Sam Cochrane and Alex Prescot from Gigglemug Theatre are taking their new musical, RuneSical, to Edinburgh Fringe and have just launched a crowd funder to help get them there.
Based on the hugely popular online game RuneScape, RuneSical follows Lance_054 (the first fifty-three were taken) on a quest where the audience decide where the characters go next! Whether you’re an experienced player or a total noob, Stage Edinburgh Award Winners Gigglemug Theatre bring you this new, multi-pathway, interactive musical which will have the whole family laughing from start to finish.
Check out Gigglemug Theatre’s crowd funder here.
You’re taking your new show RuneSical to Edinburgh Fringe, what can you tell us about the show?
So RuneSical is a parody musical based on the online video game RuneScape. It takes place in the fantasy realm of Gielinor and is an audience interaction, multiple pathway musical, meaning the audience get to choose where our brave band of adventurers go next on a quest to defeat the mighty Mirror Dragon!
How does it feel to be returning to Fringe after four years away.
Scary but exciting! It’s a bit of an unknown how different it’s going to be to the before times, but we’ve had the show delayed from Edinburgh 2020 and 2021 so more than anything we’re itching to get it up there!
What are the challenges in taking a show to the Fringe, especially after the pandemic?
Money is the big one – Edinburgh hasn’t got any cheaper but the pandemic has been a tricky time for the arts so it’s all about getting creative with fundraising. Audience trust is another, but the last few months we’ve seen audiences slowly coming back for our other projects, so we’re confident that by being as safe as possible we can give audiences that much needed escapism from the last couple of years!
You’re running a crowd funder, how will that help get the production up and running?
So we’re crowd funding for venue hire, props, set & costume and posters & flyers – all essential to a successful show at the Fringe. We’re using profits from other projects, applying to funding bodies and in talks with investors to fund the other aspects of the production too. We’re also an Associate Company of Turbine Theatre in Battersea, so they will be supporting the production with things like in-kind rehearsal space.
What treats can contributors expect?
There’s so many to choose from! We’ve tried to put together something for every taste and budget, so whether it’s exclusive RuneSical content, personalised Thank Yous or even private performances you want, we’ve got you covered!
What will hitting the target mean for RuneSical?
If we don’t reach our funding goal we will find a way to still put the show on, but we realistically won’t be able to make it on the same scale. This would be a real shame as we know how much potential this show has and we want it to achieve that potential! So hitting the target will help to ensure that this show is as good as we know it can be.
