Author Archives: Dan Lentell

EdFringe Talk: F**king Legend

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“A stage fight went wrong, and I ended up with a knife embedded 8 cm into my spine. My leg went numb. Later, doctors told me the knife missed my aorta by millimetres, and it was written about in a medical journal (article title: A hit! A palpable hit!).”

WHO: Olly HAWES

WHAT: “A show about socks and sex and loving someone even though they’re quite annoying, and buying tat on holiday, and fear of death, and cognitive dissonance, and whether or not it’s an issue that you’re watching the world burn and all you can do is try to find meaning in the dancing of the flames, and also is it even possible to be a good man? Olly returns to the Fringe with a one-man, rollercoaster show that cuts to the core of modern masculinity. ‘A performer sure to find greatness’ (AYoungerTheatre.com).”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Bunker Two (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 12:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No! The Fringe has been the site of some of the most happy, traumatic and farcical moments of my life.

I used to come every year as a teenager – I couldn’t get enough. It felt like my yearly top up of happiness. I learned about the diversity and brilliance and power of the arts. I also fell in love there for the first time. Under the rain and drizzle, in the middle of the Royal Mile, I put my arms around a girl and felt absurdly light and happy.

Then I went to Edinburgh in a play with my uni. It was a play that had lots of knives. A stage fight went wrong, and I ended up with a knife embedded 8 cm into my spine. My leg went numb. Later, doctors told me the knife missed my aorta by millimetres, and it was written about in a medical journal (article title: A hit! A palpable hit!). When I go past the venue where it happened, I still shudder. Somewhat hilariously, when it happened, the police showed up way before the ambulance.

The next time I took a show, it was a solo show – my first – and it was in a portacabin that only fit 10 people – so I did two shows a day. The thing is, the show featured me giving myself a coffee enema (it was during a more experimental stage of my life), so twice a day, every day, for 25 days, I gave myself a coffee enema, in front of a handful of people. I stank of coffee until the end of September. The Fest review opened with ‘Two enemas a day, every day, for 25 days, Olly Hawes might not have thought this through’. And yet, it was a kind of brilliant show about love and the universe – people still talk to me about it.

Now I’m back, and there are no enemas or knives in this show, promise.

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

HAHAHAHHAHHAAAHA. What have I learned in the last year!? Um, nothing? I think my psychological metaworld is essentially an ongoing seesaw of working out what not to give a fuck about and what to care deeply about, and how not to go insane in the process. I guess I’ve learned to do that a bit better in the last year. Or maybe I’ve got worse at it. I DON’T KNOW OKAY JUST LEAVE ME ALONE.

Tell us about your show.

RIGHT. It’s made by ME and ME alone! But obviously no man is an island (John Donne, pg46), so there have been lots of people in my life who have supported me along the way, but, in an act of life possibly imitating art, I’m not going to mention them here.

Instead I’ll tell you about show’s journey so far:

I don’t know about you, but increasingly I look at the world and I have no idea whether to laugh until my sides split or cry until I’m dead, or just quietly try to make the things that I actually have influence over better. And I particularly don’t know how to do that given that I am a part of the probably most privileged demographic on the planet. Hooray, hooray for me. So the show is about someone trying to make a change, trying to make a change and trying to work out how to make the world a better place. And it does this by drawing a parallel between the state of modern man and the state of the world: everyone, the party is over and we have to make a change. Seriously, loads of bad stuff will happen if we don’t make a lot of big changes, really soon. We can all agree on that, right?

Something happened to me literally two days ago that I think says something about the spirit of the show: a friend of mine was sitting in my kitchen on a stool, looking into the mid-distance, just sort of shaking his head. He was kind of grey in the face. He’d just come back from a stag do, and he was just saying, ‘I just can’t, I just can’t do it anymore. I can’t do it anymore’ and I was like, ‘yeah man, you can’t do it anymore’. I kind of feel like we’re in that place with the state of the world: The party is over. We’ve got to make a change and if we don’t things are going to get really, really bad.

So the show’s about a man trying to change, and finding that hard. For the fans of cultural materialism, it’s a critique of late capitalism or post-capitalism or whatever you want to call it. For the fans of dystopian stories it’s an enquiry into the climate crisis and into the refugee crises. But it’s also about the little things in life. It’s about how we agonise over what socks we should wear in the morning or how acceptable it is to flirt with someone who’s not your partner.

So I suppose in a way I feel like it’s almost like a quintessential Fringe show: it’s massively ambitious, it’s about everything, but it’s just one man on stage, pretending he knows what the fuck he’s doing.

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

Theatre: After The Levoyah
Okay, I’m biassed – Nick, the writer of this show, and I run a storytelling company together, and have done so for 10 years. But the thing is, Nick is barely tolerable most of the time, he’s insanely grumpy, refuses to back down in arguments, and I think he might be trying to slowly poison me… and yet I’ve stuck with him for ten years. Why? Because he is the most brilliant writer, maker, storyteller, whatever. He is the most brilliantly silly and serious artist. The concept of After The Levoyah alone is so outrageous you should go, I’ve seen early versions, it’s going to be wild.

Comedy: Simple Town
You know when you first watched Stewart Lee and you were like ‘what the fuck is this guy going on about – is it innovation or a mistake?’ Well, whilst Simple Town are nothing like Stewart Lee, I think their brand of comedy is just as innovative. On instagram they’re amazing – they’re from New York, and I’ve never seen them live, so they might be shit on stage, but there’s no way I’m not going to see them.

Poetry: John Hegley – Do Horses Have Teeth, Sir
The author of my favourite quick poem that’s about potatoes (The spud sped.), John Hegley was a part of my childhood, teenage years and adulthood. He must be older than Moses now, so help the aged by going to see his show. He writes about love and life in a way that makes me cackle and cry.

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EdFringe Talk: We Forgive You, Patina Pataznik

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“This is my third time at Edinburgh, because I have some kind of undiagnosed clinical obsession with the atmosphere.”

WHO: Olivia McLeod

WHAT: “Jake and Liv deserve the world. But Jake and Liv have nothing. And it’s all Patina Pataznik’s fault. Patina was the It Girl™ of Homebush High. And she’s definitely, totally, 100% the reason Jake and Liv’s lives suck. So when they time travel back to Year 8, it’s obvious what they have to do. Patina Pataznik must die. A camp horror revenge tale for anyone who’s ever wished their high school bully would disappear… forever. ‘Glanc and McLeod are a winning combination’ (MyMelbourneArts.com).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – The Penny (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 18:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my third time at Edinburgh, because I have some kind of undiagnosed clinical obsession with the atmosphere. It’s so hard, but also deeply fun, you can make a whole lot of new friends in ten seconds flat, and see types of work you’ve never seen before but will remember forever.

It is my comedy partner Jake’s first festival though, and I am determined that he will have the best festival experience ever and not make any of the mistakes I have.

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

Stress-induced insomnia is one of the worst things you could come up against during the Fringe, and there’s not much you can do about it, except control how you respond emotionally to it. On a grander scale, everything will feel a lot worse when you’re eating badly and drinking 100 beers a day. Put the show first, and hedonism a close second.

… This is something I hope to absorb by 2028.

Tell us about your show.

We Forgive You, Patina Pataznik was co-created by Jake and I. It’s a high-octane camp horror narrative sketch, or a queer revenge tale for people who wished their high school bully would disappear… forever. It’s absurd, straddles character comedy and clown, and is unlike anything I’ve ever done before.

We had an initial season at Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2023, and we’re currently giving it a massive glow-up in everything from costumes to jokes. We were friends that came together to make a show we would find really funny, and we’re crossing our fingers that Edinburgh will like our weirdo niche-y brand of comedy.

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

Serious Theatre From Serious People (Charlotte Anne-Tilley and Mabel Thomas)
This is their debut collaboration, and both of these creatives made some of my favourite ever funny, topical, memorable solo shows. So it follows that whatever they make as a duo is going to be insane, funny, and probably touching as well.

The Bisexual’s Lament (Lou Wall)
I always say that no one does it like Lou. They meld stand-up, music, and insane video editing in this unique thousand-miles-per-second style. This show is their best, and will make you cry and laugh and fall in love with comedy.

Legacy (Michelle Brasier)
Michelle’s so rooted in storytelling, which is my crack when it comes to stand-up and musical comedy. If you love fast-paced shows that explore a central theme while making you die laughing, this show is for you.

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EdFringe Talk: BANNED the Musical

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“I enjoy creating theatre for small stages with minimal sets, it allows the audience to use their imagination too.”

WHO: April Alsup

WHAT: “BANNED is a modern-day musical that follows a group of gender misfits through the events leading up to their debut at a local performing arts festival. The polarising discourse around gender today goes beyond opinions and has real consequences in society. The characters in BANNED go online to live out their dreams and escape the harsh realities of the world. We witness the juxtaposition of their psyche online and offline, we experience their inner struggles with intimacy, authenticity and acceptance. If the root cause of inequality is marginalisation, the remedy is inclusion.”

WHERE: Greenside @ Riddles Court – Willow Studio (Venue 16) 

WHEN: 18:35 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, my first time was in 2019, it was right before the pandemic and I decided to spend a few nights in Edinburgh before heading out to the small Isle of Eigg in Scotland’s inner Hebrides. I was writing a show about the community buyout of the Island and wanted to speak directly with the islanders and get a better sense for the events leading up to the buyout. Beforehand, I visited with some friendly folks at the festival fringe store and I connected with them in early 2023 and let them know I had finished our Eigg show. They were super helpful and afterwards I connected with Greenside Venues. It was a perfect match. We received several 5 star reviews for the show and everyone seemed to embrace the performance.

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

Developing a 60 minute show from a full-length musical can be challenging, but I’ve found the exercise to be helpful in the development process. You really have to be concise with your performance’s delivery. I typically mount my productions in the basement of an old (1864) church in Denver, we tape off the small theater size and tailor our blocking and choreography for the Edinburgh space. I enjoy creating theatre for small stages with minimal sets, it allows the audience to use their imagination too. The blackbox setup at many theaters at Fringe is immersive and becomes a real conduit between the actors and the venue’s patrons. It’s wonderful!

Tell us about your show.

I’ve been writing and living the songs in the show BANNED my entire life. At a high level the show follows a group of gender misfits through the events leading up to their debut at a local performing arts festival. The characters all go online to live out their dreams and escape the harsh realities of the world. We witness the juxtaposition of their psyche online and offline, we experience their inner struggles with intimacy, authenticity and acceptance. The theatre community has always had its share of gender benders (myself included) and as I was standing up the piece I decided to select actors from a wide spectrum within the category including; straight, gay, transgender, non-conforming & gender queer. In our lifetimes we’ve witnessed a lot of changes around gender and our show tries to make sense of it all.

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

Here are some of the shows that caught my eye at this year’s fringe festival; first, “Shitty Mozart” I’ve been playing Mozart my whole life and it feels like this show will be a personification of my ability to play his music, next up “Skank Sinatra” I always enjoyed playing from the American songbook at local piano bars, but could never sing them very well; on the other hand, Sinatra sang the songs like a songbird, I think this show could make me feel better about my performances. Finally, I really want to see “Potty the Plant” Music theatre is rarely presented as a dark comedy and my sense is the songs will be annoying, catchy and twisted, but all in fun. Besides that, I’m sure I’ll be seeing lots of shows at Greenside Venues, there such a great organization. Thanks Darren and Tara!

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EdFringe Talk: The Jive Aces

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“There is no festival like it on the planet, and believe me we have played at a lot of different festivals all over the world!”

WHO: Ian Clarkson (no relation to Jeremy..)

WHAT: “Together for over 25 years, The Jive Aces have been keeping the show on the road and are renowned worldwide for their high-energy live show in over 40 countries. The band spread smiles and cheer with their swingin’ music and classic vintage style, from crooning smooth swinging ballads to blasting the roots of rock’n’roll. Having played for Her Majesty the Queen, selling out the Royal Albert Hall and becoming the first band to reach the finals of Britain’s Got Talent, they continuously showcase why they are the UK’s No 1 jive and swing band!”

WHERE: Pleasance at EICC – Lomond (Venue 150) 

WHEN: 20:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, we have been coming to the Ed Fringe for countless years! Who would miss the Fringe?!

From our first experiences when we drove up overnight and slept on the hills and used to just play a few dates in a club nearby and we gradually sleazed our way into the festival to becoming part the official Fringe and onwards.. We have played many different venues over the years, always with great creative teams, and we love it! There is no festival like it on the planet, and believe me we have played at a lot of different festivals all over the world!

The streets are paved with clowns and Shakespearian characters and the air is rife with tourists of all nationalities – an equalizer where the a novice juggler rubs shoulders with international celebs and all to entertain! This is what we it is all about!

We also promote the Fringe in any country/city we go – it is a unique experience! We also encourage other fellow artist to bring their show to the Fringe and experience it for themselves. And we are talking about Edinburgh, what a fascinating and beautiful town!

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

Wow! So much! I’ve learned that as life goes on there is nothing I enjoy more than entertaining a crowd of people, anywhere, and playing good upbeat music! It sounds so obvious but nothing replaces it.

I’ve learned that it is as a team that we really create a show and that the team chemistry and getting on together is one of the most important aspects.

I’ve learned not to take things too seriously and that love really does make the world go round.

I have learnt that it is also important to support fellow artists, going to see their shows, encourage them with their creativity, with their careers. The artist has a major role in society, as we bring art into people’s lives which would be very dull otherwise, so it is important to me to really make sure that art thrives.

Tell us about your show.

The show is called “Keeping the Show on the Road” and it comes from a song I wrote about getting back out on tour after the pando (during which we kept going with a daily live stream for 500 consecutive nights/shows) and this is also the title of our new album which we are releasing on July 19th which ties in with the show as this features all the tracks featured in the show.

This is the first we bring the show to the Fringe and the first time we have had an accompanying album for our show! So, a big celebration!

The show features a mixture of swing, boogie, jazz and Rock n Roll, yellow suits and cheeky grins plus our secret weapon from Italy, Grazia on the accordion!

After the Fringe, this show will also be hitting the road as we take it to local and regional theatres around the UK later in the year and hope to bring it to the Adlwych Theatre in the West End, so fingers crossed! (Send us your prayers!)

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

After seeing our show – of course! – we recommend people also go and see other shows that do music from the same era (from 1920’s to 1950’s) like and also a short comment on why we recommend them:

– Swingology (Venue 67) – because It Don’t Mean a Thing If You Ain’t Got That Swing!

– Sundown Swing (Venue 111) – because the title says it all

– Django at the Fringe (Venue 293) – love a good gypsy jazz!

– In the Mood (Venue 111) – because it is a tribute to Glenn Miller and the music of the 40s, who doesn’t like the big bands era?

– 1954: Ella, Etta, Eartha (Venue 152) – because those ladies knew how to make your heat sing.

– Mervyn Stutter’s Pick of the Finge (Venue 33) – because he really picks great shows of the Fringe and if you don’t know what to pick, his show will help you decide.

But do explore MORE! The more the merrier! Recharge your batteries for the rest of the year! These are only a fraction of what you could see at the Fringe. Splurge on it! Go and explore, there is something for everyone!

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EdFringe Talk: Tom Greaves: FUDGEY

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“I remember sleeping on the floor crammed into a room somewhere near the Meadows and feeling this magical Edinburgh Fringe feeling that I’ll never forget.”

WHO: Tom Greaves

WHAT: “A brutally funny dark comedy about boarding school. Through the character of Fudgey: your quintessential, tone-deaf man in a suit (you know, the “harmless” type… until you find them running the country), award-winning, Gaulier-trained Tom Greaves explores the complexities of his own privilege in this mind-bending, tour-de-force debut. As Fudgey’s reality hits breaking point, Greaves embodies a carousel of personalities and puppets in an anarchic and virtuosic performance, ultimately facing Fudgey’s past to find his own (Tom’s) future. Strap in for a thrilling ride of laughter, tears and transformation. ‘Funny, clever, and disturbing’ **** (TheatreAndArtReviews.com). **** (MervsPOTFringe.com).”

WHERE: Assembly Roxy – Downstairs (Venue 139) 

WHEN: 17:55 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, and my first Fringe experience goes way back to 2002 when I came to visit a young company doing a Greek tragedy made up of people from my school. I remember sleeping on the floor crammed into a room somewhere near the Meadows and feeling this magical Edinburgh Fringe feeling that I’ll never forget. I saw a surreal sketch comedy duo called ‘Nice Mum’ which was my first flavour of weird comedy. Now I’m making weird comedy myself. It took 20 years but I feel lucky to be doing it.

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

The amount of f%&ing admin you have to do to make work. F%&k me! I did not sign up for this, can’t I just perform?! Getting things done on time, like writing the answers to this interview, I find difficult though necessary and inevitably rewarding! It’s part of the job and it does get easier/you get better at it. The fact I can say that is nothing short of GROWTH!

Tell us about your show.

FUDGEY is about boarding school and how it messes you up because it’s traumatic and everyone tells you it isn’t, in fact, they tell you it’s the best! It’s a dark, silly satire of the world of privilege I’m from that flips it on its head and rubs its face in its own shit. I wrote it coming out of a therapy group for lost, institutionalised men like myself looking for answers. Having just graduated from Gaulier I’d learned all this life-changing, funky new stagecraft and FUDGEY naturally (and painfully) emerged. My beautiful, talented partner and director Lara Ciulli has directed/supported me through it all and I’ve also had amazing input from physical comedian Trygve Wakenshaw. Building on last year’s work in progress ‘Goodbye Uncle Fudgey’, which was a word of mouth success and won a Mervyn Stutter Spirit Of The Fringe Award, this year we’re hoping to transcend 🙂

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

If you like your comedy absurd and a little crude, go see THE SISTERS FIG. Lara Ciulli and Blaise Wopperer are two of the best individual performers I’ve ever seen on stage. They’ve come together and created pure character comedy magic. Just go, it’s unlike anything else you’ll see at the Fringe. Also, Trygve Wakenshaw’s back and I can’t wait to see his new show… He’s just exceptional.

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EdFringe Talk: Four More Short Plays Loosely Linked by the Theme of Crime

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“This year I’ve been trying to be more organised and structured in my approach (checklists, spreadsheets, to-do lists, etc), and to remember to take time off for myself in order to avoid burnout.”

WHO: Charles Edward Pipe

WHAT: “Charles Edward Pipe and Co return to the Fringe following last year’s five-star (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk) show – Five Short Plays Loosely Linked by the Theme of Crime – with Four More Short Plays Loosely Linked by the Theme of Crime! This show has something for everyone; expect cowboys, forgery, suburban Macbeth, and the return of beloved gangster duo Ronnie and Johnny. Charles is ‘a brilliantly funny comic writer and an astute director’ (TheBubble.org.uk) known for his comic style which ‘masterfully walks the tightrope between light and dark’ (TheatreWeekly.com).”

WHERE: theSpace on the Mile – Space 1 (Venue 39) 

WHEN: Varies (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our second time coming to Edinburgh Fringe as a company, and my second time bringing my own work to the Fringe (although I’ve been to the Fringe as a punter almost every year since 2013). Our show in 2023 – Five Short Plays Loosely Linked by the Theme of Crime – was so well received and so fun that I decided to make a follow-up, and I’m very happy that 4 out of 5 of the company members were able to return. I can’t wait to once again immerse myself in the amazing atmosphere of the festival, see some great shows, and meet some fabulous people.

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

Prior to 2023, I knew NOTHING, so 2023’s Edinburgh Fringe was full of countless lessons for me. This year I’ve been trying to be more organised and structured in my approach (checklists, spreadsheets, to-do lists, etc), and to remember to take time off for myself in order to avoid burnout. That’s been working out well so far; we’ll see if I feel the same when I arrive in Edinburgh.

This year I have also been fortunate enough to take part in Soho Theatre’s Edinburgh Lab, which has been extraordinarily helpful. The workshops have covered all sorts of topics in detail: poster design, marketing, insurance, risk assessment, tech rehearsals, and so on. I’ve learnt so much, which I’m excited to apply to this year’s show and other projects going forward.

Tell us about your show.

The show is – as the title suggests – an anthology of short plays about crime. Each of the short plays is comedic, with the style ranging from dry dark comedy to out-and-out ridiculous farce. During the writing process, I drew inspiration from many of my favourite crime movies, from the likes of the Coen Brothers, Quentin Tarantino, Guy Ritchie, Martin McDonagh, and Danny Boyle, while adding in elements of my own niche interests (for example, my OBSESSION with cowboys and Westerns).

The company consists of myself, three extremely talented actors, and a fab technician. All but one of us worked on our 2023 Edinburgh Fringe show together, and I’d worked with the fifth member of the company in 2022 and been dying to work with her again since, so invited her on board. The team are all so wonderful and talented, and working with them is such a joy. Our run in Edinburgh will be the show’s premiere, and I cannot wait to share our hard work with the public.

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

One member of our fabulous cast is performing in another show – Apricot – so of course everyone should go and see that.

Other shows I’d like to shout out include, ‘Karen’, ‘Fix Your Mind’, ‘Yes, We’re Related’, and ‘please DON’T see our show’ – I know some of the wonderful people involved in these shows and they definitely deserve your support.

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EdFringe Talk: Sisters Three

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“The famous trio – Olga, Masha, and Irina – are plucked from Chekhov’s play ‘Three Sisters’ and thrown into an existential odyssey spanning Greek mythology to the Sugababes to discover how, throughout history, men have shaped women into a trope that contains them.”

WHO: Emma Howlett

WHAT: “Inside Chekhov’s masterpiece, Olga, Masha, and Irina are trapped in a cycle of disappointed hopes, heartbreak, and inertia. But this time, it’s going to be different. Looking for answers, this trio investigate the trope they have been written into, from Greek mythology to the Sugarbabes. Harnessing the raucous energy of girlhood and the wildness of three women on the brink, Sisters Three sets ablaze a construction of femininity drawn by men, to find hope in its ashes. TheatreGoose return to Summerhall following their OFFIE-nominated and BBC Popcorn Award-longlisted debut Her Green Hell.”

WHERE: Summerhall – Anatomy Lecture Theatre (Venue 26) 

WHEN: 21:10 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

‘Sisters Three’ is TheatreGoose’s second time bringing a show to the Fringe, and in back-to-back years, following our debut show ‘Her Green Hell’ which transferred from VAULT Festival to Summerhall for a full month in 2023 — and we are so thrilled to be back!

A number of our company first came to the Fringe during our student days, as part of Gruffdog Theatre’s ‘Peer Gynt’ at ZOO venues in 2017, and we completely fell in love. The Fringe is, without competition, the most exciting place to see new work in the UK, and every year is alive with inspiration. The breadth of work, from the debut shows of emerging companies, to the most established international work, makes the Fringe such a dynamic place to visit as a punter, and as an artist. We had no doubt we wanted to bring our early work as a company to Fringe and it’s wonderful audiences, and we always feel very lucky to be part of the club.

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

One of the biggest challenges at Fringe is the daily get-in and get-out that every show sharing a venue must do in record time. Last year, we brought an enormous set and complex lighting design scheme which we had to painstakingly build and dismantle every day, but instead of learning to do less at Fringe this year, we have decided to take a different lesson: work smarter!

‘Sisters Three’ takes just as many creative risks as our debut Her Green Hell, but I wrote the show specifically with the Fringe context in mind – so I have worked in some time-saving hacks to the text itself. You’ll have to see the show to see what I mean!

The core lesson we took from Fringe last year, when we arrived with relatively little expertise, was that if you concentrate on making a great show, the rest should take care of itself, so that’s what we’re hoping to do again this year.

Tell us about your show.

‘Sisters Three’ is a brand new show from TheatreGoose, written and directed by Artistic Director Emma Howlett, premiering at Fringe 2024. It is about a trio of sisters (surprise) who are determined to escape the play they have been written into. The famous trio – Olga, Masha, and Irina – are plucked from Chekhov’s play ‘Three Sisters’ and thrown into an existential odyssey spanning Greek mythology to the Sugababes to discover how, throughout history, men have shaped women into a trope that contains them.

‘Sisters Three’ is TheatreGoose’s second show, following our debut Her Green Hell last year, also at Summerhall. TheatreGoose is creative collective, established by Howlett whilst at university in 2018, now producing ambitious new work with Associate Artists Ellie Wintour as Set Designer, Edward Saunders as Lighting Designer, Sarah Spencer as Composer and Sound Designer, and Sophie Kean as Dramaturg. ‘Sisters Three’ is performed by three rising stars, Sophie Kean as Irina, Abby McCann as Masha, and Angela Sant’Albano as Olga.

We hope that Sisters Three will have a long life after Fringe!

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

‘Sisters Three’ is on at 9:10pm from 1-26th (not 12th, 19th) but beforehand, audiences should take advantage of the most exciting new work the world has to offer — we are particularly excited to watch everything else on at our venue Summerhall, like Buzzcut’s ‘Bark Bark’ also in Anatomy Lecture Theatre, Darkfield’s new show ‘Arcade’, ‘Blubber’ by Katie Grenall, ‘Surrender’ by Sophie Swithinbank, Somebody Jones’ ‘How I Learned to Swim’, and ‘Instructions’ from SUBJECT OBJECT, amongst many many more.

We also always look out for international work across the Festival, and in the International Festival, such as Eline Arbo’s Penthesilea from the ITA.

The best advice when it comes to deciding what to see is always trust word of mouth above all else!

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EdFringe Talk: Ansa Edim

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“The first time I stepped off the tram in Edinurgh and looked up to see a castle, I was hooked.”

WHO: Ansa Edim

WHAT: “Join award-winning storyteller Ansa Edim in her hilarious and heartfelt one-woman show, Is This Normal?, as she takes you on a wild ride through dating at the intersections of race, body image and mental health. Growing up fat, Ansa faced relentless body shaming that deeply affected her self-esteem and mental health, leading to severe depression and anxiety. It didn’t help that she was constantly getting engaged and calling off weddings. From the awkward missteps of a naïve newbie to the empowering realizations of a confident woman, Ansa’s journey is a rollercoaster of laugh-out-loud moments and poignant insights.”

WHERE: theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall – Theatre 3 (Venue 53) 

WHEN: 22:15 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

The first time I stepped off the tram in Edinurgh and looked up to see a castle, I was hooked. Edinburgh quickly became one of my favorite cities and I returned monthly for some time. As a storyteller, I’d performed in Capital Fringe, the local fringe festival in my hometown of Washington, DC, and as my career expanded, so did my dreams. I planned to attend EdFringe for the first time in 2024 as a spectator. But after life shift that sent me reeling, I realized that my life is up to me. I wrote a one-woman show and to pitched it for EdFringe THIS YEAR.

EdFringe is special to me because of the global community that unites for a month of transformative experiences. I’m already prepping myself for the goodbye tears I’ll shed at the end of the month. It’s a playground and launching pad all in one. Contrary to other Fringe Festivals that I’ve performed in, EdFringe seems uncontainable in the best way. A bucket list item of mine for sure.

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

Since 2023, I’ve learned that life is all about rolling with the punches and finding humor in even the messiest situations. My journey has taught me that “normal” is just a setting on a washing machine. I’ve learned to embrace my quirks, laugh at my failures, and celebrate the moments that make me ask, “Is this normal?” Whether it’s navigating the wild world of European Tinder or surviving a panic attack on a hospital floor in Honolulu, I’ve learned to find the funny in the not-so-funny. Have I absorbed these lessons yet? I’d say only partially. My show is about the universe constantly sending me lessons to learn and me consistently (and conveniently) ignoring the call.

Tell us about your show.

“Is This Normal?” is my comedic baby, written and performed by yours truly. It’s produced by… well, me, myself, and I! This show is a rollercoaster of laughs, exploring everything from body image issues to dating disasters, all through the lens of my own wild experiences. The idea for this show came together after the end of my marriage. After marrying the first person who ever asked me out, I was suddenly thrown into the world of dating apps and hookups at the age of 28. The “WTF” moments continued to mount and after each one I would ask my friends “Is that normal?” Standing on bar tables in Iceland retelling the story of how an Irishman had wronged me and left me stranded alone in the country turned into an award-winning career in storytelling. All of this culminated into “Is This Normal” premiering at EdFringe this year! After the Fringe, I’m taking the show to Mexico City. After that? The sky’s the limit!

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

After figuring out whether you want to shake me by the shoulders or give me a hug at the end of “Is This Normal?”, I highly suggest some of the shows on my shortlist right now: Late Night Drunk Comedy Challenge at Hoots, The Bloody Ballad of Bette Davis at C Venues Aurora Studio, and Good Girl at Paradise in the Vault.

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EdFringe Talk: Andrew Pierce Vs Kevin Maguire

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“I’ve learnt writing a book is not just about delivering a script.”

WHO: Andrew Pierce

WHAT: “Andrew Pierce vs Kevin Maguire, now in a live show on stage. You know them both from ITV’s Good Morning Britain, now see them going head to head, pulling no punches. Play your part in what promises to be a fun and feisty debate on the big topics and put your questions to them about the burning issues of the day. Sixty minutes of exhilarating cut and thrust as these two frenemies battle it out. No holds barred in this very sparky combination of debating wit and wisdom!”

WHERE: Assembly Rooms – Ballroom (Venue 20) 

WHEN: 12:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’m a veteran of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. I used to come for a week when I was on The Times 20 years ago. It’s one of my favourite cities and I regularly brought friends over from the US who were enchanted. It’s where I first met J K Rowling and as a Harry Potter fan that was a big deal.

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

The biggest learning curve for me since 2023 is how I now look at authors in a new even more respectful light. I’ve written my first book which came out in May, Finding Margaret, about the emotional search for my birth mother which reads more like a thriller. I’ve learnt writing a book is not just about delivering a script.

There is so much more involved not least in the marketing and social media, but I must be doing something right as it’s my first book and it is already a Sunday Times top 10 bestseller. I’ve also learnt that there should be an automatic cognitive powers test for politicians running for high office if they are even close to 80.

Tell us about your show.

The Andrew Pierce versus Kevin Maguire show will be a political punch up between right and left. But unlike politicians we don’t have spin doctors telling us what to say or think. We tell it as it is. As we see it, warts and all. And you will get the unvarnished truth about what is going on behind the scenes at the Palace of Westminster and some interesting gossip from behind the gilded walls of Buckingham Palace. We did our first show at London’s Leicester Square theatre and it went down a storm, we also now have our own weekly podcast together…we really are the best of Frenemies!

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

You mut also go and see Alec Salmond, the one-time First minister of Scotland, doing battle with his Tory sparring partner David Davis. They are two of the biggest beasts in the political jungle and just watch them both roar. The other must-see show is Christopher Biggins on stage with Janet Street-Porter. He is a showbusiness legend and she is one of the greats of journalism in print and TV.

Don’t forget to also tune into the Andrew vs Kevin podcast. It’s our take on the news and views of the week. All the details can be found for our Edinburgh show and Podcast at www.andrewpierceofficial.com Kevin doesn’t have a website, he still uses a feather quill and ink pot!

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EdFringe Talk: Pernille Haaland: Not Related

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“Regardless if the fringe has gotten expensive over the last couple of years, everyone somehow makes it work, fuelled by their hopes and dreams, the energy in the city is amazing.”

WHO: Pernille Haaland

WHAT: “Comedian Pernille Haaland leaves no ball unkicked as she tackles the existential crisis of her post-35, single life, realizing her hot-girl summer days are over. In her new stand-up hour, she questions slut shaming, hookup culture and emotional instability in her pursuit of truth. Can freezing your eggs relieve the pressure of dating? Is the Kardashian-dominated Instagram era exposing our innate humanity? All while everyone assumes she is related to footballer Erling Braut Haaland. With credits on BBC One, BBC Three, Netflix, Warner Bros, Discovery, NRK and TV2, she offers hope through laughter.”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – Blether (Venue 117) 

WHEN: 17:40 (24 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

So, this is like my 8th year performing at the fringe. I feel kind of old now, but also each year is so different and you never know what to expect. Anything can happen and does happen, like last year a seagull managed to shit in my coffee as I was walking down the Royal Mile. I wasn’t angry, I just thought “wow, here is someone who hates tourists more than the people who live in Edinburgh, impressive”.

The fringe is full of surprises, that is the best thing, you know as a punter, when you take a chance on a show and you walk in not having a fucking clue what to expect. A couple of years ago I saw a show where a clown had a popcorn machine strapped to her head while her body was covered in butter.

She was eating the popcorn throughout her act, I remember thinking “this is the fringe, this is why it is a great festival. Crazy shit like this is why we all go to Edinburgh”. I mean, that lady eating popcorn is a sight that will stay with me until I die. Another show that blew me away, was the show titled “a gorilla sits in a rocking chair eating a banana for an hour” and that is basically the whole show, a guy dressed up as a gorilla, sitting in a chair and 300 people watching and wondering “will he eat that banana?”. I remember thinking “wow, this is art”. Like what is not to love? The whole fringe is an escape from normal life and the mundane. You can watch every genre of performance and people from all over the world. As a performer you can do anything you like and be anyone you like, and there will be an audience that will find you and appreciate your contribution.

I love it when I connect to people, and they come back to see my shows, i feel like we are a weird family of misfits who understand and connect with one another. Regardless if the fringe has gotten expensive over the last couple of years, everyone somehow makes it work, fuelled by their hopes and dreams, the energy in the city is amazing. Everyone is up for it. I think it is like the best place for the whole world to gather and just be inspired together.

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

My big takeaways from 2023 is setting some boundaries. Like saying “no”, and saying it is ok to miss out on stuff. I suffer really bad FOMO and I am a terrible people pleaser, so when I get asked to do stuff I find it hard to decline. Like I don´t want to miss out on anything, but actually setting some boundaries is useful. I was doing two full shows and 7 compilation shows and napping in between on benches wherever I could find them, and like that is not sustainable. So saying no and resting up is a big takeaway. Also sleep. I feel so boring for saying it, but it really helps with energy. it is a long month and you need to go to bed at a reasonable hour to make it through the month My friend suggested drinking lemon and vinegar or something weird like that every morning, but she is also a life coach, so I don´t know if I trust her. I am not saying every life coach is crazy, but most crazy people are life coaches. I mean she probably knows what she is talking about, but so far all I have just managed to do is go to bed earlier.

I have also learnt a lot about negativity and feedback from reviewers and audience members, like everyone has an opinion and it doesn’t mean they are right and you are wrong. Even if it is good press, it is really important not to let that affect you. I think the most important thing is to stand by your work and do the best you can. And everyone cries at the fringe, it is ok, as a performer it is a really intense month. I say let it out! Also have good people around you. And give hugs. We all need hugs.

Tell us about your show.

So, my show is a standup/storytelling show and I wrote it myself. I have been work and progressing it through Europe for the past year, getting it ready for the fringe. The people who are producing it are called ShowPeople, and they are a Norwegian production company who are really amazing. The show will premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe and after that I tour Norway and Sweden, trying to juggle touring and my day job as a writer for a TV sketch comedy show on NRK.

My show is about embarking on your 30´s and saying goodbye to your 20´s, as a single 35 year old woman. It is a standup show about what I have learnt so far about coping with life, accepting responsibility and dare I say becoming an adult. I joke a lot about womanhood, hookup culture, being a slut, dating and freezing my eggs as I reflect on my life choices so far. The good, the bad and the silly.

My show is titled “Pernille Haaland: Not Related”, because I am from Norway and I share my surname with a certain famous football player, so people always assume we are related. I just thought I would make it clear that this is not the case. But, since Erling Braut Haaland isn’t going away, I thought he might as well pay for my PR? Also since he appeared on the scene last year, it kind of gave me a new audience, like I have loads of Manchester City fans who come to my shows hoping I will talk about him, and so I had to start sprinkling some football jokes into my sets. Which is really hard because I don´t watch football. So my show is a feminist anthem, wrapped in a blanket of football references to keep the sluts and lads who come to see my shows happy.

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

So this year I have some amazing friends all doing incredible work. Like my good friend, the legend Elf Lyons is up at the fringe with her new show called “Horses”. I have no idea what it is about, but I saw a bit of it at the RVK Fringe in Iceland, and I all I can say is grab your tickets now! I know it will be amazing. She is so funny and talented, wise beyond her years and truly inspirational. She is on at 21:20 pm at Pleasance Courtyard.

Another friend of mine is Luke Rollason who is such a silly and talented clown. He has a hilarious show including loo rolls and fairytales, as he wears his lycra pink tights living his best life. I just love the imagination of his work and his playfulness. I never know what he will get up to. Go see him and his clever stupidity on stage. He is on at 19:10 pm at Pleasance Dome.

And Thor Stenhaug is a really funny and talented standup comedian. He is such a great storyteller and charismatic guy on stage. Everyone kind of just loves him and his self deprecating jokes. He is also a really clean comic, so you can bring your whole family without cringing. He is on 19:05 at Laughing Horse City Cafe, Free Fringe.

Freya Mallard, I mean she just had a baby and now she is debuting at the fringe!? This woman can truly do it all. I saw a work and progress of her show a year ago and she was so hilarious and sassy. She is such a funny comedian, and if you haven’t seen her on TikTok, go watch her sketches there as well. She is on 16:35 pm at Pleasance Courtyard.

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