EdFringe Talk: Always, Sometimes, Maybe

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“Last year was my first and I’m hooked.”

WHO: Michele Stine

WHAT: “‘…class act in mime and clowning’ ***** (BingeFringe.com). ‘…you feel a collective goosebumps’ ***** (Fringesider.com). ‘Exceptionally entertaining clowning’ **** (BroadwayBaby.com). Always, Sometimes, Maybe is a solo clown show about a janitor so lonely she makes her friends out of trash. Using physical comedy and puppetry, this show is a funny and wild journey into what it means to be alone, and how we find our way back to each other. Lou unexpectedly finds herself with an audience; with nothing but her rubbish and lot of imagination, she tries to find connection.”

WHERE: Playground 3 at ZOO Playground (Venue 186) 

WHEN: 18:25 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my second time coming to the Edinburgh Fringe.  Last year was my first and I’m hooked.  The first year was daunting and a little frightening because so much is unknown. And, honestly, I still feel those things but now there’s a level of excitement and joy that I’m feeling because I know what to expect. There’s this exhilarating experience of getting to perform your show everyday for a month, of getting to meet amazing artists from around the world, and seeing shows that you’d otherwise never get to witness.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Take things a day at a time. If you can do it now, do it. Be gentle with yourself.

Feels a bit like a self-help guide, but that doesn’t make any of it less true. I’ve been wading through the rip tides of grief, having lost loved ones over the last 12 months and trying to find joy or respite while also allowing for the space to fall apart have all been critical for me. Am I able to do those things, always? Absolutely not. Will I look back on this past year and think it bananas to be taking this show, this year, to the fringe? Possibly.

Tell us about your show.

Always, Sometimes, Maybe is a solo puppet-clown show about a janitor so lonely she’s made her friends out of trash. Lou unexpectedly finds herself with an audience; with nothing but her rubbish and a lot of imagination, she tries to find connection. Using physical comedy and puppetry, this show is a funny and wild journey into what it means to be alone, and how we find our way back to each other. It’s written by myself, Michele Stine, and directed by Raquel Torre with puppets designed and built by me, as well.

My show is returning to the fringe after a critically acclaimed run at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, however it has undergone some major developments and changes. Previously it was a show for all ages; it was a hopeful, sweet show with a wide-eyed character looking to belong. Now, it’s a more honest, dark, and ridiculous show about the lengths one goes to to feel less alone in the world.

After this year’s run at Fringe, the show will have a six week run in Chicago (details to come soon).

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

After seeing Always, Sometimes, Maybe folks should immediately purchase a ticket to see The Pieces by Aloft. 6 acrobats and 8 ladders that move, collide, connect, and build into unbelievable structures, cranes, and bridges. “What keeps us standing in an unsteady world? In a divided time, it is a celebration of falling, coming together and choosing to rise as one.”

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