Author Archives: Dan Lentell

EdFringe Talk: NoVa

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“Every year, we discover a bit more about all the ramifications of the festival.”

WHO: Remi Jacques

WHAT: “With gravity-defying acrobatics and dazzling juggling, this family show is full of warmth and side-splitting humour. Nova is proudly presented by Canadian ‘masters of slapstick’ (Scotsman) Les Foutoukours who previously brought you the five-star clown show Brotipo. Nova rediscovers the magic of circus, where dreams take flight and anything is possible. It marries clowning with a celebration of childhood creativity, set in an enchanting attic with towers of books and lit by flickering candles. The audience is left with a sense of wonder and reminded that even in dark times there is light to be found.”

WHERE: Assembly Roxy – Upstairs (Venue 139) 

WHEN: 15:45 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, this is our fourth time at the Fringe! Each time is an incredibly fantastic but demanding adventure for the entire team. Every year, we discover a bit more about all the ramifications of the festival. Each of our visits has brought us new knowledge but also friends and collaborators that we meet again all over the world. The festival is also one of the most interesting places in the world, I would say, because of its quantity but also because of its diversity in artistic offerings. There is no judgment here, there is something for everyone: dance, theater, puppetry, circus, burlesque, cabaret…

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Many discoveries have been made from years to yers. One of the great finds of 2023 is the Meet the Media event! Having the chance to take 5 minutes with different newspapers and critics is a highlight of the month. We also have discovered plenty of small hidden spaces that can accommodate different forms of art. We have learned that having a strong presence throughout the festival is more coherent than coming with a small team that takes turns. This year we will have 7 people working full time during our stay, compared to 4 last year. We have also set up systems for appointments with professionals for meetings and sessions following the presentations. We are now also part of the companies that participate in the Best of the Fest and also give pitches in different networking events. Handing out flyers is good, but creating a parading team that represents the show works better and is more interesting for everyone, both the audience and the artists.

Tell us about your show.

We are a non-profit organization celebrating its 27th year of existence. The show we are presenting this year was designed and conceptualized to make its debut here! We wanted to offer a signature Foutoukours show. It is a high-level acrobatic clown performance for the whole family, with poetry, performance, and also dramaturgy. Following its appearance at the Fringe, the show will hit the road again in October for tours in Canada, and presentations in Brazil, Chile, and Colombia are in discussion! Rémi Jacques, the founder of the company, has ensured the dramaturgical writing of the show, the clown research, as well as the costume, set, and makeup designs. Jean-Félix Bélanger worked in collaboration with Jasmin Boivin to create the magical universe of the music. He also worked for over a year on the magic of the candles!

This show is above all about gentleness, hope, and perseverance. A show that draws its origins and influences from various tales. The universe is magical but also sometimes harsh. We wanted to present a show that touches both through laughter and dram. A show where poetry, movement, clowns, and hope are intertwined!

Both young and old will find their place attending this show. The youngest will find pleasure and wonder for completely different reasons than the adults, who will experience the same emotions. At the end of the show, young and old will leave with a sense of gentleness and beauty, and especially with a spark of hope in their eyes for everyone.

In these darker times, this show speaks of the quest for light within us and around us.

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

Bill’s 44th Because it is an intelligent, disturbing work that is so representative of life today. A must-see for its puppeteering dexterity! It was in our top 3 shows of 2023.

OH OH by Baccalà Because clowns who do their job well are extraordinary to see, and there are so few of them! A simple and joyful show to savor!

Yuck Circus Feminist as desired, offbeat, funny, and technically strong, Yuck is a must-see.

N.Ormes by Agathe and Adrien A show of poetry in body and movement. An important message for our times is conveyed in this show without moralizing. Circus at its best, raw and true, without artifice.

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EdFringe Talk: The Weight of Shadow

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“Flabbergast Theatre have the perfect mix of serious meets funny, which magnifies both sides due to their contrast. This inspired me massively to bring in humour into my show, and not be so ‘constipatingly’ serious the entire time.”

WHO: Sasha Krohn

WHAT: “Symbolically based on true events, The Weight of Shadow depicts mental health deterioration. Inspired by Sasha’s partner, Ciana Fitzgerald, it blends dance, mime and aerial acrobatics, reflecting the enigmatic language of the psyche. The show immerses viewers in the 24-hour struggle of a psychiatric patient to grasp reality, echoing Sasha’s artistic vision. Fitzgerald’s influence infuses the performance with emotional depth, portraying the complexities of mental illness through Sasha’s lens. The production serves as a poignant exploration of the human mind’s resilience amidst turmoil, resonating with audiences through its portrayal of inner struggles and external manifestations.”

WHERE: Assembly Checkpoint – Assembly Checkpoint (Venue 322) 

WHEN: 12:15 (55 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is the first time showing my own work at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which is equally exciting and nerve-wrecking. The Edinburgh Fringe has a high quality performance program that’s incomparable to any other performance event that I have experienced so far. The variety of shows and genres, the networking possibilities, the atmosphere throughout the month, are all something very beautifully unique. The large variety of shows, also attracts a very versatile audience, which is brilliant for performers and audiences alike.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

(As I wasn’t part of the Fringe in 2023, I’ll answer more generally.)

2023 was a very inspiring year for me. Towards the end of 2023 I had the honour to work with Flabbergast Theatre. As my work is mainly of darker-aesthetics and rarely uses humour as a tool of expression, it was eye-opening working with them. Flabbergast Theatre have the perfect mix of serious meets funny, which magnifies both sides due to their contrast. This inspired me massively to bring in humour into my show, and not be so ‘constipatingly’ serious the entire time.

Tell us about your show.

‘The Weight of Shadow’ was written and directed by myself, and only possible through the help of my fiancée Cíana Fitzgerald . She is the subject , the inspiration behind this show, as she was the one experiencing what I depict. Cíana helped me find the right physical language by explaining exactly what situations or surroundings feel like to her whilst navigating mental health issues. The physical languages that I used to facilitate these emotions and explanations, are composed of aerial acrobatics, dance/movement with different influences (locking, krump, contemporary) , mime elements and somehow a lot of rolling, getting stuck and collapsing …somehow.

As an aerial acrobat it was a challenge to use previously ‘clean presentable tricks’ and make them useful, expressive, dirty, without losing myself in the ‘need to show off’ , but also equally fulfilling to allow myself to perform movements for the sake of expression and emotion, rather than for claps & craic.

Finally, using the same emotions and elements that Cíana described, I then started writing and recording the soundtrack for the show over the course of 2 months.

The show started as a smaller project of 30 minutes and played in Donegal, Ireland in 2023 and was only possible through the incredible help by FidgetFeet Aerial Dance Theatre & Irish Aerial Creation Center, in Ireland. They gave me the finances, space and time to be able to start researching and developing. But it hasn’t been staged in the current format of 55 mins yet. Edinburgh will be the first time I’m staging it in its now final format, and hopefully will be followed by plenty of opportunities across Europe and beyond.

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

‘Paperswans’ is a visually beautiful, absurd theatre piece that draws its inspiration directly from Vyte Garrigas experience as a woman from a post-soviet country and shows and explores themes of oppression, self-discovery, the price of freedom and more. Absolutely stunning and must-watch in my opinion

Another show to watch will be Skedaddle Theatres’ ‘ A Brief Case of Crazy’ . A hilarious, heartwarming and deeply moving story about one persons quest for romance encounters a boisterous boss, a rather troublesome briefcase. Brilliant physical comedy !

‘Rebels and Patriots’ is another must-watch. It is an Israeli-Palestinian co-creation about the consequences of conscription to the IDF and call to end the bloodshed in the region. Floating Shed talk about their experience as young people in Tel-Aviv and their mandatory conscription into the IDF and the connected toxic masculinity and trauma that came with it. It’s a very very poignant piece that couldn’t be more relevant and needs to be experienced.

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EdFringe Talk: The Gospel of Joan (Crawford)

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“I’ve never gotten the opportunity to attend theatre festivals or even arts festivals in a deep capacity so I’m extremely excited.”

WHO: Amanda Whyte

WHAT: “Five would-be somebodies find themselves united in Hell, part of a trial run to solve Hell’s oncoming population problem. Faced with a poker match with the devil’s right-turned dealer – the one and only Joan Crawford – these women must vie against each other for a spot in Heaven, all while contending sins, histories, sexual identity, and their own dispensability… because in this game, winning is more than eternity – it is fame.”

WHERE: theSpace @ Venue45 – theSpace @ Venue 45 (Venue 45) 

WHEN: 21:40 (75 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is indeed my first time at Edinburgh Fringe! In my lifetime, I’ve never gotten the opportunity to attend theatre festivals or even arts festivals in a deep capacity so I’m extremely excited because my team has been like “This is THE festival to be in and THE festival to experience.” Already, without even being in the country, I’ve received so much love from other shows as well as positive feedback from past performers and creatives.

I can’t even fathom there being so many creatives in one space all performing outside of a place like New York, so that’s what makes this special to me. I want to be able to walk down the street and run into as many creatives as possible. (Maybe I’ll even make a bingo card and knock certain titles off when I meet them!)

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

So much has happened since last year that I’m so grateful for! Off the top of my head, I got to lead in an action film, a psychological thriller, a drama, a horror film, and a period piece—some of which are in the festival circuit as we speak and some that are just wrapping up on post-production. I also very recently made my off-broadway debut at 59E59 with the show I get to perform in at Fringe! (We sold out for opening and closing which was crazy!) I was also trusted with some really amazing beauty campaigns that are actually coming out very soon…so stay tuned!

I’m so thankful that I’m busy in this industry but one thing that all of these projects continue to teach me is that kindness and professionalism go a long way. I was able to get many of my auditions solely through word of mouth and to those directors and CDs, I’m so honoured they thought of me for the role.

Tell us about your show.

Our show is a crazy, wacky, campy, queer show about these five women from different time periods (who, in my opinion, all have ego issues) who end up in hell after death. All is fine and dandy and HOT in hell until they realize hell is very much overpopulated. The solution? A game of poker of course. The winner gets to go back to earth and redo life. (You can imagine five women who all think they’re the poop all want that ticket back.)

But why is the show camp you ask? Oh, because the poker game is led by Joan Crawford. And who is Joan Crawford??? Some old washed-up Hollywood star that is somehow worse than the rest of them. (When you meet the five, you think, “There’s no way Joan is worse”…and then somehow…she is…TRUST ME.) There’s love, there’s laughs, there’s melodrama, there’s bad dancing and bad accents…what more could you want? After watching this show, you can then die happy.

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

After you see The Gospel of Joan (Crawford)—which you MUST see—you absolutely 100% have to, have to, have to, see Company Della Luna’s, Love’s Concordia Bar. It’s a pop musical/play style of theatre and I saw it in New York when it first opened under Eduardo’s direction (the director/playwright and fellow actor of the theatre company). I fell in love with it and I think everyone should see it. It’s so fantastical and they do a great job of building the world around the music. The costumes are great, Bridget, the choreographer is great (the numbers are fantastic), and Olivia, the composer and songwriter is amazing at what she does—expect to have these songs stuck in your head for the coming years. That whole company is so talented and I have so much love for them so please do find a seat in their theatre…and then blow them a kiss for me.

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EdFringe Talk: All These Pretty Things

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“Collaborating with another artist who truly understands the content and shares the same love, drive and enthusiasm for a project, can take it to new heights that would not be possible with a single vision.”

WHO: Tracey Yarad

WHAT: “An emotionally raw blend of memoir and song, Tracey Yarad’s All These Pretty Things is a phoenix rising from the ashes story, taking the audience from Australia and the fallout of a devastating divorce following her husband’s affair with their teenage goddaughter, to New York City and an inspiring new life. An evocative portrayal of one woman’s capacity to come back stronger than ever, it is an inspirational testament to the human spirit. ‘Beautiful alchemy: breathtakingly honest, gorgeously sung songs on the themes of loss and abandonment, and the restorative power of music and love’ (BroadwayWorld.com).”

WHERE: C ARTS | C venues | C aquila – studio (Venue 21) 

WHEN: 17:10 (65 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, this is my first time to the Edinburgh Fringe, and my first time to the city. Performing at the Fringe is a lofty goal, so to be invited to perform by C Arts Venues is terribly exciting. I have performed at various festivals in Australia, and the atmosphere created by a captive audience whose main goal is to discover new original music is utterly thrilling. Their curiosity and energy is inspiring, especially when they are lining up backstage to talk to you. Looking at the footage, I know that the Edinburgh Fringe Festival’s eclectic mix of creative performing arts bundled into a full month is going to be electrifying.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

2023 was a great year for my project, ‘All These Pretty Things.’ It was the year my book was finished and printed. I also previewed the show twice in New York City, and played to packed houses in Sydney and nearby Taree. I learned so much about my show through these performances, and developed it further through the critical feedback from those audiences on how the show worked and flowed. I then came back to NYC where I worked briefly with a Broadway coach, then a theatrical director, which ultimately led me back full circle to my editor and co-writer, acclaimed jazz vocalist and former international journalist Tessa Souter, who agreed to work closely with me in her debut as a director. I think we have both learned that collaborating with another artist who truly understands the content and shares the same love, drive and enthusiasm for a project, can take it to new heights that would not be possible with a single vision. We are really looking forward to bringing it to Edinburgh.

Tell us about your show.

The show is about my devastating midlife divorce, answering the question: “What do you do when your husband of 23 years runs off with your teenage goddaughter?” “Neck him!” a young woman said to me today, miming a slit throat. I should have thought of that before. Instead, I dyed my wedding dress black, wrote some songs and made a show. I also moved from a tiny mountain village in Australia to New York City, where I now live in Brooklyn with my border collie, Billie Rae and where I developed the show. I wrote the music, collaborating on some songs with Aussie and Nashville writers, and then wrote a book, collaborating and co-writing additions with the show’s director, Tessa Souter. This latest edition contains brand new songs and monologues and, aside from the three previews at 59E59th theatre in New York, will have its official premier in Edinburgh at the festival. The plan is to take this show to fringe festivals and theatres all over the world.

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

I am in awe at the number of incredible shows offered at the Fringe, I cannot wait to get around and see what other artists are presenting. Here’s who I have on my list already, if you want to join me after my show: Two Guys, Three Drams: The Ultimate Live Blues and Whisky Experience. Why see this after mine? Because you will need a good whiskey and this kind of raw energy. I’m definitely checking out the show After the Rainbow: A Mystical Music-full Midlife Journey Through Oz, for more inspiration on being here now and following the rainbow. Gorgeous songwriting. And I can’t wait for this one: One in a Chameleon. The Bloody Ballad of Bette Davis. I plan to see Pretty Delusional in New York before I get to Edinburgh. Something about ‘staying sexy in the face of rejection” grabs my attention.

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EdFringe Talk: DecaDance Silent Disco

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“Having run events in Edinburgh for a combined 20+ years, we decided it was time to embark on a concept within EdFringe.”

WHO: Laith Al-Khamis

WHAT: “Dance through the decades with Silent Discos! Live DJs playing non-stop classics through your headphones, with immersive live musicians and performers bringing the dance floor to life, creating the ultimate unique experience to sing and dance your heart out to! Couple this with surprises, from confetti to freebies, and you’ve got the perfect party!”

WHERE: Assembly @ Virgin Hotel – Eve (Venue 454) 

WHEN: VARIES (120 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes it is. Scott Linton and I (We) haves lived in Edinburgh all of our lives and love the vibrancy, diversity and energy the Fringe brings to the city every year. Having run events in Edinburgh for a combined 20+ years, we decided it was time to embark on a concept within EdFringe. We wanted to create something fun, interactive, immersive and centred around our love of music, so we came up with DecaDance Silent Disco’s, a place where people of all ages can sing & dance the night away to nostalgia tracks from across the decades, whilst introducing immersive and live elements to elevate the experience & atmosphere.

We have worked with the team at Virgin Hotels before and they embody everything we do in ethos and passion, so it made sense to work with them again and utilise the amazing space they have in Greyfriars Hall. It really is a unique and stunning venue that we can wait to showcase.

We’ve been loving every minute of our EdFringe journey so far.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Firstly; Customers are collaborators, not simply customers. We look at our “DecaDancers” as an extension of our team and want to involve them more throughout the organisational & marketing process and be as interactive as possible with them during our events. Their energy should be a reflection of ours if we’re doing things right.

Secondly; Be the change you want to see. We believe Edinburgh has so much to give and that the late night & events sectors are a little stagnant, and we lag behind the likes of Manchester or London. If we want to better those sectors, we need to take some level of action and try new things that customers/collaborators want.

Tell us about your show.

DecaDance Silent Discos was born out of our love of music and interactive entertainment. We wanted to create an event that embodied our love of music, but did so in a totally open and inclusive way, bringing together & uniting people in the city and beyond.

People have enjoyed music, dancing and connecting with one another as far back as history goes, and we see it being lost a little in the digital world, so our aim is to reconnect people, bring them together through our events and create memorable moments in their lives.

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

As mentioned we love music and we’re really excited to experience a range of shows at EdFringe this year.

We’d definitely recommend Silent Disco Tours by Silent Adventures! Sightseeing our amazing city while singing & dancing to great tunes, it’s an absolute winner!

The BeatBox Collective is definitely on our list. Mind-blowing that the music they create is all done from their voice boxes and the energy looks incredible!

ABBA ODYSSEY – Who doesn’t love ABBA… so it’s a no brainer from us!

And finally we are really excited for Dancefloor Conversion Therapy. Jonny’s story is unique and interesting, building up to the party as a finale!

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EdFringe Talk: Living. Dying. Dead.

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“Edinburgh Fringe audiences are unique in their breadth of culture, experience and engagement.”

WHO: Rhiannon Jenkins / Owen Scrivens

WHAT: “Living. Dying. Dead. is an exploration of death, dying and bereavement through the lens of improv. Taking real life experiences of bereavement, our actors weave stories that are both poignant and humorous. Playing Dead Theatre is a collective of artists and medical and death care professionals who are passionate about opening conversations around end of life. Our actors have over 80 years’ performance experience between them, and are all sensitive, compassionate people, with a vision to bring better understanding of death and dying to people all around the world.”

WHERE: Paradise in The Vault – The Annexe (Venue 29) 

WHEN: 13:05 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our first time at EdFringe with this show, but not our first time at Edinburgh altogether. We’ve both spent a lot of time at Edinburgh, both as performers and punters. We’ve mostly taken this show to smaller improv festivals, so we’re very excited to bring the show to a much larger festival setting. It’s quite daunting, being such a small fish in such a huge pond, but we’re really excited to get inspired by seeing lots of other shows, and get the experience of performing the show multiple times in front of a new audience.

The show has been created to help people talk about death and we feel the Edinburgh Fringe audiences are unique in their breadth of culture, experience and engagement. We feel this is a perfect opportunity to create an honest conversation between cast and audience.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

This last year has been a huge learning curve for us in terms of the production side of things. Until this summer, we’ve only taken the show to improv festivals, which are on a much smaller scale, with most of the marketing taken care of by the festivals themselves. Being part of EdFringe means we have to move things along much more of our own accord, and really work hard to get the word out to potential audience members.

Tell us about your show.

The show is very much a child of the lockdowns. We were both working in the end of life sphere; Rhiannon working for an end-of-life planning organisation working with Death Doulas, and Owen as an intensive care doctor. We had both been thinking about the possibility of an improvised show that examines death and grieving, and stumbled upon each other in an online improv forum. After lots of chatting during lockdowns, we had an idea of a show, but were waiting for the right time to be able to pull it all together. That time came in 2021 when Dublin Improv Festival reopened; they opened applications for brand new shows looking to premiere at the festival, and we thought that was the perfect opportunity to begin reaching out to actors and improvisers that we admired to bring the show to life. We had our first show there, and have since then brought that cast (and some new faces!) together for several more international improv festivals.

We hope long term to create a touring version of the show – we want to reach a larger audience to break down the taboo that comes with death, dying, and bereavement.

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

Owen would recommend Stuffed by Ugly Bucket theatre – They had great success at the fringe a few years back with Good Grief a clowning show about death and the new show uses their unique style to explore food banks and food poverty.

Rhiannon is also performing with Good Girl – a one-woman clown cabaret that delves into male fantasies and how women can take their agency back from the male gaze. If you like audience interaction, you’ll love Good Girl!

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EdFringe Talk: Pretty Good, Not Bad

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“I’ve learned I can trust my gut more without reason. Sometimes something just feels like you’re meant to do it without any real logic behind it.”

WHO: Ellen Toland

WHAT: “The long walk home. A treatise on the four Fs: no, not the dirty ones you know… The roles we assume when things get scary and the expectations held when we share. Who do you want me to be when I tell you what happened? Whose story is it anyway? New work by two tired Texans, Ellen Toland and Rachel McBath.”

WHERE: theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall – Stephenson Theatre (Venue 53) 

WHEN: 09:55 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time at Edinburgh and I cannot wait! I have absolutely no idea what to expect. I feel like I’m jumping off a cliff into the ocean and there’s a bunch of people dog paddling beneath me yelling “Come on in, the water feels great!” I think that’s what makes the festival already feel so special. It’s a gangs all here mentality. I’ve had a bunch of friends perform in the past and they’ve all been super supportive of us on this journey. It feels like a right of passage as a performer.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

This year I’ve learned I can trust my gut more without reason. Sometimes something just feels like you’re meant to do it without any real logic behind it. I’d never worked with my director Rachel McBath before this but just knew she was the right person for Pretty Good, Not Bad. My gut was right. She is the exact force of nature Pretty Good, Not Bad needed to get to Fringe. If you follow that intuition it works out 99% of the time. I’ve been trying to coin a way too long of an acronym DFWMI. Don’t F@#! with my Intuition. It’ll catch on someday.

Tell us about your show.

I’d always flirted with the idea of performing my own writing but I never had the balls to do it. Randomly, I decided to do a story teller series in NYC and realized after it was just the thing I’d been searching for as an actor. I needed some form of autonomy after feeling like a leaf blowing in the wind during covid and the strikes. I wrote Pretty Good, Not Bad based on an experience I had with the criminal justice system two years ago. When you are subject to violence your physical and spiritual makeup changes. I didn’t realize how different I’d become as an artist until writing this show.

My life felt super meta at the time. I was auditioning for procedurals based on the same kind of experience I was having in real life. I wanted to be living my pretend version with a beginning, middle and end. Pretty Good, Not Bad is my attempt at reconciling that.

Fast forward to asking my director Rachel McBath to work with me and here we are. We’re coming off a couple sold out previews at The TANK in NYC. We’re hoping to stage another longer run stateside and who knows maybe also stage it again in the UK! Wink wink, nudge nudge!

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

God I’m so excited to see ALL the shows. I want to stumble around and get inspired. Someone described Fringe as Theater Kid Coachella and that’s exactly how it feels (but somehow less cringey then Coachella).

Things I can’t wait to see!

Sarina Freda’s – no no no please no god no, nevermind I’m fine
I got to see a sneak preview in NYC and she blew my mind. Her physicality and comedic timing is a dream.

Katie Folger – Getting in Bed with the Pizza Man
Katie is a fellow Texan vixen. She commands the stage and makes her audience feel like they’re her best friend. You’ll laugh your ass off.

Kevin James Doyle – After Endgame
Chess but make it funny. Kevin’s show just came off a killer run in NYC and I cannot wait for it to get to a UK audience. He takes you on a journey and you have no idea what’s coming!

Olivia Levine – Unstuck
Unstuck will pull you in from the very beginning. Olivia is such a beautiful performer inside and out. You’ll walk away feeling lighter.

Sarah Alice Shull – Something to Believe in
Sas’s spirit is infectious. You’re immediately more joyful watching her perform. You feel taken care of and a little less alone.

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EdFringe Talk: Louise Leigh: Distracted

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“I did my first Edinburgh in 1994 in a student production, where I got to play a dead body. I lay in Greyfriars Kirkyard watching the tattoo fireworks go off over the moving denouement of the play.”

WHO: Louise Leigh

WHAT: “‘Hilarious’ **** (TheWeeReview.com). ‘Brilliant’ (Scotsman). ‘Go see this show’ **** (FunnyWomen.com). How do you want to be remembered when you die? Taxidermied in a gastropub, of course! Also covered: raising teenagers among llamas; which are the most boring nipples; why the menopause is a cross between the climate crisis and World War 1; and biscuits. There’s always biscuits. Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Finalist, Funny Women Semi-finalist, British Comedian of the Year Semi-finalist. ‘Great performance, great confidence, great jokes’ (Gary Delaney). Viewers may become fiercely aroused.”

WHERE: Just the Tonic at Cabaret Voltaire – Just the Common Room (Venue 338) 

WHEN: 15:30 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No! I came to the Fringe as an audience member with my Edinburgh grannies as a small girl. As a performer, I did my first Edinburgh in 1994 in a student production, where I got to play a dead body. I lay in Greyfriars Kirkyard watching the tattoo fireworks go off over the moving denouement of the play. I loved it, but it took me until 2016 to come back as a performer and I’ve been up for a short while every year that I can since. This is my second full run and I love it so much. Just really being able to sit in this creative place surrounded by all the varieties of performance art, the best in the world, the worst, the weirdest, all rubbing up against each other. The camaraderie alongside the rivalries and in a beautiful city that I’ve known and loved since I was tiny. Yum yum yum.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

About the Fringe or generally? If about the Fringe, I guess that it’s a Mardi Gras, it’s a marathon, it’s a cruel mistress, it’s a crapshoot, it’s a lady called Helen who, (even though you reckon she’d love your show) doesn’t want to come and has valid reasons for it so please stop trying to give her your flyer.

Actually, the thing I know is that you have to have a really clear idea about what your show *is* at some level. You have to have such a clear pitch, whether you’re selling to audience members, industry or press, because ultimately, much as we all hate the idea, you have to sell it fast and furiously several hundred times a day. Have I absorbed that lesson? Let’s see….

Tell us about your show.

Written, produced and performed by me. The company came together when a man and a lady loved each other very much in 1971, and then lay very close together… but then it took another 40 something years and all sorts of distractions to become a comedian. I’ve previewed the show at a bunch of festivals including Brighton Fringe, Exeter Comedy Festival and local to my gaff in Bristol. I think it’s the best thing I’ve made (which is entirely as it should be, frankly. Imagine if wasn’t! The horrors!)

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

You must see Pauline Eyre’s Body, in the same room as mine (Cabaret Voltaire, Just The Common Room) but a bit earlier. Also, I’m looking forward to seeing Amy Mason’s show, Free Mason, at the Pleasance. David Hoare’s doing his 1000% musical comedy. If you see one split bill of comedy this year make it Alasdair Wallace and Tom Hutchinson’s “Are We Not Men?” I’m excited to see New Zealander Alice Snedden is back at the Fringe, I’ll be trying to catch her show. The main thing is to take a punt on someone whose company you enjoy when you meet them flyering. Even if you sit through an hour of absolute bobbins you will (as my mother said while flyering for me in 2022) “get a wee sit down” and a story to take home to your friends. If you don’t do that at least once, you’re not really entering into the spirit of the thing.

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EdFringe Talk: Sour Candi

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“We’ve learnt to really embrace the good, the bad and the slightly inconvenient.”

WHO: Cerys Baker

WHAT: “In a South London police station, Candi relives her recent love affair. Tinder date anecdotes, a trip to Thailand, a dodgy threesome… Candi has much to share as she enters a new phase of her life. Catapulted into a whirlwind of lust and bad decisions, the sweetness of new love turns sour as Candi loses sight of herself. Written and performed by Danielle Scott, this intimate semi-autobiographical drama comedy is a hilarious, candid take on gaslighting, control and power in modern relationships. Sour Candi is a rollercoaster ride of red flags and a cautionary tale of blind love.”

WHERE: Just the Tonic at The Mash House – Just the Cask Room (Venue 288) 

WHEN: 13:05 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes! This will be both In a Pickle Production’s and the ‘Sour Candi’ team’s first Edinburgh Fringe. I worked as AD on ‘Olives and Blowjobs’ for its Fringe run back in 2022 at The Space, but wasn’t able to come with the show at the time, so as you can guess, I can’t wait to get stuck in and begin our run and Fringe journey. Like many theatremakers, taking a show to Edinburgh has been on my bucket list for some time and ‘Sour Candi’ is just the most wonderful, unique play (based on a true story, which makes it all the more heart-wrenching) that I really think audiences will connect with and hopefully find both engaging and educational. Edinburgh Fringe is a special, diverse festival that celebrates live performance in all forms and is a fantastic way to showcase your work to audiences from all over the world, alongside the fact that it looks like a total blast for both artists and punters.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Having not been to Fringe before, I do feel like I have been unknowingly prepping for this for a long time, especially after completing runs at previous Camden Fringe festivals. In the past year, we started development on ‘Sour Candi’ following Danielle’s self-directed run at Camden Fringe in 2023 (Hen and Chickens Theatre), which included a lot of script re-writes and workshopping. This was a really rewarding process, Danielle has been a dream writer/performer to work with and has always been incredibly open with allowing us to develop her work. In a Pickle Productions is now a fully formed company, which has allowed for us to produce the show independently. This alone has brought with it many opportunities for growth, as with producing and directing any show, there have been obstacles but we wouldn’t be where we are now without them. Keeping on theme with ‘Sour Candi’, life sometimes throws you curveballs and we may make the ‘wrong’ moves, but this in turn helps to further build resilience and understanding of how to tackle issues that come up. We’ve learnt to really embrace the good, the bad and the slightly inconvenient.

Tell us about your show.

‘Sour Candi’ is a new solo show, taking audiences on a rollercoaster ride of red flags, dating mishaps and lessons in love. Inspired by truth, it tells the story of one woman’s experience of before, during and after an emotionally abusive relationship, following Candi as she navigates her journey to acceptance, healing and freedom. It is candid, humorous and hard-hitting, blending comedy with drama to tell a complex, layered account of the erosion of trust in a relationship that is not quite what it seems. The show really delves into how easily someone can be swept up by love-bombing and coercive behavior, highlighting the manipulation tactics (of course, this can happen to anyone by anyone, but in this show we focus on a male-female relationship) used to ensnare women into toxic, un-balanced relationships. One of my aims for this show is to really connect with our Fringe audiences and get the message out there that this can happen to anyone, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you are not alone. This is a story of survival and self-discovery that I anticipate many people will relate to, sadly. Danielle Scott is both writer and performer of ‘Sour Candi’, she is an absolute powerhouse and incredibly brave for sharing her story. I am directing and producing, working alongside my brilliant AD, Soeren Wellens (a key member of In a Pickle Productions). I was connected with Danielle through a mutual friend. At the time, she was looking for a director to come onboard and help develop the show, with the intention to take it to Edinburgh. I was immediately captured by her story and wanted to help to elevate it to the highest level, I just saw so much potential in both Danielle and her work. Most importantly, we work incredibly well together so I am happy to say my instincts were correct. This has been nearly a year in the making! I really see a fruitful future for ‘Sour Candi’ and intend to keep going after Edinburgh in the hope of eventually touring and implementing outreach and participation opportunities that allow for us to work with our audiences directly. Hopefully, this is just the beginning.

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

I’ve tried to keep tabs on some of the awesome shows coming to Fringe, but also can’t wait to explore once we are there! Theatre-wise, I am excited to see ‘FREAK OUT!’ by Coin Toss Collective, ‘Is the Wifi Good in Hell?’ by Lyndon Chapman, ‘Identities’ by Close to Home Productions and ‘Yoga and Sex…for women over 40’ by Kathryn Haywood, to name a few. I’m just excited to see some amazing, vibrant, whacky shows and take in all of the talent that Fringe has to offer! I’m also going to try and catch Patti Harrison’s ‘My Huge Tits Huge Because They Are Infected NOT FAKE’ (like, what a name!!) because I missed out on her run at Soho Theatre recently.

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EdFringe Talk: Jason & Medea

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

“Right after this we are going to a 4 month Aerial/Acrobatics training in Glasgow at Aerial Edge, so we’re particularly excited to see more physical theatre and circus shows.”

WHO: Kirsten Peacock

WHAT: “The hero’s journey/star-crossed lovers/horror. A sizzling take on the Greek myths of The Argonautika and Medea. This rough and tumble duet is told through dextrous physicality, playful poetry and a live soundscape. An epic odyssey of love that explores the rewards and sacrifices of relationships and what happens when one person takes too much.”

WHERE: Uno Mas – Front Room (Venue 219) 

WHEN: On Demand (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, we have been visiting this city for years. Kirsten performed at the Fringe in 2012. Now her parent’s live here, which is wonderfully convenient! We are so excited to be here as performers this year, to lap up the atmosphere and to take inspiration from the variety of shows available. Right after this we are going to a 4 month Aerial/Acrobatics training in Glasgow at Aerial Edge, so we’re particularly excited to see more physical theatre and circus shows.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I think finding ease and delight in creation has been a big lesson from 2023. We find we create our best work when it comes from a place of play and curiosity. We have performed our show in proscenium theaters in the US so we’re excited to apply our flexibility and sense of fun as we transplant the show into a different type of performance venue and for a new audience demographic.

Tell us about your show.

Nick and I met 5 years ago doing a tour of The Taming of the Shrew with Shakespeare & Company (Lenox, MA). We fell in love and bonded over our dreams to create fun physical adaptations of ancient texts. We’ve been living, creating and performing together since then! We are fortunate enough to have had four of our works produced by different companies in Massachusetts. Jason & Medea is our most recent production. We pulled from translations of Apollonius of Rhodes’ Argonautika and Euripides’ Medea and created a new script. We build the whole show from the ground up. We have workshopped it at Cape Rep Theatre and are so excited to develop this iteration at the Fringe. Our hope after this is to tour the show internationally! We are incredibly passionate about carrying the torch of these ancient stories for a contemporary audience.

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

YUCK Circus was one of our favourite shows we saw last year! If you’re looking for comedy, Zoe Wohlfeld and Jack Grossman in A Night of Drama are a delight! Also check out 13th Morning written by our friend & past collaborator BT Hayes and Michael Kunze: Infinity Mirror!

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