Students from the Sundial Theatre Company in Cirencester are travelling to Edinburgh next week to perform at the world’s biggest arts festival.

The students will be performing their new production, ‘Animal Management’, from 3rd-12th August on what is their Biennial trip up to Scotland’s capital city. “There’s nine of us going up to Edinburgh, we’re all really looking forward to it, said Noella Usborne, who will be performing in the play which debuts a week tomorrow. She continued: “As a group it will be our first visit to the Edinburgh Fringe, we all can’t wait to get up there and perform.

“We travel up to Edinburgh every two years. Our last production was a play called ‘After the Flood’. It was very well received and many of the students who took part in the production have gone on to study theatre and acting at university which is really exciting.

‘Animal Management’ is a brand-new play, directed by Duncan Walthew and co-written and created with the cast. Continued Noella: “Animal Management is about students who are trying to cope in a world where computers and robots have taken over most of the employment opportunities. The play confronts the rising tide of problems affecting young adults today, including a lack of prospects, declining mental health and an ever-changing education system. Our chosen charity this year in ‘Rethink Mental Illness’, we’d be very appreciative of donations at the door which will benefit the charity.”

Noella has been involved in the amateur dramatics scene in Gloucestershire for many years, although this will be her first opportunity to perform at the Fringe Festival. She continued: “I’ve done a lot of musical theatre and loads of shows with Cirencester College over the years. I really enjoy getting on stage and performing. Edinburgh is going to be a special occasion. The crowds and the atmosphere will be amazing. We’ve been given this wonderful opportunity, we’re all going to work as hard as we can to make the most of it.”