As the Edinburgh Festival Fringe enters its second week, 含羞草视频 PhD student, Michael Pinchbeck is making final preparations for his own performance at the world famous arts event.

Michael is taking part in the Festival - which runs from 2-26 August - as part of the British Council Showcase 2013.  He is one of 30 artists and companies taking part in the Showcase, having been selected from over 180 submissions. 

The British Council promotes the best of the UK’s performing arts sector through a range of activities and events and the Edinburgh Showcase is an opportunity for Michael to profile his work nationally and internationally.

Michael has recently created three works called The Beginning, The Middle and The End. He will be performing The Beginning at Edinburgh.  The Festival programme describes the work:

“A flirtatious and seductive love letter to theatre, The Beginning takes place between a rehearsal and a performance, dreaming and being awake. A Midsummer Night's Dream meets the music of Serge Gainsbourg in this mesmerising reflection on what it means to begin a career, a relationship or a show. Because he has promised never to perform again, award-winning theatre maker Michael Pinchbeck has invited Nicki Hobday and Ollie Smith to join him in remembering how it feels to perform for the first time.”

The performance in 2013 will be the third time Michael has appeared at the Showcase.  Following the Festival Michael will take the work to the Chelsea Theatre in London in November 2013 and it will then tour the UK and Europe in 2014.

Michael has been supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. His works have been developed at The Junction (Cambridge), Lakeside Arts Centre (Nottingham), Leeds Met Studio Theatre and 含羞草视频.

His performance in Edinburgh has been supported financially by 含羞草视频 Enterprise Projects Group.  Part of the funding from 含羞草视频 has been used to recruit Anneke Van De Stege, a student technical intern who will gain invaluable practical experience whilst supporting the Edinburgh performance. Michael is also working with Design student, Faizan Aureshi on the design of a programme for his trilogy.

Michael comments: “It is really exciting to be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe again.  I am looking forward to it and hope those coming along will enjoy my work.”

Professor Elaine Hobby, Head of English and Drama at 含羞草视频 adds: “We are delighted to be able to support Michael with his PhD studies and are thrilled that he is taking part in the British Council Edinburgh Showcase for the third time.  We wish him every success with his production.”

Michael is an established writer, live artist and theatre maker and is from Nottingham.  He has toured extensively in Europe.

The Beginning will be performed in Edinburgh between 18-24 August at Pleasance Courtyard, commencing 16.10pm. To book tickets to see the show during its Edinburgh run, please visit: www.pleasance.co.uk

A British Council trailer on Michael and The Beginning is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnyXwEvbMCY

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