Who are we?
We are the D
ead Fool Society, a trio of creatives from the north of England, bringing the new play WATCH ME DIE! to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2025. We create darkly comic works which reimagine the stories of the past to create theatre for now. We specialise in shocking theatrical experiences with the poetry and complexity of Shakespeare, but the intensity and energy of a rave.
About WATCH ME DIE!
“Outside: A bloody civil war that engulfs everything around in fire, chaos and bloodshed. But not here. Here in the halls of the filthy rich there's time for joy.”
Welcome to the satirical dystopia of Albion, the grim setting of the bold new one-man play WATCH ME DIE! - a genre-smashing riot of theatre, film, stand-up, and rave. Here, history is written in neon lights, Shakespearean tragedy collides with satirical, pounding beats and a smattering late-night TV. Love and vengeance dance hand in hand until the bitter end.
Captain Benedict Masters - our unreliable narrator, our tortured anti-hero, our master of ceremonies in a nation unraveling at the seams: He’s charming, he's dangerous, he's wet-your-pants funny, and he’s got a titillating story to tell. As the world outside burns in the name of democracy, inside a crumbling castle and a backroom pub, soldiers and politicians play power games, rewriting the rules to suit their own warped ambitions. Alliances shift, wedding bells ring, blood spills, and the truth—whatever that even means anymore—becomes a weapon in the hands of a madman.
"There’ll be a wedding! Some war! A couple of fights! Sex! A snugen of torture! Confusion regarding jewellery ownership! Ooh! A murder! Then finally, at the climax of it all… I'm gonna die, right here, this evening, for your delectation and delight." (Prologue, WATCH ME DIE!)
Loosely based on Othello, WATCH ME DIE! twists Shakespearean tragedy into a warped fever dream of modern rebellion. Expect soliloquies laced with irony, ghosts that haunt the digital age, and monologues that tear through the fourth wall with punk-fueled fury. This play revels in the spectacle of power and its inevitable downfall, spinning a tale as timeless as the Bard himself.
This isn’t just a play—it’s an experience. It’s a war cry. It’s a last maniacal laugh in the face of totalitarian authority.
Get on board, or get out of the way.
“To this day, one of the best experiences ever!” (Amber Elizabeth, workshop performer.)
(Trailer features footage from the workshop performance, then titled "MORE: THE ART OF REVENGE")
Why We Need Your Help
Taking WATCH ME DIE! to the Edinburgh Fringe is a bold and thrilling ride, but let’s be real – it’s a costly one. As a team of definitely young and not at all wrinkly emerging artists, we’re all in, ready to make this happen. But we need your help to cover the essentials, like:
- Venue Hire – Securing a professional and accessible performance space
- Accommodation – Providing housing for our cast and crew throughout the festival
- Marketing & Promotion – Ensuring we reach the widest audience possible
- Production Costs – Funding set, costumes, props, and technical elements
While we’re hunting for grants and other funding, we also need the power of our community to fuel WATCH ME DIE! and give it the success it absolutely deserves. Let’s make some noise!
Why This Show Matters
In Shakespeare's day, his plays were a wild, boisterous celebration enjoyed by everyone—from the nobility to the common folk. They were loud, crude, and hilarious, but also packed with some of the most breathtaking poetry the world has ever known.
Fast forward 400 years, and Shakespeare's works have been tucked away in the dusty corners of academia, treated like sacred texts by stuffy scholars and purists.
“Shakespeare’s poetry was complex and beautiful, but he also wrote more nob gags than Rik Mayall!” (Jake Smith, Dead Fool)
Let’s not forget – old Will was all about reimagination! Taking stories that were already around and making them his own - Hamlet? An old Danish legend. King Lear? A hit long before Shakespeare put his spin on it.
With WATCH ME DIE!, we’re bringing that same rebellious, anarchic energy back to one of the Bard's own tales, giving it a bold, modern twist. Think rave culture, dubstep beats that’ll get your heart pounding, and a new, queer inclusive, unapologetic script from Jake A Smith that’s as innovative as it is nostalgic.
We’re taking Shakespeare out of the classroom and putting him back where he belongs—making him messy, daring, and ready to get his hands sticky.
WATCH ME DIE! Has been extensively workshopped over multiple stages and has been supported at various points by Hull City Council, Wykeland Group Ltd, The University of Hull, and The New Adelphi Club. As well as providing opportunities for actors and theatre-makers in Hull and East Yorkshire, it has involved collaborations with grassroots street artist Outside the Lines, and acclaimed DJ and Musician KAIZZAB.
Access is also at the heart of this creative process. The show will be captioned, and the majority will feature integrated British Sign Language (BSL) performed by our lead actor as a natural part of his movement.
How You Can Help
No contribution is too small—every single donation makes a real impact! By backing our crowdfunding campaign, you're directly helping us bring this vital story to life.
What can you do?
- Donate whatever you can—every pound counts
- Share our campaign with friends, family, and on social media.
- Share the campaign with any businesses or professionals you think might be interested in partnering with us.
We’re beyond grateful for all the support. Your generosity helps us take this bold, thrilling work to the stage where it belongs and share WATCH ME DIE! with the world.
Join us in making a difference—thank you for helping us bring our show to life!
We will be performing at 23:00 from 18-22nd August at TheSpace @Surgeon's Hall. All shows are captioned.
Developed from "More: The Art of Revenge", which was created in partnership with Rebecca Sawdon.
With special thanks to Ethan Lang, Emily Gray, Amber Elizabeth, Sally E Witts, James Murtagh, Keri Hopwood, Josh Goroño Chapman, Emily-Jane Jones and Jemima Corbett.