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Ahoy there! Doctors are all at sea

by Rob Dawson
16/ 7/2008

WHEN a Stalybridge husband-and-wife doctor team decided to put on a play, they really went Overboard.

Richard and Joanna Bircher —both GPs at Lockside Medical Centre — have attended the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, with their two children Rachel, 12, and Adam, 11, for seven years in a row.

Then they decided they could produce something just as good.

"We were sat in the audience at the festival last year and decided we either had to stop going or put on a play ourselves," said Joanna."We have seen some great stuff and some not so great stuff and we really just had a feeling that if they could do it, we could do it."

And so started a year of preparations to stage Overboard, a one-hour play described by Joanna as a drama about the ups and downs of a family at sea.

The play was written by Richard — despite having no previous experience — and not only do the family of four make up the only cast members, they have also created the costumes, props and scenery themselves.

"Everything has been going well," said Joanna, who admitted the family almost gave up when they originally struggled to find a venue at the festival. We eventually booked a venue in March and Richard finished the play at Easter, and since then we’ve been rehearsing in the living room most nights, which has been driving the dog mad.  It’s brought us all together and it has been a real equaliser.  The children direct us as much as we direct them, and they are certainly better at learning their lines."

Overboard will debut in a private show for friends and family later this month, before moving on to Edinburgh for six shows starting on 10 August.

However, Joanna insists that even if the play is met with critical acclaim, they do not expect to be giving up their day jobs any time soon.

"I think it will be a one-off thing, but you never know. We are all very excited about finally performing the play, and we have all really enjoyed being part of it," she said.

Overboard will be performed at Tiviot Place, Wee 3, Venue 295 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival between 10-16 August.

Tickets are £7.50 or £6.50 for concessions and can be reserved by calling the box office on 0870 241 0136 or by visiting www.sweet-uk.net