Author Archives: Dan Lentell

EdFringe Talk: The Essence of Audrey

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“I’ve now performed it over 35 times in various small venues around the country.”

WHO: Helen Anker

WHAT: “Celebrate the true-life story of one of the world’s most beloved icons, Audrey Hepburn. She was a stunningly beautiful actress and selfless humanitarian Ambassador for UNICEF. In this biopic play, learn of her loves and losses, remember her most famous film roles and discover the untold secrets of her traumatic early life. Bring your morning coffee and croissant and enjoy Breakfast at Audrey’s, as her remarkable journey is magically brought to life in this illuminating, funny and poignant homage to one of Hollywood’s greats.”

WHERE: Cellar at Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 11:15 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time performing at the festival. I have visited though once in the past and loved the experience. My Mum and her husband have been coming up every year for the past 10 years, and she’d always had a dream of me performing at it one day, so this all has a lot to do with making her dream come true.

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

I imagine you’re asking about 2024 in relation to COVID and lockdowns ending? Or maybe I have that wrong? If so.. I have learnt so much since that time.. of enjoying life and doing what you can to make it better in all ways. I think that time taught us all how to be more grateful for what we have, and to change our lives if we’re not happy.. to make the most out of every day, as life is short, and anything can happen at any time to mix it up.

Tell us about your show.

I wrote my play, The Essence of Audrey, during lockdown in 2020. I had never written anything before, or had any desire to….. until that time, when my lodger commented that she thought I looked a bit like Audrey Hepburn. After looking into whether anyone had written a play about her (as I thought maybe I could learn and put on a play about her life) as I couldn’t find one I decided to try and write one myself. I own many beautiful coffee table books about her, and after watching many of her films and learning, we have a great many similarities, I did it.

I’ve now performed it over 35 times in various small venues around the country, and figured this would be a perfect time to bring it to the fringe as I have a 2-month break from the show I’ve been touring the country in this past year of Dear Evan Hansen. I hope to get some good reviews to help get my play out there more, and maybe take it abroad. And I really want to experience the excitement of performing at the famous Fringe, and everything it brings you.

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

I hope people who see my show will be reminded of what a wonderful lady and generous humanitarian of UNICEF Audrey Hepburn was…. and that people will re-visit her old timeless films.

With regard to supporting other shows. I hope people will support other small venues and performance spaces. I’ll hopefully get to see: All fired up: an 80s mix tape musical, Beth wants the D, The nature of forgetting, An ode to the casting director, Funny Though and Motorhome Marilyn.

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EdFringe Talk: Lioness

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“I’ve learned to keep banging on the door of opportunity until someone says yes!”

WHO: Kate Coulson

WHAT: “Just a game? An Amazon All or Nothing documentary – but without the sponsorship money. Or men. Goalkeeper Marnie juggles a second job, Twitter trolls and a Premier League striker boyfriend over the course of a WSL Championship season. Navigating periods, penalties and pressure, and with her team battling relegation, can the newly-appointed captain save them – and her career – from the drop? A one-woman comedy drama exploring confidence, fan culture and the footballing gender pay gap. Think Dear England meets Derry Girls – with hefty sprinkles of North London grit, heart and attitude.”

WHERE: Clover Studio at Greenside @ Riddles Court (Venue 16) 

WHEN: 12:40 (45 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

As a company, yes! But we have all been up separately. My director, Madison Cole & producer Zoe Mavrides were up last year working on a different show. I was last here as a performer ten years ago, as a baby-faced seventeen-year-old who couldn’t believe the magic of watching absolutely anything – from improvised Shakespeare at 10 am to a show where you got free biscuits! We were lucky enough to perform our sixth form play in the last week of the festival – a sixties version of Romeo & Juliet. I’ve swapped red lipstick and hairspray for football shirts and shin pads, but the starry-eyed excitement is still very much there. There really is nowhere else like it; I can’t wait to be back.

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

A huge lesson for me is that asking for help is an essential part of the creative process. Sounds obvious, but writing can be a pretty solo activity – just me, my laptop and endless mugs of coffee – especially when you’re then the only cast member. We performed a short WIP run last December, with the audience filling out feedback forms detailing what they thought worked and what they didn’t. These genuine reactions became the building blocks of our next draft, which has been fundamental in shaping the show from then to now. In general, people always want to help and support if they can – whether it’s answering questions, reading drafts or buying tickets to see the final product – so don’t be scared to ask. I’ve learned to keep banging on the door of opportunity until someone says yes!

Tell us about your show.

Lioness is a comedy drama exploring confidence, fan culture and the gender pay gap in football. It is the second show produced by Made You Look Productions, a company I co-founded three years ago with the goal of telling untold and unconventional women’s stories. Our debut show was burlesque comedy two-hander All That Glitters at Camden Fringe 2023. Wildly different setting, but same core values of female new writing.

Our producer, Zoe, has been part of the project since the start. We met back in 2019, working at a Father Christmas grotto – nothing bonds you together more than twelve-hour shifts dressed as elves! Also, producing for her own company was a no-brainer. Madison came on board in 2023 when we both applied to a new writing scratch night with missing team members. The organisers matched us up as a director and writer/performer, and it went from there – a creative’s Tinder! These ten-minute scratch showings were the foundation for the show’s structure, themes and voice. The night in the bar at Theatre Royal Stratford East stands out back in November 2023, as it was the first time we thought “we might actually have a show here!”

Fast forward a year, and we were performing our WIP run. Six months on from there, we are now full steam ahead for the Fringe. After that – who knows? We’d love to tour or perform a run in a London venue. We want to get football fans into the theatre – wherever they are!

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

My fabulous friend Alexis is performing their solo show A Stan Is Born at Gilded Balloon. It’s a queer musical with original songs inspired by the iconic divas – Mariah, Whitney, Beyonce and so many more. I’ve seen it a couple of times in previous runs and cackled every night! Another solo show I’m excited to see is Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates x). Jasmine Fisher-Ryner makes tackling the myth of meritocracy while executing the perfect bouncy blow-dry look easy – and she rocks a football shirt! There are so many brilliant female-led plays at the fringe this year, especially at Greenside. Hedge Maze Theatre’s Disco 2000 explores how a childhood friendship evolves in a sparky two-hander – and it’s at Riddles Court in the slot before Lioness, so perfect timing!

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EdFringe Talk: Spy Movie: The Play!

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“Against all odds, people came, laughed, and told their friends to do the same. This time around, the show’s bigger, slicker, and just as joyfully daft—with extra confetti and a bar even closer to the venue. Win-win”

WHO: Jack Michael Stacey & Matthew Howell

WHAT: “Agent Blonde has 24 hours to save the world. The only things standing in her way are dastardly villains, an outrageous plot, and… a lack of funding. When Hollywood rejects her script, a frustrated screenwriter invites you, an audience of producers, to a one-night-only presentation of The Greatest Spy Movie (N)Ever Made! From two of the minds behind The New Musketeers (Trinity Theatre) and stars of The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong, Spy Movie: The Play! is a new hilarious homage to Bond movies and Fringe theatre suitable for the whole family.”

WHERE: Above at Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 12:55 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Jack: It’s our second year at the Fringe with SPY MOVIE: The Play! under our A. Cabbage Productions banner (named, naturally, in tribute to the Broccoli family). Last year we debuted in the very cosy Pleasance Beneath. This year, we’ve somehow blagged our way into the 150-seat Above, which is the perfect venue for our show and was always our number one choice!

Matt: Nothing prepares you for the chaos and magic of the Fringe. Last year we brought 50 props, an RC helicopter, and an unfinished script with the tagline “SEX SEX SEX” (suitable for ages 12+). Against all odds, people came, laughed, and told their friends to do the same. This time around, the show’s bigger, slicker, and just as joyfully daft—with extra confetti and a bar even closer to the venue. Win-win.

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

Jack: We’ve learned that performing at the Fringe is not a sprint or a marathon but a marathon where you sprint the entire time whilst also trying to make people laugh and buy things from you. Last year taught us a lot, mainly the importance of risk assessments. Also, never forget the backup USB. Never.

Matt: Writing a show with chase scenes, fights, and a hundred characters played by four actors is easy. Lugging all of it, and yourself, up the stairs every day? That’s the real work. Did we learn? Technically yes. Did we double the prop count and make it even more ambitious this year? Obviously. It’s Fringe.

Tell us about your show.

Jack: Matt Howell and I wrote SPY MOVIE: The Play! while on tour with Peter Pan Goes Wrong, after years of watching Bond films and dreaming of explosions we could afford. The concept? A screenwriter’s epic spy film gets rejected by Hollywood, so she stages it live on a shoestring. Think gadgets, chases, stunts and plot holes—recreated with cardboard, wigs, conviction and sheer imagination.

Matt: It’s a play-within-a-play. The audience are part of it—cast as Hollywood producers watching a one-night-only “film” come to life onstage. The cast? Entirely ill-equipped but completely committed. Think Mission: Improbable. After a sell-out run in 2024, 5-star reviews, and off the back of our debut UK tour, we’re back with a bigger, wilder version for 2025.

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

Jack: Definitely check out …Earnest? – it’s Oscar Wilde meets Fringe anarchy and it’s brilliant. TAROT: Cautionary Tales always manage to be strange, funny and kind of profound. Paul Merton and Suki Websters improv is a fantastic night of comedy with special guests and, finally, Shoot From The Hip – they are an improv troupe on the top of their game and only on for a limited run so catch them while you can!

Matt: We’re huge fans of Gary Starr. If you like your shows unhinged, heartwarming and a bit filthy (in a good way), you’re in for a treat.

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EdFringe Talk: Ben Pope: The Cut

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“The rest of the year, as a stand-up particularly, is very atomised. You spend a lot of time in Travelodges and staring out the windows of Great Western Railway services at midnight. It can be lonely. So the Fringe, at its best, feels like a community.”

WHO: Ben Pope

WHAT: “Ben Pope – ‘a total delight’ (Fest) – brings a brand new stand-up hour to the Fringe. And this time, it’s surgical. Last year, Ben got circumcised. On purpose, and as recommended by medical professionals. This show is a 55min inventory of his ensuing masculine panic. Expect jokes and stories on: the male ego, pillow talk, charity shops, the sublime mystery of having a father, and also exactly one pig. See you there. Chop chop. ‘Consistently funny’ (Scotsman). ‘Always spot-on’ (Skinny). ‘Excellent’ (Joe Lycett).”

WHERE: The Box at Assembly George Square (Venue 8) 

WHEN: 17:05 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No! I haven’t been to the Fringe in 6 years but before the pandemic I did 7 Edinburgh Fringes in a row! In various different guises – in plays, sketch groups and as a stand-up. I kept coming back because it really has an exciting gravity about it – there are times in the month when it feels like we’re all on a big clown campus. The rest of the year, as a stand-up particularly, is very atomised. You spend a lot of time in Travelodges and staring out the windows of Great Western Railway services at midnight. It can be lonely. So the Fringe, at its best, feels like a community.

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

Try to rest more! Everything will be better if you sleep! Stop looking at your phone! Sleep! Stop drinking 3-5 pints! Sleep! Don’t say yes to that job you have absolutely no interest in, out of a Protestant sense of work ethic pride! Sleep!

No, I have not absorbed that lesson yet. He said, yawning.

Tell us about your show.

The Cut is my newest (fifth? I think) hour of stand-up – a narrative hour of jokes and stories about the last year of my life in which a lot of bizarre stuff happened to me: first and foremost, I got circumcised. It’s a show about bodies, and taboos, and masculinity, and relationships, and also it’s jam-packed with gags.

I’ve been working on it for a year in clubs and pubs around the country – the Fringe will be it’s official ‘premier’ before I take it on tour around the UK in the autumn. To, in this order: Brighton, Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow, Oxford, Bath, Bristol, Edinburgh (again), Cambridge. There will also be some dates in London and Cardiff – I’m working on that!

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

For pure whirlwhind storytelling and hysteria you’ve got to see John Tothill who I try to see any chance I can. If you want more medical comedy, I’m desperate to see Rachel Kaly’s show Hospital Hour – which I missed last year. And if Katie Norris’ new show is anything like her last one, it’ll be an absolute blast.

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EdFringe Talk: By a Thread

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“We are fully prepared to be dwarfed by the sheer scale of Ed Fringe.”

WHO: Latonya Wigginton

WHAT: “Seven acrobats and thirty metres of rope… Long spools of white rope run through pulley sheaves and wrap around bodies, connecting the artists’ movements above and off the ground. By a Thread weaves virtuosic acrobatics and intricate choreography through moments of confusion, hilarity, romance, playfulness, fear and friendship, uncovering the threads of connection present in all relationships. Australian circus at its best, By a Thread is an exploration of tensions physical, emotional and relational. ‘An exquisitely choreographed human poem’ (InDaily.com.au). ‘An intricate and mesmerising piece of art’ (ArtsHub.com.au). ‘Intoxicating to witness’ (StageWhispers.com.au).”

WHERE: Central at Assembly Roxy (Venue 139) 

WHEN: 15:50 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our first time performing at Edinburgh Fringe and our first time in Scotland full stop.

As an Australian company our stomping grounds have been the Adelaide Fringe Festival and Perth Fringe world, but of course as artists we are always aware that Adelaide is only the second biggest Fringe Festival in the world – and we are fully prepared to be dwarfed by the sheer scale of Ed Fringe.

As performers and producers the highlight of a fringe festival is always being able to connect with friends old and new – a time when us and our peers are all in the same place at the same time – like a Christmas family reunion but for carnies.

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

In 2024 By a Thread undertook its first major international tour in Canada. Mostly we learnt that Air Canada has pretty uncomfortable economy seats, though there’s probably not much we can do about that with another long-haul flight on our horizon to get from Australia to the UK.

Pithy comments aside, mostly what was reinforced for us was the impact we could have building relationships with local artists and circus schools and those connections are something we are hoping to build this year in Edinburgh.

Tell us about your show.

By a Thread is directed and produced by Charice Rust and Jonathan Morgan, they also do a lot of the costuming, rigging and perform in the show too – so understandably they don’t always get the optimal amount of sleep during a fringe season.

The show was created by these two and a group of fellow students while studying at the National Institute of Circus Arts in Melbourne all the way back in 2016. The show was inspired by what could be achieved acrobatically with a 30 metre long white cotton rope, 2 industrial pulleys and a lot of imagination.

Since then there have been quite a few cast changes, I joined the group in 2018 and am the longest running performer in the show (excluding Charice and Jon who are valiantly leading us still). It’s a show about trust, connection and teamwork and those are the values the company works by, on and off stage.

After EdFringe you can catch us in New Zealand – just a short 20 hr flight away!

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

The shows that we are excited to see this year are, A Teen Odyssey by La Mecànica, Bolero by Kinetic Orchestra, In the Fields Project and Inspired by Eastern Wind by Flow Dance Crew. None of them are works we’ve seen before but they are all shows that approach circus/physical theatre with the same attitudes of innovation and creativity that By a Thread was built on. We couldn’t find twitter handles for any of these shows but you can find some of them on Instagram!

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EdFringe Talk: Samia Rida: Kidnap

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“I have always wanted to experience Edinburgh Festival but due to caring duties I’ve not felt able to come until now and to come with my show and with Gilded Balloon is a dream come true.”

WHO: Samia Rida

WHAT: “Samia Rida’s one-woman show is a comedy/drama based on the true story of her kidnap to Saudi as a child. It explores multiculturalism, disability, Saudi, mental health and how kidnap can involve a swimming pool. Supported by the charity Sibs. Supported by the BBC Comedy Collective and Funny Women. It’s been on at Riverside Studios, The Tabard, The Museum of Comedy and the White Bear. Optioned for TV adaptation by Fulwell 73. Directed by Gareth Edwards – BBC producer (That Mitchell and Webb Look, Upstart Crow and Spaced). Producer Gina Lyons – A BAFTA Elevate producer.”

WHERE: Dram at Gilded Balloon Patter House (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 19:15 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It is my first time. I lived in Glasgow for a time when I was in River City and I loved it there. Ever since being there I have had a real love for Scotland generally. I have always wanted to experience Edinburgh Festival but due to caring duties I’ve not felt able to come until now and to come with my show and with Gilded Balloon is a dream come true. I can’t wait to enjoy the city, the shows and performing.

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

2024 has been a real ride. I’ve been performing my shows at various venues in London and to do a one-woman show is very exposing – there’s nowhere to hide and it’s a lesson in resilience. I also feel it is very much about my relationship with the audience and theirs with me and that changes with every audience so I’m exploring how to be open and flexible and not resist different energies on different nights. It’s also been a tough year. I’ve had a big loss in my life and that has turned my life upside down. I’m still learning what there is to take from that but so far it is to be here now, don’t compare, let go of how you thought things would be and don’t take your value from external things. I know those are appalling cliches but when you really feel them and feel able to live them to some extent it’s different. I’ve also learnt that the best way to bond with my daughter is to watch Love Island together and debrief after. It’s a joy!

Tell us about your show.

My show is called Kidnap. It is based on the true story of my kidnap to Saudi as a child. It’s a comedy.

Don’t worry it was my dad who kidnapped me and he is from there, he didn’t just throw a dart at a globe when deciding where to kidnap me to.

It is a dark, challenging and funny exploration of multiculturalism, domestic abuse, having a disabled sibling, Saudi and how kidnap can involve a swimming pool.

It’s directed by Gareth Edwards (Spaced, That Mitchell & Webb Look) – I’ve known Gareth for a long time. I made a pilot on 2K which I feel was Fleabag before it’s time and I took it to Gareth who was at the BBC then and he put it forward to be commissioned. Spoiler – it wasn’t. But he continued to develop ideas with me and support me, he also got me doing stand up, so I asked him if he’d direct my show and was thrilled when he said he would.

It’s produced by Gina Lyons (In My Skin, Dreaming Whilst Black) who is doing so much to support women in comedy and make it a space where opportunities are available to everyone. I met her as the script for my show got down to the 21 interviewed of 1,300 applications to the BBC Comedy Collective Bursary and they continued to support me and introduced me to Gina.

Before Edinburgh it was on in various theatres around London such as The Tabard and The Museum of Comedy.

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

I don’t know anyone going to Edinburgh, but I would recommend seeing Alison Spittle, 1-MAN NO- SHOW, 100% Funny Feckers Comedy, Alice Tovey: Glass Houses, Drunk Women Solving Crime. I think you should see Alison Spittle because I heard Julie Jay say she’d heard fab things about her show. I’m also going to see it in London before I come to Edinburgh. I used to open mic somewhere where Funny Feckers Wes Dalton was MC and always found him warm and good fun. Alice Tovey’s show Glass Houses I think will be interesting as about a loved one going to prison and I’ve had some exposure to that experience through some people I know. I really enjoy stand up which tackles more complex themes and this show sounds like it does this. 1-MAN NO-SHOW just sounded very out of the box to me and I think that is what Edinburgh is about so that’s why I think it’s good to see it.. Seeing things you wouldn’t perhaps normally and also going into a room and not knowing what is going to happen is so exciting. I often think the bit before the show starts is a real sweet spot. You’re full of anticipation and excitement and curiosity and that’s a great feeling. You’re also not allowed to look at your phone which is a real bonus! Lastly, I think you should see Drunk Women Solving Crime because the podcast is great and it’s a great concept so I’m sure will translate well to stage.

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EdFringe Talk: Baxter vs The Bookies by Andy Linden

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“As a punter, Edinburgh festival is an embarrassment of riches, as a performer it’s a joy, a slog and an unforgettable month.”

WHO: Andy Linden

WHAT: “The bets are laid. We’re off! Actor Andy Linden (Harry Potter, Count Arthur Strong, The Business, Not Going Out) in a one-man play recounting the fluctuating fortunes of an ageing horse-racing tipster adrift in the modern world of technology. Baxter dreams of one day having a great win and bashing the bookies. But let’s face it, no one ever beats The Bookies. Do they? ‘A masterclass of thoroughbred character acting’ ***** (GetYourCoatsOn.com). ‘Mesmeric, the hour passed in an instant, but stays in the memory much longer’ **** (NorthWestEnd.com).”

WHERE: Snug at Gilded Balloon Patter House (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 13:00 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

So not my first Edinburgh! The first time was in 1985 with a show called ‘The Malvinas Cabaret’ at The Pleasance with my then-comedy-partner, actor Cliff Parisi (Fred in ‘Call the Midwife’). Since then, I’ve done loads of theatre and comedy, including: ‘Columbian Cousin’ at the Gilded Balloon in 1987 with Cliff, Arthur Smith and Caroline Quentin; my hugely successful award-nominated one-man-show ‘Barry Sorts it Out’ at the Gilded Balloon in 1997; and loads of stand up at The Gilded Balloon and The Pleasance.

The Edinburgh Festival is a special experience because you’re involved in the largest arts festival on the planet and doing it alongside so many of your mates from theatre and comedy. As a punter, Edinburgh festival is an embarrassment of riches, as a performer it’s a joy, a slog and an unforgettable month.

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

Since I last did Edinburgh in 2022, the world seems to have gone mad and I realise that I shouldn’t take any of my little performing worries too seriously. And added to this, in 2022, I had a heart problem half way through the festival and was on my hands and knees waiting for the cavalry to arrive in an ambulance. The Edinburgh Royal Infirmary is a marvel and it put me back together again and I’m hugely grateful. The wonderful Karen Koren who runs The Gilded Balloon eased any admin problems with cancelled shows and I’m so glad to be back at The Gilded Balloon again this year. I’m now fighting fit, but that whole experience taught me to enjoy every moment of the Fringe this time round.

Tell us about your show.

‘What’s the difference between saying your prayers at church and saying them at the racecourse. At the racecourse, you mean it.’ I’m an actor (Harry Potter, Not Going Out, Count Arthur Strong) but in my downtime I love horse racing and have developed a show about the ups and downs of a down at heel horse racing tipster pitting himself against the might of the bookies.

Baxter vs The Bookies is inspired by a book of the same name by Roy Granville. I have developed and added to this inspiration in making my own one man show. It’s a theatre show, with poignant moments, but with a light touch and lots of humour.

I premiered this show with a short run in Edinburgh 2022. This is the first full run. I’m doing a couple of nights at Barnstaple Theatre Fest in June, a preview at The Hen & Chickens in London and hope to tour it next year.

Like horse racing? It’s the show for you.

Like a story about an aging, outmoded underdog, struggling in the modern dizzying world of technology? It’s the show for you.

Like good story telling and passion. It’s the show for you.

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

Alan Davies: Think Ahead
Alan hardly needs my trumpeting, but I saw a work in progress performance recently for this show and was blown away by his comedic brilliance. Hugely funny, manic and oh so human!

The Improv All Stars
Side-splittingly hilarious seat-of-your-pants-impro from Ian Coppinger, Stuart Murphy, Stephen Frost, Richard Vranch and comedy star guests. I’ll definitely see this one.

Gavin Webster – The Gathering of the Gav
I never miss seeing brilliant comic Gavin Webster in Edinburgh with his always enthralling stories of his Geordie upbringing, his adoration of Newcastle football team and of being an all round top-notch northern lad.

Ben Moor: A Three Thing Day
Ben is always genuinely surprising and quirky. He is a consummate performer and thoughtful writer. I’m sure this show will be another winner.

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EdFringe Talk: Ah-Ma

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“True inclusivity isn’t about ticking boxes; it’s about creating a culture where everyone belongs, and where all stories are given equal value.”

WHO: Cathy Lam

WHAT: “Ah-Ma – Fujianese for grandmother. Ten years ago, Ah-ma was diagnosed with dementia, struggling each day to remember the names of her loved ones. ‘Ah-ma, if one day you forget everything, please try not to forget love’. Fringe First award (2023) and Hong Kong Young Artist award (2024) winner returns with a hauntingly beautiful new play, weaving together natural and social disasters, bodily deterioration and family sorrow. A lyrical, poignant tale of resilience, faith and humanity. A story of memories slipping away – only to be gently reclaimed.”

WHERE: Studio at theSpace @ Niddry St (Venue 9) 

WHEN: 11:00 (40 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is not my first time in Edinburgh. What keeps drawing me back to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the unique sense of possibility it offers—both as an artist and as a producer. The diversity of shows, the openness of the city, and the people it gathers make August in Edinburgh unlike anywhere else. It’s a place where connections are sparked across borders and disciplines. Some of my most meaningful artistic collaborations and lifelong friendships began here. Each visit sends me home with fresh inspiration and a renewed vision for my own work, including the development of festivals in Asia that bridge East and West.

To me, a great festival is defined by its openness—a space that embraces difference not just in programming, but in people. It should be a place where artists from all backgrounds feel seen and heard, and where audiences are invited to engage with a rich range of perspectives. True inclusivity isn’t about ticking boxes; it’s about creating a culture where everyone belongs, and where all stories are given equal value.

EdFringe has consistently offered that space for me. That’s why I continue to return—not only to present work, but to keep learning, connecting, and contributing to a global creative conversation.

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

I made many new friends during EdFringe 2023, and it was also the year I received the Fringe First Award. It was a huge encouragement—but I’ve never seen the award as something for me alone. To me, it simply means more people came, sat down, and listened to our story. That’s a gift, but also a responsibility. It makes me ask: What story will I tell next? Why does it matter? And why should anyone listen?

Since then, I’ve been thinking a lot about chaos—how fragile things are in the world. In early 2025, I experienced the Eaton fire. Our home was spared, but the destruction, the displacement—it shook something in me. The world often feels like it’s burning, whether through disaster, war, or deep division. And yet, I still believe in the power of story—not to fix the world, but to help us see it. To remember. To feel. To imagine something different.

I keep reminding myself to stay humble in the work. Not to chase success, but to keep asking: What do I truly care about? What is my personal reflection? And how can art carry that reflection—not just for myself, but for others who might see themselves in it?

Tell us about your show.

The show is called Ah-Ma. I wrote, directed, and produced it myself, drawing deeply from my personal story and family history. Although the core creative team is spread across Hong Kong the US, many of us have worked together for years, united by a shared commitment to creating work that is tender, urgent, and honest.

At the end of last year, I felt compelled to write a story about my grandma. After witnessing the devastation caused by the Los Angeles wildfires, I spent a long time reflecting on what remains when we face disasters beyond our control. That question became the heart of this play — a response to my grandma’s life, told through my own experience of grief, love, and memory.

My grandma was diagnosed with dementia over a decade ago. I was her favourite — everyone said so. My uncles used to joke, “If she ever forgets Cathy, it’s serious.” Before and during my recent trip home to Hong Kong, I asked my dad and grandpa to share stories about her. I wove their memories together with my own to create Ah-Ma.

Through this process, I came to understand something I hadn’t fully grasped before: the older generation endured hardship not because they were stronger than us, but because they had no choice. Survival was a quiet resilience — like a sprout pushing through burnt earth. That resilience shaped the structure of the play. It’s about remembering, yes, but also about how we carry on — how we rebuild, both after fire and through the slow forgetting of someone we love.

Ah-Ma has not yet premiered. Edinburgh will be its first major presentation, marking a new beginning for this work. After Fringe, I plan to tour the show across Asia and North America. But beyond touring, this work is about creating space — for conversation, healing, and remembrance.

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

After seeing AH-MA, I hope audiences continue to seek out stories that speak to resilience, memory, and renewal — because this play is really about how, even after loss or devastation, life begins again. It’s about the quiet strength we carry through grief, and how storytelling helps us remember, rebuild, and keep going.

There are so many shows this year that echo those themes in beautiful and powerful ways. DOTS is a stunning solo show about what it means to function while quietly falling apart — it’s gentle, raw, and deeply human. Dance Dance Involution brings sharp energy and wit to the conversation around burnout, hustle culture, and collective exhaustion — it’s playful but hits hard in all the right places.

Almost Famous is a poetic and gutsy piece about girlhood, identity, and rage — full of questions many of us are still learning how to ask. And Dazed and Confused (from Taiwan Season) is a dreamlike exploration of memory, disorientation, and what it means to grow up between worlds.

These shows, in their own ways, reflect what I believe AH-MA holds at its core — the ache and the beauty of carrying on. So please keep watching, keep feeling, and keep showing up for the stories that help us make sense of who we are. That’s where life begins again.

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EdFringe Talk: Climate Change Theatre Action 2025

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“I actually thought I might be moving on from the festival after last year or at least just coming for a short bit…”

WHO: Ian Garrett

WHAT: “At the foot of the Royal Mile, Venue 13 has been bringing the best of emerging talent to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for decades. Now in it’s fourth decade, ‘this serene little venue’ (Scotsman) is focused on unique performances that don’t fit in other venues from the immersive to the ecological to the interactive in collaboration between Scottish and Canadian artists.”

WHERE: Main Space at Venue 13 (Venue 13) 

WHEN: 16:00 (120 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my… counting… 14th Fringe. I started coming in 2008, took what I thought was going to be a one year break in 2019, and then returned in 2023. I can’t seem to quit the festival, and I’ve tried my hand at many many roles. This year is my first time as a venue manager, to add to the list. I can’t say it’s made me any more confident about what makes a show successful or not, or if I”m going to get an audience in for something I’m going to work on. I’ve not been to the festival as just a Punter, though I’ve crammed in plenty of shows while here, in some ways it allows me to make up for not getting to the theatre as much at home.

My range of experiences has mostly been shaped by how busy I am as a producer, and the years I’ve come with my family. I’ve had years where I’ve been involved with a lot of shows (2012 was 8 I think) and it made it so I was always at the venue around the shows, and didn’t get away much. I actually find you get less time to see stuff when a show is successful because you end up adding things to your schedule and when your show isn’t doing well people leave you alone a lot. And I’ve brought my kids a few times at various ages and though they’ve become more interested in shows as they’ve grown up, the content has swung to their tastes, and I’m out less in the evening.

I actually thought I might be moving on from the festival after last year or at least just coming for a short bit to help get some things rolling for projects. But the opportunity to take on a venue, in particular Venue 13, which is also where I spend a lot of time, and found a keen partner on that, so now I think I might be in it for the foreseeable future.

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

2023 was my first year back at it, and it was interesting to see things change. It can be hard to notice change at the festival. I mean, so much changes each year with a huge number of new people, but longer periods, especially given changes to Edinburgh overall since 2018, the last time I had been at the festival, were much more pronounced. So I feel I’ve learned more about the city itself.

I’ve also learned the value of alternative spaces. In both 2023 and 2024 I felt a bit of an absence from pre-2020 of some of the spaces or pieces in the festival that were pushing at the edges of the use of space and playing with things outside of the regular theatre set-up. Though I saw the numbers of performances coming back, it all felt somewhat contained within established spaces. Maybe it’s because of rising costs, maybe it’s playing it safe for both artists and venues. I think I learned I miss that and I want to see it. I was part of the Counting Sheep team in 2016 which took over King’s Hall for an immersive show with food, and I feel I haven’t seen as much that is trying things like that. My reinvigorated interest is in part about how to find ways to support that sort of thing.

Tell us about your show.

The Climate Change Theatre Action is a global, distributed festival of new short plays on the topic of climate change (loosely sometimes, but still). I co-direct the program with playwright Chantal Bilodeau as a partnership between organizations we each lead. I’m director of the Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts, she’s the director of the Arts Climate Initiative. It started in 2015, and it has commissioned 50 short plays, typically 5-10 minutes long, every other year to be made available for free for anyone in the world to produce. We have a website where people can register their events and we promote it as a festival in the Autumn. It was always something I wanted to do in Edinburgh, so with the Venue work, it’s a good anchor to bring things in. So this year, we’re organizing 20 events, 6 days a week, through the festival to get all 50 plays read this year. We’ve invited people to partner with us, sort of like the comedy showcases, but to make it so that each event is kinda unique and connected to our partners.

We’re changing up the commissioning model this year, since it’s our 10th. So instead of 50 new plays, we commissioned 10 new plays, and are bringing in 40 of the “greatest hits” from the last decade. We’re going to pause commissioning (there are 260 plays, so we’re feeling good about it). After Edinburgh, we’ll begin to promote the events folks are organizing around the world, usually a little over 300 through the end of the year.

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

AI: The Waiting Room – An Audiovisual Journey at studio at C ARTS
I’ve been following this project, including seeing a previous interaction at the Fringe last year. It’s a really interesting generative AI experience, which is probably more along the lines of the other show in our venue, but I actually love seeing things come back and evolve. It’s something which I think is getting harder and hard to do. So the connection with the CCTA is more about looking at how artists engage with the festival combined with my personal interest in these topics about AI.

Alone – Alchemy Theatre and Luke Thornborough
The artists involved with this are going to be co-hosting one of our events at the CCTA, so we’ve been talking about their piece for a bit. I love some really scientifically accurate Sci-Fi, which this promises to be, and it’s on a couple of my favourite topics… Space and Climate.

Matt Winning: Solastalgia
More climate oriented work, which shouldn’t come as a surprise I suppose. I don’t know too much about this one, except I’ve been drawn to anything that refers to Solastalgia since learning about the term in 2009 and getting to know Glenn Albrecht, the Australian philosopher and social scientific who coined it and a bunch of other “pscyhoterric” words

Last Rites – Here & Now Showcase – Ad Infinitum
I’ve been a big Ad Infinitum fan for years. I think their one man physical version of the Odyssey was probably my first. And it was good, but it was Ballad of the Burning Star that lives rent free in my head. There is a literally heart stopping moment in there related to the firing of a gun… not actually, but through their physicality, that kind of haunts me. I think a lot of people go to Translunar Paradise first, and I also liked both Light and Beautiful Evil Things (which was sort of a return to the Odyssey type work). They may be somewhat of a Fringe darling, but I think it’s very much earned.

Whisky and Witches
There are a handful of whisky tastings throughout the festival program… we’re hosting some at Venue 13 even… and I love a good tasting, but the ticket for this is worth it for just the storytelling and music even without the whisky. Christine and Jane really elevate the event beyond what I expected last year, and I’m super excited to return. They’re extremely knowledgeable about spirits, history, and music. While any whisky tasting will probably introduce you to enough facts about the process of making whisky, this will offer a lot more history and background on the spirit that made me see it differently.

Rise of the Solar Punks – Future Artists
I’m really interested in this one for a few reasons. Future Artists have brought some really interesting work to the Fringe in the past, first and foremost. I also love solar punk as an idea… It was the foundation for the 2023 Climate Change Theatre Action, and a lot of other projects I’m involved with. Also “What can we learn from ancient cultures regarding climate adaptation, and how can we fuse this with technology and AI?” is one of the central questions of our other show A.I. Campfire, and it’s an area where, in my academic work, I research. So I’m hoping to not only see this, but make the Future Artists my best friends, at least for August. Also the only on my list that’s on X/Twitter anymore.

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EdFringe Talk: The Spy Who Went to Rehab

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“What began as a spoof became an exploration of Toxic Masculinity and how it can change.”

WHO: Gregg Ostrin

WHAT: “The UK debut of Gregg Ostrin’s critically acclaimed play. Quintessential British super spy, Simon Cross, wakes to find himself in rehab for drinking, gambling, womanising and anger management issues. As the embodiment of obsolescent toxic masculinity can he possibly navigate his way through the sessions with his fellow, extremely self-aware, recovering addicts to find enlightenment? Could this be his toughest mission yet? And what happens if arch nemesis Lazarus Rex finds out? ‘Deliciously clever, fiendishly funny’ (StageSceneLA.com). ‘Mesmerising’ (Glamgical.com). ‘A darned good farcical and absurdist comedy’ (StageandCinema.com). ‘A cheeky, high-spirited, brilliant new premiere’ (BroadwayWorld.com).”

WHERE: Ace Dome at Pleasance Dome (Venue 23) 

WHEN: 12:10 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time to Edinburgh, both the city and the Fringe Festival. What is special about it to me is that I can recall being in college in Los Angeles (yes, the place where movies, TV and dreams are made), when my school drama group took shows to the Fringe. Having never gone, I can only judge by the amazing projects that have come out of it, especially Baby Reindeer, Fleabag and The Shark is Broken, which I would give my left arm to see (As I am right handed, this would not be a great sacrifice). I remember swatching video of Eddie Izzard doing street comedy and thinking, “We have nothing like this in the States and Where did he get those pumps?” From what I can already tell, every performer/writer needs to be a combination producer/marketing team, something I really enjoy, mainly because I think this show should be seen and enjoyed by all.

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

That evidently America can be a monarchy under the right (or wrong) circumstances. As far as lessons pertinent to THE SPY WHO WENT INTO REHAB, I’ve had the chance to take a look at how men relate to women and the numerous mistakes we’ve made over the years (and by “we” of course I mean all of you out there, not myself! But because of the #metoo movement, among other social events, I have come to a new awareness of what it means to be more sensitive to others and it’s that awareness that inspired THE SPY WHO WENT INTO REHAB (If you noticed, i cleverly brought the subject back to the play.) I’ve also learned that it’s important to continue to bring humor and comedy into the culture, to keep us hopeful and laughing.

Tell us about your show.

Coincidentally, I wrote the play. The idea came to me as a comedy sketch idea: imagining James Bond being interviewed for rehab. It hit me that this icon that I grew up with, whose movie posters I had on my walls, whose catch phrases I memorized and whose movies I eventually owned on DVD, was in actuality an alcoholic, sex addict, gambling addict with rage issues (after all, he kills people for a living) and so I decided to write it as a play. What began as a spoof became an exploration of Toxic Masculinity and how it can change. I took the play to my friend Cindy Fujikawa, who is a member of Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice CA, where they were able to produce it. What began as a three week workshop became a five month successful run. Based on the subject matter (the British spy stuff), I realized it would be a perfect fit for The Fringe, because of the UK audience and the comedy, which brings my love of Monty Python, Peter Cooke & Dudley Moore, Ben Elton, Rowan Atkinson, Fry & Laurie and of course, everyone’s favorite funny Brits, The Crays, together in one mad mix.

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

The audience should only see our show, over and over and over, until, Rocky Horror Picture Show-Like, they are repeating back the lines, firing cap guns, karate chopping one another and tossing martinis at one another. Chief among the other shows at The Pleasance (not to be confused with the more niche Donald Pleasance), they should see Spy Movie: The Musical, which looks like a scream, The Fit Prince, Hold Onto Your Butts, Smile, among so many others. I know will be trawling the streets like one of Charlie Dickens’ urchins, finding all the different spoofs of pop culture, as well as one person masterpieces. Of course, I will also be flyering my arse off at every one of these venues!!!

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