Interview: ‘Breathe’, Half A String 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 the team at Half A String Theatre Company about their piece, Breathe.

Can you tell us a bit about your theatre company..

We are Half a String! A Canterbury based theatre company creating work featuring puppetry, original music and intricate design. We create work for audiences of all ages and champion meaningful, collective experiences. We've been creating shows, publishing books and releasing music since 2016.

What is your show about?

Breathe is a 2024 Offies Award Finalist that celebrates trees. The story follows a "Seedling" puppet as they hatch from an acorn and experience the hectic forest floor through stunning puppetry, breathtakingly detailed sets and groundbreaking live camera work. Underscored by a unique fusion of drum and bass and live ethereal folk song, Breathe captures the imagination of audiences of all ages! 

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

We first started developing Breathe back in 2019 and the show first premiered in Canterbury in 2022! The show has many elements - intricate handcrafted design, a specially designed camera system and an original drum and bass / folk fusion soundtrack! It took a lot of development to combine all the different aspects of the show with our collaborators. We've since been touring the UK and also travelled to Germany to feature Breathe on the puppetry show, Die Puppenstars!

What made you want to take [title of show] to the Fringe?

We have been itching to get back to Edinburgh since we last took shows there in 2017 (A Heart at Sea) and 2019 (Boulder) - we love the atmosphere, community and buzz of the Fringe. We have been touring Breathe across the UK for a couple of years now and we feel it's ready for Edinburgh! We love reaching new audiences and getting the chance to showcase what we do.

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

See shows that spark your curiosity!

Why should people book Breathe?

Breathe has something for everyone - perhaps you're a nature lover, a puppetry fan, a drum & bass enthusiast or you're looking for something that will engage your whole family - we've got you covered! You will leave Breathe with a deeper appreciation of the natural world and hopefully feeling curious to learn more.

When and where can people see your show?
Breathe is at the Pleasance King Dome from July 31st - August 18th at 12pm! The show is 60 minutes, appropriate for audiences of all ages (we suggest 5+) and we have relaxed and captioned performances on August 8th and 15th. We hope you'll join us in the forest!