Barnton Bunker Hosts its First-Ever Edinburgh Fringe Show!
There's something really special about theatre staged inside a real piece of Cold War history.
Our nuclear bunker was built at a time when no one knew whether the end was near, or if the unthinkable might happen. Deep beneath Corstorphine Hill, inside a disused quarry, this place was designed around one fundamental idea: survival in the event of nuclear attack.
This August, for the first time in Barnton Bunker's history, we've become part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. And we couldn't be prouder of the show we're hosting: Tiny Apocalypses…that led me here by Jean Paul Archambeault.
A story staged where it's set
Tiny Apocalypses…that led me here is an experimental meditation on living through grief, facing your inner demons and learning to say goodbye.
The piece follows Jean Paul, a wanderer who finds himself teaching in an elementary school while trying to understand and put into words what happens after “The End”.
The story moves across three continents and interconnected eras of a single human life, weaving together theatre, spoken-word storytelling, puppetry, live music, projections and hand-painted art.
The volunteer behind it
Tiny Apocalypses…that led me here comes from one of our own volunteers, Jean-Paul and much of what you see on stage is drawn from his own life.
The wanderer searching for meaning through grief, travel, loss and the lessons that eventually lead him to a nuclear bunker in Edinburgh isn't entirely fictional.
That journey is rooted in a real life, and it ultimately brings Jean Paul to the very place where audiences are now sitting to watch his story unfold.
For us, that's what makes hosting this show so special. It's not simply a Fringe production taking place inside the bunker. It's a story that, in its own way, has become part of the bunker itself as this is Jean-Paul’s third visit to the bunker and each time he brings something special with him.
Find out more about Jean-Paul in his volunteer spotlight feature on our website.
What people are saying about the show
The reviews have been coming in, and audiences have had some wonderful things to say about Tiny Apocalypses…that led me here.
Susan said “I really enjoyed Jean-Paul’s storytelling and his experiences of teaching and travelling”
John said: “Definitely worth seeing”
Another audience member said “Tiny Apocalypses is one that stays with you long after you’ve left the venue”
Before you book, a note on the show
Tiny Apocalypses…that led me here is a powerful piece, and it doesn't shy away from difficult subject matter.
Please be aware that the show contains distressing and potentially triggering themes, including scenes of violence, faceless figures dressed in black that appear throughout, and occasional representations in videos and in ASMR.
The show carries an age guideline of 14+
Catch the final performances
There's still time to experience Tiny Apocalypses…that led me here underground in a place built to contemplate one kind of apocalypse, now providing the setting for a story about another.
For tickets and performance details, please visit the Edinburgh Festival Fringe website: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/tiny-apocalypses-that-led-me-here
You can also follow the show on Instagram at @tinyapocalypses
