Following its preview in front of DU Players, Uncanny Valley blew audiences away at Edinburgh Fringe 2024. Created by Aimsir Theatre company and directed by Aoife Cronin and Lucy Bracken, Uncanny Valley ran from August 19-24 in theSpace @ Niddry Street. The play follows three sisters as they tell two stories; one is the biblical story of the creation of man and the second is when their mother walks out on the youngest sister Phoebe’s 18th birthday. In an attempt to understand why their mother abandoned them, they intertwine their own stories with bible tales, creating a mesmerising relationship between each girl and the religion their upbringing has been steeped in. Starring Leah Coghlan, Lauren Kelly and Juliet Arpac, Uncanny Valley succeeds in creating a surreal and hypnotic production, which the title alludes to. It is impossible to look away. In the aftermath of its Fringe success, Trinity News sat down with Cronin and Bracken to discuss the creation of Uncanny Valley and what the road to Edinburgh Fringe looked like.
“With a text in development, every word is up for debate, so we wanted actors who could bring a strong creative voice into the room”
“We’ve gone to the Fringe before as audience members, so to be part of the artists’ community was really wonderful,” Cronin and Bracken told Trinity News. Both Cronin and Bracken are recent graduates from Trinity’s Drama and Theater Studies degree. Having developed the show as their capstone project, they knew it was something they wanted to bring to a wider audience. “The creation of the show started with our decision to collaborate on our capstone project. Collaboration is so transformative in making work, because the shared space becomes such a melting pot for ideas and emotions.” One of the key elements for casting the show was this collaborative energy. Lauren Kelly, Juliet Arpac and Leah Coghlan were brought onboard while the script was still in development, excited to explore their characters more from these early stages. From there, Cronin took some time to write the script. A major part of the process was continuously workshopping the production during rehearsals. It was important that the cast was able to improvise, experiment and play with the text: “With a text in development, every word is up for debate, so we wanted actors who could bring a strong creative voice into the room.”
“Having earned a 1:1 in their capstone project, Cronin and Bracken knew they wanted to continue to artistically lead their own work, which led to the formation of Aimsir Theatre”
Having earned a 1:1 in their capstone project, Cronin and Bracken knew they wanted to continue to artistically lead their own work, which led to the formation of Aimsir Theatre. “We had to really think about what we would like our work to look like over the next few years, which really all comes under our name, AIMSIR. Meaning both weather and time, we want our work to reflect this transience.” The concept of playing with time is infused in Uncanny Valley, with the piece centering around memory. In crafting the plot of this production time, women’s experiences and cycles are central. It was one of the driving forces for why the production is staged in the round: “From the very beginning, we knew this piece had to be staged in the round, with the audience positioned in a circle around the stage space. Staging in the round allowed for a physical representation of the idea of cycles, but it also allowed our audience to be more involved and closer to the action, encouraging a more active form of spectating.” AIMSIR urges people to not be too prescriptive with their work, especially when Uncanny Valley was forged in the abstract: “But we would have liked our audiences to find something behind the repetitive compulsion the characters never manage to overcome. What are we when we have nothing to believe in?”
Having attended Edinburgh Fringe in 2023 as audience members, Cronin and Bracken registered for Fringe 2024 as soon as they got home. “We really fell in love with the buzz of the festival and immediately knew it was something we wanted to be a part of. It also seemed like the perfect place to officially launch AIMSIR, and a great place to meet loads of people in the industry.” Edinburgh Fringe isn’t curated which meant that there was no applying, only registering. However, when applying for venues, companies are selective of what kind of work they want to be showing. Having secured a venue, the main hurdle was the expense. As a young company, AIMSIR was faced with the cost of venue hire, admin fees, flight and accommodation, which can cost a lot, especially when it is coming out of pocket. However, the Trinity alumni grant made a huge difference in AIMSIR’s ability to bring this production to the Edinburgh Fringe. The Trinity alumni grant is mainly funded by the Trinity Affinity Credit Card, a credit card designed for alumni, staff, and students of the college. “While getting to the Fringe can be expensive, there are bursaries and grants out there to help fund your project,” AIMSIR advises young production companies. “It is 100% worth your while to research what options are available to you.”
“The highlight was simply getting to be a part of something of this magnitude – to be part of the artists community was really wonderful!” With the highs and lows of Fringe, the lows definitely being the rejection therapy of flyering, the young company blew audiences away with Uncanny Valley. “It was also really exciting to watch audiences watch our show – the beauty of our round staging meant we could get reactions in real time.” With the success of Edinburgh Fringe behind them and outstanding reviews from Uncanny Valley to their credit, it is truly exciting waiting to see what Aimsir Theatre creates next.
