Statements is on at the Gilded Balloon, Teviot in the Wee Room from August 1-17.

Artistic director, writer and performer, Samuel Clayton answers our questions. 

  • Tell us about your Fringe show

Daniel is obsessed with Jazz, but the world is too loud a place to hear what’s going on. Javeed doesn’t understand a word, but happily communicates with anybody by smiling. Toby makes a lot of noise, but nobody seems to listen… An exploration of Asperger’s, Down Syndrome and misunderstood emotions, ‘Statements’ introduces you to the parents, teachers, friends and professionals who touch the lives of three very different boys with one shared hope in life.

The play has been described as a “one-man whirlwind”, as over the course of 50 minutes the audience meets a variety of characters who all share their own experience of the world of Special Educational Needs (SEN).

The play isn’t a political lecture and the characters don’t rely solely on monologues to tell their story. There is a lyrical and poetic narrative connecting the disparate experiences of each character and the audience will leave feeling compassion for the individuals with a greater awareness for the ‘system’ as it stands.

  • How does it feel to be playing the Fringe for the first time?

There’s a big mix of emotions for me in the build up to the Fringe. The idea and early writing of the play began about a year ago and in that time it’s gone through extensive research, writing, rewriting, contacting of venues, reviewers and our target audience, previews and further runs and as much marketing as possible on Social Media without people getting too fed up of hearing me talk about nothing else! It’s been a hugely rewarding experience and a great first year for the company, where we’ve received some fantastic feedback and reviews. This is an important topic to me though, so I’m keen to get it right.

As a one-man show, I want to perfect my sales pitch while I’m in Edinburgh, but I’ll be joined by my fantastic team and their support from day one has been invaluable.

Ultimately, I’m just thrilled to be able to share this play with such a wide audience and I can’t wait to share work and ideas with other creatives; both seasoned performers and others, like myself, up for the first time.

  • Why did you decide to perform at the Fringe?

I always knew I wanted to perform at the Fringe but I was keen to bring a project that I was passionate about. The competition for audiences is tough, with the richness and diversity of talent available throughout the city, so I wanted to be able to discuss the play I was doing passionately while out on the Royal Mile or over a pint after a show and entice as many people to come along as possible.

I graduated from drama school a few years ago now and have taken part in numerous Fringe performances and been part of other festivals, but when this idea came along and it received the success it did, it seemed like a no-brainer to me and the perfect opportunity to build on the momentum we’d already created.

  • If you were not a performer what would you be doing?

‘Statements’ is based on my own experiences of working with children with different learning difficulties and I certainly have huge admiration for people who work in education. I teach LAMDA and have run many drama classes between my acting work and so I think I’d likely gravitate towards teaching, with a focus on drama and Special Educational Needs.

  • How do you prepare for a performance?

Before the first performance at the King’s Head last year, I hadn’t realised how exhausting being on-stage by yourself for an hour would be, so I try not to do too much. I go for a walk and like to take my time over a warm-up in the space before the house opens. I’m not sure if I’ll have this luxury in Edinburgh, given the other companies I’ll be sharing the space with, but I’m sure I’ll figure out my routine once I’m there.

  • Best advice you’ve been given ahead of your debut show?

When I’ve felt nervous, I’ve tried to think about the kids that some of characters are based on and that despite any pre-show jitters as a performer, I just needed to do justice to the individual characters’ experiences and share their story. A nice short and snappy one my partner always says to me, if it’s clear I need a bit of support, is “Go get ‘em!”

  • Favourite thing about being in Edinburgh?

The atmosphere around the city is like nothing else during the festival and there’s so many people to meet and to find out about the best shows to go and see. I do like that the surrounding hills are only a short walk away though for when the city gets a bit hectic and there are some wonderful views of the city from Arthur’s Seat!

  • What’s the most Scottish thing you’ve done?

While working in a Primary School around Burns Night, I was asked to teach a class of thirty children The Selkirk Grace followed by a rendition of Address to a Haggis for a school assembly. They might not have completely understood the dialect, but they all grasped the significance of the tradition – and I was only too happy to eat any Haggis left over!

  • Favourite Scottish food/drink?

All the shortbread! They also served some Edinburgh Gin at the List’s launch party a few weeks ago, which was delicious, so I’m going to be on the look out for that…

  • Sum up your show in three words

Lyrical. Eye-opening. Truthful.

Show summary

Daniel is obsessed with jazz, but the world is too loud a place to hear what's going on. Javeed doesn't understand a word, but happily communicates with anybody by smiling. Toby makes a lot of noise, but nobody seems to listen. An exploration of Asperger's, Down Syndrome and misunderstood emotions introduces you to the parents, teachers, friends and professionals who touch the lives of three boys with one shared hope in life. 

Statements is on at the Gilded Balloon, Teviot in the Wee Room from August 1-17.

You can follow Catapult Theatre Company on Twitter at @catapultplays and visit their website at www.catapulttheatreco.com