Author Archives: Dan Lentell

EdFringe Talk: Olivia Levine: Unstuck

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“I have learned that life is much more interesting when you do the things you want to do rather than focusing on the things you should do.”

WHO: Olivia Levine

WHAT: “Did you masturbate in public as a child and then feel so guilty you stopped touching yourself for two years while your “sins” played on a loop in your head? Ever watch your dad sleep at night to make sure he was still breathing? Were you afraid to say ‘delectable’ because JonBenét Ramsey said it right before she was murdered in the JonBenét Ramsey Lifetime Original Movie? If so, it’s possible you were a horny little lesbian in the making with totally undiagnosed OCD! Like me! Come to Unstuck to see how I turned out ;)”

WHERE: Just the Tonic at The Mash House – Just the Bottle Room (Venue 228) 

WHEN: 19:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time at Fringe. I have many friends and peers that have gone to the festival and they came back saying it was the best experience of their lives. That said, I have seen Baby Reindeer, so I know to temper my expectations! No, but in all seriousness, I am really looking forward to August. I know that I can’t really have a sense of things until I arrive, and I am just trying to keep an open mind and heart.

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

I have learned that life is much more interesting when you do the things you want to do rather than focusing on the things you should do. I suppose there’s a balance involved, of course, but I really tend towards the “should” category, and I am trying now to lean into doing what makes me happy more often. I don’t always know how to access that space yet, but I think a key part of understanding what I want to be doing in a given moment or on a given day is slowing down my body and mind and just checking in with myself. My mind moves at a very fast pace, so sometimes it’s as simple as following the principle “first things first”, and then I can suss things out from there. I am not perfect at it, but doing what I WANT is much more of a priority now than ever before.

Tell us about your show.

My show is a comedic solo show entitled UNSTUCK, and it’s about the intersection of my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and my sexuality. The show is really about growing up, figuring out how to navigate mental health challenges while also navigating the development of my sexuality, figuring I was queer, and exploring relationships. The show is extremely honest, authentic, and pretty wild! I talk a lot about my sex related obsessions, my fear of harming other people, my fear of impregnating my own mother (!!!) and much more!

I wrote the show about four years ago now, and I have been performing it in NYC and the surrounding areas ever since. It has changed a lot since its inception, and I think I have a really polished, funny show on my hands. I am also producing the show, as I have for the past few years. Molly Rose Heller directed the show, and she will travel with me to Edinburgh for the first week of performances. We premiered off Broadway at The Tank NYC in 2019, and where it lands next is up to fate! I would love to perform this show anywhere and everywhere that will have me 🙂

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

I am a big fan of comedian and friend Catherine McCafferty, who is bringing her show (NOT) THAT BAD to the festival. The show is about grief and queerness — two things I love hearing about! — and Catherine is a great storyteller. I also always love Cat Cohen, who is bringing her new hour back to Fringe entitled COME FOR ME! Cat Cohen is a musical comedian and her songs are really funny, but also her off the cuff jokes (or at least they seem that way) are always just so clever. I think Cat Cohen has a unique voice that has already influenced many of her peers. Kelly Bachman is hilarious, and she has a solo show called PATRON SAINT that I am really looking forward to. The show explores the relationship between comedy and trauma. Kelly, who is a rape survivor, spotted Harvey Weinstein at a comedy show and called him out for it. She then went on to speak on CNN and other programs after the encounter went viral. VERY interesting stuff.

Anna Akana’s IT GETS DARKER is also on my list, she is a big favorite of my NYC friends — I even have a friend coming all the way from NYC to see her perform — but I’ve yet to see her live. I am psyched to finally see her in the flesh! Also, Rose Matafeo has a show called ON AND ON AND ON. I have adored her ever since STARSTRUCK premiered. That show is one of my favorites by far, so I am thrilled I get to see her perform on stage. I think she is wildly talented and I want everyone in the world to know how amazing she is!

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EdFringe Talk: no no no please no god no, nevermind i’m fine

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“Obviously the festival can be an incredible career maker, but the spirit of the festival is just full of people who really love performing and story-telling and nothing more.”

WHO: Sarina Freda

WHAT: “You don’t need to see a show about a life-changing hallucinogenic experience. You don’t need to hear about how it unlocked the meaning of love and the finite nature of time. You don’t need to know the secret key to existence. Sarina didn’t make that show. She faced her certain mortality and is here to share with you how she overcame it and now it’s all completely totally fine. And you will stand up and applaud her for doing so. And then we’ll all die someday! xox.”

WHERE: theSpaceTriplex – Studio (Venue 50) 

WHEN: 16:05 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my very first time performing at the Fringe!! I am so excited. I attended last year as an audience member and I was like “why did no one ever tell me it was like this?!?!?!?!?” It was a truly spiritual experience and I had to be a part of it. Especially because I don’t think anything could exist like this in The States. We’re obsessed with commercial success. Obviously the festival can be an incredible career maker, but the spirit of the festival is just full of people who really love performing and story-telling and nothing more. I cannot wait to participate amongst them. And these audiences are hungry for something challenging, risky, and absolutely nuts. I am coming to the Fringe to be surrounded by the best creators and the most generous audience members in the world.

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

The sheer scale of the festival is impossible to comprehend or communicate. It is just absolutely massive. What I really took away is that there are so many ways to ‘do’ the Fringe and there are very few rules. The way to find your own success is by creating meaningful connections with Fringe goers and performers and reminding yourself of the absolute privilege it is to be performing every single day for three weeks. There will be a lot of noise, good and bad, and it will be imperative to stay true to myself and what my team and I have built together.

Tell us about your show.

This show is about the most harrowing LSD trip in recorded human history. This show is about one woman’s revelation of the intricacies of space and time. This show is about her newfound, unparalleled, impenetrable control over the universe. Until it isn’t.

I brought the idea to my director Tom Costello in 2021. At our coffee, I told him the story of my LSD trip and he became very emotional and shared his own similar experience. He then was like, “if you want to make this, I will do it with you.” We spent the next two years having half conversions about the piece, but then after attending the Fringe in 2023 as an audience member I became so inspired by all the brilliant work I got to witness that there was no turning back. We have since been working on the play for countless hours. Sometimes I scream with elation and sometimes I want to run head first into the brick wall of the studio. Either way, we’ve gotten the job done.

In the winter we brought on composer and sound designer Nick Webster, who has been a massive part of the piece’s creation. We have no set and very few props so the sound design has allowed us to create a world we couldn’t capture with just text and movement. He has brought the play to a totally new level, his work is masterful.

We’ve done it five times in NYC and once in LA. All of these performances have been such a hit and so helpful in our revision process. We cannot wait to get this piece in front of the brilliant and crazy people of The Fringe.

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

Xhloe x Natasha, last (2!) year’s winners of Scotsman’s Fringe First award! We are all part of the What Co. Theater Collective in NYC and they have been incredible supporters of mine. I’m so excited to see their new piece at the Fringe this year. They are so uniquely creative and extremely kind souls. I am so inspired by them.

I can’t wait to see all the spectacular clowning shows I can cram into my time, especially TROLL which I missed last year and am so glad they are returning!!

Jamie Denbo: Beverly Live! I saw Jamie’s show in NYC and cried laughing. She is a genius and unmissable. Ruuuuunnnnn to see comedy excellence.

I’m also traveling to the Fringe with a spectacular collective of artists under The Brooklyn Bottling Company which includes seven shows. I’d recommend seeing everyone’s shows!

Pretty Delusional by my bestie Gianna is happening right after mine in the same space!! Stay for a gorgeous, brilliant, and hilarious performer.

Brett Epstein: Alone on Stage is so exceptionally written and performed, an absolute must see.

Something To Believe In, by Sarah Alice Shull is beautifully crafted and so generously performed and really triggers my Catholic girl roots!!

The Christening of Prince Imogene, sung by the bravest, most gentle Otis Wolodarsky is such a pleasure to take in.

Elle Barto: Itchy and Scratchy!!!!!!!!! I’m so excited for this reimagining of what drag performance can be.

Sent From My I-phone by Catrin Ody is incredible and full of my most favorite performers!!!

Ellen Tolland’s Pretty Good, Not Bad is a surprising and deeply moving piece excellently performed and written.

4 Girls with the Letter E from Missing Rib is a FEAT. I cannot wait for the world to see!!

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EdFringe Talk: Kyle Ayers presents: Hard to Say

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“It’s not easy living in pain, and it’s unfortunately a battle against contributing to the statistics that earned the disease the nickname “Suicide Disease,” but laughing at it helps.”

WHO: Kyle Ayers

WHAT: “US comedian Kyle Ayers (Conan, Comedy Central) tries to make light of having Trigeminal Neuralgia, a rare nerve disorder known as Suicide Disease. Inherently already a funny topic. Featured in the LA Times for both his comedy and the disease, Kyle performs his show about his experience living with the disease, getting misdiagnosed for years, getting brain surgery, the successful brain surgery eventually wearing off and what life looks like when you may have tried everything and nothing works.”

WHERE: Just the Tonic at The Caves – Just Up the Road (Venue 88) 

WHEN: 19:25 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time at Edinburgh Fringe! I am excited for the sheer size of it. Its reputation as a premier place for creative in the world is confirmed every time I talk to a friend who has done the festival. I want to see things I’ve never seen, meet people I’ve never met, and hopefully share my unique experience with great audiences, in the funniest possible way.

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

I’ve never been to Fringe, but if someone could forward me their lessons and let me get a head start on learning and growing and getting ready for this year, I’d appreciate it!

Tell us about your show.

My show, “Hard to Say,” is a solo comedy show about living with Trigeminal Neuralgia, aka ‘Suicide Disease.’ I am in pain most every day, and it ranges from “real bad” to “absolutely incapacitating” when it flares up. After what seemed like successful brain surgery wore off, I’ve gotten other surgeries, injections, dozens of medications, and endless other types of treatments, and nothing works. I explore what life looks like when the worst thing happens to you, then happens to you again, and then nothing can fix it. I have to laugh at this or I will spiral. Sometimes, both. The show developed out of stand up comedy I would do about living in pain. I’ve found that framing it as a single show helped people come in with proper expectations. It’s not easy living in pain, and it’s unfortunately a battle against contributing to the statistics that earned the disease the nickname “Suicide Disease,” but laughing at it helps. I’ve been doing the show for a while, now, and I’ve been in pain since around 2017. The show has helped me meet so many wonderful people going through so many different things, and I hope it helps them laugh and escape, too. After Fringe, I’m back to Los Angeles, but doing some touring around the US, including Chicago and New York.

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

You’ll see me at as many shows as I can attend. There’s so much I’m excited for! Let me properly format this so you can copy/paste and meet me there:

Ian Lockwood: The Farewell Tour – Ian is an incredibly funny musician and comedian, and built a show around a LOT of original comedy-pop-music songs. I love “just below the surface it’s all about to break” comedy characters, and Ian portrays that hilariously.

Mo Fry Pasic – Worse Than You – Mo has always been inventive and funny and committed to whatever she is doing. Seeing her put on a personal solo show, directed by SNL writing alum Sudi Green who also does such great work, will certainly be as funny and unique as Mo.

Kevin James Doyle: After Endgame – Kevin is a Fringe alum so I’m excited to see what is surely a polished, well-crafted show show about such a specific niche, teaching chess around New York City, and the world that opened up to him. I know Kevin is a veteran comedian who will make it hilarious, relatable, and have something for everyone.

Fielding Edlow – Gaslighting Is My Love Language – Fielding is exploring her marriage with her ex-husband, and, well, I can’t find a more Hollywood line than saying the show “is about being gaslit for 13 years by a character actor husband.” Fielding is hilarious, this topic is incredible, and I can’t wait to see it.

Titi Lee: Good Girl Gone Baddie – Titi has always been one of the funniest, hardest working, creative comedians around Los Angeles. They are incredible at mining personal stories and their life for jokes. A whole show about finding themselves, like coming out to their parents as bi, will definitely be a powerful, funny hour.

Aidan Jones – PIanoforte – I shouldn’t have to pitch people on hearing stories about MDMA and murder while the storyteller plays Chopin at the same time! This sounds incredible. Also, a bunch of comedians I’ve talked to about coming to Fringe, has mentioned Aidan and his show

Alexis Gay – Unprofessional – Alexis’ show seems to be selling out everywhere she goes, performing this show about her time working in the tech industry. Overworking and making your job your life is about as relatable of an idea as there is, and Alexis is hilarious both on stage and online.

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EdFringe Talk: Shitty Mozart

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“An artist’s task is often to creatively work within the confines of their medium, such as the syllabic limitations of a haiku or only having 12 notes with which to work on the chromatic scale. But when there are ostensibly no confines and the sky’s the limit, how does an idea take shape without boundaries?”

WHO: Aaron Nemo

WHAT: “They cloned Mozart, it went horribly wrong and now we’re stuck with the consequences. Making his UK debut in a cheap wig, Shitty Mozart (Aaron Nemo, a writer for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) performs a dazzlingly chaotic, vulgar one-man multimedia concerto. Terrified that the audience will realize he lacks the musical genius of his predecessor, Shitty Mozart shows off his own talents – playing makeshift instruments he’s invented, performing duets with cartoons he drew, even conducting a brief laser light show – in a futile attempt to escape Wolfgang’s shadow and make a name for himself.”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – Nip (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 23:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, it’s my first time. Everyone I know who has been to Edinburgh won’t stop telling me how “magical” it is. “Magical castles” and “magical streets” — it seems to be the only adjective my friends know. My goal is to return stateside armed with a different description of Edinburgh. Unless it’s really magical there, then I’ll probably just say “magical.

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

I’m repeatedly needing to recalibrate my understanding of my medium. I share the stage with projections of my own cartoons, and—brace yourself for accidental rhymes—the only limitation in animation is your imagination. An artist’s task is often to creatively work within the confines of their medium, such as the syllabic limitations of a haiku or only having 12 notes with which to work on the chromatic scale. But when there are ostensibly no confines and the sky’s the limit, how does an idea take shape without boundaries? Can an idea have ever reached its fullest potential if any imaginable adjustment could be made to improve it? If anything is possible, surely there must be something I could alter to make it better! Anyway, I guess the main lesson I’ve learned is not to eat a weed gummy before filling out a Q&A.

Tell us about your show.

Shitty Mozart is the best way I’ve found to package my novice interests in music and animation with my lifelong passions for making mischief and unnecessary vulgarity. My first public performance was May 2023, but the origins of the project and some of its parts date back to my early stand-up days in 2009. The show tells the story of Shitty Mozart, the botched clone of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who is physically identical to the great composer except for the fact that he lacks any semblance of actual talent. He now has to resort to outlandish gimmicks—animated rat orgies, interdimensional sword fights, and laser light displays—in order to get the attention he desperately needs.

I recently teamed up with Reed Kavner, a New York City producer enthusiastic about projects that use multimedia to create exciting live experiences, to bring the show to Fringe. We think this 27-day run at the festival will further refine the show and have it ready to take to more cities. Or I’ll die from 27 consecutive days of performances. Definitely one or the other.

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

I’m a big fan of performers who, for lack of a better term, go apeshit onstage. Give me full-on depravity! I’m impressed when someone seemingly loses their mind onstage committing to an outlanding idea, but still maintains control over their show and their audience’s attention.

Natalie Palimades is someone I’ve admired from afar ever since enjoying her Netflix special Nate and catching a live performance of Bill O’Neil’s The Amazing Banana Brothers, which she directed. The snippets I’ve seen of her new project, WEER, playing at Soho Theatre this Fringe, promise similarly big swings.

I’m also circling Demi Adejuyigbe Is Going to Do One (1) Backflip on my list of shows to see. Demi’s annual September 21st tweets are something worth looking up if you’ve never had the privilege. It’s the gold standard for maximal commitment to a simple idea. From those videos alone and no knowledge of his show outside of its dangerous-sounding title, I’m pumped to see what he has in store.

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EdFringe Talk: Dear Annie, I Hate You

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“Every artist I know who’s been to the Fringe have told me they have special memories of their experience.”

WHO: Sam Ipema

WHAT: “Based on writer-performer Sam Ipema’s life, Dear Annie, I Hate You is the story of Sam and her brain aneurysm, Annie. They share the rational, irrational, nihilistic and liberating experiences of what it’s like to be told you’re going to die aged 20. Directed by James Meteyard.”

WHERE: ZOO Playground – Playground 2 (Venue 186) 

WHEN: 16:50 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Why yes it is! We’re very excited that it’s our production company’s first Fringe experience and my first play to ever write and take to the Fringe!

Some of our production team and creative team are much better versed with Edinburgh Fringe, so we feel really lucky to have them on board, showing us the ropes. And they have also pre-warned me on the absolute madness that we’re about to experience, which is all the more reason I’m excited!

Every artist I know who’s been to the Fringe have told me they have special memories of their experience. I think it’s special for two reasons. I think it’s a) being absolutely surrounded by a massive artist community for an entire month. That is any theatre-goers dream, I think. It’s a place where any show you can imagine (a quite a few curveballs) is probably happening. There really is something for everyone. And b) I really believe it’s the amount of opportunity that is available at the Fringe – many friends have had their careers started there and build relationships from it that last a lifetime. We’re excited to be a part of that community.

The difference between being a producer and a punter at the fringe, as I understand it, is pretty much the level of alcohol you can consume. Our show is pretty intense so it’ll definitely require a pint afterwards, but an early bedtime most nights as well to prep for the next day.

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

Since this is my first, I’m going to just relay the advice that’s been passed to me which is this: buy lots of fruit and veggies early, because all of the clowns buy it out for their shows, and it’s hard to find any as the fringe goes on.

You’d be surprised how many times I’ve received this piece of advice…

Tell us about your show.

Gladly! My show ‘Dear Annie, I Hate You’ is a play based on my life when I was 20 and had no clue what I was doing, who I was, or what I wanted out of life….and then suddenly I got diagnosed with a fatal brain aneurysm! It’s all about the crazy experience of that time in my life and examining what makes life worth living through the reliving of these moments.
Oh, and my brain aneurysm (‘Annie’) comes in to crash the show. Much to my displeasure.

I wrote it originally as a pilot and now have developed it for the stage. Which secretly has always been how I wanted to do it originally. It’s a really packed, really darkly fun hour of chaos between myself and my aneurysm and we hope, an enjoyable one that ends on a life-affirming note for the audience to take from.

It’s received wonderful support through Soho Theatre’s Edinburgh Lab, which I am incredibly grateful to. And some really experienced, really wonderful creatives have come onboard as well.

We definitely hope it is going to find a life and tour afterwards… but we shall wait to find out where exactly that will be!

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

Oh, there are so many shows at the Soho Theatre Labs that are going to be absolutely fantastic – boy you’re in for a treat! And they were all absolutely lovely and supportive and definitely deserve a shoutout! To name a few that I really want to see:

‘A Stan Is Born’ by Alexis Sakellaris (ZOO Playground) is a gorgeous and hilarious story about queer reputation. Plus it’s a ZOO which is the most supportive, lovely venue (not that we’re biased or anything!)

‘PALS’ (Gilded Balloon Patterhoose) is perfect for any 20 something who thought the best way to escape their 20s was by going camping in the middle of nowhere with friends…

‘Main Character Energy’ (Roundabout @ Summerhall)- everything Temi creates is pure gold. Our producer raves about her performance in Land Without Dreams at The Gate, plus she wrote episodes for Sex Education, and who doesn’t love that show!

We’re also really excited to go see Gang Bang (Pleasance Courtyard), we’ve heard nothing but good things about it so will definitely be booking a ticket and cheering them on!

And more!

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EdFringe Talk: Katie Pritchard: I Kiss The Music

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“My favourite thing about fringe is getting to watch all my friends do their super cool and awesome shows, and also the camaraderie between acts.”

WHO: Katie Pritchard

WHAT: “The Stand 4 Arena. A sold-out crowd erupts into a frenzy as their favourite sexy silly songstress – Katie Pritchard – takes to the stage via hydraulic lift, dressed head to toe in the finest unitard she could paint. Famous for her high-octane musical comedy, join this ‘force of nature’ **** (One4Review.co.uk), and ‘one-woman comedy music powerhouse’ ***** (VoiceMag.uk) on her brand-new show as she pretends to embark on an arena tour to this 35-seater venue – think Lady Gaga… on acid! As seen on Channel 4, ITVX, and BBC. Winner, Musical Comedy Awards.”

WHERE: The Stand Comedy Club 3 & 4 – Stand 4 (Venue 12) 

WHEN: 20:05 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I can’t get enough of the fringe! This my second hour show at the fringe, but I’ve had the joy of performing shorter solo shows and being a guest in other people’s shows for lots of lovely fringes before. My favourite thing about fringe is getting to watch all my friends do their super cool and awesome shows, and also the camaraderie between acts. It can be such an emotional rollercoaster, but I love to celebrate ALL of the wins of my talented friends and curse all of the losses like a coven of witches! Some of my favourite friendships have been forged at the fringe, and some of my most cherished moments as a comic have been at the fringe, so I can’t wait to see what fun and friendships this fringe brings!

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

Last year I learned that I will likely never grow any taller, but I still only take my trousers up a few inches and roll them up the rest of the way – just in case I do defy science one day and grow some more inches. I do think that at some point soon I need to accept that I will just be the average height of a 12-year-old for the rest of my life, but the time to accept that is…NOT YET! So…no…to answer your question.

Tell us about your show.

This year I’m BACK and I will be dressed head to toe in the finest unitard I could paint with my very silly and (hopefully) uplifting new show “Katie Pritchard: I Kiss The Music”. I am embarking on an arena tour to my 35-seater venue at The Stand 4, where I will give the fans what they’ve asked for – their favourite hits that they’ve never heard before, and dance moves that they never thought the human body possible of. SO. MANY. DANCE. MOVES!!

I’ve written and composed the whole show to emulate some of my favourite pop stars over the years. With loads of different musical genres from Europop to hair metal anthems to the latest James Bond theme, there’s something for everyone no matter their musical tastes.

I’m self producing this show this year, which is scary being my first big fringe self-producing…So…please come? (Is that good producing?) BUT the creative collaborating team are simply stunning! For this show, I’ve been working with Ali James (“Showstopper! The Improvised Musical”, “Magic Goes Wrong”, “A Jaffa Cake Musical”), Alexander Bennett (Telegraph’s Top 10 Funniest Jokes of Edinburgh Fringe 2023), and Kevin Oliver Jones (“Thriller – Live”, “Jailhouse Rock”, “Blood Brothers”). What a lovely and incredibly talented bunch indeed!

The Edinburgh Fringe will be the premier of the show, after previewing it at Guildford Fringe Festival and in London at The Phoenix Arts Club (this one will be a double whammy show with Sketch Legends – Grubby Little Mitts – before we head up to Fringe).

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

If you’re up for some more fun involving me, I’m also doing a musical with Gigglemug Theatre called “A Jaffa Cake Musical” at Pleasance Two at 3:10pm where I will be playing The Taxman (get practising your big BOOOOOOs!!). A musical. About Jaffa Cakes. What more could you possibly want? The answer to the age-old question “Is it a cake? Or is it a biscuit?”? Well…it’s got that too!

Some people I’ve already shouted out above are doing fantastic shows – check them out!! Ali James will be appearing in “Showstopper! The Improvised Musical”! Alexander Bennett is up doing his new show “Emotional Daredevil”. And if you love your sketch shows served hilarious, then check out Grubby Little Mitts’ new hit “Eyes Closed, Mouths Open”.

If you NEED more musical comedy in your life (…WHO DOESN’T?!?!) then get your cute sexy butts over to see Jazz Emu (a legend), Two Hearts (such outstanding talents), and Huge Davies (obsessed).

Ben Target is back up this year with “Lorenzo” which is one of the most stunning shows I’ve seen! Since last years’ fringe, Ben has taken this show to Soho Theatre (London) for a sold-out run, and also transferred to New York. SHOWBIZZ! Go see Ben!

Along with that lot, some excellent people are making their comedy debuts this year:
Hannah Platt, Will Robbins, Joe Kent-Walters, Derek Mitchell, and Runi Talwar.

And no matter what time of year or what festival you find yourselves at, you should always check out: Elf Lyons, Dan Wye / Séayoncé, Yuriko Kotani, Lorna Rose Treen, Sikisa, Mark Silcox, Luke Rollason, Abandoman, and Joz Norris!

Sooo many rec’s but they’re all so talented I couldn’t not!

Love you all loads xoxo

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EdFringe Talk: Spy Movie: The Play!

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“I’ve learned that upstage is actually down and downstage is actually up, and that stage left and right are the wrong way around.”

WHO: Jack Michael Stacey & Matthew Howell and Albert Cabbage

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

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Beneath (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 12:00 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Jack: This is our first Fringe as a company (A. Cabbage Productions, named in honour of the producers of the Bond movie franchise, Brocolli), but members of our company have taken multiple shows to the fringe over the years.

Matt: This is also our first time performing with The Pleasance, which we are so excited about. We always felt that The Pleasance Courtyard would be the perfect space for SPY MOVIE: The Play! as it is a hub for entertainment and comedy for the whole family throughout the entire Fringe.

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

Jack: I’ll pass this question on to our Producer, Albert Cabbage. Albert?

Albert: What?

Jack: What have you learnt since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Albert: Well, I’m learning Italian but it’s taking a molto long time. I’ve probably absorbed the Pizza I had last night, though. Deliziosa!

Jack: I think the question was more about theatre.

Albert: Oh. Well, I’ve learned that upstage is actually down and downstage is actually up, and that stage left and right are the wrong way around, too. All in all, theatre a very confusing medium. I much prefer movies, which is why our show, SPY MOVIE: The Play! is actually just a movie, conveniently presented live on stage from the comfort of your very own home (as long as you live in The Pleasance Courtyard).

Tell us about your show.

Jack: The show is about a screenwriter who can’t get her epic blockbuster spy movie made in Hollywood, so teams up with a shady producer –

Albert: That’s me!

Jack: – to put it on as a low-budget play.

Matt: Jack and I wrote it. We teamed up to work on the script whilst touring with Mischief in Peter Pan Goes Wrong. We met on The Play That Goes Wrong (West End) and have written together since then. We’ve published a play (The New Musketeers, Methuen Drama), and one of our sitcom pilots (Section 13), which was actually about spies, was longlisted for the BAFTA Rocliffe competition.

Jack: It’s a laugh-a-minute show suitable for ages 9 to 99!

Albert: Oh, good. My mother can come!

Jack: It’s got low-budget stunts, big-belly laughs, and –

Albert: – and SEX SEX SEX!*

Jack: *suitable for the whole family.

Albert: I’m producing it, and I need no introduction… but here’s my card. Albert Cabbage, Producer Extraordinaire. The movie is about world-famous novelist Ian Flemish who must help Agent Jane Blonde, master spy, in an epic race to save the world from the forces of EVIW (Every Villain in World).

Matt: And what do you do as a Producer?

Albert: Well, I look after the actors, the set, the costumes (my mother has an extensive wardrobe of period pieces), and, most importantly, I come up with the money… speaking of which, do you fancy investing in a show? I’m putting on a new musical called MOTHBALLS! (featuring all my mother’s clothes).

Matt: We put the show on at The Hope in London to some great 4-star (Reviews Hub, Broadway World, Broadway Baby) and 5-star (West End Best Friend) reviews, so we decided to form the company and bring it to The Fringe!

Albert: What about that awful review? Two stars!

Jack: We don’t have to –

Albert: I knew I should have paid them off like I did with all the others.

Matt: What’s the next question?

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

Albert: I’m still hoping to bring my new show, Mothballs, to the Fringe if I can get a slot, and Hugh Grant says yes.

Jack: The Importance of Being… Earnest? It’s great!

Albert: It’ll be fantastic. Mothballs, I mean.

Matt: Yes, after SPY MOVIE: The Play! go and see The Importance of Being… Earnest?!

Albert: Mothballs is about Hugh Grant, who plays this giant moth who suddenly gets a pain in his –

Jack: I think we’re out of time.

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EdFringe Talk: Locomotive for Murder: The Improvised Whodunnit

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“It’s a wonderful thing to be a part of or to visit, and we can’t wait to welcome audiences aboard our fun show!”

WHO: Lottie Davies

WHAT: “Pinch Punch are back to welcome you aboard Locomotive for Murder, an improvised comedy murder-mystery where killing the cast and cracking the case is in your hands. Expect outrageous accents and shaky alibis! Four characters board a train but not everyone will survive. Thankfully, a world-famous detective is ready to solve the case. But who is the murderer? Only one person knows: the murderer themselves. Using audience suggestions and stories, Pinch Punch create a never-to-be-repeated whodunnit. If you love comedy or murder mysteries then this is the show for you!”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – Other Yin (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 15:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our second time at the Edinburgh Fringe festival! We came last year and loved it, so we’re back to solve some more murders. The Edinburgh Fringe is so special, it’s a real home for creatives and a brilliant way to get drenched in as much comedy and theatre as you possibly can. It’s a wonderful thing to be a part of or to visit, and we can’t wait to welcome audiences aboard our fun show!

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

In 2023’s fringe, we learned that audiences felt super comfortable with us – and so we’re reinforcing that it’s ok to go to improv shows and let other people do the talking if that’s not your jam. If you’d like to come along and shout out a suggestion, we obviously love that, but we won’t be picking on anybody at random and putting them on the spot.

We also learned that to be good at handing out flyers, you’ve got to have a lot of gusto and some lozenges on hand!

Tell us about your show.

Our show is a hilarious improvised murder mystery, set on a train in the 1920’s. A world famous detective gets onboard, along with four mysterious strangers. One of them won’t survive the night and it’s the audience’s job to figure out whodunnit. But only one person onstage knows for sure – the murderer themselves!

Pinch Punch is formed of 11 professional actors who came together in late 2019 to do our Improvised Panto. During the lockdown, we workshopped our murder mystery show and after killing each other over Zoom, we won a commission from Harrow Arts Centre to put on test performances and Locomotive for Murder was born! We’ve been touring the show around the country this year and plan to head to more venues after the Fringe so watch this space!

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

I’d recommend seeing something outside of your normal viewing habits!

For impro, we love Shake It Up (improvised Shakespeare, what’s not to love!) Showstopper! and Side Quest (for the DnD crowd).

For Comedy you can’t go wrong with Foil, Arms and Hog, Will Sebag-Montefiore’s ‘Will The People’ and Terry Wogan Late. I saw Terry Wogan last year and couldn’t stop laughing.

For theatre, I’m excited about Potty the Plant and Silence, the unauthorised musical of Silence of the Lambs, and as a hardcore Agatha Christie fan I’m really interested in seeing ‘The Rats’, too. The Importance of Being… Ernest? and Defective Inspector are sure hits as well.

If you’d like to get more involved, I can’t recommend Massaoke and the Solve-a-long Murder She Wrote enough! I can’t get enough of these and I’ll be there again this year!

Have a great fringe and I hope to see you aboard the Locomotive for Murder!

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EdFringe Talk: Yozi: No Babies In The Sauna

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“The sheer volume and diversity of performances creates an elaborate and electric atmosphere that is utterly intoxicating, and honestly addictive.”

WHO: Yozi Mensch

WHAT: “Solo Edinburgh debutante, Aussie Yozi, has been called many things – ‘Dynamite’ ****½ (Advertiser), ‘Fearless’ **** (Age) – but never ‘rule breaker’, and for good reason. This by-the-book bad binch holds one rule above all others: every baby must get out of the sauna right now! Witness this multi award-winning creature perform absurd-sketch-clown-comedy-theatre like you almost definitely have never ever ever seen before. The House of Oz Purse Prize Winner, Adelaide Fringe. Spirit of the Fringe Award Winner, Melbourne Fringe. Winner of SACBA Bilby Award, South Australian Community Broadcasters Association.”

WHERE: Assembly George Square Studios – Studio Four (Venue 17) 

WHEN: 20:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my third time experiencing Edinburgh Fringe as a performer – but my first solo venture. The sheer volume and diversity of performances creates an elaborate and electric atmosphere that is utterly intoxicating, and honestly addictive. The magic of creating work spills out from the wings, off the stage, across the crowds and into the streets – allowing audiences to absorb this magic also – they are, and more importantly FEEL that they are apart of the process, the current cultural cycle, observing the zeitgeist at it’s core and taking whatever flashes they can recall back to their homes and sharing these memories with their loved ones, confident some will never be relieved, but hopeful some can.

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

Since 2023 I have learnt to be unapologetic about my stage presence, for who I am as a performer, and for the deliciously dumb things I find funny. I have learnt that embracing all my silly little quirks and qualms on stage is not only more personally fulfilling, but much more enjoyable for audiences. This intrinsically, for me at least, was tied to the fear of judgment – being seen as childish or other or difficult. Shedding this fear, which I think is still an ongoing process, has allowed for a deeper embrace of myself and my art.

And this is gonna sound obvious, or tacky even , but I’ve really learnt in the past year that the only person that you can rely on to 100% champion YOUR dream is yourself – others can and will help you, absolutely – but unless you’re putting everything you have into what you want and where you want to go, why would anyone else jump on that wagon and help you get there? No one else can engineer motivation for you. The only one who can jumpstart a clockwork furnace is for whom that engine ticks! Just in the last month of following my dream to be a “silly goose storyteller; creator of the dumb yet mysterious” has led me to quit my job, go to clown school in France and travel from Land’s End to John O’Groats with my 78 yr old Grandfather – this is not everyone’s path but it’s mine, and I don’t think 2023 me was ready to walk it.

Tell us about your show.

My show is called NO BABIES IN THE SAUNA – inspired by the adage “every sign has a story”; a rule with, quite literally, noteworthy origins. The titular rule however is pointedly vague – for whom and for why does this rule exist – who benefits from this being enforced – what did that baby do?

I wrote my show, and with every performance it evolves a little bit – new jokes find their way from “the moment” into the script in my head and they stay forever, or until usurped by a new “the moment” and so on.

I’ve just taken this show to Prague Fringe, where I played in a 600 year old cellar at the western end of Charles Bridge; a truly incredible atmosphere for a magnificently silly show. I picked up a 5 Star review and the Prague Fringe “Brian’s Life” Comedy Award – so I think it went down pretty well. Earlier in the year I took this show to both Perth and Adelaide Fringes – where I had minimal to maximal success, respectively. I would love to keep taking this show around the world, to be honest at this stage it feels like the show is taking me.

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

Michaela Burger’s new work The State of Grace is based on the moving true story of Australia’s best known sex-worker, activist and maverick Pippa O’Sullivan aka Grace Bellavue – an important new work based on the life of a truly incredible person who was determined to decriminalise the sex industry.

Messy Friends is a frenetic fraggle rock fever dream that will leave you buzzing and bouncing for more. Jaw dropping costumes, clever choreography and wildly talented performers! Gendermess Productions are ones to watch!!

The Ceremony at Summerhall is a show you will want to see again and again – an absolute whirlwind of theatre, improv and clown, Ben Volchok knits the show together from audience prompt and gentle guidance to create a serene yet hilariously moving ceremony for us all to partake in – or at least that was what I experienced, as this show is different every single night!!

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EdFringe Talk: Biscuit Barrel: Not Another 69-Sketch Show

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“The current accommodation crisis is especially challenging this accessibility.”

WHO: James Horscroft

WHAT: “‘Most reliable sketch group in the game’ **** (EdFringeReview.com). 69 sketches in an hour! Featuring slapstick and wordplay at break-neck speed. ‘An excellent comedy show’ **** (BroadwayBaby.com). Featuring DazzReviews, as seen on YouTube (500,000 subscribers; 100 million views). Following 1,700 tickets sold in 2023, the Barrel return for their fifth year at Edinburgh! This is the speed of TikTok put on a stage. ‘The hot, young comedy act you promised yourself’ **** (GetYourCoatsOn.com). ‘The hit-rate of their sketches is high’ (List).”

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

WHEN: 15:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be our fifth full run of Edinburgh Fringe, meaning we will surpass 120 performances at the festival by the time we’re done. We’ve been going to Edinburgh since 2018, and have no plans to stop.

Edinburgh Fringe is a unique crossing point between independent arts and mainstream audience, which is an opportunity that is simply not available anywhere else to the same extent.

The best version of this festival is keeping an accessible platform for independent performers, which I celebrate. However, the current accommodation crisis is especially challenging this accessibility. Even we’ve been pushed an hour bus outside of the city. Some serious reform on this front is desperately needed; my 21-year-old self from 2018 wouldn’t have been able to go in this climate.

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

That persistence does pay off. Last year, we had record sales (for us) with 1,700 tickets sold across the festival, and over 2,300 tickets sold in total across 2023.

Consequently, this was the first year we were able to pay ourselves (properly) for the month’s work that we’d put in. It was an incredible moment, and just vindicated what the first five years of the group had been working towards.

It also taught us that you don’t need an evening slot to be successful. This was the first late-afternoon slot we’d ever gone with, and it proved to be our most successful production.

Tell us about your show.

‘Not Another 69-Sketch Show’ is a revamped version of our 2023 show, with a load of new sketches added into the bunch, as well as a brand new running story.

This will be the first year that ‘Biscuit Barrel’ will actually have sketches about biscuits, which is exciting. Specifically, Rich Tea has broken away from the pack in pursuit of proving that he is not the most boring biscuit.

I’m surprised just how many biscuits we’ve included, others being Custard Cream, Bourbon, Party Ring, Jammy Dodger, Fortune Cookie, Garibaldi, Oreo, Iced Gems, Club Bar and, yes, controversially a Jaffa Cake… Considering we’re a cast of five, it’s not bad going at all.

We’ve just done a sold-out preview in Bristol, next going to London and Durham before Edinburgh kicks off.

After Edinburgh, we have our most ambitious show yet at the 400-seat Theatre Royal Winchester. The group starting at the nearby university in 2016, it’s a fitting homecoming for such a huge project.

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

‘Burning Down The Horse’ may’ve been my favourite last year, and is the sort of show that I would love to make.

‘Locomotive for Murder’ was a Barrel-wide favourite from last year, so we’re really glad to see them back, as we also are with the awesome guys from ‘Potty the Plant’ who have TWO shows this year, the other being ‘Fringe the Musical’.

If you wanted a more thematic Fringe, you could see us one day and ‘A Jaffa Cake Musical’ the other day. We generally don’t endorse cake-related fraudsters, but this would be an exception.

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