THE GUMMY BEARS' GREAT WAR Comes to Edinburgh Fringe

Batisfera will present The Gummy Bears’ Great War at C ARTS, C Venues, C alto (v40), 31 July-25 August 2024 (not 13), 18.20 & 19.20, 30mins.

At dawn, the nation of the Gummy Bears declares war on the neighbouring nation of the Dinosaurs. The bureaucratic nation of the Dinosaurs are surprised at this unexpected provocation, but decide to rise to the challenge. The outcome of this ridiculously unequal conflict is painfully obvious from the start, but the question remains: why do the Gummy Bears remain so stubborn in the face of inevitable disaster?

The Gummy Bears’ Great War, written by Sardinia-based Batisfera’s Angelo Trofa, tells an epic tale in miniature, an object theatre show taking place on a table with an audience of 30 people. The story is narrated by two performers (Valentina Fadda and Leonardo Tomasi) manoeuvring hundreds of gummy bears (yes, actual gummy bears!) on the tabletop in a contemporary drama that plays out between the tragic and the absurd, irony and existentialism.

Batisfera have been working on the format of The Gummy Bears’ Great War for 15 years, finally premiering it at Festival Strabismi, Cannara, in Italy, in 2019. Since then, it has been performed at several festivals and theatres in Italy and In Scena! Festival (New York), but the Edinburgh Festival Fringe performances will be the company’s UK debut. Aimed at audiences interested in experimental, funny and provocative works, it investigates the incomprehensible element of the human soul that drives actions in spite of the voice of common sense and self-interest; the immeasurable, fascinating and fearful spark that reduces nobility of soul to nihilism; and the desperate search for meaning that brings a nation of gummy bears to their end.

Batisfera is A Contemporary Theatre company based in Cagliari, Italy. The company, founded in 2008 by Valentina Fadda and Angelo Trofa, works in the search for an independent artistic path, seeking a balance between tragedy and laughter, anguish and comedy. Since its formation, it has produced many shows, striving to push the boundaries of its artistic language and presenting its work to ever-changing audiences by being selected for theatre festivals around the world.

This show will be performed in Italian with English subtitles.

Warning: contains strobe lighting

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