Author Archives: Dan Lentell

EdFringe Talk: Suggestions of the Unexpected: An Improvised Horror Anthology

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“I have seen this city change and wither, regrow and remain the same. It is timeless, it is aged, it has new life and the long dead.”

WHO: Lewis Dunn

WHAT: “Out of the darkest corners of your mind comes an improvised comedy nightmare. Join us as we take you on a journey through the intangible, via the unknowable and into the unexpected. This darkly hilarious spectacle is brought to you via the Twilight Zone, spied in a Black Mirror and guaranteed to give you Goosebumps. From the creators of Any Suggestions, Doctor? The Improvised Doctor Who Parody – ***** (ScottishField.co.uk); ***** (One4Review.co.uk); ***** (MumbleComedy.net); **** (ThreeWeeks); **** (EdFestMag.com). Nominated for Best Improv Show, Leicester Comedy Festival 2023.”

WHERE: theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall – Theatre 1 (Venue 53) 

WHEN: 21:35 (50 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I have been in Edinburgh many, many times. To be honest with you, too many times. I have been coming to this festival since 2005, performing since 2012 and have only missed 3 years (due to global and local health crises). I know this city better than my home town these days. I can walk down every street and remember a story of what I did there over a decade ago. I have seen this city change and wither, regrow and remain the same. It is timeless, it is aged, it has new life and the long dead. I cannot seem to pull myself away, no matter how much it costs me in both finances and time. I feel bound to this city, to this festival. It makes me feel young, and forces my age upon me.

So no, it is not my first time.

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

I learned that I can’t stretch myself so thinly. Last year I was performing in 3 shows almost every day; at my busiest I performed 5 times in the same day. It was one of those wonderful but also crushing experiences. I’ve been coming to the Fringe for half of my life, so the realisation that I’ve changed dealt a bit of an unexpected blow. In the moment, on a stage, I felt alive and joyous, but when you’re flitting about between shows without proper sleep you’re basically borrowing happiness. Our show deals with some of these lessons- we’re really interested in the everyday horrors and how they might manifest, whether it’s realising that you’re late to a show or that you’re only halfway up the stairs from Waverley Station to Cockburn Street and no longer have the energy of your nineteen-year-old self.

So I’m just doing one show this year, and it’s this creepy one at 21:35 so I can eat a proper dinner and be home before 23:00 to get a good night’s sleep.

Tell us about your show.

The joy of improv is that we’re going on with a show that’s unwritten. All our shows are. We arrive with our skillset, our ability to adapt, and our joy of milking an audience to get a show that matches what they want to see. There is a form of preparation, but it is more like a ritual than a script.

We previously dabbled in space and time travel with our former show “Any Suggestions, Doctor? The Improvised Doctor Who Parody” but now we’re exploring realms less familiar to us; realms of spirit, and darkness. As a troupe we’ve been performing together for 8 years, so it’s good to try something new together.

Suggestions of the Unexpected had a limited run at the Fringe last year, but we’re back and spookier than ever. We’ve found the line between unsettling and funny and we’re excited to welcome people into that realm.

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

Some friends of ours teched our show years back and now their stars are both on the rise (I really need to tech our show), so I’d really recommend Ali Woods: At the Moment and Kate Butch: Wuthering Shites. Both are absolute talents who keep churning out fantastic material. Another friend of the troupe Caitlin Powell is in this year’s Chortle Award final and we’re pumped on Caitlin’s behalf!

I’m also looking forward to seeing Joz Norris, Tom Lawrinson, Sara Barron and Lauren Stone.

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EdFringe Talk: Ted Hill: 110 Percent Normal

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“I LOVE the Fringe, it’s such an amazing way to perform to new people, and the doing the same show every day at the same time in the same venue is so good for improving a show and developing as a comedian.”

WHO: Ted Hill

WHAT: “Ted Hill – ‘genuinely hilarious’ ***** (BroadwayBaby.com) – is weird. His clothes are weird. His vibes are weird. His comedy is weird. He’s always been a weird little ADHD weirdo. But now he must grow up and do some proper, traditional stand-up comedy. There will* be NO multimedia mayhem, definitely NO computer chaos and absolutely ZERO silliness. ‘Few comedians harness the frenetic activity of their minds quite as comprehensively as Ted Hill’ (Chortle.co.uk). ‘Hill’s childish energy belies the slickness of his tech and his irrepressible nerd’s fondness for graphs’ (Scotsman). *probably”

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

WHEN: 14:40 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my third show I’ve taken to the Fringe in the last 3 years. My first show was about every American President, my second was an attempt to fix climate change using powerpoint comedy. I LOVE the Fringe, it’s such an amazing way to perform to new people, and the doing the same show every day at the same time in the same venue is so good for improving a show and developing as a comedian.

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

The biggest thing I learned last year was that the work has to start early when creating a successful Fringe show; so this year I started working on this one on the train back from Edinburgh last year.

Tell us about your show.

My show is a multimedia comedy show about weirdness, asking the question “am I weird?”, and “what does it mean for comedy to be weird?”. There’s loads of videos, an attempt by me to build both an AI and a robot, and some of the silliest use of technology you’ve ever seen. I’ve done 10 previews of the show, so it’s in tip top shape. It’s definitely the best show I’ve ever made!

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

Go and see as much comedy that is going something different to traditional stand up as you can! Rosalie Minnitt, Alex Franklin, Will BF, Elf Lyons, Mat Ewins, Amelia Bayler, Joz Norris, Jon-Luke Roberts, Luke Rollason, Jordan Brooks, Jazz Emu, Huge Davies, Lou Wall, Rob Copland.

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EdFringe Talk: Grubby Little Mitts: Eyes Closed, Mouths Open

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“It’s a very special festival for artists, industry and audiences and we Brits are very lucky we don’t have to cross an ocean to be part of it!!”

WHO: Rosie Nicholls

WHAT: “Join sketch comics Grubby Little Mitts (Rosie Nicholls and Sullivan Brown) in their third magnum opus! Award-winning sketch duo Grubby Little Mitts amplifies the normal to chaotic extremes, using slapstick and absurdism to point the finger at the everyday. Their signature hyper-real style is embellished with rapid dialogue, musical interludes and an aggressively red aesthetic screaming from handmade props. Winners of the Amused Moose Comedy Award for Best Debut in 2022. ‘The White Stripes of comedy’ **** (TheReviewsHub.com). Will make you cry – sorry, laugh.”

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

WHEN: 16:35 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our third Edinburgh with Grubby Little Mitts, and our third time performing at Assembly! I think the best thing about the fringe is potential it offers acts at all stages of their careers, and that potential is also what keeps audiences coming back year on year. The fringe could easily launch you as a comedian or theatre maker and put on the map as an artist, or you could meet someone who becomes a key collaborator for the rest of your career, or you could discover a show which becomes of cornerstone of your taste in comedy or theatre etc. You also make friends for life at the fringe, and especially in comedy you meet so many comedians on mixed bills that really sets up your network when you’re starting out. It’s a very special festival for artists, industry and audiences and we Brits are very lucky we don’t have to cross an ocean to be part of it!!

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

The biggest lesson we’ve learned is even though there is a certain pressure to succeed that goes with appearing at the fringe, you have to remember that you’re an artist making work and it’s good to take creative risks, especially if you’re coming back to the fringe after performing before. It can be good to challenge the perception of you that’s already out there amongst the audience and the industry! This is our third show in three years, so we were in danger of falling into a pattern with our writing and themes. We’ve made two shows with a fairly traditional sketch show structure, which have both been well-reviewed and popular with audiences. We could easily have done that again – but then what would be the point of writing new work? We have to write for ourselves first and make something that reflects where we are creatively. Of course it really depends on what kind of act you are and you don’t want to tear down the things you have spend years building…!! But personally I feel it’s good to keep pushing the boundaries of your own thing. It’s a nice position to be in. No risk no reward!! I’m excited.

Tell us about your show.

Eyes Closed, Mouths Open is written by Grubby Little Mitts – that’s me and Sullivan Brown (No Rolls Barred). This year we are directed by Dominic Allen (Monopoly But Communist!, Belt Up Theatre) with movement direction for the third time from Lecoq’s finest Simon Maeder (Superbolt Theatre, The Dictator). We four have been friends for many years, with Sullivan, Dom and I training together at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and we met Simon through Dom at an artist-led clowning/improv workshop we used to run before the pandemic. We four are also in another sketch group called The Skin Show. I’m the lead producer for Grubby Little Mitts which I do around my job, and we have been supported this year by our incredible fans from around the world through a massive Kickstarter campaign; we are really proud to be the product of crowdfunding and incredibly grateful for the endorsement. This show had a WIP performance at Komedia Brighton, and we are previewing at the Rosemary Branch, Phoenix Arts Club and Greenwich Theatre – but the show is officially debuting at Edinburgh this summer. We hope to be able to tour our work round the country as we have done the last two years – as well as eventually going to Australia and America too! We love touring, we love meeting fans and we love performing our brand of sketch comedy. Additionally at the fringe this year, we are bringing up our mixed bill show Sketch Book, which has been running monthly for the last six months at the Rosemary Branch Theatre – it’s a compilation show dedicated to sketch, character and alternative comedy. At the fringe we will be featuring the best of the sketch comedy scene in Edinburgh on one of the biggest stages at Assembly. If you love sketch, musical, character and alternative comedy in general, you must not miss it.

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

After Eyes Closed, Mouths Open AND Sketch Book, you should definitely check out Rory Cargill’s Television One – Rory is one of the hardest working comics around and this show is going to be spectacular! Fellow Amused Moose 2022 Winner Chelsea Birkby is cooking up another show This Is Life (Cheeky Cheeky) – I love watching Chelsea who is so smart and so funny, I really can’t wait to see it. Thirdly I totally recommend Katie Pritchard’s I Kiss The Music which is a totally mad hour of musical comedy, possibly to most uplifting and silly thing you’ll see at Edinburgh this year because of Katie’s amazing energy!! A few honourable mentions for Tegan Verheul’s Chokeslame, Bryony Byrne’s Fan/Girl (I’ve done some work on the puppets for this), Piotr Sikora’s Furiozo and Josh Glanc’s Family Man.

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EdFringe Talk: Barbara Fernandez Singing, Sagging and Shagging

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“For me a great festival is one where you can see lots of different types of shows, but you also have quiet areas (like the courtyard at Bar 50 which is my ‘Edinburgh home’ during the Fringe) where you can sit with people to chill and recharge.”

WHO: Barbara Fernandez

WHAT: “This show is a cheeky, hilarious, mellifluous romp through one singer’s colourful (and true!) past of cult-loving husbands, vampiric record producers, jailbird exes, shaggable therapists and diverse pharmaceuticals, peppered with lusty vocals delivered in bra-busting style. From lilting pop vocals to classical trills and belting cabaret-style show tunes, this new show from a first-time Fringe artist is a unique mix of musical snippets and comedy quips. ‘Musical mayhem comedy. Barbara had the room singing and clapping along whilst also keeping them in hysterics’ (Kyle Wallace, G&B Comedy).”

WHERE: Laughing Horse @ Bar 50 – Upstairs (Venue 151) 

WHEN: 21:00 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my first time bringing my own solo show to EdFringe, though my 3rd time up there – I just love it! The first time I went up to do spots on other shows and figure out how it all worked, as well as see lots of different shows, and the second time I did more spots, saw even more shows, and scouted venues for 2024. I adore EdFringe as a punter because I get to see wild things that you just wouldn’t see anywhere else (like Trash Salad – nuts! – and another one whose title I can’t remember but it started with a guy climbing out of a washing machine!). For me a great festival is one where you can see lots of different types of shows, but you also have quiet areas (like the courtyard at Bar 50 which is my ‘Edinburgh home’ during the Fringe) where you can sit with people to chill and recharge.

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

The biggest thing I’m learning now – bringing your own show up to EdFringe requires a LOT of work if you want to do your best. Having the money for top PR would make it easier, I guess, but that’s not my case so I’m learning how to do my own PR – actually Fringe Connect has been invaluable with their free webinars on all things Fringe to help us producers/performers, including info on funding like Keep It Fringe, which I’m lucky enough to have received this year. I’m sure I’ll have a LOT to learn once I’m there doing my own show for the full run so am trying not to panic ha!

Tell us about your show.

I wrote my show out of trying to make the crazy things that have happened in my life funny. It’s a collection of stuff I’ve tested in comedy clubs which I later realized can come together to form a story. I think apart from therapy (which for me is done and dusted), joking (and singing) about difficult and even tramatic events is cathartic but in a fun way and it can bring people together so that we can laugh and be like ‘yeah life is weird, right?’. Also I really want to raise awareness around the awful stigma that people face who have what I do (I won’t say it here, come see the show and find out!) By the time Edinburgh comes I’ll have done a handful of previews, and my hope is that I’ll have honed the show to then tour it afterwards – first in the UK and then abroad.

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

Ooooohhh there are SO many! Pam Ford AKA SPAM Ford (Aussie true life stories), Sallyann Fellowes SALIEN (pure neurodiverse madness), Kimberly Policella and Kim Hope’s Is That Not Normal (ladies who lunch vibe), Jessica Fostekew’s METTLE (just very funny), Edinbra Fringe Comedy (compilation of funny ladies hosted by Rachel Morton-Young, also see her show Dutch Courage).

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EdFringe Talk: Chanel Ali: Break Up With Your Dad

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“I’ve learned to lean into the weird things about me. I took a deep dive into the trauma, the pain, the reality of life and found intense humility on the other side.”

WHO: Chanel Ali

WHAT: “If you can break up with your dad, you can break up with anyone. Star of the NYC comedy scene teaches you how to fight everyone – and win. You might recognise Chanel from her two Comedy Central specials, and the hit Netflix series Dash and Lily. Catch her at the Fringe as your silly and hilarious relationship expert who’ll make you feel fantastic about living your best life. Don’t miss this, your chance to catch one of the USA’s hottest comedy exports for a limited run this Fringe.”

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

WHEN: 19:15 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my second time at Fringe, my first time with a concept show. This festival is comedy magic to me. There’s a spirit that overtakes the city and I felt immense growth performing in front of Fringe audiences last year. The audiences give you space to try your most outlandish ideas, outrageous crowdwork, to simply burst into a funny song. Being a comedian from the states, the Scottish accent was hard to decipher at first but I firmly believe that if you can get an old Scottish man to GET YOU, you can win anyone over.

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

I learned that the world has not conditioned us to be the best artist we can be. Everything from our jobs, to school, to our families has constantly downplayed what makes us an individual and therefore what makes us an artist. I’ve learned to lean into the weird things about me. I took a deep dive into the trauma, the pain, the reality of life and found intense humility on the other side. I feel confident that I’ve done the best writing of my career in these last few months and I’m so excited to be ready to share it with the Fringe audiences to hopefully invite them to match my stride.

Tell us about your show.

My one woman show entitled Break Up With Your Dad is a true story about how I booked a tv commercial via Kevin Hart’s production company in 2023 that tested my DNA and told me that I had a brother whom I had never heard of. When I confront my police officer father with the news, and the DNA results, he denied it. A cop, denying DNA evidence? Well, that became funny to me. I didn’t just write this show, I vomited it. I’ve premiered it in the states a few times and I hope after Edinburgh I can take it to more theaters. An Emmy nominated director just signed on to the project and I believe this work of art will heal so many. If you’ve ever been lied to, gaslit, manipulated, I’m here to tell you my silly story and invite you to find the silly in yours too.

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

PG Hits is a kid friendly comedy show that packs a punch. I performed on this showcase at my first Fringe run and I credit it with some of the funniest moments in my comedy career. Kids remind us why we need to play. Why we should pick up a rock and pretend it’s anything other than a rock. Get back to your younger, braver, more honest self by laughing with these kids, their parents, their friends, and comedians who are ready to keep it PG.

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EdFringe Talk: Chopped Liver and Unions

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“Every festival is different, but none are on the scale of Edinburgh. What they have in common, though is the “spirit of the fringe” – a great feeling of camaraderie and support amongst the performers and shows.”

WHO: Lottie Walker

WHAT: “Sara Wesker – trade unionist, political activist and radical – led the singing strikers of 1928, to improve the working conditions of female garment workers in London’s East End. But her love of the cause battled with the love of her life. Which would win? And was it all worth it? A tale from a century ago but very much a play for today, this five-star reviewed, OffFest-nominated, one-woman play gives a vivid account of the life of a forgotten woman who should be revered as a working-class heroine.”

WHERE: Paradise in Augustines – The Studio (Venue 152) 

WHEN: VARIES (65 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Our company’s first EdFringe was back in 2018 and apart from the two years we don’t mention we’ve been back every year. It’s the biggest trade show for our industry in the world and the best way to get the show on the map. This is our second year with this show, which we’ve been developing since the 2023 Fringe. We think this is the final version!

Every festival is different, but none are on the scale of Edinburgh. What they have in common, though is the “spirit of the fringe” – a great feeling of camaraderie and support amongst the performers and shows. The sheer size of Edinburgh can be overwhelming and of course we’re all competing for audiences, reviews, etc… but there is comfort in knowing that we don’t suffer alone. All of us have extreme highs and lows during August and having that network to rely on is invaluable.

If we were only going to do one Fringe festival, especially for new work, it would have to be Edinburgh.

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

Well we’ve revamped the show and made some big artistic changes that went down well with New York audiences in May. We’ve also rethought our marketing plan – after a few years we think we’ve finally worked out what works for us. Which is not necessarily what works for others.

The benefit of working with other shows on cross-promotions can’t be overstated. Apart from selling tickets it’s resulted in further collaborations and really genuine friendships for us. We did more of this than ever before in 2023 and it paid dividends.

And the third thing (we all like things in threes don’t we!) is to take time out away from the madness. 2023 was the first year I deliberately took a proper day off and took myself away from the festival after 4pm when the show finished. It was a revelation. Even just an hour spent walking round the Meadows or in the National Museum made such a difference.

Tell us about your show.

We specialise in telling untold stories and Sara’s is a classic case of someone being written out of history. This election year (and the centenary of the first Labour government) it feels especially important to be shining a light on working class history and illustrating just how hard women and other minorities, despite some progress being made are still having to fight for their voices to be heard and how important it is for all of us workers to never be complacent. That all makes the show seem terribly “worthy”. It isn’t – it’s got a strong message and will make you think but it’s also full of humour. Sara led the “singing strikers” so of course we have music – it’s been a joy to hear audiences spontaneously join in with some of the songs too.

It’s an in-house production by my company, Blue Fire (I’m wearing two hats) and was written by J.J. Leppink, with whom we’ve collaborated twice before. Our director, Laura Killeen is a genius and has made us all fall a little bit in love with Sara. Musical direction is by James Hall who has been with us since our first Fringe in 2018.

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

This is such a tough question – there is SO much to see and with almost 4,000 shows across the month it can be difficult to fit everything is. This year I’m determined to be organised and book everything in advance (top tip – doing that allows you to factor in that all important free time too)

Anyway – can’t put it off any longer. You can’t go wrong with any of these. I might even see you there – I’ve booked for them all!

Chatterbox – Lubna Kerr
The Scot & the Showgirl – Frances Ruffelle & Norman Bowman
Ghostlight – Orange Works
22 (Brooke’s Version) – Brooke/36 Expressions
A Montage of Monet – Threedumb Theatre
Gruoch: Lady Macbeth – Burns Unit Productions
Gwyneth Goes Skiing – Awkward Productions
Light – Gerry Carroll

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EdFringe Talk: Twelfth Night Fever

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“What’s great about the Fringe is that it provides such a wide range of cultural experiences. It’s a real melting pot of talent and a privilege to rub shoulders with so many other artists and kindred sprits.”

WHO: David Aldred

WHAT: “‘If music be the food of love, play on… get on the dancefloor!’ Our fresh take on the bard’s gender-bending comedy, set to a disco soundtrack, will have you on your feet. This glitzy show is performed with singing and dancing by an all-male cast for that authentic Shakespearean experience. Featuring classic disco numbers including Night Fever, Rock The Boat, I Feel Love, Boogie Wonderland and That’s The Way (I Like It)… it’s a brand-new genre: Shakespeare Disco. From the same people that brought you last year’s Fringe Sell-Out Show Laurel winning smash-hit Rockbeth.”

WHERE: theSpaceTriplex – Big (End On) (Venue 117) 

WHEN: 14:40 (70 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Edinburgh is one of my favourite cities, at any time of year, but especially during August for the Fringe, come rain, sunshine and rain again. I have been to the festival on many a tour – as both producer and punter, and in the company of friends, family and students. It’s a joy to have introduced so many young performers to the festival as a teacher of drama, director of theatre, and trip leader. What’s great about the Fringe is that it provides such a wide range of cultural experiences. It’s a real melting pot of talent and a privilege to rub shoulders with so many other artists and kindred spirits.

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

Last year, I brought Rockbeth, my modernised and musicalised adaptation of Macbeth, to the Fringe with a group who had never been before. We were an unknown company with new material and there was little fanfare. One of the few people to show an interest was Get Your Coats On – thank you! Anyway, despite fairly low expectations, the play must have hit a nerve because it became a smash-hit, winning a Fringe Sell-out Laurel and receiving excellent reviews to boot. Having come out of a difficult period, which had resulted in a completely new direction for me, that experience was so joyful and life affirming… I think to quote Ted Lasso, I learned to ‘believe’ again. Still believing… let’s do it again with Twelfth Night Fever.

Tell us about your show.

Twelfth Night Fever is my adaptation of Shakespeare’s gender-bending comedy with lots of disco music and dancing involved. As lovers of the bard’s comedies will know, you can expect in-jokes about boys dressing up as girls, mistaken identities, general confusion, and melodramatic conflict, but all ending happily with lovers coupled up. In other words, just like Love Island. In my version, the play ends with a massive dance off. Shakespeare is probably rolling his eyes somewhere.

Where did it all begin? After last year’s success with Rockbeth, we thought: let’s have another romp with a Shakespeare play. So far, we have performed Twelfth Night Fever to audiences at our school in Surrey and we are now transferring to Haslemere Hall, before taking it on the road to Edinburgh. We have had so much support and generosity along the way – with many kind sponsors making it possible for us to do the tour.

Our theatre company is More The Merrier and we are promoters of neurodiversity in the performing arts. All our performers are neurodiverse and have overcome many personal challenges to appear on stage at the world’s largest arts festival. We believe in the rich potential of the human spirit to triumph over adversity, and to take performance to the highest level, whatever the ability, regardless of neurodiversity. Our journey has taken us from the humble beginnings of a small stage in a specialist school in Surrey to the bright lights of the Edinburgh Fringe, and who knows where next?

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

Take a punt! There is so much on offer. It’s like an all-you-can-eat theatrical buffet. We will go and see as much as possible – from stand-up to musicals to improv to experimental theatre. A good way to discover stuff is to speak to other playgoers on the Mile and find out what’s got the buzz. That’s how Rockbeth got its audiences last year – the word-of-mouth buzz worked for us then and let’s hope we can do the same with Twelfth Night Fever. Plus if you like our show, then you should also enjoy Shakespeare For Breakfast, similar fare to ours but they also give you a croissant.

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EdFringe Talk: Mime Club

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“It’s full of chaos, clowning and psychical comedy with the simple aim of making people laugh!”

WHO: Oliver Fife-Nilsson

WHAT: “Sexy dads, vacuum cleaners, the German State Theatre… Welcome to Mime Club. Enjoy the pandemonium. From the minds of acclaimed idiots Jon and Ollie comes a new show packed with psychical comedy, chaos and clowning. Prepare yourself for an hour of multi award-winning sketches from the Jon and Ollie universe, each one more ludicrous than the last. Mime Club is a dream* come true for comedy lovers. *If your dreams are about Kenneth Branagh and houmous-loving fauns.”

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

WHEN: 14:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my fourth time at Edinburgh Fringe and I’m as excited as if it was my first! Edinburgh Fringe is THE arts fringe – the biggest, the best and the most diverse. You can come back with the same show and still have a new experience – there are always new audiences – or you can come back with a new show each time and every night can feel like the first night. It’s all fresh and new, and the community is a supportive one. For me, every year has been like a new experience. The last two years at Edinburgh I was part of a kids show, Strictly Barking, and this year I’ll be performing some alternative sketch comedy for MIME CLUB – a very different show with an adult audience in mind! I can’t wait to see how it will be received.

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

I want to say that I’ve learned to schedule myself better and will make a packed lunch every day this year, but I don’t know if I have yet! Last year I definitely tried to do both, but it takes just one night of ‘oh yeah, let’s stay and see this!’ to make you oversleep so you don’t have time to make food to bring with you so you have to visit Mosque Kitchen again for some delicious curry (which I love, but I think my bank balance does not! At least, after the 10th visit it doesn’t). We all know that being at the Fringe can be a bit pricey and I’d rather spend my budget on supporting fellow artists and creatives that on another vegan sausage roll. Everyone works so hard – and as I said before, Edinburgh is THE fringe to be at – so you want to make sure that people don’t miss their shot at touring and support them with a ticket to their show. It’s hard work and you want it to pay off for everyone.

Tell us about your show.

MIME CLUB is absurd, alternative sketch comedy show we’re performing at Gilded Balloon in the Patterhoose. It’s a new show having previewed at Glasgow Comedy Festival in March this year. MIME CLUB is totally mad – think dinosaurs, sexy dads, the German State Theatre and vacuum cleaners and you’ll still never guess what’s going to happen next. It’s full of chaos, clowning and psychical comedy with the simple aim of making people laugh!

This year we were amazingly grateful to be a Keep It Fringe funding recipient from the Edinburgh Fringe Society. It’s genuinely humbling to see them have faith in MIME CLUB. Now we just want to show them that it was all worth it!

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

There are so many things people should see but some highlights include – I am Claire Parry, we met while studying at Jacques Le Coq and I can’t wait to see their new standup show and Just Aretha at Greenside. My wife performed with her previously and saw an early piece of the show – it’s a self-biographical tale of what it really means to be a black woman living with disability in the UK, with a good amount of humour too! I’ve also got to recommend Old Man at Summerhall, performed by my colleague Jon (and I directed it!) for his funny yet moving performance (only on until 11th August so don’t miss it!), as well as MUSH by Jeromiah Detto (Underbelly) for an hour of clowning fun. Sam Blythe’s hour-long one-man-show of Hamlet, Method in my Madness, is something I am looking forward to seeing at Assembly, as well as Josh Glanc: Family Man, which is a new show performing at Monkey Barrel. He’s an amazing comic and I can only imagine that his latest show will be as brilliant as his previous ones. Also – John-Luke Roberts is going ALL TEN of his previous shows and I recommend all of them.

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EdFringe Talk: UK Pun Off

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“It’s a great festival because there is something for everyone, and now I get to perform in it!”

WHO: Stevie Vegas

WHAT: “The hit online show UK Pun Off has made the transition to a live show and is coming to Edinburgh! Four top comics will have three jokes on different topics and it is up to the audience to decide the winner of each round to crown the winner. We also look for the audience’s best puns on each of the topics to be read out at the end of each round and prizes are up for grabs for the audience member with the best pun. ‘Exceptional’ (NottsComedyReview.wordpress.com). Winner of Best Panel Show 2022 (Late Stage Comedy).”

WHERE: Laughing Horse @ City Cafe – Nineties (Venue 85) 

WHEN: 13:10 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’ve been attending EdFringe as a punter for over 20yrs now. My favourite time of the year, especially as I now live in England. I get to move back home with my Parents in Stirling and travel in each day! It’s a great festival because there is something for everyone, and now I get to perform in it!

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

I performed twice on the UK Pun Off show last year. I have won it since at Leicester Comedy Festival, so I have an idea how better to present my jokes to the audience this time round!

Tell us about your show.

The UK Pun Off is hosted by the punderful Iain MacDonald, who is doing the full-run.

It features 4 punsters who have been given 4 topics in advance (eg Sport, America, Winter, Drinks), and they each get to tell 3-4 jokes on each topic. After each topic, the audience clap and vote for their favourite punster, and whoever wins the most rounds… wins! Different topics and different lineups each day.

I am competing from 16-25 August as that’s the dates that I am up for (after the shows, I’ll head out and enjoy watching loads more shows as a regular punter!)

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

They should go and see Iain MacDonald’s Around the World in 80 Puns. They should grab the leaflets from the 4 punsters who have competed in the UK Pun Off on that day, and consider seeing their shows also! You will find many of these one-liner comedians also taking part in “Aaaaaaaaaaargh! It’s the One Liner Show” (this doesn’t have a twitter address, but I want to give it a big shout out!)

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EdFringe Talk: Chelsea Birkby: This is Life, Cheeky Cheeky

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“In the buzz of it all it struck me that part of the magic of the fringe is that instead of that energy being generated for one superstar, it’s being generated for hundreds of performers, many of whom you’ve never heard of.”

WHO: Chelsea Birkby

WHAT: “Following her award-winning debut and sell-out run, Chelsea Birkby’s back with a meditation on lust for life. Playfully combining pop culture and philosophy in this smart and silly show unpacking being in the moment, desire and also ass. ‘Very funny… There’s a sharp mind behind the sweet exterior’ **** (Telegraph). ‘Brilliant… Hugely promising and already accomplished’ **** (Scotsman). ‘A real star’ ****½ (Sunday Post). ‘Deceptively smart’ **** (Fest). Amused Moose Best Debut 2022. Comedian’s Choice Best Show Nominee. Best Jokes 2022 (Telegraph, Times). Writer on Mock the Week. Ass seen on BBC Three.”

WHERE: Just the Tonic at The Caves – Just Out of the Box (Venue 88) 

WHEN: 21:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I just got off the LNER back from Edinburgh! I was lucky enough to get tickets for Taylor Swift’s Era’s Tour (How? I sold 4 kidneys). It was magical, life-affirming and kinda unhinged- the shows triggered earthquake monitors! As a fringe goer, it was funny walking around town because, for a second, you could imagine it was August with the festival in full swing, just with more cowboy hats, bejewelled bodysuits and ‘tay-keaway frose’. But in the buzz of it all it struck me that part of the magic of the fringe is that instead of that energy being generated for one superstar, it’s being generated for hundreds of performers, many of whom you’ve never heard of.

Last time I brought a show, it was my debut. I didn’t know what to expect or who would come! So I was over the moon to have busy rooms, lovely reviews and even leave with an award and a nomination! That’s only possible because a bunch of comedy fans liked the cut of my jib, thought ‘sure, why not’ and came to see me in my cave! That makes the fringe so special – I can’t wait to wander into pub function rooms and lecture halls and see what people have come up with to share with us!

This time I’m returning with show two. I also don’t know what to expect!

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

I didn’t set a New Year’s resolution this year because I’ve stuck to one in my life. I’m no stats expert, but that’s not a good hit rate. For 2024, I chose a word of the year: motion. I noticed that a lot of words about depression are frozen: ‘stuck in a rut’, ‘standstill’, ‘slump’ . Motion felt like the answer! And if it’s come as a surprise to you reading this that I’ve been depressed, can I remind you that in this interview alone you’ve discovered I’m a stand-up comedian and a Taylor Swift fan (she’s emo at heart, if you know, you know).

‘Motion’ has been so liberating. Somedays, I think ‘motion’ and go for a walk (turns out it’s good for your mental health, boo). Thinking ‘motion’ gave me the confidence to give up on books I’m two-thirds through because I’m just not invested in the plot (sorry, the Dictionary). And ‘motion’ has meant I’ve followed the flow of my writing, even when it leads somewhere I wasn’t expecting. Did I intend to write so much about this horse I met? NO! Did I intend to write about the meaning of ass in today’s society? No. But here we are.

Tell us about your show.

My show’s called ‘This is Life, Cheeky Cheeky’. It’s an hour of stand-up about not intellectualising everything and instead living in my body in the moment. And I do that by … intellectualising everything 🙂

I’m taking direction from Dan Emery and Molly Stacey, who are almost painfully perceptive hehe. I really trust them. They’ve encouraged me not to pull back from being silly and spontaneous, spotting my fear that it’s somehow “not allowed” in a finished show. And I’m on a mission not to be apologetic about my jokiest jokes and most smarty-pants stuff. As a result, the show is extra vulnerable, silly and cerebral!

I’m returning to the Caves with Just the Tonic. I love those rooms they’re just pure fringe. I’m in a bigger one for show two- scary/ exciting! Just a few more work-in-progress shows in June and July before stopping off at Tebay en route to Cowgate! Where it takes me after, we’ll see!

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

Grubby Little Mitts. They’re a sketch duo who get up to lots of mischief. Unabashedly silly and their chemistry is electric. Plus Rosie is a hair icon!

Louise Atkinson – I missed her first show and won’t make that mistake this time!

I can’t wait to see Olga Koch’s new show, she’s just the whole package.

I think this is gonna be Celya AB’s best yet, I’m so excited by what she’s talking about.

And if philosophy has caught anyone’s eye, one of my fringe faves is Stand-up Philosophy with Alex Farrow: comedians tackling the biq questions with big laughs, different lineups every day.

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