EdFringe Talk: Can’t Find My Way Home

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“I have found it is about the community as much as it’s about our productions.”

WHO: Sophia Wolbrom

WHAT: “A captivating one-woman show that explores the concept of home through personal anecdotes, original music and snippets of familiar songs. This heartfelt performance delves into finding one’s place in the world, offering an opportunity to laugh and reflect on what it means to belong. Through poignant storytelling and musical elements, Sophia Wolbrom recounts tales of people and places that shaped her view of the world, highlighting the universal quest for connection and identity. This intimate performance promises to leave viewers with a renewed perspective on the spaces and relationships that shape our sense of home.”

WHERE: Hoot 5 at Hoots @ The Apex (Venue 108) 

WHEN: 14:20 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This year will mark my eighth visit to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, but my first time attending as a performer. I have previously attended the festival as a punter, I’ve been a student at the festival (I did a short-term study abroad course with an American University entitled “Writing for Alternative Theatre” that gave me college credit for seeing shows and writing about them), I have been on street teams, stage managed and even venue managed, but this year feels completely different. I also lived in Edinburgh for two years after university to have an adventure; I’ve found that there’s something deeply compelling about the city as a whole for me.

The festival itself is also an incredible Mecca of artists from all over, coming together to celebrate their craft and build and foster community. I talk a little bit about it in my show, but the first time I walked into Assembly at George Square (back in 2013 when I was 17), I felt like I had been transported to Narnia – It just felt magical. In my experience, the Fringe is where artists get to come and play. At the same time, I admit the cost of things has created change over the years, but the Edinburgh Fringe is still where I’ve been able to see people show up and have the opportunity to experiment and try out something new (or revive and revise something old), but no matter how people show, up the energy they bring is palpable. It feels like summer camp for artists & adults. We get to showcase our own (hard)work and celebrate one another too! I have found it is about the community as much as it’s about our productions.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

In 2024, I was an accredited Industry Professional, watching my students (having formerly run a comedy school) performing their work, and this year, I’m finally making a dream come true and producing my own show. As a result, this last year has been nothing but a learning experience. I went into this project, Can’t Find My Way Home, with the mentality that “As much as I know, I know nothing” because coming in as a writer/performer/producer is an entirely new experience. That said, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that even when you feel like you’re doing something alone, it doesn’t mean you’re in a bubble. I’ve been able to rely on old friends for advice, as well as turn to the Artist Advice team (shoutout to Kirsty & Martha) over at the Fringe Society. It’s okay to say you don’t know something and could use some help. Also, TAKE RISKS & FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS! This production has been a long time coming, and I’m so proud of what I’ve accomplished in the last year.

Tell us about your show.

Can’t Find My Way Home will be my debut solo show. These are my stories (all true). I brought in a Director, Kevin Qian, about halfway through the process to help tighten everything up and assist with the performance elements (Kevin was the Director of CRISPR the Musical, which was at Fringe 2024). Other than Kevin, this has been almost entirely a one-woman production, as I am the writer, star, and my company Know Smoke Events is the listed Producing Agency.

While there have been a couple of previews in New York City, the Edinburgh Fringe run will mark the show’s official premiere! Can’t Find My Way Home was initially written with the Fringe in mind, specifically (although I am looking for future opportunities to produce the show elsewhere following its debut). In its initial conception, I thought I was writing a show that would be a love letter to the Fringe, but over time, it became clear that the stories I am telling all center on this idea of “home” and what it means.

I’ve listed the production in the spoken word section of the program because it is primarily a storytelling piece, but there is some music as well (both original songs and snippets of familiar tunes). I have found that, in the year of writing and workshopping this piece, asking these questions of: how we define home? and Where do we feel most at home? Are universal struggles. I hope that, while these stories and songs are personal, they resonate with a broad audience.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

Devon Loves ME! Productions’ It Was Really Good to Know You – it’s so perfectly Fringe, something you likely wouldn’t typically see elsewhere. The show is creative, funny, heartfelt, and quintessentially clown. The team behind the production is comprised of talented artists and genuinely wonderful people who deserve all the support. I was lucky enough to see it in NYC in previews, and can’t wait to see it again at the Festival!

All the lovely humans doing shows at the Scottish Comedy Festival (at the Beehive) – I used to be the venue manager over there, and the community of comics always makes for a good time. Acts like Brian Gallagher, Billy Kirkwood, Ian TC, & Daniel Downie, to name a few. These guys are always a laugh, plus if you love them at the Fringe, you can more easily find them gigging throughout the rest of the year!

Chris Cook! I try to see his show every year. Magic mixed with kindness and heart. Like a typical magician, there’s audience participation, but it never feels intimidating or forced. I always leave Chris’ shows with a restored faith in humanity and a feeling that maybe magic does exist after all.

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