A collection of very short new writing from the frenzied minds of the Edinburgh University Theatre Company.
Monday 19 January

Allow us to introduce you to flash theatre: short bursts of literary merriment that must, we repeat must, come in under 5 minutes. Or else. Seriously. We know where you live. We’re not kidding here. It’s a challenge for writers - less so for attention spans.

It is a new semester, and the frenzied minds of the Edinburgh University Theatre Company spent Christmas hiding from relatives and writing their magnum opi (ooh Latin!). A fresh festival form of your favourite new writing event, Candlewasters, the time has come for entertainment, pain, criticism, hysteria, hilarity and philosophy. All in 5 minutes.

Come and join the flash mob.

“You’re the only one.”
Monday 19 January - Tuesday 20 January

Caryl Churchill’s incredible one-act play “ A Number ” questions our sense of identity through a father’s conversations with each of his children across four scenes, the problem being that they are clones. In a world where life and identity can be created and recreated “ A Number ” interrogates our sense of identity and family relationships as well as exploring the human implications of genetic science

Hilarious new writing from seasoned performers, The Edinburgh Revue.
Monday 19 January

Come out of the cold and laugh yourselves warm with ‘Pilot Season’ – a selection of four new pieces of comedic writing, each in the form of a pilot sitcom, brought to you by The Edinburgh Revue. For your delectation, we present: ‘Duds’ by Robert Batson, ‘Tell Tales’ by Charlie Ralph, ‘Four Walls’ by David Bard, and ‘Subs’ by Joe McArdle. ‘Pilot Season’ will also showcase some choice sketches by th the irrepressible new kids on the sketch block, Planet Caramel

A play with ninjas, postboxes, jellyfish, the first female president of Namibia and poetry. What more could you ask for? Nothing, that’s what.
Tuesday 20 January - Friday 23 January

Poems About Things is the story of Dan, a surprisingly dull protagonist, trying to get over the love of his life, Jane. They meet at an amateur poetry night, accompanied by Keith (unloved), Olivia (doesn’t know who the Suffolk strangler is), Susan (sadistic) and Michael (undiagnosed). As Dan attempts to woo Jane with references to halitosis, God and Jesus appear to discuss the ethics of religion. There are more musical numbers than you might expect and the props are surprisingly animate. You’ll come for the poems, you’ll stay for the things. An original comedy by Scott Redmond (Big Brother applicant).

Take a sketch comedy, add an orchestra and you get what F-Holes is all about.
Tuesday 20 January

Combining comedy and a small string ensemble,we’ve created a lo-fi show that is incredibly fun and funny. Written by Robert Batson with music by Thomas Hind.

Wednesday 21 January

Project X returns, for one night only… bringing your submissions of mostly terrible, sometimes funny, and occasionally actually quite good childhood writings to life on the Bedlam stage, where our distinguished panel of academic experts will be providing rigorous analysis and critique.

Ten actors have volunteered for what they think is art. This is not art. This is Hell.
Thursday 22 January

Eight actors will be given 24 hours to prepare for an audition in front of an audience and a panel of judges. The four highest scorers will enter a “Lightning Round” to determine who is the ultimate auditioner. Easy, right? The only catch: these are no ordinary audition pieces. These are the pieces which make actors’ blood curdle; these are the pieces which test the very fibre of one’s acting talent; for these are the AUDITIONS FROM HELL. Maybe you have to deliver a poem in a language you’ve never heard of before. Maybe you will be asked to deliver a speech without using any consonants. Perhaps you will even be asked to do a monologue without saying a word. The possibilities are as terrifying as they are infinite. All participants will be fully briefed as to what they are getting themselves into, and any humiliation they endure will be both voluntary and in the name of theatre. The judges will consist of the Productions Manager Ian Culleton, an esteemed committee member, and a CELEBRITY GUEST JUDGE. The show will be hosted by the seasoned actor and audition veteran Adam Butler.

The race is on!
Friday 23 January

MI6 races against the last surviving member of the Spygood family in a quest for their hidden treasure. The stakes? Low. The odds? Insurmountable. The laughter? Well, that will flow like the tears of a bleeding clown. Following their four-star, sell-out Bedlam show ‘ Titanic 2: Pig in the City’ , Chutney Exhibition’s second comic play promises action, adventure, and freaky deaky good times.

“My subject is War, and the pity of War. The Poetry is in the pity.” (Wilfred Owen, 1918)
Friday 23 January

Join the cast and crew of ‘ Journey’s End ’ by RC Sherriff for an evening of theatre, poetry, prose and music spanning a century of First World War literature. Featuring experts from Blackadder Goes Fourth, Oh! What a Lovely War, and some of the greatest poetry ever written.

Saturday 24 January

Join the cast and crew of Relief Theatre’ s upcoming production of The Vagina Monologues for a Q&A session about the project and V-Day movement, as well as a teaser of the show! It’s completely free, so come on down and learn a bit more about the show and Eve Ensler’s work with no strings attached!

One play. 24 hours. It’s going to get messy.
Saturday 24 January

It’s back! Come to our sign ups in the Bedlam auditorium after the last show on Friday the 23rd to act, direct, write, produce, stage and tech a whole show in just one day to be performed Friday night as the last show of the festival. A fantastic opportunity to test your theatrical abilities in one of the most manic and exciting events at Bedfest, 24 hour play is an event not to be missed.