Press release – for immediate publication
Pepperdine
Students Take Top Awards at Edinburgh Fringe
World premiere of The Interference impresses critics and
judges – and is welcomed by Scottish campaigners against sexual violence
Theatre students from Pepperdine University have scooped a
pair of prestigious awards at the Edinburgh Fringe and earned a series of
coveted four and five star reviews.
Their play, The
Interference, is a fast-paced drama about a campus rape victim’s struggle
for justice, which was written by Scottish-based playwright Lynda Radley.
Within days of its world premiere on 3 August it had earned
acclaim from leading critics at prestigious publications including The
Scotsman, The Herald, British Theatre Guide, The List and Broadway Baby.
This has now been topped by the news that The Interference has been awarded a
Fringe First. The Scotsman Fringe First Awards are designed to recognise
outstanding new theatre work and to celebrate the very best new writing.
It has also received a Bobby – given by Broadway Baby in
recognition of the best of the best five star shows.
Director Cathy Thomas-Grant and Divisional Dean of
the university Fine Arts Division, said: “The Edinburgh Fringe is the greatest
festival of arts in the world, and also one of the toughest and most
competitive environments you can imagine.
“To have won these awards and earned such outstanding
reviews is a tremendous tribute to the dedication of our students and to the
outstanding power of Lynda’s writing.”
It is the second time that the play’s producer Pepperdine Scotland (the university’s own Scottish-based company) has won a Fringe First.
Pepperdine Scotland not only managed the project but has
also worked with a variety of campaigning organisations, such as the Rape
Crisis charities, to highlight issues around sexual violence.
White Ribbon Scotland, which aims to change social attitudes
towards rape and other forms of violence against women, believes it is vital to
get the issues discussed.
Davy Thompson, the organisation’s Communications
Officer, said: “It’s terrific to have such a high-quality and effective play
which will help change attitudes and stop victim blaming.
“A lot of guys try to hide behind a pretence that somehow
violence is a woman’s fault, and it’s not. The
Interference also looks at the legal hurdles victims face when they try to
get justice and they just shouldn’t be there.
“It’s important to get these issues talked about and for men
to make it absolutely clear that they think violence towards women is
completely unacceptable.
“The campaign against drink driving showed that we can make substantial changes to the attitudes of a generation and we really need to do the same with violence against women.”
While the play is set in an American university, it is
inspired by events both in the USA and UK and the questions it raises go far
beyond the campus.
- Ends -
Notes
to Editors
·
The Interference by Lynda Radley is at C Venues C
(Venue 34), Adam House, Chambers Street, Edinburgh from 3 to 16 August.
·
Tickets: Weekend and weekday prices vary. Full price
£8.50 to £11.50, concessions £7.50 to £9.50, with special prices of £5.50 to
£7.50. See www.ctheFestival.com for the ticket price of each performance.
·
Time: 15.45
·
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Age: 12+
Review
links
For media information
about The Interference contact
Matthew Shelley on 07786 704299
or Matthew@Scottishfestivalspr.org
