“The huge challenge of Edfringe is probably a big part of what makes it such an amazing and satisfying experience overall.”
WHO: Ada Campe
WHAT: “Ahoy! Sail away with cabaret legend and variety artiste Ada Campe for an adventure on the high seas – and a show that puts the merry in maritime, the naughty in nautical and the oar in awesome! ‘Ada Campe made me laugh more than anyone on the circuit for years. Genius.’ (Sandi Toksvig). ‘Fabulous’ (ScotsGay). ‘Very funny’ (Guardian). ‘A real original and with irrepressible funny bones’ (Chortle.co.uk). ‘A marvellous teller of tall tales’ (Scotsman). ‘Totally bonkers, totally brilliant, totally booming unmissable’ (Basil Brush). http://www.adacampe.com”
WHERE: The Stand’s New Town Theatre – Studio (Venue 117)
WHEN: 14:55 (60 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
It’s my 6th Edinburgh and my 4th year at The Stand’s New Town Theatre! This year it definitely feels busier than 2022 on the streets, but nowhere near as vibrant as 2019.
As ever one of my very favourite things about performing at Edfringe is getting to work with chums and meeting new chums whilst doing spots on compilation cabaret, comedy, variety and magic shows. There’s just so much talent and joy out there, and cabaret folk are the nicest, sparkliest people to work with in my experience.
I stay in the New Town so am very grateful that the tram extension has finally opened – and although there are still plenty of roadworks going on the city traffic feels less congested than it did last year. I love walking back to my digs after a late night show on a clear night, watching the seagulls swooping around looking for drunk people who are being careless with their chips.
For me the variety of shows at Edfringe is the absolute best. There’s always something extraordinary to see and be part of. I love the willingness of audiences to take a punt and to be spontaneous, and for those that are prepared to escape the Old Town and venture to the New Town there are lots of goodies to be found. Don’t be George Square – be George Street!
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
Last year’s show Ada Campe: Too Little, Too Soon was forged in the COVID times and so was necessarily less interactive than this current one or my previous show Ada Campe and the Psychic Duck. There was of course still fun interaction and a bit of magic, but the focus was more on the storytelling.
Whilst stuck at home I’d been delving into queer histories of theatre folk, particularly those of the women in my family, and found a love story which would go on to become the heart of the show. This was a new direction for me, and I was thrilled with how much the audience engaged with that love story, and how moved they were at the end of the show.
The biggest thing I learned was how easy it is to shock an audience with a story about a pleasurable one-night stand between two middle aged women! I expected a Fringe-going comedy audience to be unflusterable, but when I said that during that encounter “she rummaged for my clitoris with the enthusiasm of a truffle hound” the reaction was always hilarious! I don’t think people expected it from me – and it delighted and surprised them. It delighted and surprised me too 😉
Tell us about your show.
My show this year is Ada Campe: Naval Gazing. It’s an adventure on the high seas, a joyful hour of nautical titting about, and lots and lots of fun! There’s magic, an inflatable seal called Celia, prizes to be won, and a very special surprise prop I made myself. I’m wearing an incredible hat from Fishheadhats which is worth the price of entry alone to see up close, and having the most fantastic time encouraging my audiences to be playful and silly. The tech team at The Stand’s New Town Theatre are, as ever, wonderful – and my two techs this year Uncle Fraser and Uncle Josh are a joy to work with.
There were only a few previews before Edfringe began – including one very fun one at The Magic Circle in London – so the show as it is now has really been shaped by the fabulous Edfringe audiences. I’d like to take it to other places after the Fringe and need to put some feelers out about that… hopefully there’ll at least be a couple of performances in London in the autumn. Follow me on social media to be the first to find out news!
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
Gosh, so many to recommend, and I’m bound to leave off lots of lovely folk from this list by accident so apologies in advance.
For top magic stuff – definitely seek out Charlie Caper, Griffin and Jones, Magic Arron, Chris Cook, Tom Brace, David Alnwick, and the Absurd Panel Show run by Ava Beaux and Kane and Abel.
Cabaret shows – Magic Faraway and the Lock-In Cabaret (both at the Voodoo Rooms) are an absolute must! Blues and Burlesque features the excellent Belle de Beauvoir who I know from the London cabaret scene. If you’ve never been to ACMS at Monkey Barrel you are missing out. The Creative Martyrs are an Edfringe staple for me – it doesn’t feel like the Fringe has begun until I’ve seen them. Kaisa Ling Thing is an Estonian singer and performer you should seek out. Frank Lavender’s show made me cry with laughter, and Flat and the Curves are just incredibly talented.
Stand ups – Sikisa, Yuriko Kotani, Sam See, Vix Leyton, Alexis Dubus, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Sarah Keyworth, Shelf, Marjolein Robertson, Mary Bourke, Rachel Creeger, Kate Smurthwaite, Adele Cliff, Robin Ince, James Nokise.
Other – Susan Morrison’s walking tour, Jody Kamali, Tom Crosbie’s always excellent nerding, John Robertson’s The Dark Room, The Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas, The Comedy Arcade, Julia Masli, and the wonderful Lucy Stevens as Gertrude Lawrence.
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