Villages take centre stage at Edinburgh Fringe
TWO villages in Crow country have taken centre stage at one of the biggest comedy festivals in the UK.
Comedy double act Tom Roden and Pete Shenton, who make up New Art Club, have spent the last month at Edinburgh Fringe 2011 performing their new show in which the audience are divided into Meldreth and Melbourn supporters battling for superiority.
Entitled Quiet Act of Destruction, the show centres around rural life with audience members competing for points for their respective villages, automatically chosen by where they sit.
“We wanted to do a comedy show to do with moving out of London and into a more rural environment as that’s what happened to me five years ago,” said Tom, who lives in Meldreth.
“In truth that wasn’t a source of comedy material but that was the starting point.
“I read that Meldreth train station might be renamed as Meldreth and Melbourn. It is one of those things that you are bothered about even though it’s not important. I must stress it’s just a joke but that was where it started.
“We then had the idea to make to the audience people from Meldreth and Melbourn.
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“The audience have been going crazy for the show, it’s really taken a life of its own. In the world of the festival there was a lot of people walking around supporting Meldreth or Melbourn.”
About the future of the show, Tom added: “It would be lovely to do a show in Meldreth or Melbourn. We’re not sure of what’s going to happen to the show now but there’s a big demand for it. Maybe we will tour it.”
