Author Archives: Dan Lentell

EdFringe Talk: Serious Nonsense

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“This year I am later in the day and hopeful it’s going to make all the difference. I’m also going to be going for a wider variety of guest spots during the day too.”

WHO: Ben Macpherson

WHAT: “Funny, horrible and just a little bit naughty, purveyor of playful poetry, Ben Macpherson (BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 2), returns to the Fringe with this perfect gateway into the afternoon through poems and stories for all ages. Delight at the awful adults, beastly brats and curious creatures from this verbal tour de force. Ben’s poetry easily sets itself among the likes of Roald Dahl, Spike Milligan and Hilaire Belloc with equal parts magic and mischief that will leave you chuckling long after its final rhyme. ‘Full of humour and drive’ (Michael Rosen). ‘Dizzyingly, dazzlingly brilliant’ (Brian Bilston).”

WHERE: PBH’s Free Fringe @ Burrito ‘n’ Shake – Downstairs Room (Venue 117) 

WHEN: 12:00 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is the second time Serious Nonsense has been at the Fringe and I’m so excited to be back again. Edinburgh is an amazing place to find new audiences and stretch yourself outside of your usual stomping grounds. If you are looking for shows it’s a chance to see things you’d never normally see and checkout different art forms – a mixture is best!

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

In 2023 I learnt that how important show times were. I had a brilliant venue just off the Royal Mile but because it was so early I always seemed to be struggling for audiences. This year I am later in the day and hopeful it’s going to make all the difference. I’m also going to be going for a wider variety of guest spots during the day too.

Tell us about your show.

My show is Serious Nonsense, a poetry show for all ages that is equal parts, funny, playful and thoughtful. It build on last years show of the same name and is the perfect gate way to an afternoon at the fringe. If you enjoy the playfulness of Roald Dahl or the storytelling of Hillaire Belloc then this show will suit you to a tee. From horrible things happening to beastly brats, madcap monsters and awful adults, there is something for everyone at this event.

I’ve been lucky enough to be featured on BBC Radio2, 4 Extra and Local stations as well as share work at Lattitude festival and regional festivals around the country too. The audience have a great time, leaving with recurring rhymes caught in their brains. I’m the sole writer and performer so theres a fun tornado of running and performing the show that leads to a really personalised experience for everyone who comes along to see. If you don’t normally see poetry shows, then this show is the perfect gateway.

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

I’m going to recommend 2 shows! first off is the wonderful Half a String bring “Breathe” up to the Edinburgh Fringe – This is a family show that makes an epic saga out of an acorn as it grows. Truly amazing puppetry and senses of scale in a fringe time scale. You must not miss this especially if you have kids approaching double digits.

My other recommendation is another puppet show “Bills 44th” which I saw last year, taking a punt with my Mum when she visited. This is very much not a family show with a trippy journey into the life of Bill, a puppet, as he turns 44. The show brings together puppetry and clowning in a really vibrant way, that will have you laughing and sobbing in its run.

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EdFringe Talk: My Grandmother’s Eyepatch

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“No matter what else you’ve done as a touring company, there’s always the ‘yeah, but have you done Edinburgh?’ question.”

WHO: Julia VanderVeen

WHAT: “What happens when a lovable idiot holds a memorial service for a long-deceased family member? In this off-the-wall comedy, award-winning NYC-based clown Julia VanderVeen leads the audience through wild stages of grief as she attempts to honour her beloved grandmother. Winner: Best Solo Comedy and Best of the Fest, Orlando Fringe 2023; Best Solo Clown, EstroGenius Awards, Frigid Fringe NYC 2022; Production Award FESTN4 2024. ‘A masterclass in cringe comedy… Carol Burnett-esque’ (Orlando Weekly). ‘A solo tour-de-force’ (Hartford Courant). ‘Puts the fun in funeral’ (Orlando Sentinel).”

WHERE: ZOO Playground – Playground 1 (Venue 186) 

WHEN: 12:45 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It is!! I’m so excited! Edinburgh is the big mama of fringes so no matter what else you’ve done as a touring company, there’s always the “yeah, but have you done Edinburgh?” question. I can’t wait to have my own stories to tell.

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

My big goal of 2023 was to love myself more. I have always been super career focused. But by focusing on being gentler with myself and more accepting, I was shocked by how that also influenced my career in a good way.

If this question is meant to be about work or touring, I would say to enjoy the ride. Each big step in my career is a bit overwhelming because it’s new and I like to push and challenge myself, but I think it’s so important to stop and see the scenery. There is so much good stuff happening with the prep, the rehearsal, the excitement and then there will be so much good stuff happening when I’m actually there at the festival. I don’t want to miss any of it.

Tell us about your show.

I co-wrote my show with my mentor and clown teacher Aitor Basauri of Spymonkey, and then my second Director Isaac Kessler also helped write some of it as well. It is definitely a labor of love and has been a group effort, even though it is a solo show. Angelika Giatras is producing. She’s done a lot of music producing in the US, and is venturing into comedy and I have been so incredibly fortunate to have her.

The concept for the show started with a clown workshop I was doing with Aitor in Hawaii.

The first rough draft I performed of it was in Hartford, Connecticut in their inaugural fringe festival in 2019. The version I’m doing now I have been performing since 2022 and have toured to Orlando, Chicago, Atlanta, Toronto and Winnipeg.

Next up I have the Rochester clown festival at the end of September, and am very much hoping to tour some more this Fall.

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

My friend Kelly McCaughan is doing a naughty, irreverent show called “Catholic Guilt” that I can’t wait to see and my friend Amando Houser is doing a show called “Delia Delia the Flat Chested Witch,” and Amando is an incredibly talented performer. Also I can’t wait to see Natalie Palamides’ new show WEER. She’s like the queen clown in the US. I’ve only seen her perform once and only a little bit. I can’t wait to see the full thing.

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EdFringe Talk: Chris Weir: Well Flung

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“2023 was about the importance of stability for me, and – of course – figuring out what Padam Padam meant.”

WHO: Chris Weir

WHAT: “For his debut hour, Chris Weir (BBC Scotland, Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year finalist) leads us through his first ever holiday fling, set in the sunny cruising beaches of Gran Canaria. In this modern-day romcom, Chris navigates the grey areas and accelerated relationship of a five-day romance. He explores the ups and downs of sudden monogamy, romantic expectations, financial imbalances, inevitable fallouts, wandering eyes, gay romps – all to ask the question: is companionship worth it, or are we better off alone?”

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

WHEN: 14:40 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I grew up in Edinburgh so I’ve had the Fringe around me my whole life. I took this for granted when I was younger, frustrated by the crowds and slower buses every August. Since becoming a comedian, I’ve spent a couple Fringes just doing short spots on compilation shows, practicing material, and a couple of years ago I split an hour with another comedian for 2 weeks. This will be my first Fringe doing a full hour and a full run. So while it’s definitely not my first time, it feels like a new, exciting way to experience the month.

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

2023 was about the importance of stability for me, and – of course – figuring out what Padam Padam meant. I’m still trying to find the balance between working life and doing comedy. My current solution is being very busy all the time and not having much of a social life. It’s a mixture of exciting and fun, and sometimes dark and exhausting – every day is a Barbenheimer for me.

Tell us about your show.

As a comedian, the “company” is very much a one man band. I wrote and produced this show – it’s all about the intricacies of a holiday fling I had so it felt like I should be the one to tell that story! The show will debut at Edinburgh, and in terms of future plans – we’ll see how it does! I’d love to tour it, it’s a very joyful, wild story and something I actually want to perform day after day.

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

Last year I saw Patti Harrison’s work in progress for My Huge Tits Huge Because They Are Infected NOT FAKE and it was everything I wanted it to be: insane and crying-with-laughter funny. She’s back with the finished show this year. One that I’m desperate to see but conflicts with my time slot is Gwyneth Goes Skiing, a comic dramatization of the Gwyneth Paltrow ski trial, where the audience is the jury. Please go see that and tell me how good it is!

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EdFringe Talk: Anu Vaidyanathan: Menagerie

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“It took a very long time to acknowledge how oversubscribed I already was as a mother to two young children, an immigrant and a self-reliant person.”

WHO: Anu Vaidyanathan

WHAT: “This is a show about Anu Vaidyanathan’s recent revelation – that shrouds have no pockets. Like Noah’s Ark taking the best pair of every species, this show unpicks the best of each season of life – work, marriage, having kids and then post-mortems them into a little menagerie. While pulling her own teeth out over frozen shoulders, diminishing bank accounts and sanity, Anu decants the things she carries with her when on the brink. If only to help her see life for what it is – a giant, unavoidable wedgie.”

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

WHEN: 17:00 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my third year and I am none the richer (I was going for the ‘sixpence none the richer’ situation). I am a comedian first and foremost but, I managed to take in a few theatre shows last year. I really enjoyed them and filed them away for later reference. What makes the Fringe special is that there is a variety of art forms one can witness – street theatre, clowning, spoken word. I think this festival is great because it brings to gather so many acts from so many countries so it is a month of great discovery, learning and assimilation. I have experienced this as a performer and producer and feel that if one can lean into the work, there is a lot to be gained. There are negative experiences too but, contextualising them becomes easier when you look at the distance you travel as an artist in those very small number of weeks/days/hours.

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

Menagerie is a play that I wrote due to a traumatic incident I went through in 2022. It took a very long time to acknowledge how oversubscribed I already was as a mother to two young children, an immigrant and a self-reliant person. Since 2023, the only learning I have really cemented is to acknowledge the present moment and meet it well so that we can build towards anything small or big, personal or professional. I think we live in a world obsessed with discount coupons and the future. The first lesson I had to re-learn since the time I was an athlete is that there are no short cuts. I also invested more in creating spaces and time for myself, which is a hard lesson but a necessary one. It has made me more productive and partially saner to have done that.

Tell us about your show.

This is a one-woman show, written and performed by me. I dont have a lot of bells and whistles. I took a lot of inspiration from Simon Stephen’s ‘Seawall’ in terms of minimalism of staging and focus on the words, the pauses and the emotion we are trying to convey. One-person shows are very limiting in the number of devices one can use outside clever sound design and lighting and with very few resources those two things are hard to achieve. So, I took the road of discovery and play. I have been dying to write a theatre piece and this subject matter just did not work as a standup comedy hour. I would have preferred to have more characters but as someone intelligent said, plot requires budget. Besides the Fringe is supposed to be a place to flop, discover and re-write so, I remain curious about the process.

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

I am eager to see the entire program at Traverse and Summerhall. I watched the brilliant Hannah Maxwell there last year and thought their programming is brilliant. I would love to watch ‘One in a Chameleon’ by Narie Foster, 16 postcodes by Jessica Raegan, and 300 paintings by Sam Kissajukian.

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EdFringe Talk: Anu Vaidyanathan: BC:AD – Before Children, After Diapers

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“Work happens in the quiet hours. When there is no one around. When it is you and a piece of paper or when you are trying to devise work or sharpen lines.”

WHO: Anu Vaidyanathan

WHAT: “BC:AD (Before Children, After Diapers) is a stand-up comedy show and one mad, mommy’s take on how the definitions of words change before and during motherhood. Through a number of stories from before she had children and after she changed loads of diapers, survived the institution called marriage and then found herself amidst two short roommates who insist on calling her ‘mom’, Anu paints a peripatetic picture of the life and times of a comedian, filmmaker and sometime engineer who loves endurance sports, including parenting.”

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

WHEN: 15:40 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my third year in Edinburgh. I came there for the first time in 2022. I had eight months of standup experience and a world-view bar none. I thought Scotland was sunny and that the Fringe had 4 venues and 400 artists. I was off by a few orders of magnitude! The Fringe is special to me because I learned very quickly what it means to be an artist and the role of the audience in our lives. It’s the audiences who make the Fringe so special. The festival is also great because of the variety of acts that converge from all parts of the world. I think this festival is a lot of work for those with more modest means. Being self-produced comes with a lot of weight but, it is also an opportunity to fast-track learning to tackle it all with grace and fortitude.

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

Since 2023, the biggest learning for me is that the work happens in the quiet hours. When there is no one around. When it is you and a piece of paper or when you are trying to devise work or sharpen lines. That time needs to be protected. And non-negotiably so. I took three months off to write in the winter and also took the month of June to only write and re-write. I think that was a great change of pace as opposed to how I did things in 2022 and 2023 with a lot of previews and travel.

Tell us about your show.

BC:AD – Before Children, After Diapers, is my love-letter to motherhood and parents who see that children are alchemists. I don’t think I would have ventured into the arts if not for my kids. I wrote it because of many experiences through two pregnancies and thereon. We have no company to speak of. Just me and after three years, my intrepid production assistant, Saffy, who is a gem. This premiered in Edinburgh in 2022 and went on tour immediately afterward. I had no idea how live performances worked, caught and maintained momentum or what translated. I think the biggest learning was that when I am true to my voice, people do lean in and listen. I was really thrilled with this discovery. I am bringing it back this year following an offer of publication from Westland books. My brilliant editor Karthika, with whom I worked with at Harper Collins when writing my sports memoir, is someone I have been dying to work with again. So, when she said yes, I said ‘of course’. We will be touring this show in the UK, Europe and North America in the coming months.

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

I love the work-ethic of Ania Magliano, who is amongst the first comedians I ran into on my debut set in London as a standup comic. Her shows are funny and I learn a lot by watching her work. I have recently discovered the work of Chloe Petts, whom I also love. Her radio work is also very very funny and intelligent. I am also curious to see what Stuart McPherson, Jin Has Li, Catherine Bohart, Kiri Pritchard Mc-Lean, Paul Foot, Andrew O’Neill, Simon Munnery and Chloe Radcliffe are unto this year.

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EdFringe Talk: Crying Shame

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“The festival is so massive it can often feel quite lonely, like you’re lost in the crowd – so hopefully our show ‘Crying Shame’, a wild sparkly cabaret all about loneliness, will connect our audiences and help people feel like part of the Fringe community.”

WHO: Conor Dumbrell

WHAT: “Step inside Club Fragilé for a cabaret-show-cum-wellness-journey all about loneliness. In a dusty dreamscape you’ll encounter washed-up cabaret acts, filthy lip-syncs and a joyous celebration of queer culture, as these camp clowns try – and possibly fail – to connect with you (I know, how embarrassing). You might be lonely, but you’re definitely not alone. Devised by emerging queer theatre collective Sweet Beef, who work to explore socio-political issues with a healthy dose of audience interaction and comedy. Recipient of the Pleasance’s Charlie Hartill Fund 2024.”

WHERE: Pleasance Dome – King Dome (Venue 23) 

WHEN: 21:30 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’ve been up to EdFringe twice before, in 2017 and 2019 so I’m very excited to see what’s changed since the pandemic. Apparently, the greatest bagel shop in the world, Elephants and Bagels, has closed down so I’ll be on the hunt for new spots for lunch. It’s Sweet Beef’s first Fringe as a company and we’re buzzing to be heading up with Pleasance as winners of their Charlie Hartill Fund. Fringe has the most magical atmosphere, the whole city is overflowing with brilliant shows all day and all night and you’re guaranteed to bump into a friendly face wherever you go. But the festival is so massive it can often feel quite lonely, like you’re lost in the crowd – so hopefully our show ‘Crying Shame’, a wild sparkly cabaret all about loneliness, will connect our audiences and help people feel like part of the Fringe community.

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

We’ve learnt how to do glossy, glittery clown make-up that doesn’t sweat off for a whole hour of dancing. We learnt how to make promenade performances too. The show was originally commissioned by Stanley Arts in Croydon as part of the London Borough of Culture as an immersive cabaret installation, where audiences were guided through the crumbling dreamscape of Club Cabaret Fragilé. It was a huge design with bathtubs and bubble wrap and discos and we’re currently figuring out how to fit it all into Pleasance King Dome. It’s a mammoth task but we’re definitely trying to learn adaptability! Plus we’ve been learning how to inject as much humour as possible into our shows. The production dives into rough topics like loneliness, isolation and shame and we’ve discovered that best way to tackle them is head-on with humour and showstopping Britney numbers rather than getting stuck under a melancholic raincloud.

Tell us about your show.

Our show is called ‘Crying Shame’. It’s a cabaret-tyle theatre piece all about loneliness packed full of audience interaction, lip-syncs, dancing, confetti, clowns and biscuits. It’s was devised by us at Sweet Beef, Pleasance’s London Associate Artists, and won the Charlie Hartill Award 2024 and is supported by the Keep It Fringe Fund. We originally met at LAMDA and devised a show called ‘I Hate It Here’, about zero-hours contracts, that toured the UK to 5-star reviews. We’ve since expanded and work with loads of new creatives, performers and theatre-makers, running workshops and sharing our work all over the country. For ‘Crying Shame’ we interviewed people of all ages about loneliness and have spun their perspectives into a funny, punchy cabaret show, bursting at the seams with desperation and our performers’ need to be loved.

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

We’ve got tonnes of recommendations!

Definitely catch the other Charlie Hartill-winning shows at Pleasance. ‘Duck’ by Two Magpies is filled with hard-hitting hope and ‘For the Love of Spam’ by Sierra Sevilla is so witty and neat and has the friendliest team at the Fringe. Plus they give you free Spam!

If you like the sound of Crying Shame then you’ll love ‘plewds’, Kathrine Payne’s award-winning clown show about a queer relationship gone bad. The show at Summerhall takes weird, unexpected and hilariously dark turns and it’s the perfect subversive Fringe show with a mind-blowingly skilled central performance.

Super excited to see Mark Hannah’s beautiful ode to Edinburgh ‘Athens of the North’ – he’s a properly gifted actor and the show is brilliant.

Can’t wait to soak up loads of comedy too. I’m going to take my mum to see Rose Matafeo’s show ‘On and On and On’ at Pleasance because she is hilarious and we’re obsessed with her TV show Starstruck. It’s the best RomCom series ever – on BBC iPlayer if you’ve not seen it yet. And John Tothill is a comic genius.

Jazzed to see Ugly Sisters by piss/CARNATION too. They won this year’s Untapped Award at Underbelly and their work is so magical and bold and vulnerable.

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EdFringe Talk: Kathleen Hughes: Cryptid!

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“The great thing about the Festival is seeing the inside of so many heads.”

WHO: Kathleen Hughes

WHAT: “Kathleen isn’t sure of anything anymore. She’s not even sure she exists. Cryptid is the dark and hilarious debut hour from Glasgow comic Kathleen Hughes – a show about identity, imperfection and the mortifying ordeal of allowing yourself to be seen. Sort of. ‘A ridiculously talented comic’ (Billy Kirkwood). One of the fastest-rising comedy stars’ (Jay Lafferty).”

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

WHEN: 16:20 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Nope! This is my third Fringe as a performer, but as I grew up in Glasgow I’ve been going across to the Fringe for a day or two since I was young. I’d like to say it’s a different experience as an adult comedian compared to a wee mini punter, but I’ve never really aged out of it being overwhelming and wildly exciting, or moaning that I’m tired and my feet hurt.

The great thing about the Festival is seeing the inside of so many heads – it’s a whirlwind experience of hearing so many stories and experiences in mad, creative ways.

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

The biggest thing I’ve learned since 2023 is that collaboration is key. For stand-up especially, there’s always one name, one person on the poster, so it’s easy to assume that it’s all a one-person show, or that it doesn’t ‘count’ if you don’t do everything by yourself. This year I’ve had loads of help from people who’ve done a full run at the Fringe before, giving advice and sharing resources, I’ve had friends and other comics watch WIPs and give feedback, and I’ve reached out to creatives with different skills (like multimedia comedy) to ask for their input.

When you’re creating stuff that’s supposed to be relatable, accessible and inviting, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to create in a vacuum.

Tell us about your show.

Cryptid! is a show about the feeling of hiding yourself and constantly shapeshifting to be what you think people want to see, instead of just letting people see you are you are. As a kid I loved anything paranormal – like aliens, Nessie, Bigfoot – so I tied my fascination for weird spooky nonsense into the chat about identity and self-exploration. Probably an interesting comparison to bring up in therapy.

I love hearing about cryptids from different places, so post-Fringe it would be nice to take the show around the UK and hear about local legends. Maybe I’ll take it to Inverness and have a special guest appearance from Nessie herself (she’s a pure hog for stage time).

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

I’m really proud to have learned how to do stand up in Scotland and I love the scene here. There are so many amazing Scottish circuit acts to see at the Fringe this summer. Watching Kate Hammer perform is like blasting an energy drink, and I’m dead excited to see Jade Kelly and Amanda Dwyer, too. If you’re a film fan, Chris Thorburn’s Cineman is a must. Everything Ruth Hunter says bewilders and delights me in equal measure. Derek Mitchell’s Double Dutch and Sam Lake’s Esmeralda are both brilliant, especially if you feel split between two cultures sometimes.

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EdFringe Talk: Fan/Girl

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“I’d say the main difference in coming as a stage manager vs as a performer is that as a stage manager I get my accommodation paid for!”

WHO: Bryony Byrne

WHAT: “Sparked by a conversation with a childhood friend that unearthed a long-forgotten obsession with football, Bryony wondered why all the girls she knew stopped playing football in their teens. It’s 1998: Geri Halliwell is leaving the Spice Girls, David Beckham is wearing a sarong, and somewhere in England a 10-year-old Bryony is pretending to be Eric Cantona. An absurd and tongue-in-cheek ride through British adolescence set against a backdrop of 90s football and pop. Directed by Fringe First winner Ben Target and packed to the brim with playful audience interaction, 90s bangers, clown comedy and drag.”

WHERE: Summerhall – Demonstration Room (Venue 26) 

WHEN: 12:10 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my third time as a performer, although I’ve been before as a stage manager as well. Fringe is so special because you never know who is going to be in your audience. When you do a show elsewhere, you often rely on your own network to bring audience in – but at the Fringe anyone can find you, which is what makes it so brilliant. It’s also just such a great place to meet other artists and feel inspired. I’d say the main difference in coming as a stage manager vs as a performer is that as a stage manager I get my accommodation paid for!

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

This will be my third time as a performer, although I’ve been before as a stage manager as well. Fringe is so special because you never know who is going to be in your audience. When you do a show elsewhere, you often rely on your own network to bring audience in – but at the Fringe anyone can find you, which is what makes it so brilliant. It’s also just such a great place to meet other artists and feel inspired. I’d say the main difference in coming as a stage manager vs as a performer is that as a stage manager I get my accommodation paid for!

Tell us about your show.

The show is based on my own experiences growing up playing football and then being prevented from playing it at secondary school. It’s a tongue-in-cheek ride through a 90s adolescence. It’s very funny and uses a lot of (nice) audience interaction to make us all feel like we’re playing together. I wrote it and I’m self-producing it. It was directed by Ben Target, who I met on a Lab at Soho Theatre. We got Arts Council funding to make the early version of the show, which went to the Fringe in 2022 and also went on a small tour around the US and the UK. It’s since been tweaked and changed and it returns in a slightly new form! I’d love to translate the show, particularly into French and tour it in France and I’m working on a television adaptation as we speak.

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

There are SO many great artists to see at Edinburgh this year. Polish clown Piotr Sikora has an amazing show called Furiozo – do not miss it. Lewys Holt is bringing their absurdist standup to the Free Fringe and they’re so charming you’ll be laughing all day. I’m hyped to see Show Pony, about a trio of female circus artists and what happens after 40; I can’t wait to see Katie Greenall’s new show – Katie is an incredible performer. I want to see Revenge: After the Levoyah and Nation and in dance go and see The Passion of Andrea 2 which is like nothing you’ve seen before.

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EdFringe Talk: Tones: A Hip-Hop Opera

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“As a performer, the big issue to contend with is the fact the Edfringe has got more expensive. The inflation on accommodation is a cause of frustration as less shows can stay for the whole duration.”

WHO: Gerel Falconer

WHAT: “A man in a battle with his identity, and on a journey through the depths of Black-British culture, class and belonging. What happens if you’re not black enough for the ends, but too black for the rest of the world? Tones combines the gritty underground sounds of hip-hop, grime and drill with the melodrama of opera to present a piece of gig theatre like no other, as Jerome, aka The Professor, navigates his way through a treacherous path to self-discovery.”

WHERE: ROUNDABOUT @ Summerhall – ROUNDABOUT (Venue 26) 

WHEN: 18:50 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’ve been to Edfringe as few times before as performer and punter there’s so much to explore. From rip-roaring comedy that makes you guffaw, dramas that garner teardrops on the floor and death-defying stunt acts that drop every jaw. Plus the magical backdrop has got an allure!

As a performer, the big issue to contend with is the fact the Edfringe has got more expensive. The inflation on accommodation is a cause of frustration as less shows can stay for the whole duration.
Thoughts of festivals in general? Variety allows the more risk averse to immerse in the unconventional. As a punter, I prefer a multitude of flavours than one style, genre or type of entertainers.

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

In regards to life itself. I had diabetes – with Diet and exercise It fell. So the big thing I learnt was prioritising health. Not only physically but mentally as well. Especially when you’re performing a show all by yourself.

I’ve also learnt not to stress when no one takes a flyer as word-of-mouth elevates your show even higher. Trust me, nothing else leaves you more buzzing than “our friends loved it last night, we’ve booked and we’re coming!!!”

What I’ve learnt about Tones?: When you’re on a writing spree, Give yourself time to breathe especially when you rhyme at speed with more words than a library!!! If you’re reading this thinking “I wonder what this guy could mean?” Come and watch Tones and you’ll know as soon as you find you’re seat!

Tell us about your show.

Me and Jonny Kelly have been friends for over a generation. We’d always bring up working together in conversation. He was part of Wound Up before the collaboration. The concept of Tones was the perfect manifestation! I came up with the show struck by inspiration as we both sat down in a pub – to help hydration! Jonny agreed to direct the show – no hesitation and WoundUp agreed to produce it – in jubilation!

I had the story and Matt Greenough helped me develop scenes from April to August for Edinburgh 23’. From there on, I was working endlessly creating day and night to surpass all expectancy, writing rhymes to show the story’s full glory – impeccably! 3D Williams our composer was fundamental once I had structure – he provided the instrumentals.

Thus a beautiful union formed and the show we all know as Tones was born!
I finished a draft by July (congratulations!) But instantly had to cut short the celebrations- memorising 10,000 words in under an hour – requires the brain power of learning a dissertation!
I had only learnt half of it by the first preview – scared the festival would be a glorified read-through. Luckily the Fringe was as smooth as it gets – all went well Tones was truly a success.
We realised we could offer plenty more so upgraded for Edfringe ’24!

We’ll keep the show moving once the Fringe is over. There’s mini-tour in Midlands in October. November you’ll see Tones at Brixton House – you can go on their website for tickets now!

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

Our lighting designer Jahmikho and Stage manager Brent Tan are working on a show called For the Love of Spam! How canned meat informs East V West politics sounds like something I really don’t want to miss! Sierra Sevilla writes and performs it. I can guarantee you’ll find me in the audience!

House Of Life is a show I fully recommend – watched it last year and I’m watching it again! Positive, lovely and glorious. You leave the show feeling all types of Euphorias.

From what I’ve already seen, those are my main recommendations. Here are a few more shows that spark fascination:

From what I’ve read, Failure Project, looks like my kind of show, when I’m in Edinburgh I’m gonna make time to go. Plus, I heard great things about Quarter Life Crisis, so I’ve got a feeling I’m really gonna like this!

The concept of being a side character in your own life is intriguing, the poster is sick too, I can’t wait to see Main Character Energy!

The blurb for How I Learnt To Swim had me in deep thought. I wondered how water plays such a big part in our lives. We say we’re in ‘deep water’ when it’s harder to strive or keep your head above water when we try to survive. Water affects us in so many ways! I’m fascinated by the play linking water and race.

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EdFringe Talk: Love’s a Beach

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“The beanbags in our show are farcically big.”

WHO: William Johnston

WHAT: “What happens six months after your five minutes of fame? Cyrus and Ben are the first gay winners of TV’s biggest reality show. They’re 22, have thousands of followers, but now spend most of their days making sponsored content about dog food, and fronting campaigns about adult incontinence. When they’re offered an influencing deal in Dubai, the couple must decide how far they’ll go to cling to celebrity… and at what cost. A smash-hit satire by multi award-winning comedy writers for Netflix and BBC Television. ‘Fantastic play… had me howling with laughter’ (BroadwayWorld.com), from BAFTA-winning Unusual Productions.”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Baby Grand (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 12:45 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time at Edinburgh Fringe. From what I’ve heard it’s pretty straight forward? You just go up there with a show, it has a sold-out run, you make a tidy profit while simultaneously receiving glistening reviews, you make friends for life, form core, joyous memories, and maybe even meet the life partner of your dreams, then soon after comes the storm of industry buzz around your show, usually resulting in a major television network commissioning you two full series, that when they air, quickly become the perfect balance of cult classic and commercial success. I think that’s how it goes. I mean, we’d settle with the one series.

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

We were incredibly fortunate to have our play (Love’s a Beach, Pleasance Baby Grand, @ 12:45pm, shameless promotion, sorry) performed at Soho Theatre as part of their “Rising” programme. It was an incredible experience and a dream for us all. And we learned so much from it too, namely, the beanbags in our show are farcically big and a plague to carry on the Northen line at rush hour. A lesson which maybe didn’t sink in quite as we hoped, as we will be on the 8am Lumo train to Edinburgh in two weeks time, with said oversized beanbags on our laps for five hours.

Tell us about your show.

Katie Sayer and myself co-wrote the play, after seeing an article about an ex Love Island contestant cutting the ribbon on a kebab shop in Coventry. It screamed two things to us: 1) an opportunity to write a satirical play about our influencer culture, and 2) we should go on a night out in Coventry and try the kebab. We are thrilled to be being produced by the incredible Unusual Productions. And for future performances post-Fringe, as long as we can get the beanbags there, we’ll put on a show for you.

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

First, you should go and see SORRY (I BROKE YOUR ARMS AND LEGS), at Bunker Three, the character comedy show by James Akka, one of the co-leads of Love’s a Beach. The play is about a school boy and his merciless climb up the school ranks, to the coveted position of Head Boy. We went to see a workshop of the play earlier this year and cannot wait to see the full hour.

A viewing of that should swiftly be followed by a trip to DANISH Ed Fringe, our roomies for the month of Fringe! They have four incredible shows going up, but I’m most excited by Mass Effect. It’s a show of movement and passion, and something different to sink the teeth into at Fringe.

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