“If you don’t know what you’re doing – find someone who does!”
WHO: Oliver Nilsson
WHAT: “Fab-u-lous! A high-energy comedy about a lonely old man and a homeless dog who become friends and enter a ballroom dancing competition. But little do they know what trouble awaits! Get ready for comedy, slapstick, crazy characters and enthusiastic dance routines for the whole family! Overall winner Fringe World Children’s Event Award 2023. Winner Perth Now Critics Choice Award. Winner Adelaide Fringe Weekly Comedy Award. ‘Get ready to laugh your heads off… children’s entertainment at its finest’ ****½ (FourthWallMedia.wordpress.com). From the creators of Attenborough and his Animals (**** (Scotsman)) and Scotland! ***** (FringeFeed.com.au)).”
WHERE: Gilded Balloon Teviot – Nightclub (Venue 14)
WHEN: 13:00 (60 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
We first went to Edinburgh in 2019 with the Latebloomers, with our show, ‘Scotland!’ to great success. Since then, the company (Oliver Nilsson, Jonathan Tilley and Sam Dugmore) returned to Edinburgh in 2022 with other shows and as groups and a solo artists; this will be our third time at Edinburgh Fringe. This year we will be performing our family comedy show Strictly Barking by Jon & Ollie.
The festival is such an explosion in talent, creativity and inspiration. There is world class art around every corner, either its absolute bonkers stupid clownery, powerful queer cabaret, or shadow puppetry in a shoe box about acrobatic monkeys. Whatever your Edinburgh experience, it’s guaranteed to be unforgettable!
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
In 2019, we had a successful season in Australia and were in the financial position to go into Edinburgh with full backing – producer, PR, marketing, runners – we were very lucky; first day of the Fringe, we even got on the cover for The Times, But last year we were self-funding post pandemic and it was a very different experience, as we shouldered all of the roles ourselves.
If you don’t know what you’re doing – find someone who does! Last year Jon and I tried to do our own marketing but we didn’t have the time or expertise to do it properly. We’ve learned this year to reach out. The fringe community is big and beautiful. You can be given pointers either it is from your fellow artist friends, or the venue you collaborating with.
Also, my remarkable, super talented fiancée volunteered to manage our marketing and has gone above and beyond, from making pieces of costume to contacting programmers and finding other opportunities for the show. It’s made a real difference. So the lesson can also be that if someone offers to help, take it (and marry them later).
Tell us about your show.
Strictly Barking is a family comedy, created by myself Jon, and we perform the whole show together. We met at the Jacques Lecoq International School in Paris and have been working together ever since we graduated 2017.
We created Strictly Barking while living together in London, in partnership with the Hounslow Arts Centre and Fin Fringe. It’s a comedy for the whole family, about a lonely old man called Hogarth who befriends a homeless young pup he names Easy Peeler (it’s his favourite food!). Hogarth and Easy Peeler become dancing parters and so together they enter Barking’s Ballroom Dancing Competition. But they don’t know that the scheming cat Steven and his pet human The Mayor have other ideas…
The show is mostly non-verbal and uses plenty of clowning, physical comedy and interaction. When I’m not touring I’m working as a drama teacher for students with Autism, and we take big pride that this show is strongly accessible to children with neurodiversity.
This year we took Strictly Barking to Fringe World in Perth, Adelaide Fringe and Prague Fringe, where it was awarded Overall Children’s Event 2023 at Fringe World and has won four awards in total! After Edinburgh we’re excited to be taking Strictly Barking to Sweden for Gothenburg Fringe (my hometown!) and then to Colchester Fringe in October.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
The jaw dropping Attenborough and his Animals (Gilded Balloon) and firework of a show Manbo (Underbelly) – by fellow members of the Latebloomers, Voloz Collective are amazingly talented (and doing two theatre shows this year!), Artiste by Brymore Productions for their brilliantly interactive children’s show, Elf Lyons and Duffy’s comedy show Heist (Monkey Barrel Comedy) which is hilarious and all done in BSL, Grubby Little Mitts because they’ll weird you out and make you laugh like no other (Assembly Rooms), our friends from Dizney in Drag from the Hairy Godmothers (Gilded Balloon), who have produced some of the funniest childhood ruining cabaret around, political satire The Briefing by American Melissa McGlensey, and if you want to roll on the floor laughter by master story-teller see Digeridoozy by Dane Simpson (both Assembly Rooms), and our favourite bonkers queer siblings Creepy Boys (Summerhall).
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