Get 'Thor the Walrus' to Edinburgh Fringe 2024!

‘Thor the Walrus’ is a cheeky comedy about climate change. It’s the first full-length play by emerging writer, Claire Watt, channelling the spirit of classic satires like ‘Brass Eye’, ‘South Park’ and ‘Monty Python’. Flipping the climate change narrative, ‘Thor the Walrus’ asks why big corporations aren’t blamed for polluting the planet while ordinary people feel guilty about things like using plastic straws. Watch as Climate Time, the UK’s hottest fake climate news programme, reports on the travels of Thor to the UK in search of clams, making audiences rethink a topic we don’t normally laugh about. Did we mention this is all based on a true story? Look it up if you’re interested–but please read the rest of our page first…

Firstly, thank you for clicking on our page and considering supporting us. We really appreciate it!

About the Team:

WattWhereWhen is a new production company set up by participants from Act II (2023-4), a London festival for young people under 30, taking their first steps into the theatre industry. We are a group of seven working class and neurodivergent creatives, doing Fringe on a shoestring. This is Claire’s first full-length play after the Pentabus Young Writers Programme and our first time coming to Edinburgh. So far, we have our exciting script, production team and cast. We are currently rehearsing and have secured two previews at Omnibus Theatre, Clapham, on 17th and 24th July. Now we just need your help getting to Edinburgh!

Some more about the play…

‘Thor the Walrus’ mixes a sketch comedy style with narrative dark comedy. Feeling fed up about the lack of food and ice in the Arctic, Thor decides to travel to civilisation to find out what on earth is going on. In his journey to learn about climate change, he meets an array of fishy characters, including a flamboyant starfish, a binge-eating seagull and a pretty crabby crab. And of course, he meets the humans—all of whom are obsessed with either taking selfies with him or locking him up for his own protection. From Rishi Sunak to Extinction Rebellion, Thor gets a full taste of life in Britain on his journey (which is in fact based on a true story). But why is nobody answering his question—what’s happening to the Arctic and where are all the clams? Thor is getting hangry.

The story of Thor is interspersed with a B storyline of a climate news television show. In the satirical style of 'Brass Eye', the newsreaders recount an array of close-to-home fabricated news stories, highlighting the hypocrisy of everything from the government to the media when it comes to global warming and mankind’s bizarre attempts to save the planet.

Where can you watch ‘Thor the Walrus’?

‘Thor the Walrus’ will run from 2nd to 25th August 2024 at Zoo Playground 1, Edinburgh, at 8:15pm. We’re also doing a London preview at Omnibus Theatre, Clapham, at 7pm on 17th and 24th July.

Cast and Creative Team:

Tom Lafferty (Thor the Walrus)

Tom Lafferty is an actor, director and live art practitioner and facilitator, having trained in the latter at Queen Mary University of London. This will be his third appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe, previously appearing in 'Get Your Life Back' in 2021 and 'A Toe Tale 'in 2022. His other credits include performing and directing for Act 2 Company in London and recently making his debut at the Tower Theatre, in their production of 'Crime and Punishment'.

Alex John (the Seagull and various multi-rolled characters)

Alex John is a neurodivergent actor and writer. She graduated from The Guildford School of Acting in 2021. Her first play, 'Everyone's Worried About Eve', was shortlisted for 'The Actually Autistic Excellence Award' at the Edinburgh Fringe 2023. Alex is currently writing her second play, 'Mother Fucking Teresa'.

Noelle Sacher (the Crab and even more fishy characters)

Noelle Sacher is an actress living in London. Originally from the US, she graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and recently received a five-star review from Everything Theatre for her role in Act II's Springboard Festival.

Matthew McGoldrick

Matthew McGoldrick is a graduate of Rose Bruford College, represented by @roycemanagement. He has appeared in several short films and commercials and most recently received a glowing review from Everything Theatre for his performance in 'Things to Say When I See You in Person' at the 2024 Act II Festival.

Olivia Rainbow (Co-anchor for Climate Time)

Olivia Rainbow is a queer, neurodiverse actor based in London. She has trained at The Oxford School of Drama and National Youth Theatre. Recent credits include: 'A Matter of Chance' (Hounslow Arts Centre), 'Shakespeare Marathon' (Dr. Johnson Museum) and 'Conscience' (Cockpit Theatre).

Tom Terry (Co-anchor for Climate Time)

Tom Terry is an actor, presenter, voice artist, standup comedian and compare. Not much is known about his history, but the team found him hanging outside the Act II Festival Theatre and decided to give him a shot. Turns out he was pretty exceptional, but don't tell him that…

Claire Watt (Writer, Director and Producer)

Claire Watt is a writer, director and producer based between London and Cambridge. She is a member of the Pentabus Young Writers programme and recently finished the Act II Company Springboard programme. She has written, directed and produced short plays at the Old Red Lion Theatre, London, and the ADC Theatre, Cambridge (in association with the Cambridge Footlights) as well as an audio play with Pentabus Theatre. This will be her first time at Edinburgh Fringe and she is equally scared and excited.

Costs:

Edinburgh Fringe is a notoriously expensive business, but an essential one in any young comic’s career. Unfortunately, most traditional arts funders won’t fund Edinburgh Fringe runs, so we’re crowdfunding to raise money. Our day-jobs consist of front of house theatre, cafe and bar work, so we are already having to take a month of unpaid leave to participate in the Fringe and we’re a little bit scared of the numbers below. Please help!

We will use the money raised here to pay for our venue (£3,700), accommodation (£418pp if we all share beds–cosy!), travel (£100+), followed by costumes, a nice-enough set, flyers and posters as well as other marketing. The more we raise above the baseline of our venue cost, the more money we can put into making the show a success at the Fringe itself. We really want to get fun costumes like a walrus mascot costume and a crab outfit. But first, we just want to get to the Fringe–pretty please… 

We would be grateful for any contribution, large or small, and we’ve put together some exciting rewards where you can even get one of the 30+ multi-rolled characters (that’s a lot of characters!) named after yourself or as a gift for or a loved one. 

What do we hope to get out of going to Fringe?

We’re hoping to benefit both the planet and our theatre careers by participating in Edinburgh Fringe 2024. ‘Thor the Walrus’ draws the audience's attention to the issue of climate change in a fresh and compelling way, highlighting one of the most important issues of our time.

We are hoping to receive good reviews from national local Edinburgh media for the debut of this exciting piece of new writing. After this, we plan to use this momentum to take 'Thor the Walrus' on a tour across regional and working class areas of the UK (which is of personal importance to us) and run climate theatre-making workshops in collaboration with local communities, for which we will apply for a National Lottery Project Grant.

Find out more and stay up to date with us online!

www.thorthewalrus.com 

@thorthewalrus on Instagram

@thor_thewalrus on Twitter

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