Here at Perth Arts Live, we know festival season in Perth/Boorloo (and beyond!) is hectic. There’s a lot to do, see, and plan when arts festivals overlap in such spectacular ways. To help readers make informed decisions about where to spend every moment of their free time during Fringemas just like us, we’re asking FRINGE WORLD artists to ‘take five’ from their busy schedules to answer five questions about their shows. No rest for the weary, eh?
Sarah-Beth Aldridge, producer for Lavender Collective Productions takes five to give us a peek into what we can expect from their new interactive comedy whodunnit, Murder on the Magic School Bus, presented by State of Play and FRINGE WORLD at the State Theatre Centre of WA from 4 – 8 Feb. About Murder:
“Return to the magic school bus as Miss Frizzle takes a new group of bright eyed and bushy tailed students on a field trip. Forensics is easy when it’s all textbooks and theory. But what happens when six university students are dropped in the middle of their very own murder mystery? The Frizz is about to find out! In this interactive whodunnit, the students and the audience will work together to find the killer before they strike again!”
Q1 What inspired the show, and what motivated you to bring it to FRINGE WORLD?
This show was inspired by our love of all things pop culture. Combining some of our favourite pieces of media into this fun parody of a very nostalgic show, we wanted to create something that was both special and full of all the joy that comes from discovering a new favourite movie or tv show. Bringing it to FRINGE WORLD was a no-brainer. Fringe audiences love a bit of nostalgia and love a bit of parody. It helps that our show has a bit of a surprise at the ending that we’re certain will set us apart from other theatre shows you can see. We’re just excited to take Fringe audiences on a journey through the science of crime scene investigation!
Q2 What’s the most unexpected, funny, or interesting thing that has happened during the show’s development?
Honestly, the most unexpected thing to happen was finding out that dead bodies aren’t easy to source. I mean, do you know how hard it is to source a dead body? Apparently Gumtree doesn’t just sell those, so we’ve had to source our own.
Q3 What does the audience absolutely need to know before they come to see the show? (without spoilers, of course!)
There might be some interesting changes from the Magic School Bus you know and love, but we tried to keep in all the best bits. We promise you will learn how to solve a murder. And then prove it. Every time you see the show, there might just be a different outcome…
Q4 If you could invite any famous person (living or dead) to the show, who would it be and why?
It would ABSOLUTELY be Lily Tomlin, not only would it be fantastic to have the original voice actor for Miss Frizzle because we think she’d love what we’ve done with the character and the show, but she is such an LGBTQIA+ icon and we would fan girl just knowing that she was in the same room as us.
Q5 What other show(s) would pair well with yours for a delicious FRINGE WORLD feast?
We think i can still see all the stars. would be super fun to watch with ours, and if you have any younger FRINGE WORLD fans, The Amazing Human Adventure is your go-to show!
BONUS ROUND: In 10 words or less, give us your last ditch pitch to get folks in to see the show!
The Breakfast Club meets Clue meets The Magic School Bus
