2014 Edinburgh Fringe

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From the critically acclaimed writer of Shopping and Fucking, Mark Ravenhill’s satirical monologue, Product interrogates the media’s response to terrorism, exploring society’s desperate need for a narrative and its insistence on finding closure.

Olivia Poulet (The Thick of It and In The Loop) takes the lead role in this first revival of the celebrated monologue, originally performed by Mark Ravenhill himself at the Traverse in 2005.

Ravenhill versus Hollywood. Torrid scenes of passion; the spectre of international terrorism; big explosions; has Leah got the perfect script to save Julia from B-movie hell?

Mark Ravenhill’s other plays include his huge hit Shopping and Fucking (1996); Some Explicit Polaroids (1999) and Mother Clap’s Molly House (2001). He made his acting debut in his monologue Product at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival. Mark Ravenhill regularly contributes to the Guardian’s arts section and is Associate Director of London’s Little Opera House at The King’s Head Theatre.

Olivia Poulet’s theatre credits include: Fred’s Diner (Chichester Festival Theatre), Adult Supervision (Park Theatre), Captain of Kopenick (The National Theatre), Top Girls (Trafalgar Studios), Shivered (Southwark Playhouse), A Voyage Round My Father (Salisbury Playhouse) and Fiasco (Soho Theatre). Film includes In The Loop (BBC) and Killing Me Softly (MGM). Television includes: The Thick of It, Sherlock, Love Soup, Silent Witness and Inspector Lynley (BBC); Teachers and Secret Diary of a Call Girl (Tiger Aspect); The Bill (Thames TV); Outnumbered (Hat Trick Productions); Without You (Freemantle); Acorn Antiques (Channel 4) and Whatever Love Means (Granada). Radio Includes: Goodbye and Sex Latte, Paperclips (BBC Radio).

An established writer, Olivia is currently developing two feature films, one funded by BFI and comedy drama with E4 called Me Myself and I. Her short film Pitta Patta recently came second in The Reed Short Films Competition. Another short Olivia wrote has found success on YouTube; Life’s A Pitch stars Edie Redmayne, Hattie Morahan, Rory Kinnear and Jane Horrocks.

This production is sponsored by Judi Dench, Joanna Lumley and Tom Stoppard.