Edinburgh Fringe Chats (#156): Jack Parris, THE UNSTOPPABLE RISE OF BEN MANAGER

As anticipation builds for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025, we’re catching up with a range of exciting creatives preparing to bring their work to the world’s largest arts festival this August. In this series, we delve into the stories behind the shows, the inspiration driving the artists, and what audiences can expect. Today, we’re joined by Jack Parris to find out more about their show, The Unstoppable Rise of Ben Manager.

1. Can you begin by telling us about your show and what inspired it?

The show is a modern absurdist allegory about work, life and play. It’s about a man called Ben Weaver who picks up a magical lanyard, is transformed into his alter ego Ben Manager and receives a relentless series of promotions up the corporate hierarchy. The only problem being that he doesn’t actually know what he’s meant to be doing. The show is packed full of corporate jargon, live music, powerpoint songs, and a strange puppet called Derp. The show is inspired by the real life experiences of working in the era of Bullsh*t Jobs and the book of the same name by David Graeber.

2. What made you want to bring this work to the Fringe this year?

We won the Charlie Hartill Early Ensemble Fund, so Pleasance have been supporting us to bring the show up this year and it’s been a great experience. We wouldn’t be here without Pleasance - the cost of bringing 5 people up to Edinburgh is eye-watering, but the Charlie Hartill fund makes it doable.

3. How would you describe your show in three words?

Child-ish. Adult-ish. Ant-ish

4. What do you hope audiences take away from watching your performance? 

They should take away some personal reflections on their own complex work-life neurosis.

 They should not take away the lanyards that they’ll be given to them at the beginning of the show.

5. What’s your top tip for surviving the Fringe?

I’m not sure, I haven’t been in years. But I’d guess the same as any other survival situation. Find shelter. Keep warm. Look out for bears. Only drink your own piss if absolutely necessary.

6. Where and when can people see your show?

Pleasance Courtyard

The Above

17:20

30th July - 25th August

(not 11th, 12th, 13th)

 INSTAGRAM: @jackparrisd @bunkumensemble

SHOW LINK: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/unstoppable-rise-ben-manager

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