Two theatre groups from the University of Warwick have received financial support to help take their shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year and are pulling in the crowds.

Clown Funeral is a new company, formed from the Codpiece Theatre Society at the University of Warwick. Using student event support funding from the university they have taken ‘Mr Poes Legendarium’, their first official show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The Human Animal are a theatre collective formed at the University of Warwick in 2012. Their new production 'Souvenirs' premiered at the Warwick Arts Centre and the same core team is taking the project to Edinburgh. The group have six ensemble members, four writers, and two musicians. The rest of the team consists of a director, an assistant director, two producers, a set designer and a marketing representative, who are all studying at the University of Warwick.

Many of the students involved in the performances are currently studying Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Warwick which was ranked 1st for Theatre Studies in The Times University Guide 2015.

Warwick may have a handful of places available in clearing in Theatre Studies in 2015. Warwick’s clearing hotline number will be 024 7653 3544 and it will open at 8am on Thursday 13th August.

Costs associated with venue hire and accommodation in particular are extremely high in Edinburgh during the Festival. Student event support from the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar’s Office has helped students overcome these barriers enabling the theatre groups to showcase the hard work they have put in throughout the year to a much wider audience.

Each year £30,000 is set aside by the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar to support student events and initiatives.

Samuel Thorogood, Producer of the Clown Funeral theatre group said,

“We’ve now been in Edinburgh for one week. In that time we’ve completed our tech and dress rehearsals, two previews, two performances and many, many hours of flyering. We’ve been having a lot of fun. It’s so lovely to finally get the show out there after so much time in the rehearsal room devising, tweaking, fixing and refining. Edinburgh is such an amazing place to be in August, there’s seemingly something happening on every street corner.

“We’ve found the whole process incredibly exciting and formative; it’s been a real baptism by fire for us as performers, dramaturg, director, company and marketing manager, designer and producer. We’re so grateful for the University for providing so much support.”

Professor Sir Nigel Thrift, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Warwick said,

“I’m so pleased to support our student groups and societies with their achievements. It’s fantastic that the Student Event Support is being used in exactly the way it is intended, to benefit students at the University of Warwick, giving them the opportunity to develop key skills and contribute to the broader Warwick community. I hope visitors to the Fringe Festival are able to enjoy the fantastic performances our students have put together.”

 

Notes to editors:

The University of Warwick Department of Theatre and Performance Studies is ranked 1st for Theatre Studies in The Times University Guide 2015.

You can find out more information about The Clown Funeral and follow their progress at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by following their Twitter account: @theclownfuneral

Or liking their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ClownFuneral?fref=ts

Alex Buxton
Communications Manager
Tel: 02476 150423
Mob: 07876 218166
a.buxton.1@warwick.ac.uk