Ad Infinitum Presents NO KIDS

Marking the first time they've been onstage together in the company's ten-year history, co-artistic directors George Mann and Nir Paldi are a real-life couple staging their intimate discussions about whether they should have children. Conceived from a marriage of gender-bending cabaret and verbatim theatre, this distinctly queer piece of physical theatre asks why we're so driven to reproduce, the environmental impact of having children, and how truly open our society is to the idea of two dads.

Nir Paldi says, "As a gay man, I can't just go ahead and get my partner pregnant - he has no womb. I don't have one either. If we wanted to have children, we could adopt. We could ask a girl-friend to get pregnant for us. We could pay someone we don't know to get pregnant for us. Or we could choose to have no kids at all. Seeing many straight people around me having children as just something you do, (like getting married or going to university) I came to think that the question George and I are asking ourselves is in fact much bigger, and found myself wondering: should this be applied to society as a whole...?"

George Mann says, "In reality, this is the story of us. It's about our relationship, and it delves into the intimacy of a long-term partnership as it goes through a very challenging process. But as dark as some of the material we're creating is proving to be, there is also love, and hope there too - in each other, we are seeing our potential as fathers and discovering not only a new play that we couldn't have conceived without each other, but through a deeply personal and challenging process we glimpse the possibility of a new family."

Ad Infinitum (formerly Theatre Ad Infinitum) is an international ensemble of theatre-makers based in Bristol, UK, that develops new and original theatre for diverse audiences. Led by Co-Artistic Directors, Nir Paldi and George Mann, the group has been creating and touring critically acclaimed, award-winning productions for ten years. Ad Infinitum's mission is to create theatre that examines social and political themes through innovative storytelling and bold experimental styles, making something completely different each time. The company is an Associate Artist at Bristol Old Vic, The Lowry (2011-2017) and Redbridge Drama Centre (2009-2017). Last year they brought their award-winning shows Translunar Paradise and Odyssey back to the Fringe to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Previous Edinburgh shows include Bucket List (2016), Light (2014) and Ballad of the Burning Star (2013).

NO KIDS is at Pleasance Courtyard from 1 - 27 Aug 2018 (not 8, 13 & 21), with previews in Newbury, Latitude Festival, Battersea Arts Centre and Northwall Arts Centre.