Described as one of the most chilled shows at 2025’s Fringe, Channel returns to Edinburgh but this time in an intimate shipping container space for groups of ten. We spoke to creator Jack McGuire about his inspirations for the show, its new venue and why we all need an escape from the noise
Pauline Oliveros’ practice of Deep Listening has clearly been a significant influence on you. For audiences who may not be familiar with her work, how would you describe what Deep Listening means, and how does it shape the experience of Channel?
Pauline Oliveros writes about the difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is a sort of passive way of taking in sound, letting the subconscious determine what we tune in and out of. Listening is a practice where one tries to expand what one tunes into by inviting all sounds in. For me, this helps to create a deeper sense of presence and attention. This focused kind of listening informs how I improvise and create music, and allows me to tune in to the audience. It’s through this practice of Deep Listening that I hope to guide the audience’s attention and offer some strategies for practising this kind of listening.
You’ve spoken about recognising a need for rest at the Fringe after attending for several years. Was there a particular moment or experience that made you think, “this is what’s missing,” and how did that crystallise into the concept for Channel?
This idea came to me after working on the show Temping. We were doing nine shows each day and going out and seeing shows as well. I found myself losing my ability to digest a lot of what I saw each day because I was always trying to take advantage of being at such a huge festival. And by trying not to miss out on all the great shows, I started missing them even when I was in the audience. I thought about making a show where there is no story or message or need to consume something. I often say Channel is a sort of anti-show because it’s intention is to be a moment to slow down and reset before getting back into the fast pace of the Fringe.
Channel invites audiences to contribute sounds that are mixed into the live soundscape. How do you balance maintaining the meditative, peaceful atmosphere of the show while also keeping that participatory element feeling playful and spontaneous?
The challenge of this piece for me is exactly this. I’m not coming in with a set course or mood for the music and trying to execute that, the show asks me to tune in to the audience and shape an experience depending on what the audience brings. When people come in and do a lot on the microphones, I have to honor that playfulness and exploration. The idea of deep listening asks us to invite all sounds, whether they are soothing or chaotic, so even when the space gets a little noisy that is a part of the arc of the show. The decision I then have to make is how long do we stay there before coming back to a stillness that creates a meditative space.
You’re returning to the intimate shipping container venue that hosted Dutch Kills’s previous hit show Temping. How does that specific physical environment shape the sound and the overall atmosphere of Channel, and what drew you back to that space?
What drew us back to this space was the ability to take this humble shipping container and really transform it into a space for listening. There is a challenge to being in such a small and intimate space, but it also gives us a lot of ability to make every element very intentional. It’s such a gift to be given your own venue for the Fringe and I am very excited to see how people come into this space that we have created.
Each performance is improvised in response to the energy and participation of the audience. How do you prepare for that level of spontaneity, and how different can two performances of Channel actually feel from one another?
I have a lot of experience as an improviser, and used to do shows where we would ask the audience for a prompt or word to create a short piece on. I prepare myself by making a sort of toolbox of sounds that I can draw from. So there is always a little bit of overlap between shows, because some of the sounds stay the same. I am also collecting new audience sounds each show to use for the rest of the run. I come in with whatever I am feeling that day and just go from there. The audience may push me in a new direction or I may just stumble onto something new in my own exploration of the sounds that are in this toolbox. It brings me such joy to be surprised by each show.
Channel is described as a response to the overwhelming noise of social media. Do you think audiences arrive already feeling that weight, and have you noticed a shift in how people respond to the show compared to when it premiered at Assembly Roxy last year?
I think people are definitely feeling this weight, and this shrinking of attention. I see a lot of people commenting online about this overwhelming feeling that comes with doomscrolling. And I also see a lot of content that asks us to slow down or to take a breath. I don’t think this show is necessarily trying to find an answer to this, but I just wanted to make something that offers a new way of returning to your practice of attention. The most common response I get from people is that this is a reminder that we all need. It’s good to slow down and tune back into yourself and the environment around you.
Channel is at the Edinburgh Fringe at Assembly George Square Studios – The Cubicle at Buccleuch Place, 5 – 30 Aug 2026 (not 17 & 25), Mon – Thurs 18:00 – 19:15 & 20:30 – 21:45, Fri – Sun 16:00 – 17:15 & 18:30 – 19:45. Ticket information here https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/channel