Who Are Spies Like Us?
Spies Like Us is a multi award-winning theatre company formed by 7 friends in 2017. Since then, the Spies Like Us family has grown to include over 30 incredible collaborators and continues to be committed to producing endlessly inventive ensemble theatre.
Company accolades:
- WINNER Best Fringe Debut 2017
- WINNER Best Physical Theatre Show 2018
- WINNER Pick of the Fringe 2018
- New Diorama Theatre Emerging Company 2019
- Pleasance London Associate Artists 2020 - present
What is Speed Dial?
Amongst the spires, spikes and sideburns of a 1970s university, a lonely Professor awaits a call. When he's chased by the ringing of every passing phone, an ominous voice sets a series of mysterious puzzles that stand between him and his missing daughter. Dodgy deans, grumbling groundskeepers and swotty students are suspects as the Professor capers across campus to uncover whodunnit and why.
Set to the sounds of 70s vinyl, Speed Dial is an explosively physical comedy-thriller about human connection, family… and cryptic crosswords.
The story so far…
After the first seeds of the idea were planted way back in 2014, we conducted an R&D for the show in January 2020 after which it was shortlisted for the Les Enfants Terribles Award and enjoyed a sell-out Work-in-Progress run at VAULT Festival 2020.
Following a brief 2-year intermission for no reason in particular… The show returned to the Pleasance in London in March 2022 to warm audience responses.
Praise for previous performances of the show:
- “Singin' in the Rain meets Hitchcock" - ★★★★ Reviews Hub
- “Lovers of clever plots and fast-paced adventure… get ready for a terrific joyride” - ★★★★ London Living Large
- "Surprising and satisfying in equal measure... its exuberance is unmistakable" - ★★★★★ Upcoming
Next stop? Edinburgh.
Why do we want to take Speed Dial to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
It’s always been a huge Spies ambition to take a show on a national tour and we believe that taking the show to Edinburgh will allow it to be seen by all the press and programmers to make that ambition a reality.
Furthermore, after our work was stunted by COVID, we are passionate about taking this fun, joyous show about the importance of human connection back to the place where our founding members met in 2014 and sharing it with as wide an audience as possible!
What We Need & Where It Goes
After already investing lots of company money and Arts Council funding into the project and losing out on box office revenue owing to the Omicron variant in early 2022, we need your help to get us the last bit of the way!
We are hoping to raise £8,500 to help pay for:
- Travel
- Accommodation
- Food
- Set construction
- Fringe registration fees
- Venue costs
- PR costs
- Cast & creative team fees
No amount is too little (or too large for that matter) and we’ve got a brilliant array of rewards for your generous donations such as snazzy t-shirts, private performances, and bespoke 10-second videos.
All donors will have their names printed in the Speed Dial programme.
As we’ve already said, we are really committed to ensuring this show has a long life beyond this summer and think it has massive potential. So a donation would not only be an investment in the show in Edinburgh but in the future life of Speed Dial and of Spies Like Us.
That being said, we are aware that this remains to be a challenging time for everyone, particularly those in creative industries, and so if you are unable to give, please do consider sharing this page with anyone you can or spreading the word via social media!