Limbo Pins is excited to be heading to the Edinburgh Fringe this year and has taken some time out of their preparations to talk to me about their show.

Where did the inspiration or ideas come from for your show/production?

Raynar: It is no secret that as technology evolves and AI squeezes through almost all of our industries it is only getting clearer who (or what)we should be referring to when we say ‘they are taking our jobs’. I wanted to focus on surveillance technologies in particular because the potential for these capabilities to disrupt safety and security threaten the everyday citizen more and more, offering greater power to a state, and when this technology is deployed as a tool for an increasingly targeted group of people, we would likely fall into levels of control that far surpasses the unrest we see in most of our states today.

There is a deep uncertainty about what 30 years from today will look like. My want was to create a story that peeked through a window at a queer couple navigating their relationship with the looming world outside worsening, with queer rights depleting and to consider that the micro-effects of that weight over a long span can create significant damage and change in who a person becomes fundamentally.

What do you plan on doing to relax and get some “time out” during the Fringe?

Raynar: Hopefully we’ll bump into some locals that will navigate us to the best queer bars in town.

How do you deal with stage nerves before each performance, if you have them?

Manuela: I usually try to do a movement exercise that makes me move in a sharp, sudden way—to get myself ready for the adrenaline. It’s a feeling similar to when you’ve been waiting in line for a long time, thinking about how you’re going to say what you want; then, right before your turn, you panic and worry you’ll go speechless.

That moment, when the scene you’ve been building in your head is about to become real—something like that happens to me before going on stage. I have to stop creating worst-case scenarios and trust that the work will come through somehow—that I won’t go speechless, but instead will be able to truly feel what I’m saying.

Where are you staying during the Fringe?

Raynar: We will be staying at a hostel, helping to make some beds and praying that we will be getting restful nights.

Did you find accommodation quite easily?

Raynar: We have a fantastic producer that was able to support us getting accommodation in high season.

What obstacles have you faced preparing for the Edinburgh Fringe this year?

Raynar: Our biggest obstacle has been funding the show. Given that we are an international collective from Czechia, we have very limited access to funding opportunities. We don’t qualify for routes such as the Keep it Fringe Fund and mobility grants like Culture moves Europe. We have instead been crowdfunding and running the project on a wing and a prayer.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Raynar: Setting up Limbo Pins, working collaboratively with these artists and watching the pieces fall together in the rehearsal space is something that I’ll never forget. When we watch a show in a large festival we don’t often stop to think about how much time, effort, energy and hustle it has taken for the story to be in front of our eyes. Every show I have the privilege to put onstage is the highest moment, every time.

Why did you decide to use the Venue you are using?

Raynar: theSpaceUK have been major supporters of us. We love their variety of shows, their commitment to queer and intersectional theatre and I was lucky enough to take a show to a theSpaceUK venue thirteen years ago which I have very fond memories of.

What is your favourite and your worst thing about performing?

Magdalena: I think the best thing about performing is feeling the undeniably human connection between the scene partners and also between the actors and the audience. The feeling that we’re able to tell stories that need to be heard and that the audience listens.

The worst thing about performing is actually not being able to live off it reliably. At this stage in my career, despite being a professional stage and screen actor with 7 years of experience, I’m still unable to pay all my bills from just acting. This is due to limited opportunities, but also lack of funding for companies in international theatre space.

In one sentence why should someone come to see your show?

It is witty, queer and we’re no longer sure if it’s sci-fi or reality.

Name one other show that you plan on seeing at the Fringe?

Shallowspace Cryotech Feverdream!

Where are you taking your show next?

We’d like to take it back to mainland Europe for Fringe season 2026.

 

Show Title, time and Venue.

Ants and Other Strong Things, 23:20 18-23 August, The Space @ Surgeons’ Hall.

https://www.instagram.com/limbopins/?hl=en

https://edinburghfestival.datathistle.com/events/what:Limbo/