Interview: Noel Byrne, Box Tale Soup Theatre Company

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 Box Tale Soup Theatre Company’s co-Artistic Director Noel Byrne who will be taking two pieces of work to the festival this summer.

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

I’m Noel, I’m a professional puppeteer, performer and theatre maker. I’m also co-artistic director of Box Tale Soup, the theatre company I founded with my wife Antonia back in 2012. Since the company began we’ve created 14 shows. I think it’s fair to say we’ve developed a very strong and recognisable style, and all our shows use puppetry in some form, alongside inventive design and staging. We make everything ourselves, and use recycled, reclaimed and sustainable materials wherever possible.

What is your show about?

We actually have two shows at the Fringe this year. Both are original adaptations of classic literature, and both have visited the Fringe before, receiving multiple 5 star reviews on their previous outings. The first show is ‘Casting the Runes’, a supernatural thriller based on the stories of M.R.James, and definitely one for lovers of a good ghost story! The second show is ‘Gulliver’s Travels’, based on the classic novel by Jonathan Swift, an amazing adventure featuring a huge range of puppetry and original sea shanties-you might think you know the story but I guarantee you’ll be surprised..

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

We love to take these classic stories and tell them in an entirely new way. Everything is done by the company too-we write the script, develop the design, build the set and puppets, create the music. I really love being involved in all aspects of a show's creation-it's one of the things I like most about running a company and making our own work, because you get to see the idea through from start to finish. We put a great deal of time and care into all sides of the show, and because there's a real consistency of vision, I think that shows in the end product.

What made you want to take this to the Fringe?

As I mentioned already, both of these shows have appeared at the Fringe already, in the previous two years, but the reaction to them has been so incredible that we thought they deserved another outing! It takes time to build buzz and get audiences coming along at the Fringe, so we're hoping this year even more people will have the chance to enjoy our work.

Read More: Casting The Runes, Pleasance London Review

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

Show-wise I'd say my best tip is to always leave a little space in your schedule for unexpected discoveries! Some of the best shows I've ever seen have been random recommendations from people in queues and cafes, and the Fringe is a great opportunity to see something you might not normally have considered. Also, take some time to go and see some of the street performers. The Fringe attracts some of the greatest buskers and circle shows from around the world, and you can see some truly amazing stuff if you keep an eye out!

Why should people book to see your show?

If you like good theatre, I think you’ll enjoy our work. There’s a huge amount of creativity and invention on display. If you’re up for something a bit different, I think the unique puppetry, the transforming sets and the storytelling will really get your attention. People often tell us they’ve never seen anything quite like it! Finally if you’re a fan of the original stories I hope you’ll be blown away by what we’ve done to bring them to life on stage.

When and where can people see the show?

Both shows are on at their Pleasance Courtyard, and we’re performing them both everyday from 31st July to the 25thAugust (except the 14th). ‘Casting the Runes’ is at 11.35am, and ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ is at 1pm