Blind Faith Theatre’s I See You Watching is “a provocative, darkly playful exploration of control, performance and rebellion. It is written by John Clancy and the script evolved out of a collaborative devising process.
“On a bare stage, a woman ( played by Kylie Westerbeck) fights for survival while navigating the relentless demands of a master of ceremonies (David Calvitto) who dictates her worth. Forced to perform while trapped in the male gaze, she must unravel the expectations that bind her and find a way to escape – or revolt. This haunting, rigorous and sometimes brutal theatre show exposes the invisible cages confining women in today’s world and questions whether true freedom lies in victory, surrender or something else.”
Paul Levy spoke to the cast members of this two-hander, David Calvitto and Kylie Westerback about the play’s conception, intention and realisation. much is discussed including the role of clown, the deployment of abuse and evil in power dynamics, and much else in a fascinating conversation about this unique and disturbing dark comedy piece at the Fringe.
John Clancy is “an OBIE award-winning director, playwright, and novelist. He is the founding Artistic Director of The Present Company and a co-founder and the first Artistic Director of the New York International Fringe Festival. Clancy’s body of work often explores the American experience and is marked by dark humor and farce. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he studied acting at Oberlin College and spent time in graduate school in Dallas, Texas.”
Clancy began his career as an actor and started writing plays in New York City in the 1990s to create roles for himself. His approach to theatre emphasizes the creation of plays as blueprints for live performance. He has directed award-winning productions at international festivals, including several Fringe First Awards at Edinburgh and Best of Fringe Awards at Adelaide. Clancy has also served in leadership roles within the independent theatre sector in New York while remaining an active advocate and developer in the field.
Blind Faith Theatre is a theatre company based in Philadelphia. The company creates original stage productions and presented its first play, Just Like Hollywood (I See You Watching), at the Cannonball Festival in Philadelphia in 2022. Blind Faith Theatre is involved in developing new works and participating in live arts events and festivals. For 2025, the company brought the play I See You Watching to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The director of I See You Watching is Melanie Stewart.
Venue: Doonstairs at Gilded Balloon Patter House
Dates: 30 July to 24 August 2025 (dark on 11 Aug and 19 Aug)
Showtime: 20:30 each evening
Booking and tickets here.
