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'Wondering' at the Edinburgh Fringe

After Isabella Bird we wanted to attempt something a lot more adventurous and also to run No Soup as a more professional theatre company. We decided for the summer of 2009 that we would attempt to take a new original play on tour around Yorkshire and up to the Edinburgh Fringe. This proved to be incredibly challenging due to lack of funds but after a generous grant from the Grassroots foundation, a lot of bag packing and countless cabaret performances in a local furniture shop (Inspiration at the Old Granary – see sponsor page), we managed to raise enough money. ‘Wondering’ followed a group of travelling performers, The Merry Wonderers, through five different stories told in a number of ways: mime, music, comedy and dance.

A NoSoup Production

‘No Soup! Productions' was born Christmas 2008 in the town of Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire due to the lack of entertainment provided for anyone under 60. Over a pint in the much loved ‘Nellie’s’, Rosie Bristow, Kerrin Tatman and Freya Bryson decided to pursue their crazy passion for theatre and hence devised No Soup’s first production: ‘The Death of Isabella Bird’. After persuading a band of actors, musicians and techies to jump on board the play was performed over two nights that summer on the only stage in Beverley, the Memorial Hall. On her final night on Earth, Isabella Bird is visited by Death in physical form who shows flashbacks from her long and eventful life. The audience experienced her journeys to China, the USA and Morocco and also moments from her childhood and her relationships. After seeing her achievements and mistakes Isabella finally accepts death, this was shown through an elaborate dance with Death himself. The play was formulated from Isabella’s published works and letters as she was a real character in Victorian history. We had a large orchestra on stage illuminated by eerie scenic UV lighting and also incorporated crazy scenic art ranging from moving Moroccan backdrops to a full scale horse's head. Our first production was a big learning curve and we received a very good reception and decided to persevere with No Soup!

A NoSoup Production

We incorporated a variety of elements including a choreographed sword fight, physical theatre, a lighthearted lecture on discordant music and a silent movie which made the show colourful and entertaining! After painstakingly rehearsing for a month and a half in our free rehearsal space provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for the second year running, we took ‘Wondering’ to Beverley, Burton Agnes Hall, York, Whitby and up to the Edinburgh Fringe over a period of two weeks. Apart from minor problems the tour ran smoothly and we received a good reception everywhere we went, including a 4 star review from Three Weeks, which was very encouraging. We are now planning for our third production which we aim to also take on tour around Yorkshire and up to the Edinburgh Fringe!