Interview: Andy Manjuck and Dorothy James, Bills 44th

Ahead of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024 we’re chatting with a range of creatives who will be heading to the city over August to find out more about their shows. Today we’re chatting with Andy Manjuck and Dorothy James about Bills 44th.

Can you tell us a bit about you and your career so far..

I'm Andy! I've been a puppeteer for almost 15 years. I've worked with internationally acclaimed theater artists like Wakka Wakka and Robin Frohardt and on several TV shows and films. Dorothy James and I created Bill's 44th as our first full-length work and we've had the privilege to tour the show to festivals like the London Mime and the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival to name a few. I also do some voice acting, but Bill's 44th is wordless!

I'm Dorothy!  Also a puppeteer and fabricator for around 15 years, working with companies like Wakka Wakka, Basil Twist, Radio City Music Hall, The Avett Brothers, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, as well as puppeteering on TV series like Moon and Me (BBC) and Hello Tomorrow! (AppleTV+).  Co-Creator with Andy for Bill's 44th!

What is your show about?

Bill's 44th is about Bill. He is an anxious yet optimistic man who is throwing himself a birthday party (also he is a puppet). It is as if a Mr. Bean sketch exploded into a surreal exploration of loneliness and self-acceptance.

What was the inspiration for the show and what’s the development process been to get to this stage?

Andy: The inspiration for Bill's 44th was two-fold: the puppet was inspired by a show I saw in Copenhagen over a decade ago. It was an amazing show called "Hunger" that was a collaboration between TinkerTing and Pickled Image. I loved the design and always wanted to do a two-handed, floating torso puppet; the show itself came about because of a prompt for a puppet slam (a five minute piece of puppetry based on a theme). The theme was "They're Coming," so we decided to make a birthday party where the guests never showed up. We didn't end up making the show at that time, but the idea never left us. It took some years and a push from a friend or two, but the show has since premiered and has been touring quite a bit since then.

What made you want to take this to the Fringe?

Last year we had the opportunity, and we had heard so many things about the festival, so we thought we would give it a try. It ended up going so well that we had to turn people away at the door. Oh no! This year we are thrilled to bring Bill back so that more people can celebrate his Birthday (Yes, it is still his 44th).

Apart from seeing your show, what’s your top tip for anybody heading for Edinburgh this summer?

Stay hydrated, eat all the things, and don't worry about seeing too many shows. We found that despite doing a full month of shows and handing out flyers every day, we still managed to see more shows than we performed!

Why should people book to see your show? 

It's puppetry for grown-ups! It's got a bumping soundtrack! We had a sold-out run last year!

When and where can people see the show?

It is at Underbelly, Cowgate (in Belly Button) all month at 6:55pm!