Pleasance Bytes

Pleasance Bytes is brought to you in association with Spotlight   Sam Wills, AKA Tape Face joins journalist Mark Fisher in the last of the 2017 series of Pleasance Bytes.   It's a fascinating chat, covering Sam's master plan for success from street performing to Coast to Coast coverage on television in the USA.   Characterisation, confidence and clowning are all key to Tape Face's success, but it still takes a little something special to be as successful as Sam has (and plans) to become.   Find out more at http://www.pleasance.co.uk

Pleasance Bytes is brought to you in association with Spotlight.  Mark Fisher is joined by director Nir Paldi and performer George Mann, as they discuss their current production 'Odyssey'.   Ad Infinitum bring their multi award-winning reinvention of Homer’s timeless Greek myth back to Edinburgh Fringe after touring the world for eight years. One actor. One hour. One man’s epic quest to reunite with his family and seek his bloody revenge. Passionate, highly physical and poignant storytelling brings this breathtaking adventure to life. A journey that will ignite the imagination and awaken the senses…   @TheatreAdInf http://www.spotlight.com https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/odyssey-0#overview

Created by Gecko's associate director Rich Rusk and devising performer Chris Evans (Gecko's: The Overcoat, Missing, Institute, The Time of Your Life, The Wedding), The Dreamer is an international collaboration between Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre and Gecko, created as part of British Council's 2016 Shakespeare Lives programme. Journalist Mark Fisher talks to the creators in our annual Pleasance Bytes series at the Pleasance Courtyard during the Edinburgh Fringe. Pleasance Bytes is brought to you in association with Spotlight

This week's podcast features Joe Sellman-Leava in conversation with Mark Fisher. The theatre writer and performer shares his experiences that have formed his opinions and questions that are challenged in his production Labels. He looks at his years at the Fringe and answers astute questions from the live audience. Mark Fisher is a freelance journalist and critic living in Scotland and specialising in theatre and the arts. Publications he writes for include The Guardian, Scotland on Sunday, The Sunday Times, The Herald and The Scotsman. 

This week's podcast features the highly accomplished Annette O'Toole, currently starring in 'Hamlet in Bed' at the Pleasance Courtyard.   In this extended interview with Mark Fisher, reveals her motivations behind her choice of roles and her disassociation from the fame game. Herself a lifelong Superman fanatic, she details her experiences with Christopher Reeves during the filming of Superman III and the continuation of that universe in her role in Smallville years later.    Mark Fisher is a freelance journalist and critic living in Scotland and specialising in theatre and the arts. Publications he writes for include The Guardian, Scotland on Sunday, The Sunday Times, The Herald and The Scotsman. 

Mr Swallow is the creation of actor, comedian and magician Nick Mohammed is the subject of this week's Pleasance Bytes. He talks to Mark Fisher about his childhood fascination with magic, and how that has led him to the writing and production of Mr Swallow: Houdini, a show that is getting five star reviews at the Pleasance in 2016.

Rula Lenska has a career spanning thirty years, and comes to the Pleasance with a glint in her eye as she stars in EuroBeat - a "gentle spoof" of Eurovision as she puts it.   This in depth interview discovers how her family escaped tragedy in Europe during the war, how she was held captive in a mediterranean socialite playground, and why she's spent so much of her own time in conservation and animal rights awareness.   Mark Fisher is a freelance journalist and critic living in Scotland and specialising in theatre and the arts. Publications he writes for include The Guardian, Scotland on Sunday, The Sunday Times, The Herald and The Scotsman. 

Star of Groundhog Day, Californication, Memento and almost 200 other films and shows joins Mark Fisher for an informal retrospective on his career, whilst looking forward to a week of the Tobolowsky Files, where for the first time Stephen performs his celebrated personal stories on stage.   Get your tickets at pleasance.co.uk/

The English actor Patrick Ryecart joins Mark Fisher in this weeks edition of Pleasance Bytes. Patrick's first play, When Blair Had Bush and Bunga, is on at the Pleasance throughout the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and he regales us with tales of the highly expensive lawyers required to put on such a show, ambitions beyond the fringe and his role as both writer and director. Patrick also shares experiences from his time as an actor, and chats about an exciting forthcoming film project. 

In this podcast, host Mark Fisher talks to Scottish film and television actor John Hannah at the Pleasance Courtyard in Edinburgh. John shares experiences from his career, gives insight into both the film and theatre industry, and answers questions from the audience. 

In this podcast, Mark Fisher talks to multi award winning director Hannah Eidinow and actor Alan Cox about their careers and their latest project, 'Kingmaker'.

Linda Marlow and Sarah Louise Young join Mark Fisher in front of a live audience to discuss their new play 'Night Bus' and highlights from their careers.

In this episode former Doctor Who assistant Katie Manning, Bouquet of Barbed Wire star Susan Penhaligon and Hi-de-hi actor Jeff Holland share experiences from their careers and introduce us to their new projects; "Keeping Up With the Joans" and "My Friend Mr Laurel". Hosted by Mark Fisher.

Back for a third season, Pleasance Bytes delves into the minds of the stars of stage and screen to find out what has motivated and inspired them throughout their careers. Hosted by the accomplished author and theatre critic Mark Fisher, each episode delivers an unique insight into this business we call show. On this episode Robert Vaughn looks back over his career; from the 'Magnificent Seven' to 'The Man From Uncle', 'Superman III' to 'Hustle'. He's played countless American Presidents and shares stories of Richard Pryor and Peter Faulk. Robert is at the Pleasance performing in 'Forgotten Voices', an adaptation of the book which is a collection of first hand accounts and corrospondance from the First World War, which marks the 100th anniversary of the declaration of war. The production is directed by Malcolm McKay, with original music by Nick Bicât and design by Douglas  To for tickets to attend the next live recording of Pleasance Bytes and for the back catalogue of interviews visit pleasance.co.uk

Artistic Director of the Belarus Free Theatre Natalia Kaliada joins Mark live on stage at the Pleasance during the Edinburgh festival to discuss the company's history, intent and productions. A fascinating listen.

Live in front of a packed audience, comedian, writer and director Paul Merton joins Mark Fisher for an excellent Pleasance Bytes. Paul is joined by his regular troupe: Suki Webster, Richard Vranch, Lee Simpson and Steve Steen to discuss the method of improv, the joy of not having rehearsals and the satisfaction of being in a time served position of not having to scramble for an audience, unlike the dreadful year of 1987.

Star of Silent Witness, the Archers and prolific writer, William Gaminara is the subject of this Pleasance Bytes podcast. William is in Edinburgh to oversee the deployment of his newest play 'Three Lions', a fictionalised tale of David Cameron, Prince William and David Beckham as they sit in a hotel room plotting final stages of Great Britain's bid for the 2018 World Cup. William is interviewed by Mark Fisher, journalist and theatre critic for the Scotsman and author of the Fringe Survival Guide

Welcome to Pleasance Bytes.  Hosted by Mark Fisher and today he is joined today by the Director of The Pleasance Trust Anthony Alderson to take us even further behind the scenes look at  the festival and how it has developed.

The Fringe survival guide with Mark Fisher, he is joined by Vicky Featherstone, Camille O'Sullivan and Ben Harrison to discuss a variety of topics that effect coming to perform at The Fringe

Welcome to the penultimate Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide presented by Mark Fisher and today he is joined by Peter Marino Nicola Foxfield and Judith Doherty to talk about The Fringe experiences good and bad.