Pioneer play by curious directive

Former Gresham’s student wins top Edinburgh Festival Award with show that previewed at Holt Festival

A Norfolk based theatre company with a former Gresham’s School student as its artistic Director has landed one of the biggest prizes at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

curious directive received a prestigious Fringe First Award for their play Pioneer.

Often referred to as the Edinburgh ‘Oscars’ the Fringe First Awards were launched by The Scotsman newspaper 41 years ago.

Pioneer is a multi-media sci-fi thriller about an attempt to colonise Mars. Norfolk audiences were able to see the play first when it previewed at this year’s Holt Festival – where Director Jack Lowe returned to present the show at The Auden Theatre, part of his old school Greshams. The show has been supported by Escalator East To Edinburgh and Norfolk & Norwich Festival (where it also appeared earlier this year).

This is the second year running that Holt Festival has previewed a show that has gone on to huge success at the Fringe. In 2013 David Greig’s The Events premiered at Holt before going on to win a Fringe First and tour the world.

In presenting the Award The Scotsman’s chief theatre critic Joyce McMillan said ‘curious directive have developed a trademark style that is both intricate and epic, conjuring up entirely new worlds and making them feel as believable as our own.

Jack Lowe said ‘It has been so exciting to start our work in a barn in Spixworth then take it to Holt and Norfolk and Norwich Festivals, then on to The Fringe with the brilliant support of Escalator East To Edinburgh. We can’t wait to make work in Norfolk again.’

Norfolk based publicist Steve Forster, a veteran of 15 Edinburgh Festivals commented ‘To rise to the top of the pile at the Fringe is a very impressive achievement indeed. There are something like 3,000 shows being performed every day for three and a half weeks. curious directive will be recognized all over the world now!’

This is the second time the Norfolk based company has won a Fringe First – they also won in 2011 with their play Your Last Breath.

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