Manchester Graduate Laura-Rose Layden to perform at Edinburgh Fringe
2023 Contemporary Musical Theatre pathway graduate Laura-Rose Layden is headed to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe with her powerful one-woman show Grey – a haunting exploration of Lady Jane Grey’s final days that bridges centuries to speak to modern audiences.
Grey tells the story of Lady Jane Grey, the ‘Nine Days Queen’, awaiting execution in the Tower of London in 1554. Laura-Rose has woven together poetic prose, physical theatre, and a soundtrack that blends musical theatre styles with modern electronic music influenced by artists like Thom Yorke and Radiohead.
Laura-Rose explains:
“I wanted to create something that felt like it was between both worlds. Really, she’s a teenage girl in a room trying to get her voice heard – and that’s something audiences today can connect with.”
The ambitious production has caught the attention of industry professionals, earning Laura-Rose a prestigious £2,500 Keep it Fringe bursary – awarded to just 180 shows out of 850 applications. To bridge the funding gap and bring her full team to Edinburgh, Laura-Rose is hosting a special fundraising event in Manchester on Wednesday 9th July, featuring live music, poetry, excerpts from Grey, and a set from Scatterchild.
Laura-Rose encourages others to follow their dream of performing at Edinburgh:
“Don’t be afraid to collaborate and to say, ‘I can’t do something’. Support other people’s art and create a network. Manchester has so many opportunities – go to everything you can.”
Grey runs 18th-23rd August, 8:40pm at Greenside Theatre, Royal Mile. Tickets available via the Edinburgh Fringe website. Support Laura-Rose’s fundraising efforts at the Manchester event on 9th July or through her Ko-fi donations page.
Read our in-depth conversation with Laura-Rose on our blog here.
To discover more about Performers College, including auditions and how to apply, contact us at [email protected] or you can Apply Now, or book an Open Day on our Events page.
