EdFringe Talk: Jimmy Made Parole

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“I deliberately chose to step outside of my comfort zone for this year’s Fringe, and so far the process has been very rewarding.”

WHO: Charles Edward Pipe

WHAT: “Join ex-con Jimmy as he brings you along to get ready for his first date since he got out of prison that morning. Along the way he’ll introduce you to a cavalcade of crooked characters, talk you through a smorgasbord of shady schemes, and entice you with a variety of vices. Writer Charles Edward Pipe has previously had success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Five Short Plays Loosely Linked by the Theme of Crime – ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk) – and Four More Short Plays Loosely Linked by the Theme of Crime: ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk). ***** (VoiceMag). ***** (One4Review.co.uk).”

WHERE: Snug at Paradise in Augustines (Venue 152) 

WHEN: 15:45 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No! I first performed at the Fringe as a teenager in 2016, and then returned as a writer, director, and producer in 2023 with ‘Five Short Plays Loosely Linked by the Theme of Crime’, and then again in 2024 with ‘Four More Short Plays Loosely Linked by the Theme of Crime’. This is, however, my first time performing at the Fringe since 2016, and my first ever solo show, so I have a feeling it will be a very different experience.

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

This show is very different to my previous Fringe shows – in that it’s a solo show rather than a cast of 3. and is one 55-minute story rather than several short plays – so there’s been a bit of a learning curve while developing the show. I deliberately chose to step outside of my comfort zone for this year’s Fringe, and so far the process has been very rewarding. It’s really fun to be able to laser-focus in on one character and spend so much time exploring what makes him tick.

Tell us about your show.

‘Jimmy Made Parole’ is a one-man romantic crime-comedy about a roguish ex-con getting ready for a date. Written by me, starring me, produced by me… it’s very DIY. The plot follows this scoundrel, Jimmy, as he gets ready for a date on the same day he gets released from prison. He needs money – because the money he stashed away before he went to prison is gone when he goes to find it – so he concocts a variety of schemes on the fly to make some money to buy flowers, buy a new suit, and pay for the date. There’s a bare-knuckle boxing match, an illegal casino, an opium den, a bar crawl, and so on.

It’s a very fast-paced show, full of audience interaction, improvisation, dark humour, and optimism.

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

‘Hold the Line’ by my friend Sam Macgregor. It’s a show based on his experiences as an NHS111 call handler.

‘The Dahlia Files’ by Hey Thanks! Theatre Collective – another one-person crime-themed show.

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