A group of former kid detectives return to the scene of their greatest unsolved case: the gruesome murder of their talking dog, Cluebert. Can an ambitious narcissist, a lovable doofus, a skittish sad-sap and a scheming brainiac overcome their traumatic past to save the day one last time? From the creators of Spies Are Forever and founding members of Team StarKid, Tin Can Bros bring a zany riff on Scooby Doo about friendship, second chances, and all the ways fame can change you to Edinburgh Fringe.
Q&A with the Tin Can Bros
How does it feel to be making your Edinburgh Fringe debut?
We’re thrilled to be making our Edinburgh Fringe debut! We’ve been a creative team for 10 years and have a global fanbase, but have never performed outside of America. We’re ecstatic to bring our work to both our fans abroad who have never seen us live and to share our brand of comedy with a new international audience. Our roots are in theater, so it’s always been a dream of ours to take a show to the Fringe. Getting to perform Solve It Squad for nearly an entire month really allows for an environment where we can play and make new discoveries within our show! It’s an actor’s paradise!
What can you tell us about your show and its inspiration?
Solve It Squad is a zany riff on the classic cartoon ‘Scooby Doo,’ with an adult spin. It follows a gang of former kid detectives who reunite as adults to catch the maniac who murdered their talking dog, Cluebert. We love working in genre storytelling, but always want to find a way to take familiar tropes and turn them on their head to create something fresh and exciting. The result, especially in the case of Solve It Squad, is a tone that is both goofy and absurd, with an emotional throughline that gives a gentle tug on your heartstrings. Using Scooby Doo as a starting point provides both us (as writers) and the audience a shorthand for character development and a launching pad to subvert expectations. As writers, we’re drawn to the space between laughter and sadness, exploring how swiftly moments can pivot—because that’s how life is.
How do you think audiences will react to the show?
We hope our audiences walk away feeling delighted, giggly, & maybe even surprisingly moved! The show has a zippy, Saturday morning cartoon energy to it, infused with an adult sense of humor. But there’s also a genuine emotional undercurrent that hopefully resonates with folks! It’s the perfect way to kick off an evening of seeing shows after an early dinner (and maybe one or two drinks).
How have you been preparing for the festival?
Even though the Fringe is our international debut as a company, it’s actually the 3rd time we’ve mounted Solve It Squad. We first premiered the show in 2017 in Los Angeles, then did an extended run Off-Broadway in 2018. Since then, we’ve continued to develop these characters through readings of several Solve It Squad animated series episodes and How the Grunch Cribbed Christmas, a Musical Mystery Holiday Show starring the Squad in 2022. It’s always like a little family reunion whenever this ensemble gets together. We did a week of rehearsals and a weekend of previews last month to get reacquainted with the show. But since the actors who originated these roles have been playing them since 2017, it really feels like slipping on a comfortable pair of shoes…er…gutties.
Will you get a chance to enjoy the rest of the festival?
We’re planning on it! Being part of a festival of this size feels like adult summer camp for us. We’re REALLY looking forward to seeing a ton of shows and exploring the city. Independently producing theater can sometimes be a stressful process, especially for a small team like ours where we each wear multiple hats (as producers, writers, directors, and actors). We’re looking forward to mounting the show and then enjoying and celebrating the hard work and creativity of all the other brilliant teams there, knowing firsthand the effort that goes into each production. It’s very inspiring to be a part of an international creative community!
Do you have any Fringe anecdotes you can share with us?
We haven’t been to the Fringe before as Tin Can Bros, but our director, Corey, went once nearly 20 years ago in high school and had an incredible time! A lot has changed since then, but not the clowns. Clowns are like cockroaches and will survive in the world of art forever. (Just kidding, we do love clowns!)
Solve it Squad is at Assembly George Square Studio until 26 August
