to break down the stigma attached to the challenging subject of compassion exhaustion, whilst pushing the boundaries of what musical theatre can be. Most of all, I want other mental health carers to watch this show and feel that they aren't alone."

Co-director Bill Buckhurst says, "Maimuna is a truly unique and exciting voice in British theatre. Her endless curiosity brings a naturally wide and insightful perspective on the world we live in but what really sets her apart is her extraordinary musicianship. Her song writing is both stunningly beautiful and brutally honest and her rich, soulful vocal quality and musical hooks are often brilliantly at odds with a pithy sharpness in her lyrics. The combined effect is mesmerising and draws you effortlessly in to her universe."

Age Guidance 12+

Previews: 03, 05 and 06 August 2022

Performance: 07 - 28 August 2022

Days Off: 09, 16, 23

Time: 15:55

BIOS

Maimuna Memon - Maimuna is a Lancashire born actor, musician and composer. She is co-founder and resident composer of Wildcard Theatre Company. Theatre credits include: Into the Woods and Hobson's Choice (Manchester Royal Exchange); Buskers Opera (The Park Theatre); Lazarus (Kings Cross Theatre); Jesus Christ Superstar (Regents Park Open Air); The Assassination of Katie Hopkins (Theatr Clwyd); Standing at the Sky's Edge and The Band Plays On (Sheffield Crucible); Ghost Quartet (Boulevard Theatre); Nine Lessons and Carols (Almeida Theatre).
Composing credits include: Music and lyrics- Electrolyte (Edinburgh 2018/19 and National Tour), Nine Lessons and Carols(Almeida Theatre), Welcome to Iran (Stratford East, National Theatre, BBC Radio 3), Henry VIII (Globe Theatre). Maimuna has recently signed a record deal and her debut EP is to be released later on this year.

Kirsty Patrick Ward is a Director and Dramaturg and took part in The National Theatre Studio Directors Course in 2015. She has been shortlisted for the JP Morgan Emerging Directors award and was a finalist for the JMK Young Directors Award. She was also Dramaturg on Shebeen by Mufaro Makubika, which won the 2017 Alfred Fagon Award.

In 2019 Kirsty opened the world premiere production of Mischief Theatre's Groan Ups at the Vaudeville Theatre in London's West End. It is currently touring the UK and will be produced internationally in 2022. In 2020, Kirsty revived Ron Hutchinson's hit comedy Moonlight & Magnolias at the Nottingham Playhouse.

Reid Productions Reid Productions is a commercial entertainment company managed by Joey Reid Dawson. Joey has been producing for theatre and film since 2015 and prides himself on producing thought-provoking and challenging work that reaches a varied audience. Initially, he entered the entertainment industry as an actor, training at first the Birmingham School of Acting and then The Oxford School of Drama. Upon graduating in 2015 Joey founded Wildcard Theatre Company Ltd. Joey produced a number of theatre productions and events for Wildcard, the most notable being the award-winning gig-theatre production Electrolyte. This particular show premiered at the Edinburgh Festival in 2018, toured for 10 weeks internationally and then returned to the Edinburgh Festival in 2019. Joey's success and hard-work enabled him to gain not only critical acclaim but a diverse and sustainable business. Joey stepped down as CEO of the Wildcard in May 2021, to join the Royal National Theatre as a Digital Producer.

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