“I plan on being here every August for the rest of my life.”
WHO: Chris Grace
WHAT: “Chris Grace returns to Fringe after his 2023 sell-out show, Scarlett Johansson. Sardines explores the tragic, hilarious and important questions of our time: Can we enjoy life if we know how it ends? Does making art actually help? And if Rihanna’s song is called Don’t Stop the Music, why does the music… stop? Find out in this insightful and vulnerable comedy. ‘If you’re cool like me, you’ll love Chris Grace’ (Ed Gamble).”
WHERE: Assembly George Square Studios – Studio Five (Venue 17)
WHEN: 13:40 (60 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
Nope, this is my eleventh Fringe, and I plan on being here every August for the rest of my life. Aside from the lovely audiences, the universe of creative inspiration, and the beautiful city, the sheer creative upgrade to your work that comes from 27 shows in a row can’t really be matched anywhere else. Most of my creative identity and much of my success can be directly linked to eleven Augusts in Edinburgh.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
I’m still struggling with the shifting of expectations that comes with meeting your goals. Last year I said I would be happy if 25 people saw the show every night. Then it started selling out and I was overjoyed. Then when a show wouldn’t sell out, I’d be crushed. Ridiculous. This year I’m trying to keep my head out of looking at this year’s sales and reviews and nominations and comparing it to last year, and it’s proving difficult to impossible to do so. This is a huge part of me that I want to work on because I feel other people are so much better at it than me, or at least successfully pretend to be so. It’s hard not to look at other acts in the festival and measure yourself against them. Comparison is the thief of joy, someone said, and I wish I had said something as smart as that.
Tell us about your show.
My show “Sardines” is about five people in my life that died in a short period of time, and how I suffered and grew through the process. I wrote it and I’m co-producing it with Baby Wants Candy, my creative parents at the Fringe. I did some work in progress shows in Austin and Los Angeles but this is the full actual premiere (read: this is the first time I’ve actually memorized the lines. Wait, that’s a great line for the poster: FULLY MEMORIZED. And then under that a quote from my husband Eric Michaud who directed the show saying “… most of the time.”)
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
I saw The Dark Room again after not seeing it since 2012 and it’s still a hoot. Jonny and The Baptists have brought a corker of a show that’s different from years past but arguably better. I always love seeing Sofie Hagen and my friends Dave Ahdoot, Yola Lu, Box of Frogs, Grubby Little Mitts, and Ted Hill all have terrific shows you should put on your list!
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