EdFringe Talk: Flamenc Oh!!

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“The challenge was never the comedy—it was finding the right balance between respecting the tradition and having the freedom to play with it.”

WHO: David Ottone

WHAT: “World-class flamenco with a wild twist, this brand-new dance comedy sees physical theatre collide with the passion and power of flamenco. A fiercely traditional patriarch finds his carefully-controlled world unravelling when his children challenge the old rules. Totally unique and utterly hilarious, with live music from traditional to rock, pop, hip-hop, and house. This is a show for everybody – from flamenco fans to those who don’t know their planta from their paseo. From Yllana, the team behind ***** (TheScottishSun.co.uk) hit A Comedy of Operas, comes flamenco like you’ve never experienced it before. Co-commissioned by Sadler’s Wells.”

WHERE: Music Hall at Assembly Rooms (Venue 20) 

WHEN: 14:15 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will actually be our eighth time at the Fringe, so in many ways it feels like coming home.

We love Edinburgh because there’s nowhere else quite like it. It’s one of the few places in the world where you can perform your show to audiences from every corner of the globe, while at the same time meeting spectators, producers and festival programmers from everywhere. For a company like Yllana, whose work travels internationally, it’s the perfect place to launch a new production.

And as audience members, it’s simply one of the most exciting festivals there is. You can walk into a tiny venue knowing absolutely nothing about a show and come out having discovered your new favourite artist.

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

One of the biggest lessons has been how to create an international comedy show inspired by such a deeply rooted cultural art form as flamenco.

The challenge was never the comedy—it was finding the right balance between respecting the tradition and having the freedom to play with it. We learnt that if you approach an art form with love and curiosity, audiences understand that you’re laughing with it, not at it. That became the philosophy behind the whole show.

Tell us about your show.

FLAMENC OH!! is Yllana’s latest creation. We’ve been creating visual comedy and musical theatre for over 35 years, touring in almost 50 countries, and this time we wanted to explore the extraordinary world of flamenco.

The show was created and directed by Yllana in collaboration with a wonderful cast of flamenco artists, bringing together physical comedy, live music and dance.

The production premiered in Madrid, where it has been playing throughout the summer. After Edinburgh, it continues its international tour before arriving at the Peacock Theatre in London this October as a co-production with Sadler’s Wells.

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

One of the best things about the Fringe is discovering something you weren’t expecting.

I’d definitely recommend seeing international productions. Korean companies, in particular, always surprise me. Their visual storytelling, precision and creativity are incredible, and most of them are purely visual shows , you understand everything that’s happening on stage. That’s something we really admire at Yllana.

I look forward to seeing the shows ‘Showstopper! The Improvised Musical’ and ‘Dracula: Lucy’s Dream’.

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