In PurSUEt is an award-winning one-woman show that tells the true story of a woman with a drinking problem who favours the stalking of Sue Perkins over dealing with her demons.
Following its sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe, the “queer cult sensation” In PurSUEt tells the story of a nameless ‘Woman’ sat in a therapist’s office. She’s been sent there to deal with her drink problem. But she doesn’t need help. She just needs Sue Perkins. They are meant for each other. If only Sue could see that too. But how can she? She’s too busy being a celebrity. So “Woman” sets out in pursuit of her love. From following Sue’s every move online – to breaking in backstage at the BBC, there isn’t anything she won’t do. But can she keep it all together and win her heart’s desire, whilst battling her out of control drinking?
Writer and actor Eleanor Higgins trained at the Royal Academy and at Circle In The Square Theatre School; New York. She battled substance misuse in her twenties whilst noticing the parallels between addiction and fantasy. Now in sobriety, and with a diploma in advanced psychology under her belt, she shares this intriguing story with the world. “I believe addiction and obsession are intrinsically linked – and that isn’t being spoken about enough”
Dates: 21st–22nd May 17:00pm, 24th May 18:00pm, 28-29th May 17:00pm.
When they’re in a hole, some people start digging. 1998. In an overlooked pub in a left-behind town, an unlikely hero and his would-be agent plot to put themselves on the map via an insane World Record attempt – the longest time buried alive. That’s five months in an oversized coffin, under a tiny beer garden in the middle of Mansfield.
A true and possibly hilarious tale of courage, endurance, hope, despair, love, lies and media manipulation by Argus Angel winners Brian Mitchell (The Ministry of Biscuits) and Joseph Nixon (co-writer of West-End sell-out smash The Shark is Broken). Previous collaborations include Edinburgh hits Those Magnificent Men and the multi-award-winning Big Daddy Vs. Giant Haystacks.
Starring Duncan Henderson (The Shark is Broken and The Polished Scar – winner of 2018 FringeReview Outstanding Theatre Award), Emma Wingrove (Sweethearts & The Hooligan) and Murray Simon (The Ministry of Biscuits, Lord God).
What do you get when you cross a dead iguana, an employee with a very rare medical condition and the HR department in a high-end toilet factory? It’s probably a question you’ve asked many times before.
Arthur is an over-promoted HR Manager, trying to find the path of least resistance in a world that has changed dramatically around him. Paula is the long-suffering HR advisor who keeps the ship afloat and herself sane by poking fun at her boss. And Jackie is the ambitious, and highly-strung new girl who is struggling to find her place in her family and the world.
Inspired by a true event, Sarah Archer’s comedy drama is about what can go wrong when we stop ourselves from telling people how we really feel, when we make assumptions rather than having honest conversations….
The Latest Music Bar, 14 – 17 Manchester Street, Brighton, BN2 1TF – 6, 10, 19 & 20 May
Here’s the sell: A story about love, but also Tinder addiction and lost erections.
Sophie is a lawyer with never-ending insomnia and Francesco is a Tinder addict who lost his erection. They both end up in India to find a cure but what they find instead is a miracle. Now they want to share their inspiring journey with the audience. But some things shouldn’t be shared…
BioPower is an intimate “storytelling” play which unveils the beautiful moments and darker struggles of a relationship. It’s a labyrinth within a labyrinth style performance. While two storytellers act out the ideal couple, their relationship on stage is strongly tested.
Described as “charming” and ““a refreshing response to the pomp of modern theatre”, storytelling is the art of sharing stories aloud, speaking directly to an audience, inviting them into the experience. No fourth walls here.
For most of us they are no longer free, though at £2 a test they aren’t expensive. But the question is, are they worthwhile? To understand the answer to that you have to understand that lateral flow tests aren’t very sensitive. You have to have quite a lot of virus in your throat and nose to get a positive. This is quite different from the PCR test, which, in principle, can detect any amount of virus, however small.
In practice that means that your test will probably be negative in the first day or two after you catch the virus, but it gets more likely to be positive in the day or two before symptoms begin, and then during the first 5 days of the illness.
Let’s look at how this affects our decision in different situations:
You have symptoms of a cold, or worse. Yes, definitely worth the £2 for a test. It will pick up 80% of cases. In other words, if negative, Covid is fairly unlikely (but it doesn’t rule it out). If you repeat the test on day 2 and 3 and it’s still negative, then it’s even more unlikely that you have Covid. And if the test is positive you don’t need a PCR – you have Covid.
You feel fine but you are going to visit someone who is vulnerable. The most vulnerable person would be someone aged over 75, unvaccinated or vaccinated but without a booster in the last six months, and with some other condition that impairs their ability to fight infection. This is much more tricky. If you have the infection but have no symptoms, the lateral flow test has only a 20% chance of being positive. So in 4 out of 5 cases when you are infectious you will be falsely reassured by the test. I’d say it’s still worth doing but, if it’s negative, you should still do everything possible to keep the other person safe: meet out of doors, stay apart and especially don’t kiss, wear a mask and sanitise your hands before you go in.
You are a contact. That means you have been close to someone who has subsequently tested positive, or developed symptoms, in the subsequent 2 days. Yes, do a test but not immediately. It’s pretty sure to be negative in the first two days. If you only want to test once, do it on day 5. But you will only be in the clear after ten days from the contact. In addition to testing you have a choice of three policies: isolate for 10 days from contact; or mask, distance and sanitise for 10 days from contact; or continue with life as normal, if you have no alternative. But in this case my view is that, if you chose the second or third options, it would be wrong not to warn everyone, before you come into close contact with them, that you are a contact.
You’ve tested positive. Obviously you have the same three options as if you are a contact but the importance of isolating is far greater. And some people, e.g. GPs and their staff, are required to have two negative tests, 1 day apart, at least 5 days after their positive test. That’s not a bad rule for all of us to follow.
Those who are still paying attention will have a question. “If I have the virus, but there’s too little of it in my throat and nose to give a positive test, is it also too little to infect someone else?” Sadly, no. The study I’ve relied on for my stats shows that you can still pass it on, even when you are testing negative. That study can be found by searching on ‘BMJ Jonathan Deeks 2022’.
Final thought: because the lateral flow test depends on your getting enough virus on to your swab, don’t skimp the swabbing, however uncomfortable you find it. 15 seconds rubbing on one tonsil then 15 seconds rotating it deep in a nostril will give you the best result.
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