A few weeks ago I received a press release from theatre company Grownup Playhouse about their upcoming Edinburgh Fringe run. It immediately grabbed my attention as the company is taking four original musicals to the festival for 2025, including two totally new productions. Founder Tom Rolph impressively wears many hats, such as writer, performer and director to name but a few roles, and in the lead up to this year’s festival I was fascinated to hear more about the different shows from the creative and a fellow Fringe super fan.
What can you tell me about the origins of Grownup Playhouse?
The name Grownup Playhouse was created back in 2023 when I wanted to make a Paddington Bear musical for the Fringe and needed an “official sounding” name to use whilst enquiring about the rights. However, Tom Fletcher had other plans and is going a fair bit bigger than we would have… so I can’t really complain. Swiftly moving on, I decided to take a selection of shows up to the Fringe in 2024 for short runs and decided Grownup Playhouse would be the company name I would continue to work under.
The company is presenting 4 original musicals at the Edinburgh Fringe this year, which is no easy challenge. How are you juggling each of the shows in the lead up?
With a lot of effort from all involved! We have been planning and writing these shows for a year now, so we’ve given ourselves a good amount of time to prepare, but August still comes quicker than you expect. I make sure that every show gets the amount of rehearsal time it needs, but at the end of the day it’s the performers’ hard work and passion that means juggling these shows isn’t as hard as you’d expect.
Murder mystery musical ‘The Detective’s Demise’ and one-man musical ‘To Be A Prince’ were presented at the festival last year. How are you finding having the opportunity to revisit them for 2025?
It’s amazing to have a chance to revisit these shows. Last year we threw ourselves in the deep end and we got good reactions from audiences and reviewers, but we were given constructive criticism (which looking back was completely fair). It has been incredible to have the opportunity to improve the shows; to add new songs, make the characters stronger, even change the plots slightly! However, we are still going into this Fringe with hopes to revisit the shows again. Especially The Detective’s Demise, which we are hoping to extend next year into a full length show!
‘Escape Room: The Musical’ is a ‘completely unique show about six university friends trying to figure out who has brought them back together to complete an escape room in front of an audience’. What inspired you to create a musical based on the wildly popular concept of escape rooms?
The idea for Escape Room: The Musical came to me at last year’s Fringe. I was running a self-guided murder mystery tour of the Fringe, which meant for one hour a day for 25 days straight I would stand around doing almost nothing (I had a lot of time to think). And the concept just seemed perfect to me, the Fringe is known for its one hour shows and escape rooms fit that same one hour time slot. It seems a simple reason to come up with a show, but the idea honestly snowballed from that initial thought.
Milly’s Musical Adventure is a ‘truly original musical for young children’. What do you hope young audiences take away from this show that includes puppetry and original songs?
Milly’s Musical Adventure is such a fun show and has been such a fun and different show to create. I think part of the fun of the show is just how jolly it is and a lot of that comes from the idea of friendship and connections through music. Milly learns so much from the animals she meets along her way and when they all come together at the end to defeat the evil snake (sorry spoilers!), it is their music that sends him running.
As somebody who has been going to the Fringe your entire life ‘only missing 2 out of 22’, what is it about the festival that encourages you to return year after year?
I’ve done almost everything at the Fringe; audience, tech, bar work, front of house, directing, producing, performing, reviewing and there is nothing I haven’t enjoyed doing. The atmosphere of the Fringe is unlike anything else and I just love it. Being packed onto the Royal Mile, seeing the people in costumes on every corner, hearing the countless buskers, and now the rush of putting on a show and seeing an audience enjoy it… there will never be a year I don’t look forward to coming back.
If you look ahead to the end of August, what is one thing that you would like to have achieved by the end of another summer in Edinburgh?
We have so much we want to achieve by the end of August, but I think having a sold-out show with an audience that loves the show would mean the most to us. At the end of the day we’ve made these shows because we think people will have fun watching them and if we can see that happening every day then we will leave happy.
Watching Grownup Playhouse at Edinburgh Fringe
With previews at The Other Palace in London this June, the company is clearly busy planning their summer in Scotland. I wish Tom and the team all the best for their festival run. You can catch Grownup Playhouse in action across the following dates and times, with tickets available via the festival website.
To Be A Prince: 1st – 23rd August (not 10th and 17th). Pickle Studio at Greenside @ Riddles Court. Tickets
Milly’s Musical Adventure: 1st – 16th August (not 10th). Thistle Theatre at Greenside @ Riddles Court. Tickets
Escape Room: The Musical: 31st July – 24th August (not 12th). Just The Fancy Room at Just the Tonic at The Caves. Tickets
The Detective’s Demise. 31 Jul – 24 Aug (not 12th). Just The Fancy Room at Just the Tonic at The Caves. Tickets
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
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