The Sorrowful Tale of Sleeping Sidney

As part of the show’s concept art, Ulysses Black and I came up with the “Sleeping Sidney” sweet - a piece of fictional confectionary which helps frame the story of the show. Based on a real-life victorian sweet called the Kelly-in-a-Coffin, the Sleeping Sidney sweet is a little white chocolate infant in a cardboard coffin. I sculpted the original shape from clay, then made casts which were then used to make a food-safe silicone mould from which 6 Sidneys could be made at once from melted chocolate. Each coffin was cut out, folded and glued by hand. The Sleeping Sidney sweets were sold as merchandise after the show, which is also a detail which ties into the show’s storyline itself (without giving too much away…).

I also gave the audience chocolate peppermint creams (wrapped in poison-green foil) to eat before the show, with a special label inspired by Christiana Edmunds herself.

I also made tiny “poison” bottles containing Inspector Gibbs’ favourite rhubarb flavour sherbet.

Other pieces pf concept art were made, such as Doctor Beard’s “Hysterical Paroxysm” poster and various confectionary posters from Maynard’s sweet shop.

Links to Reviews:

 "...beautiful and expressive puppets [...] and her macabre sense of humour, remind me of Edward Gorey’s Gashlycrumb Tinies [...] I loved the writing so much. It’s economical and direct, with flowing rhythms and great use of varied registers of language." - Quote from Peter Chrisp's review of the show. Read the whole review here.

"..a gloriously gothic – and surprisingly funny – puppet show.... it's impossible not to fall for its dark, whimsical charms." - Quote from Exeunt Magazine. Read the whole review here.
"the kind of charming small-scale show which defines the Fringe. It's funny, self-aware, skilful – and beautifully realised in its seaside milieu.[****]" - Fringe Guru. Read whole review here

"...a miraculous confection, a jewel box of dark delights... This is a gem of many colours. Do see it. The miraculous construction’s matched by Jordan’s storytelling and sense of dark mischief" - Fringe Review. Read whole review here
Ulysses Black wrote a blog post as guest for Fringe Review about the making of the show, and inspiration behind it. It can be read here