EDINBURGH 2019: GUN Q&A

Comedic actor WILLIAM HARTLEY is best known as one third of sketch comedy troupe Clever Pete. GUN is his debut solo theatre show - a pastiche-cum-homage to the spaghetti Western that is more cowboy than Clint himself. Ahead of performing Gun at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe he had a chat with BroadwayWorld.

Tell us a bit about Gun

GUN is a one-man comedy Western show. Roscoe 'Blackjack' Porter, an ageing gunfighter awakes on the banks of a river, having been stabbed and tells us the story of how he got there. His dying brother's last request has him riding across the prairie being pursued by a masked assassin, encountering bandits and a femme fatale. All the while he is in a race against time to stop the dastardly machinations of the evil Martin Valance. Roscoe's whisky-soaked adventure takes him through duels, chases on top of trains and mass shootouts, encountering a world inhabited by many traditional Western characters.

How many characters do you play?

I lose count, but there's around 26. I think my favourite bit is when there is a duel in the town of Hope Springs and I play the duelists, the barman, the ladies from the brothel, the coffin maker, the preacher, and various other local inhabitants. That or the bit where the main character Roscoe encounters some bandit brothers... In reality, the show contains many bit-part characters, but mainly follows Roscoe, and the evil Martin Valance, and the mysterious Miss Van Cleef.

What was the inspiration for the show?

I have always loved the idea of Westerns: the grand landscapes, the lack of law and order, the idea of good versus evil, of fresh starts, gunfights, horse rides, train robberies. The characters are always so rich and full and silly. But the thing about Western films is, for me, that they are... So. Slow. Long, meaningful looks. Squinting into the sun. Riding along ridges. Along rivers. Along desert tracks... So much boring stuff happens! I basically wanted to see if I could cram everything that should be exciting about Westerns into one show that is under an hour, whilst keeping true to the feel of the genre. I think the director Phil Croft did a good job helping me use the space and keep the characters physically distinct. Especially in the sex scene...

Who would you recommend comes to see it?

Anyone who loves a good story. It is a show that doesn't take itself too seriously and has a bit of heart. The music (composed by Ben Lloyd-Evans) and the soundscape (by Sam Glossop) are also incredible. I would hope the show makes people laugh, and think and, maybe if you're in the mood, cry too. There is also the one person sex scene I mentioned, which people find by turns very funny, massively uncomfortable, or hugely erotic. Maybe even all three simultaneously?! It got nominated for New Writing South's 'Best New Play Award' 2018 which I was really chuffed with and has received some good reviews in its life so far. Also, for fans, there are a load of references to Western film titles - see how many you can spot!

What's next for Gun after the festival?

It depends really. I have written an ITV2/Hulu comedy drama, 'Zomboat!' which has finished filming and should be airing in September/October.I If that is renewed for a second season I may have to shelve my plans for GUN. But if not, I will look to tour it - I have already booked in to do the show in Brazil in November and I'd love to travel with it. I also have plans for a one-man pirate show called Cutlass, which I may bring to the Fringe in 2020... We shall see!

William Hartley performs in 'Gun' which is at Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 1st - 24th August (not 14th) Tickets and more information: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/gun

Photo credit: Toby Lee

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