Just over a year ago I was having a picnic in Hyde Park, London with a student friend discussing what show we would like to put on at Edinburgh Fringe 2008. Like many creative/theatrical types I am not very practical. When I get a good idea it doesn't always come to fusion, mainly because the product becomes so consuming that the process of enabling it becomes too arduous to allow it to develop. But this time I have been guided by the enthusiasm and commitment of the small company that has evolved to see this project through - Acting Thru Dance Productions.

'And what the hell is that?' my husband asked, incredulously reading the blurb discarded on my office (dining-room) table. I patiently explained that it was a springboard for graduate vocational students of dance and performing arts with emphasis on male dancers - and that our first major project would be a show at Edinburgh. So we set off for Fringe Bank Holiday Weekend 2007.

We looked at as many shows as we could that related to dance and physical theatre. We checked out venues, talked to performers, gathered first hand experiences, an immense pile of leaflets, flyers and information - and made judgments on exactly what was going to be possible. We had a great 4 days - the most exhausting holiday ever! Coming home my head was full of the possibilities and some of the pitfalls - but, as usual, none of the practical aspects.

My friend Nicki stepped in. She's an extremely logical, well-organised company administrator and wardrobe mistress. Together we battled through the Fringe process - not easy for newcomers, and way too scary in some places. And the deadlines - 'Do this by 6pm', 'Return before 10pm' - resulted in many emails in the middle of the night. Maybe venues never sleep. And you're trying to develop your show. We wanted to be original and show our ideas, to tailor it to suit our talents, be meaningful - and we wanted people to watch.

After lots of discussion and research, we realised what we wanted to do, used all our available skills and contacts, and started to create. At first we had no title, then in a moment of inspiration the title jumped out at Nicki. Suddenly it started to fall into place. We found performers and the writer produced initial drafts. The subject matter of relationships was played out by the people closest to me, giving me more first-hand knowledge. So far, not a penny had been raised. Nicki - Mrs Practical - investigated funding options. There weren't many for our situation, neither of us was under-25 or students. Lots of forms, signing, cover letters, applications, meetings - and still I hadn't choreographed a step.

By late October 2007 we started to create. It was such a pleasure after the business preparations. But the schedule was demanding, with not a minute of indulgence allowed. That's been the same all the way through, but vital to produce something we could all be proud of. Early on I'd found a composer whose music was inspirational, and he was very happy for his pieces to be used. By Christmas a third of the piece was a reality, and we were ready to apply for our venue.

We video rehearsals - it helps with movement-creation, memory-recall and saves time. A friend who runs a small television production company helped us make our promotional DVD, including footage of all our performers. We sent out to ten venues, having decided on a points scale which were most suitable to what we were doing. Four of the DVDs were unplayable on the venues' equipment. From those who did watch it, we had feedback and discussions, emails, telephone calls, even an old-fashioned letter. Finally two venues were still very interested in us, feeling we would fit in with their ethos and show-planning. The final decision on this was not made until March/April 08 - a bit close - but we felt that the correct outcome would come. The day we signed contracts was very exciting. It was also a race against time to get all that was needed in place. All this was happening during the most intensive rehearsal period, and my brain wanted to create, not to read and act like a business-woman. Once contracts were signed, deadlines started arriving. The Performers' Company Handbook became my bedtime reading. I got to know its 40 pages word for word.

Creation was two-thirds finished by Easter 2008, with the acting integration now being attacked. We received some private funds, as well as two different - very small but essential - investors. Two local trust funds decided to give us some money. All was looking good. Calm before the storm as they say, and several pieces of bad luck followed. We were turned down by our major funding source, but told to re-apply once we had met the conditions on the two-page letter of explanation we received. One of our performers damaged her ankle, and had to rest over the Easter rehearsals.

The final push felt as tough as childbirth. Nicki really came into her own: schedules for the final rehearsals, transport, accommodation? Getting costumes and props to Edinburgh? Endless questions at our twice-weekly meetings - and endless solutions. Five of us were flying, two on trains, five by car. We found two flats, but not for the entire time. With the car packed to the roof, we hoped for a cool day, or five hot bodies would be unbearable. Advertising? Flyers, poster and images presented lots of hoops to jump. And we needed to give them out if anyone was going to come and see us. Well at least we'd get a suntan. And funding. Still looking for this, we offered workshops based on our piece, and decided on three instead of one preview in the vain hope of raising more cash.

Somehow we were getting there. Press emails with the press release, kept bouncing back (I know, computers are only as good as their operators!) One e-mail from the Press Office caused great laughter from everyone who saw the outcome: would we like to produce a minute-long video to be shown at the launch of the Fring? Just some performers talking about why they were going to the Fringe perhaps, the guidelines said. And the date? Friday. This was Wednesday. Luckily, our DVD man was up for this - literally. At 10pm that evening we - me, dancers Tom and Milly - sat in his lounge filming 'At home with Milly and Tom'. It was the most fun experience - both dancers did it in one take, without script and with minimal prompting. Tom completely took on the limelight as Milly sat in amazement at the verbal diarrhoea. Two hours and some editing later, we sleepy drove home with a DVD that was as comic as informative. It was used. The office loved it.

Our last intensive. Surely everything was ready? No - like our subject matter, life threw us a curve. One of our performers had to drop out. There was a night without sleep when I thought we would not be able to perform, but thankfully we were overwhelmed with offers to enable us to carry on. Maria joined us, and after the most taxing week of rehearsal we were back on track with the show complete.

Our last big task was to organise the local preview. Since Christmas we had been supported by the New Brewery Arts Cirencester, and it was there that we gave three preview performances. It enabled us to perform and respond to our audience's reactions, as well as taking into account the practical aspects which we needed to consider in more detail. It also meant we could video the show and improve it further. We combined the last preview with a reception for all those who had helped us create the reality. The preview went down well and we asked the audience, which included industry pros, for feedback. We emailed a sort of essay-plan, asking key questions and collated the answers. We now felt fully equipped for our last rehearsal two days before arriving in Edinburgh. And to be ready in time for our 5am technical rehearsal.

The performers (and collaborators) - Milly, Delle, Lottie, Tom, Josh, Maria, Ti, Becky, Penny and Tom - had all been inspirational. Now it was time to put it all to the test.

END

(c) Katherine-Lucy Bates 4 September 08

Katherine-Lucy Bates is the artistic director and choreographer of Acting Thru Dance Productions (ATD). The company's production Round Turn and Two Half Hitches played C central at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2008. Website www.atdproductions.btik.com

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

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