Stroke of Genius

About
PIT returned to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2099 for the first time since winning the Writers’ Guild and List Magazine Awards for Drama in 2004 with A Stroke of Genius.

This new dark comedy coincided with Darwin Year and the publication of On The Origin of Species, it’s both a journey into the dark and murky past of eugenics and sperm banks and a look at the future of DNA and genetics.

Using projected animation, puppetry, a newly composed score and about fifty cardboard boxes, A Stroke of Genius tells the story of rural librarian Dora Blake who, after stumbling on the curious incident of the Nobel Prize Sperm Bank, decides she wants to have a genius child of her own. With a world of sensitive information at her finger tips she plots to blackmail a famous National Hero on his upcoming book tour – but first she’ll need to seduce a young scientist to help her with the finer points of sperm donation and genetic manipulation…

PIT will introduce audiences to the world of ‘designer babies’ and to give them a glimpse into how they, too, could run their own sperm bank…

Performances
Stroke of Genius performed at Camden People's Theatre, The Junction Cambridge, The Hotbed Festival, Pleasance Theatre, Islington & Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh.

Company
David Byrne Writer and Director
Fiona Boylan Performer
Ed Cobbold Designer and Performer
Greg Coulstock Animator
Chloe Kenward Lighting Design
Janet Overfield Composer
Phil McDonnell Designer Performer
Simon Perkins Technical and Performer

 

 

 

 

Quotes

"PIT have all the qualities of a young up and coming theatre company with a bright future. They are highly creative, their writing and stage craft original. We knew they were a company we wanted to work with and support."
Anthony Alderson, Pleasance

"It's taken me a while to find a show worthy of my top accolade, but my first five stars of this year's Fringe go to... drumroll, please... A Stroke of Genius. Innovative, thought-provoking and full of low-key humour, A Stroke Of Genius is what the Fringe is all about."
Fringe Guru ✭✭✭✭✭

Downloads

Stroke of Genius Reviews & Articles Pack

Stroke of Genius Information Pack

Stroke of Genius Poster

Supported by Pleasance Theatre, Charlie Hartill Special Reserve, Arts Council England, The Juntion, Cambridge, ScenePool and Escalator East to Edinburgh.