I was excited to be able to catch up with Rachel Teagle and Ben Egerman, two friends of mine and veterans of the Carleton College theater scene. As newcomers to the Fringe, they were kind enough to lend some of their perspective, caffeine induced hysteria, and details about their new show, Orange.
The Rake: How was the play initially conceived? How do the two of you typically collaborate?
RT: The play was partially inspired by a crazy Joe Orton farce we had both just read, and our desire to make the original cast do bizarre things – like kiss everyone or get eaten. Ben and I typically collaborate pretty well. It’s a bizarre, mystical process even we don’t dare to understand.
BE: I think another thing that heavily inspired our writing this particular play was our common frustration with a lot of the mania you would see on television regarding various terror levels and threats. When we first wrote it, a few years ago, it seemed like that had reached a fever pitch.
The Rake: Of all the plays the two of you have written, how did you narrow it down to this one for the Fringe Festival?
RT: We thought Orange was the best play for the Fringe, because it was political and goofy and had enough substance to it to be more than just a skit. Also it had cannibalism, and that’s really big in the festival this year. Particularly homoerotic cannibalism.
BE: Also it’s really funny, and we thought audiences would like it. But our decision was mostly due to the cannibalism.
The Rake: How has the play changed since its first production?
RT: Well, we’ve added a bunch. We’ve fleshed out Alex the office manager and Harriet the tech girl a bit, and we’ve done some other edits to accommodate the new cast. Also, I think it’s a much darker show now than it was, partially due to the realism of the props. It’s gotten a little gory.
BE: I’d like to think we’ve matured it a bit. Which is to say, it’s now only mostly sophomoric. But in a good way.
The Rake: This is your first foray into to the Fringe Festival as writer/directors. What is the experience like as newcomers? Is it what you expected?
RT: Everyone in the Fringe has been so warm and welcoming. We felt immediately that we were part of a community. The Fringe staff in particular has just been awesome. It’s sort of a crazy week and a half, and it’s hard to evaluate now that we’re smack in the middle of it. It’s really exciting to make connections with local artists and other like-minded creative folk.
BE: Fringe people are awesome. They’ve been wonderfully helpful and supportive of us as newcomers. A great example is Phillip Low, who’s doing a show called "All Rights Reserved: A Libertarian Rage." We wound up chatting with him after one of the Fringe-For-All preview shows, and he offered us the opportunity to preview our play at two shows he was involved in prior to the Fringe. It’s really amazing to me that just after moving here, and just after getting involved in all this stuff, I can head over to Fringe Central after shows are over and feel like I’m with old friends.
The Rake: What kind of people do you expect to find in the audience?
RT: Oh, we expect to find just about everyone in the audience, but the folks I think will most enjoy it are those that embrace absurdity, are looking for a very dark comedy, and anyone who wants to see Quentin Kennedy kiss everyone.
BE: And anyone who appreciates a good Unabomber joke. After all, who doesn’t?
Orange is playing at the Mixed Blood Theater on Aug. 6th at 7:00; Aug.8th at 10:00; and Aug. 9th at 5:30.
To read John Irvin’s "Inside the Fringe: Installment One," click here.
To read Jill Yablonski’s "Inside the Fringe: Installmant Two," click here.
To read Andrew Newman’s "Inside the Fringe: Installment Three," click here.
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