EdFringe Talk: Gianmarco Soresi: The Drama King Tour

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“It’s extremely tempting to use my platform, given to me for my comedy work, and just pivot into shouting about all the ills in the world.”

WHO: Gianmarco Soresi

WHAT: “Edinburgh Fringe debut of New York-based stand-up comedian, actor and creator known for his sharp societal observation and spry, energetic stage presence and as the host of the popular podcast The Downside with Gianmarco Soresi. Gianmarco effortlessly commands a room with his animated style, blending upbeat candor with dark comedic beats – which has garnered him critical acclaim from NPR, Esquire, The Atlantic, Buzzfeed, ABC News and many more.”

WHERE: Monkey Barrel 3 at Monkey Barrel Comedy (Venue 515) 

WHEN: 14:50 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I was lucky enough to perform at the Monkey Barrel last year for four shows I believe. It was my first time in Edinburgh as well and I loved the cobbled streets and hills (at least on the way down); it feels like the place an artist should always live.

I think what makes a great festival is the if the audiences are passionate for discovering new performers. Social media has allowed people to find who they like and get fed an endless slop of that one person’s work (I’ve benefited from this greatly) but there’s something so much more interesting when you see someone for the first time and then go oh my god I now want to see everything this person has ever done. While I do hope for fans in the crowd (I don’t want to work too hard) it would be nice to show off my wares to people who aren’t addicted to TikTok.

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

I think I learned that the moment you get too preachy with your comedy you’ve failed. It’s extremely tempting to use my platform, given to me for my comedy work, and just pivot into shouting about all the ills in the world. But I’m striving (and getting better at) writing jokes that nobody agrees with and I ultimately think my own feelings on important matters will come through more effectively that way.

Tell us about your show.

My show is like all my headlining shows on the road, it’s the best material I’m currently sifting through and is, when I’m at my best, a snapchat of my feelings about the world and my life within it. I know this is a little antithetical to model of a one-person show (and can lead towards sloppy, underprepared performances) but I’ve been doing this long enough that it’ll be worth the ticket price. I’m also just off a massive Europe tour where I’ve been honing this material and will continue touring it around the world once the festival is through.

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

Given that this is my first festival, I wouldn’t take my advice too seriously but from the several Stamptowns I’ve seen around America you should absolutely see that before Zach Zucker figures out a way to water it down and install it at a Las Vegas hotel so he can make the millions he deserves for concocting it in the first place.

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