“Edfringe…it’s hugely inspiring, thought-provoking and sometimes exhausting!”
WHO: Julie Flower
WHAT: “Clothes. Cats. Counter-culture. Sheffield. 1989. Loveable, eccentric septuagenarian, Hilda, has run a second-hand clothes shop for decades. She does it to make money to feed 30 stray cats. One day, a journalist from the Guardian walks in… Join Hilda’s granddaughter for a solo show about family history subverting expectations. Step inside Hilda’s shop, a nostalgic world of old carrier bags, pools coupons and vintage clothes… presided over by an unlikely punk icon. Julie Flower presents a multi-character comedy drama about love, memories and the stories our clothes have to tell.”
WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – Snug (Venue 24)
WHEN: 12:20 (60 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
I’ve performed at Edinburgh four times before, in improv shows and new theatre writing. What’s different this year is that I’m making the leap from the safety of the ensemble to the exposure of a solo theatre show! I just love the variety and openness of Edfringe…it’s hugely inspiring, thought-provoking and sometimes exhausting!
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
Make a clear separation between writing/the creative side, and the managerial/admin side. The latter can easily subsume the former…and there will always be more paperwork to do! I’ve made moderate progress on this one!
Pace yourself! I’ve promised myself I won’t pre-book more than two shows a day, so I don’t get too exhausted and have space for new recommendations and spontaneity…but there is already so much I want to see!
Tell us about your show.
Grandma’s Shop is a solo show all about my real-life grandma, Hilda Flower, who was an eccentric, cat-loving shopkeeper, who ran a second-hand clothes shop in Sheffield for over 30 years. It follows me as I research her, in a lively family history group, and as I delve into my childhood memories of helping her. She was a woman in her 70s who was in her prime…and an unlikely punk hero! I wrote the show, with the support of professional dramaturg and director, Sarah Chew. I’m loving the multi-character work, time-hops and, of course, the vintage clothes! I did three previews before Edinburgh and I intend to take it to further arts festivals in the autumn and, of course, to Sheffield.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
Fred Deakin is returning to Edfringe with Club Life, his extraordinary Fringe First-winning immersive show, which blends theatre, storytelling and clubbing! I went twice last year and can’t wait for more of this funny, moving and life-affirming show.
New-writing ensemble Orange Works returns to Edfringe with Ghost Light, an atmospheric show based around the notorious London Ghost Club in 1865. Ian Tucker-Bell’s writing is always powerful and the staging always innovative.
Both shows are on at theSpace.
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