CHANGING THE SHEETS Comes to Edinburgh Fringe Next Month

This new comedy by Irish writer Harry Butler sees two strangers in bed together after a first date. As the two characters act out their intimate encounter with words only, it exposes the gap between romantic ideal and reality without exposing any flesh. Changing the Sheets gives an insight into hook-up culture and dating in the modern age through the spicy and carnal, honest and intimate things we say behind closed doors when the lights are off and no one's around. Changing the Sheets premiered at Bewley's Café Theatre, Dublin in 2021.

One character is looking for a fling, and the other is looking for something more. After the swiping, the drinking, the small talk and the big talk. After the bedroom door is closed. Because we speak a little differently when our heads are against a pillow.

Harry Butler said, "I wanted to capture what young people in Dublin were saying to each other when they were alone together in bedrooms. All the awkwardness, humour and vulnerability of sleeping with a stranger. It's a laugh but also shows how sometimes these brief encounters can have a lasting impact on us."

Harry Butler is an actor and writer from Dublin. He is a graduate of The Lir Academy, Trinity College Dublin. He recently starred in Deadly Cuts directed by Rachel Carey which closed the Dublin International Film Festival 2021. His recent theatre credits include: The Books of Names and Staging the Treaty (ANU Productions) Fetch at Dublin Fringe Festival, Hamlet at The Mill Theatre, X at The Lir Academy and Arachnophilia at The New Theatre.

Anthony Biggs has been the Co-Artistic Director of the Playground Theatre since it opened in 2017, where his directing credits include: Gregory Evans' Shirleymander with Jessica Martin, James Purdy's ghost tale The Paradise Circus with Sophie Ward and Tim Woodward, The UK Premiere of The Jazz Age by Allan Knee, Finding Neverland with Hannah Tointon, a new opera Army of Lovers composed by Mark Springer, and a new ballet The Great Bear written by Olly Williams with the Louisville Ballet. Previously, Anthony was AD of Jermyn Street Theatre for five years (Fringe Theatre of the year - Stage Awards), and has directed on the Fringe, in regional theatre, the West End and off Broadway.

The Playground Theatre is an off-West End theatre dedicated to nurturing new talent and staging an international programme of shows. Led by co-Artistic Directors Peter Tate and Anthony Biggs, this unique space is in a former bus depot located on Latimer Road W10. Its name is intended as an invitation to theatre makers and performers to come and play, and to encourage bold experimentation with new works for the stage.