From Wimbledon To The Edinburgh Fringe: Behind the Scenes with New Stagers

Colin Sheehan
Apr 21
4 min read

Last year, New Stagers performed Shakespeare’s classic comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with a twist. The adaptation transported the action from an Athenian Forest to everyone’s favourite reality TV dating show. It sold out five shows at Wimbledon Studio Theatre and won multiple New Stagers awards at the biennial awards dinner.

The success spurred us to look for a new challenge and audience for our show, and there’s only one dream that all amateur actors share: to take their show to The Edinburgh Fringe!

We sat down with Alice Collins, the director, and Molly Rose, who plays Robin Goodfellow, to learn more about the project.

What inspired New Stagers to bring 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' to the Edinburgh Fringe?

Alice: New Stagers is unique in how much space it gives its members to create and experiment. The group encourages original writing, nurtures new talent, and isn’t afraid of trying new things. Our run at Wimbledon Studio Theatre showed us we had the capacity to deliver a professional-grade show. It’s been a dream of all of us to attend the Edinburgh Fringe as performers, and it sounded like a fun challenge!

What inspired the unique twist of setting Shakespeare's classic in the Love Island villa?

Alice: A Midsummer Night’s Dream mocks both love and fame. The speed with which characters fall in and out of love with each other and the ease with which they dissolve and resolve their friendships mirrors the superficiality of modern unscripted dating shows. A Midsummer Night’s Dream provides the same opportunity to judge the empty promises of the interchangeable lovers and cringe at Bottom’s lust for fame as the latest season of Love Island.

How did the cast and crew react when they learned they'd be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe?

Molly: With excitement and maybe a little intrepidation. It's a big challenge, but also an incredible opportunity. Performing at the Fringe is on many of our bucket lists, and to go with a show that we are already so attached to, like Midsummer, is the icing on the cake!

What are some of the biggest challenges you anticipate in bringing your show to the Fringe?

Alice: Taking a show to the Fringe is a huge undertaking. Not only did we have to cut the script by nearly 50%, but everyone also had to relearn lines and different parts, and we had to find new costumes and props to replace those broken or lost. Then there are the logistics of getting 17 people up to Edinburgh and accommodating them for a week. The biggest challenge is marketing and fundraising. It’s almost a full-time job in itself!

Why is it important for New Stagers to raise £10,000, and how will these funds specifically help you achieve your dream?

Alice: Bringing our production to the Edinburgh Fringe involves significant expenses, such as venue hire, registration fees, travel, accommodation, and promotional materials, that we simply cannot cover alone. This funding isn't just about covering costs; it's an investment in fulfilling the lifelong dreams of our dedicated cast and crew, allowing them the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform at the most famous theatre festival in the world. These funds also help support the high production quality our audiences expect. Ultimately, your generous support helps secure the future and legacy of New Stagers.

What makes supporting this production special for friends, family, and the wider community?

Molly: For those who, for years, have dragged themselves to a church hall in Wandsworth to see their friend in an amateur production, donating is a far less painful way to show your support!

In all seriousness, supporting this production is special because it's not only about helping put on a show; it's about becoming part of a meaningful journey for our cast and crew. For friends and family, it’s a chance to directly support us in achieving something we’ve dreamed about for years—performing at the Edinburgh Fringe. For the wider community, it’s an opportunity to champion local talent and contribute to a shared sense of pride and achievement.

Finally, how can people support New Stagers on this journey, beyond donating?

Molly: We’d love to see you in Edinburgh! If that’s too far, we’re doing a pre-fringe performance at The Bread & Roses pub in Clapham on 22 and 23 July. Tickets will be available shortly.

Please share this blog and our social content with anyone you know in Edinburgh or who will attend. If you want to be more directly involved from a production standpoint, we’re always keen to have support on the tech, marketing, and fundraising side!

Contact Alice Collins to learn more.