Public – The Musical
Pleasance Courtyard (Pleasance Two), 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH89TJ
Wednesday 2nd – Monday 28th August 2023 (not 9th, 21st), 18:30
The cast taking the all-new rock musical Public – The Musical to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival has been announced! The story of four strangers locked in a gender-neutral toilet for an hour will be brought to life by a fresh and exciting cast this August. With an electrifying new score of anthems and heartfelt ballads that you can’t get out of your head, this musical explores identity and connection.
Returning to the Fringe and playing the role of Zo will be actor, singer-songwriter, and comedian Annabel Marlow, who made her Fringe debut playing Katherine Howard in the original 2017 Edinburgh Fringe sensation Six the Musical, and placed third in 2023’s Musical Comedy Awards. Joining them on stage as Laura will be non-binary performer Alicia Corrales. After making their professional debut as Katherine Howard in Six the Musical in 2019, and covering its UK and West End Tour, Corrales is back with another new hit musical. Making their Fringe and professional debut is Royal Conservatoire of Scotland graduate Hugo Rolland as Finley. Completing this cast and returning after its thrilling run at VAULT Festival is Andrew Patrick-Walker (The Wizard of Oz, Leicester Curve; The Rhythmics, Southwark Playhouse).
Finding themselves trapped together in a gender-neutral public toilet with an hour to kill until maintenance arrives, this group navigate the unexpected challenges and difficult conversations that arise when confined together. Winner of the Pleasance’s Charlie Hartill Fund and VAULT Origins Award, this show candidly explores gender identity, toxic masculinity, allyship, mental health and more, all against an original score.
Queer-led theatre collective Stroud and Notes is an original musical company conceived by queer singer-songwriter, Kyla Stroud, winner of London’s Busk In London Competition, and composer, co-writer and co-producer of Public – The Musical. The team also includes coproducer, co-writer and theatre-maker Hannah Sands (Associate director: Bloody Elle – a gig musical, Whatsonstage nominee), co-writer and movement director, Natalie Stroud
(Choreographer: That Was Then This Is Now TV) and musical supervisor, Olivia Zacharia (Musical director: Stranger Sings, UK Tour; We Will Rock You, Barcelona; Resident musical director at Crazy Coqs, West End).