Edinburgh Fringe Interview: Eric Mutch – Schizophrene

‘You’re just jealous cause the little voices are talking to me.’ An authentically random, unscripted and unpredictable solo stand-up theatre show starring the little voices in my head. Schizophrene is an impetuous old fool, like watching a schizophrenic version of Phil Kay, filling the stage with the many personas and stories that we all have inside. 

More information about Erics show can be found at the end of his interview.

How are things going, you all ready for the Fringe?

Absolutely ready and cant wait. Did 3 preview performances at Exeter Fringe Festival, including giving myself a suspected broken ankle 5 minutes before the last show started. Did the show with my foot up on a chair with ice pack attached. Luckily for me my show is absolutely unscripted and free form, making comedy and theatre out of real life dramas, so it all played happily into my hands. The ankle story featuring prominantly in that nights show.

Have you been to the fringe before?

Yes. I came 7 years ago and again last year. Last year was very much research and development of the type of show I do, whereas this year I feel like I’m bringing a finished product, especially after Exeter Fringe. I love what I do, I just hope I can find an audience that feels the same way

Best five words that describe your show?

Unscripted, Unpredictable, Little Voices Playing

Tell us a bit about your show, what can we expect?

Unscripted, Unpredictable, Little Voices Playing……….I really don’t know what I’m going to do when I go on stage. It’s totally unpredictable, There is no plan, only the little voices in my head. The feedback I got at Exeter Fringe was people wanted me to be “even more mad” , “even more vulnerable” and “even more physical”. I would like “even more feedback”. There is a full you tube clip of one of the shows on my website.

http://www.thefunrevolution.com/content/eric-mutch-money

How do you write your show, what inspires you?

I give playspace to the little voices, personas and stories in my head. What inspires me? The quest for personal freedom and self empowerment, the campaign to introduce the ‘universal basic income’, Human Rights and equality for all. Who inspires me? Daisaku Ikeda, Phil Kay, Ross Noble, anyone who keeps going no matter what.

What do you think makes the Free Fringe so worthwhile?

It gives room to experiment, It proves that its not money and profit that are important, its people and resources, and it makes creativity and art accessible to all, which is the way it should be.

What would you want your audience to take from the show?

I’d love them to walk out saying “I could do that” and to want to go away and do it. Hopefully they will also have related to stuff played out in the show and be inspired to be more spontaneous themselves, but mostly the first answer. I believe that everyone is creative and spontaneous at heart, we are all born that way, its just that some of us are more blocked than others. When I run workshops my sole aim is to take away those blocks , by focusing on permission, permission and more permission to be yourself and I hope that my shows do the same.

What advice would you give someone bringing a show to the fringe?

Do it. Get yourself into the free festival. It can be hard to get an audience and although its called the free festival it’ll cost you around £600 in advertising, flyering and programme listings to take the show up there and another £1000+ to have somewhere to stay and eat for the month, but its just the greatest experience.

Handy Hint: If you do the free festival, get an advert in the Free Festival programme, because whereas people try and avoid flyerers, they lap up the Free Festival programme, easiest bit of flyering you’ll ever do (!)