To celebrate ten years worth of Les Enfantes Terribles (L.E.T) here in Edinburgh, what better way to celebrate than to launch their new award of the same name in the city that has become their home? Hunting for new script writing potential, I speak to James Seager, partner of L.E.T, to discuss what’s in store for the company who’ve hurdled from strength to strength over the past few years.

“Everything we’ve learnt has been down to trial and error; we’ve discovered what to do and what not to do in Edinburgh, and without sounding too worthy, we want to give something back.” Seager goes on to demonstrate how L.E.T will use their acquired knowledge to prevent the irrefutable winners from making the same mistakes. With Pleasance also jumping on board the project by preserving a performance space for the winners cum 2012 (a prestigious slot here at the Fringe), and with Anthony and Caz (brain team behind the organisation of the Pleasance) forming a respectable half of the judging panel, they are in search for the pinnacle of new script writing.

Seager announces that alongside the personal mentor the winner will find in Oliver Lansley and himself as producer – offering a pragmatical approach to topics such as how and where to spend money – they will also receive a £1,000 grant to help toward their 2012 Fringe journey.

To apply, writers are requested to submit scripts for new work and, if shortlisted, will be asked to culminate in Islington, London to perform a ten minute slot of their piece for the judges’ perusal. Seager himself highlights that he is looking for a strong, well written script that oozes the enthusiasm and passion that he thinks L.E.T embodies. Although, don’t think L.E.T are looking for something that mirrors their repertoire; they’re trying to find something worthy that they enjoy, and if it matches the absurdist tones of their work, then that’s just an added bonus.

More details will become available on their website later this month, after the greatly anticipated premiere of L.E.T’s written work at their first book launch (to be confirmed between 20-24 August 2011). The Pleasance Dome are housing the event which will involve members of the cast from the original Terrible Infants production, and those performing in the running stage show of The Infant, which is currently playing at Pleasance Courtyard at 14.35 daily (page 271 in the fringe programme).

The book itself is a collation of L.E.T’s past three Edinburgh shows – The Terrible Infants (that ran for three consecutive years at the Fringe), The Vaudevillains (a macabre musical that ran for a month at The Charing Cross Theatre) and Earnest and The Pale Moon. A massive step away from a sensory and visual, stage extravaganza, the books risk losing many of the elements that make them such a joy to watch on stage – Seager should know, having seen The Terrible Infants 120 times to date. But ultimately, the success these pieces exude highlights the talent and finesse of their writer, Oliver Lansley, who’s made them work as stand alone stories.

There is similar talk of a picture book on the horizon, embodying the Tim Burton-cum-Roald Dahl features that makes L.E.T so unique. Sam Wyer, designer, has crafted potential mock-ups based on the original stage designs for the production, but any further developments wait to be seen. Furthermore, the potential opportunity from Lansley’s talks with the West End for a run of Vaudevillains, speak of touring in Australia and interest from animation and film producers for The Terrible Infants flags the excitement and success that could see L.E.T’s repertoire grow even bigger still. But the gross costs and current economic climate stands in their way without remorse, particularly with a large cast of twelve and band. Money is inevitably a serious obstacle for an un-funded company who wishes to bring the arts to the masses; one that Seager mentions is having a negative impact on the touring circuit and depriving the quality and risk of the performances that are brought to the forefront of public attention. Convincing people to get off the sofa and pay for a show in their hometowns can be an exceptionally difficult task to undertake, however with backing from Dame Judi Dench, who offered her support after seeing an original performance of The Terrible Infants at a charity event in 2007 and recorded the voice for the fifth story, Beatrice, the burden is somewhat eased.

The unrivalled success of The Terrible Infants is to see the potential incorporation of a sixth story – Finbar, the boy who wished to be a fish – is a prose extension of the other well-loved fables from Thingummyboy who has a face even his mother forgets and is ignored to the point of non-existence, to Meet Tumb, the boy who ends up eating his mum. The accessibility and, often touching layers of these stories offer them a wide demographic. And although Seager can’t pick his favourite L.E.T piece, telling me that would be like “picking his favourite child”, the joy in his expression captures the mixture of macabre and childhood innocence across the three original pieces that have staked claim in the book compilation.

L.E.T’s current play, The Infant – an absurdist fascination into the paranoid reactions to terrorism when a picture depicting the plans for destruction of civilised society is found and claimed to be the work of a four year old – is a shock to audiences who know their three original works well. This Rosencrantz and Guildenstern approach to apply is, however, far form a departure of the typical L.E.T style, but merely an extension to their beautiful works. With eyes on the horizon for a potential reinterpretation of Immaculate, a laugh-out-loud comedy farce that has established quite a student following, pinpoints the chameleonic nature of Les Enfantes, who are constantly adapting to bring new, exciting pieces of theatre to stages across the world, from England to Asia, and well recognised by critics’ choice nominations in The Times, Time Out and The Telegraph.

Seager, hoping to see a new production that really blows him off his feet this year at the Fringe, is at least finding some time to appreciate the vast array of sweet theatre treats on display this August. With praise for Blind Summit Theatre’s production of The Table at Pleasance Dome things are already looking hopeful… but either way, Seager is prepared with his list and keeping his eyes peeled.

Don’t forget to check Les Enfantes Terribles website to make sure you don’t miss their book launch this August…..

Interview by Hannah Van Den Bergh