Tom's legs to Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2012....2 day countdown...

Tom Marshman is looking to take his award-winning show, Legs11, to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. With 2 days to go with his wefund campaign this is what Legs 11 is all about:

Tom says he has an ambiguous relationship to his legs. He has suffered from varicose veins for a number of years which in his own words cause discomfort, embarrassment, and a particular awareness of his legs. With a newly found confidence he entered the tights brand Pretty Polly's competition Legs 11 – a search looking for the best legs in the country to represent their brand for a year. He entered the competition and by doing so raising the question asked by the Pretty Polly team: What makes a great pair of legs?

Tom says "Scarred from operations I have remained determined that my old legs should be considered beautiful too."

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9ToRpVwpqI]

Over 700 people nationwide entered the competition and there were over 500 000 votes. 11 people were shortlisted...10 girls and one boy. Tom had been shortlisted and what followed was a world of stockings, photoshoots, beauty pageants and gender misadventures.

See the teaser trailer for the final here:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJRj3JG9wM0]    

Tom's show which documents his process entering the competition and simultaneously talking about what it's like to suffer from varicose veins has caught a lot of attention. Even David Hinchcliffe (Brand Director of Pretty Polly) got involved in the discussions of what gives legs personality, what makes a pair of legs great and the ethics that the questions impose.

"Your project sounds really exciting and we definitely agree that there should be no standardised view of what is and isn’t considered beautiful. As you say, we’re not just looking for a great pair of pins – we want them to belong to someone with personality and a great sense of style." David Hinchcliffe Brand Director of Pretty Polly.

Legs 11 the show is now finished in which Tom conveys a brave story of misfits and transformation, hospital visits and rejuvenation.

To give the project more exposure Tom wants to take it to Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He's got a top venue confirmed: the Anatomy Lecture Theatre at Summerhall.

To get to Edinburgh, all he needs now is a little help from his friends...

If you have a soft spot for varicose veins, want to promote the visibility of Bristol theatre makers in Edinburgh or simply love Mr Marshman...this is where you go to give him a few squids http://www.wefund.com/project/legs11-goes-edinburgh

Legs 11 was the Winner of the first Embrace Arts disabled artist’s commission for Hatch, 2011

"A lively, fun and engaging piece of theatre." - Bristol Culture

"Brilliant. Very funny, joyful, touching and inspiring." – Audience at a BAC scratch performance of Legs11