Love In The Time Of Lockdown

Brighton Fringe sellout 'Love In The Time Of Lockdown' is going to Edinburgh! We will be performing every day, from August 6th to August 14th, 1.20pm, in TheSpace @ Symposium Hall Surgeons Hall, Nicholson St, Edinburgh EH8 9DW.

This play is a collection of 17 voices (and a car) in scenes written during the February 2021 lockdown in response to stories that Saskia was told and situations she found herself in. Sometimes friends would say just one sentence that triggered whole monologues as in Windows. A woman casually chatted about breaking the lockdown rules in the Park. Saskia and others were getting their first vaccination at the Brighton Centre, Doctor, or needed to get away from not enough or far too much going on at home which gave rise to escapist fantasies, Car, or the need to call a helpline, Switchboard: home schooling anyone?!

The actors all met on zoom play readings, which is where many actors went when they could not set foot into theatres and rehearsal rooms. Saskia took her writing to some of these readings and the actors wanted to play those characters and asked her to create a show. We all knew the stories needed to be told and that the audience would feel recognised and heard.

'Love never stops, not even during Lockdown, but it gets so much harder. These characters have been lonely, alone, or had not a moment of privacy. They have been brave or resigned, they've run away or stayed put, and some had hallucinations - or did they? In a number of scenes we meet acutely observed people from all walks of life: illegitimate lovers, the patient who suddenly fancies the doctor, those who call a helpline just to have someone to talk to, and those who quietly get on with their incredibly difficult lives. A young woman talks to her car, an old woman almost cries when her budgie kisses her on the cheek. Actors miss the limelight, but still have each other. This hour will have you laughing and crying and talking about how it was for you, for your neighbour, and for your friends. Everyone has a different story, everyone needs to be heard.' ​

Reviews of the first shows: “We talked about it the car on the way home, it was wonderful we really enjoyed it … some moments felt like memories and sometimes we weren't sure what we had witnessed; the two ladies in bed seemed like some kind of madness …. but then I think that this whole experience has been like that. …it’s of the moment .This is part of our history, we need work like this to record it and to make sense of it somehow"

"I loved it!! It was well written and surprising and touching and brilliantly performed.” "I loved the comedic tone that was kept despite still conveying the important topic" "A great collection of funny and serious scenes depicting the different effects of Covid-19 on the general public. A really enjoyable production full of both hilarious and thought-provoking moments." "Absorbing peek into peoples’ lockdown experiences. Touching, poignant and, at times, hilarious." "A funny, yet poignant set of glimpses into other people’s lives. With the black space adding to the feeling of lockdown, each actor took us through fear, isolation, resilience and love. Excellent and thought provoking."