Power Struggles and Shifting Realities Drive The Alchemy of Sadness

The Alchemy of Sadness is a gripping new drama by Alex Garcia-Laguer, exploring the intense emotional dynamics in a high-pressure workplace. Set in a PR firm, it tells the story of Thiago and Liam, two colleagues navigating a high-stakes crisis that exposes the complicated boundaries, power struggles, and surprising bonds that form amid conflict. Alex draws on personal experience from working in demanding environments, bringing a raw and surreal edge to this world premiere at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe.

Alex Garcia-Laguer is a Los Angeles-based writer and producer who blends avant-garde theatre influences with real-life stories, especially from the fine dining and entertainment industries. His work focuses on the nuanced human stories behind high-pressure jobs and ethical challenges.

We spoke to Alex ahead of The Alchemy of Sadness’s run at TheSpaceUK

What inspired you to write The Alchemy of Sadness and why did you choose a PR firm as the setting?

The inspiration of this story came from some very personal experiences I had working as a server in fine dining restaurants, specifically a time when I was in a similar toxic dynamic with a direct supervisor.I set it in a PR firm because as much as toxic workplaces exist in restaurants, and we love seeing it there, with The Bear and Boiling Point, but in reality this could happen anywhere, and it does happen all the time. Separating it a bit allowed me to explore the themes of the show in a way I felt might not make the audience feel like this experience is too situational. 

The play uses surreal physical transformations to reflect emotional states. How did you come up with this storytelling device, and what do you hope audiences take from it?

I’m a huge fan of using magical realism to convey unreliable narrators or marginal points of view. I find that representing a feeling in only words can be prohibitive, sometimes how people see things isn’t rational, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re wrong. I like exploring that space in between your heart and your mind. The surrealism elements in the show externalize the perspectives of our characters. What’s happening in their heads vs what they’re feeling vs what we’re seeing.

The tension between ambition and survival is central to the story. Can you share how your personal experiences influenced these themes?

I’m the type of person who feels like how I carry myself at work is how I represent myself in my life outside of work. I also consider myself an ambitious person. Until recently, I never felt those things were in conflict with each other. Unfortunately, I worked with someone who ultimately didn’t respect me, professionally or personally. It drove me insane because that person happened to be a person I had to work directly under. This person was also ambitious, but also the opposite of me in every other way. I felt like he represented himself differently at work than in life. His leadership style, in my opinion, felt rooted in a very parochial perceptions of masculinity. Needless to say that didn’t jive with me. From then on, we were at odds, and neither of us were willing to give in or break.

If Thiago and Liam had to choose a theme song for their working relationship, what do you think it would be?

Thiago – Tiffany “I Think We’re Alone Now”Liam – Shania Twain “That Don’t Impress Me Much”If you watch the show, you’ll know what I mean.

If The Alchemy of Sadness were turned into a cocktail, what would be its main ingredients and why?

Probably Absinthe, if anything it’ll put you in the right frame of mind to participate in surreal memory play of sorts. 

The Alchemy of Sadness is at theSpaceUK @ Niddry Street (Venue 9), 11 – 23 August (not 17), Week 1 12:50 (13:50) & Week 2 11:10 (12:10). For tickets go to https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-alchemy-of-sadness