STUFFED is a show about food banks. It is not a show about food. Multi-award-winning theatre makers Ugly Bucket (Untapped Award 2022) present a blazing inferno of a clowning show, delving into the wreckage of a desecrated support system. During the pandemic, Ugly Bucket volunteered at food banks and council helplines to support the distribution of emergency food parcels. This is their response, an explosion of transformative personal testimony, physicality, clowning and original music.
STUFFED is a roaring call to action for the overwhelming need of our country and how we can all address it. During lockdown, 2.5m emergency food parcels were distributed, and Ugly Bucket’s volunteer work with the food banks was a soul-shaking experience that led the company to build relationships and gather honest personal testimony, forming the verbatim framework of the show. While many people know about food banks and their important work, many do not realise the complexity and severity of need that has only worsened since lockdown. Both hilarious and horrifying, STUFFED aims to unite, educate, inspire and confront audiences, bringing them together to understand and face a crisis taking place on their very doorstep.
The show’s wrap around activity and engagement empowers audiences with action they can take beyond the theatre to support food banks and become part of a wider solution. This includes a food bank donation point in the heart of Pleasance Courtyard, a post-show pamphlet and wider community activities such as panels and community meals.
As enraging as it is brilliant. A tour-de-force performance that deserves the nation’s attention – ★★★★★ Opening Nights
