The world is in turmoil. In the name of law and order, elected yet self-appointed leaders are sowing chaos and despair. The rule of law is being eroded and democratic institutions are being undermined. Fear and unbridled violence reign in this tension between power and powerlessness. Ideologues and demagogues are on the prowl. Nations are closing their borders, people are closing their minds. We are all human beings. This concerns us all. Somewhere in the world, each of us is a foreigner, a person of a different faith, a member of a minority. It can happen to any of us. Anytime. Anywhere. The darkest hours of mankind seem to be returning. Or have they never been gone? Why?

With his first full length play „Monster Made“, the award winning actor, writer and director Alex van Ric is making his festival debut at this year‘s Edinburgh Fringe, and that at a time when worldwide racism and ressentiment are on the rise, this play hits a raw nerve with an unsettling impact because it raises the uncomfortable question of why! Why are there Monsters made?

“Monster Made” is the story of two people: Amanda Crowley and Thomas Duncan. One lawyer, one mass murderer who committed a heinous racist massacre. The case is lost. She wants it anyways. Not to win, but to understand how monsters are made.

Born german himself, Alex van Ric struggled with the question history poses to him for many years: why could or can this happen, that human beings do unspeakable things to other human beings? There is no general answer to that question, but his play “Monster Made“ sets out to inspire people to find their own answer, it aims to make them think about who they are and more importantly who they want to be; and in this regard this play is not meant to be a general answer by Alex van Ric, it’s not a cure for a problem, it’s more the scalpel to lay bare what’s underneath. It is the weapon of thought, of words and that of dialog with each other to come to an understanding of what makes us who we are and why!

By & Featuring Strickland Scenic Adventure | Alex van Ric | Astrid Gutscher