EdFringe Talk: Gimme a Sign!

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“The people of Edinburgh are the best and I’m not just saying that so you’re all nice to me this year!”

WHO: Bailey Swilley

WHAT: “Welcome to comedian Bailey Swilley’s ghost tour, complete with tales of haunted tampons, magical spells and life lessons on family expectations, grief and growing up. Gimme a Sign! is a storytelling comedy, based on a family tragedy and the strange but funny antics that ensued after. Join Bailey as she reflects on the stages of grief and her endless search for signs from the universe!”

WHERE: Pleasance Online (Venue 117) 

WHEN: 15:05 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my second (consecutive) year at the Fringe and third time in Edinburgh.

Last year, I had no idea what to expect and ended up loving (almost) everything about it—the intensity, the buzzy energy and all the people you meet who quickly become friends.

What makes a great festival is the access to see almost anything you’re in the mood for—from a play that’ll make you bawl your eyes out to the best standup in the world to the truly bizarre.

And believe it or not, I really enjoy the flyering experience—it’s given me an opportunity to get to know festival goers, non-festival goers, and other performers as well. Also, the people of Edinburgh are the best and I’m not just saying that so you’re all nice to me this year!

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

I now know the importance of investing and believing in my work. I also learned that you never know who will relate to your show. GIMME A SIGN! is a bit whimsical and somewhat feminine and yet, I found that it resonated across genders and ages.

I once had group of bros who looked like they were ready to party, beers in hand at 10:30am, come in to see the show. I thought, “They’re going to hate me.” They turned out to be my favourite audience of the fest. They stayed after to chat about their own experiences with their families, their own grieving processes and their experiences with the supernatural.

As it turns out, everyone dies. Who knew?

Tell us about your show.

GIMME A SIGN! is a show I wrote and have been producing and performing for a year now.

It’s a love letter to my family—I grew up in a mixed race household and always felt like I had these challenging expectations hanging over my head and those expectations continued to follow me through adulthood and even after the loss of my one of my parents. The show is about the ghosts of the once-living AND all of the metaphorical ghosts that follow us throughout our lives. It’s also funny!

I premiered G.A.S. (wow, I wish I had rethought the title when it comes to acronyms!) in New York, followed quickly by Scotland (2024 EdFringe). In 2025, I showed GIMME A SIGN! in Philadelphia and will be performing in London (at the Drayton Arms) for two previews on July 26 and 27. After EdFringe, my ghosts and I would love to tour across the U.S. and the globe. Sky’s the limit, honey! (There are actually zero limits for ghosts)

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

Must-see shows from my New York pals: Andrea Coleman’s 3 White Guys Named John, Gillian Gurganus’ All That Jazz, Tim Limbrick’s Baggage, Ned Arnold’s Seducing Your Professor and Syd King’s Saint Sydney. If you’re looking for more comedy about grief, check out Chicago comedian Brendan Tran in Hole in the Wall L’Hopital.

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