Author Archives: Dan Lentell

EdFringe Talk: A Terrible Show for Terrible People

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“I can’t wait for Fringe to start; it’s going to be an inspiring hub of not just creatives, but DRIVEN creatives who all had the gumption to take their show here.”

WHO: Bonnie He

WHAT: “Winner: Best Comedy, 2022 (Hollywood Fringe). Raunchy, absurdist physical comedy with two spoken words. For perverts, feminists and your mom (not mutually exclusive). ‘Highlights include a hilarious, irreverent burlesque act performed by Bonnie He.’ (StageRaw.com). ‘He’s Hello Kitty-accessorized, coquettish character is a breath of fresh air, as she acrobatically assaults unwitting audience volunteers in her endearing search for love’ (Orlando Weekly). ‘Great, clean, dirty fun.’ (TheTVolution.com). Additional awards: Fringiest Show, 2023 (Orlando Fringe Winter Mini-Fest); Craziest Solo Show, 2019 (Crazy Woke Asians Solo Performance Festival); Maverick Award, 2023 (Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival).”

WHERE: Underbelly, Cowgate – Iron Belly (Venue 61) 

WHEN: 23:10 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Second time to Edinburgh, first time producing a show!!! Sorry for all the exclamation marks. It’s been an absolute dream of mine to take A Terrible Show for Terrible People here for years, so I’m excited it’s finally happening. I was first here in 2019 to scope out the festival. I would have felt far too nervous and anxious just putting up the show without getting SOME idea of the lay of the land first. The Los Angeles theatre scene isn’t as big as New York, but everyone still knows that if you’re serious about your craft, you take your show to Edinburgh. And to get to do that this year WITH a mini-team in tow: director Bruce Allen, producer James Carroll and me, creator, performer and producer Bonnie He, is nothing short of amazing. I can’t wait for Fringe to start; it’s going to be an inspiring hub of not just creatives, but DRIVEN creatives who all had the gumption to take their show here. It takes a LOT of work to get everything in order by August! My team and I have been working non-stop since getting our official offer from Underbelly at the end of March (late, I know). Producing is certainly a very different experience than just hopping on a plane mid-August to watch some shows for a few days haha.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

The 2022 Hollywood Fringe Festival was the first time I was putting up my show post-pandemic, and I gathered a few life philosophies while prepping for it.

1) You will always learn more from lived experiences.
I’m a recovering perfectionist. Wonderfully, the art of clowning, in which one learns to be okay sitting in failure, is what made me chill out. But sometimes old habits die hard. Before I made any decisions—which venue to pick, who to hire for PR, etc.—I would research my options, but at some point, they became overwhelming, and then I found myself procrastinating on finalising any decisions because I felt that I didn’t have all the information I wanted yet. I 100% do not recommend this methodology. The aha moment for me was realising that this was a PROCESS, not a one-and-done project. I asked myself, was this the last time I planned to do my show? No. I realised then I had already learned so much while prepping for Hollywood Fringe, and I was only going to learn more for the next festival. Be easy on yourself. You’re always improving as you go along, but you can’t improve if you never launch.

2) Know what you’re presenting.
At the Hollywood Fringe, the single category you put your show into is the category in which people will vote for it at the end of the festival. A Terrible Show for Terrible People is a comedy in the form of a solo clown show and physical theatre, and there were three categories A Terrible Show fit into: 1) Comedy, 2) Solo Show and 3) Dance & Physical Theatre. I quickly ruled out Solo Show because A Terrible Show is not a vulnerable tale of overcoming obstacles (it is a HILARIOUS tale of overcoming obstacles), and that didn’t quite fit. I struggled between the other two categories, however. I had been advised that Dance & Physical Theatre was the easier category to win in because historically, there were simply less entrants than Comedy and even less than Solo Show. But I ultimately decided, if things went well, I’d rather risk getting just a nomination for Comedy because that’s what the show REALLY is at its core: a fun, dumb time that makes people laugh. I was nominated for the Comedy Award and I did end up winning it, which of course, feels great! But moreso, it felt deeply gratifying knowing I had done my show justice by decisively labelling it in the category that most accurately described it.

Tell us about your show.

The show is A Terrible Show for Terrible People, a physical comedy show with only two words! It is a raunchy romp from a woman’s perspective, and suitable for perverts, feminists and your mom (not mutually exclusive). The show debuted in Los Angeles at the Lyric Hyperion when Dr. Brown was running it. Our show did well in the States, with multiple awards including Best Comedy at the Hollywood Fringe and Fringiest Show at Orlando Fringe Winter Mini-Fest among others. James came on board to produce for Hollywood Fringe and has been my rock ever since. Bruce has been a supportive partner from the inception, but officially came on board for our live taping and now Edinburgh! Afterwards, we’re going to continue touring it on the U.S. circuit, but fingers crossed, we’ll get interest to put it up in the U.K. as well, and hopefully we’ll find distribution for the live taping of the full show that we did in Los Angeles right before Edinburgh.

This is honestly NOT how I saw my life going, by the way. My parents immigrated to the U.S. from China in the ’80s for a better life, and I’m sure having their firstborn become a touring clown was probably not on their list of dreams for their children. I started with improv, and clowning became the hot new thing in the 2010s. I was instantly enamoured with the artform, especially as an over-thinker. Clowning forced me to confront my own stupidity and then fully embrace it, and now I feel both sides of my brain operating harmoniously. And I’m excited to share my stupid with the world, and I hope people have a good time laughing.

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

Oh hell yeah! There are a LOT of great Hollywood Fringe shows at EdFringe this year!

2022 Best Solo Show winner Teruko Nakajima with Made in America
2022 Top of the Fringe winner Becca McGlynn with Asexuality!
2023 Top of the Fringe winner Claire Woolner with A Retrospection
2023 Best World Premiere winner Laser the Boy with A Shark Ate My Penis

I literally cannot believe I made friends with all of these insanely talented, lovely people through Hollywood Fringe and we all get to be together here at Edinburgh Fringe.

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EdFringe Talk: A Preoccupation with Romantic Love

Posted in EdFestivals 2023 by

“We kept running out of avocados and I’d have to run to Lidl in the pouring rain, fill up three tote bags, and head back.”

WHO:  Laura Thurlow

WHAT: “Approaching her 30th birthday, after ten years of failed romances, Laura meets with the six ghosts who have broken her heart to exorcise them for good. A darkly funny, poetic monologue about letting go of the dream of ‘The One’ and loving yourself in their absence. The show explores gender, beauty and the fear that follows women who love men – their greatest known predator. How can you heal yourself while still compelled to chase the very thing that breaks you?”

WHERE: Pleasance Online (Venue 171) 

WHEN: 15:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

My second Fringe, but I first moved to Edinburgh from Canada in 2016. Last year, I put on a wee poetry show for about a week, and also performed with The Loud Poets at the Scottish Storytelling Centre as a part of their “Best of The Fringe” showcase. The Fringe is an incredibly exciting time in Edinburgh that truly brings the city to a standstill. I have experience as a performer, but lots more as a local… working in a brunch restaurant… in 2019 I think I made 500 servings of avocado toast on a single day and I’m pretty sure that’s not an exaggeration. We kept running out of avocados and I’d have to run to Lidl in the pouring rain, fill up three tote bags, and head back. Anyways, it’s a time of year that gets your adrenaline pumping and there’s really nothing else quite like it. I love going to free shows and trying to find the oddest things I can in the programme that I just know I’d never manage to find anywhere else.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

It is very hard to convince people you flyer to in the city centre to come see your poetry show in Morningside. A bit of a niche discovery, but an important one all the same. I think I’ve learned the subtle art of flyering now, if I’ve perhaps not mastered self promotion. In any case, I’m thrilled this year to be in 2 venues with two rather different vibes – I think it will certainly make for an experience. The most important thing I think I learned, however, is to just not take it too seriously – to just be glad to have the chance to do the show in the first place, to relish opportunity to meet new and interesting people, and to take the time to see as many other people’s shows as I can.).

Tell us about your show.

I am nearly a one woman band, I’m afraid. This show is an expansion of my spoken word practice – a foray into drama, and plot. I am writer, performer, and tragically, publicist.

I do have the help of six other actors playing my exes in pre-recorded monologues – Charlie Blanshard, Daniel Camou, Demi Anter, Max Aspen, Mustapha El Yousfi, Toby Jeffries. (Max has also done the mix for said recordings!).

The conceit is that I’m going to listen to and share these six monologues in the hopes of healing something tragic and dramatic within myself – move on from my desperate preoccupation with love. I’m going to tell you some funny stories and I’m going to cry just a little bit. In Newcastle, at least, the audience cried with me. You will love this show if you love gossip and/or have ever tried to date a man.

The production premiered at the Alphabetti Theatre in Newcastle, and will have some performances in London at The Queer Comedy Club and The Canal Cafe Theatre before heading up to Edinburgh. I’m then returning, mid Fringe, to do two shows at The Hen & Chickens Theatre in North London.

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

Amy Webber ! 14:40, Just The Tonic at The Mash House. Listen, my show is supposed to be funny, but it’s going to make you cry. Amy will just make you cry with laughter. She’s phenomenal. We performed on the same bill once like two years ago or something and since then I’ve seen her twice in London. She is, without question, the next big thing.

As well, I’d hugely recommend checking out one of King of More’s shows this year. @kingofmore, at least on Instagram. I caught their sold-out-show last year at Blunda Gardens and I don’t think before or since I’ve seen a performer with that amount of pure charisma flowing through them.

Finally, they don’t need my endorsement as they are a living legend – go see Jazz Emu and tell me all about it. I regrettably missed their show last year and I’m afraid given the timing overlap I’m going to miss them AGAIN this year. I may never recover.

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EdFringe Talk: Guy Masterson: Love and Canine Integration

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“I’ve learned from stepping into live theatre again and from performing at NZ Fringe how important it is to allow yourself an authentic connection, to let flow ‘off script’ so that the reaction and response is for you as much as for audience sharing with you.”

WHO: Milly Moon

WHAT: “Once upon a time, she walked the length of Aotearoa New Zealand. To scream at the ocean, to sing at the trees, to curse the effing supplejack vine. She walked to process grief, to know alone, to remember home. While she walked, she sang. In an intimate performance of story and songs for wandering feet, Moon’s retelling of walking Te Araroa hiking trail, celebrates the power of voice, body, and being shit scared but doing it anyway. Moon’s unique and raw performance style engages audiences to embrace story, in sometimes uncomfortably intimate, sometimes darkly explosive performances.”

WHERE: Greenside @ Nicolson Square – Fern Studio (Venue 209) 

WHEN: 14:00 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It certainly is! This is my first time producing and performing my own show which I presented in Feb at NZ Fringe and had sooo much fun I decided to add Edinburgh Fringe into my UK trip! I think what I’m finding particularly special and inspiring about this festival is how incredibly diverse the works on offer are. I come form a music background and diving into the Fringe world is already opening a sense of possibility and creative expansion, it’s very exciting!.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

ooo ee! Huge lessons learned in 2022 as an artist and a human navigating the world! I feel the last couple of years I’ve been in constant ‘absorption’ from lessons born from the experience that inspired Walking Songs, and in continuing to develop in different directions, I’m solidifying, breaking down and re-learning these lessons again and again. The most poignant developments have been in discussion of the themes of this body of work with audience and those willing to share story in return with me, connecting in their own way with things like the idea of home as a sense, that everything falls apart and that it’s never too late to start again.

I’ve learned from stepping into live theatre again and from performing at NZ Fringe how important it is to allow yourself an authentic connection, to let flow ‘off script’ so that the reaction and response is for you as much as for audience sharing with you. It is vital to find honestly in the art I’m offering and that magic that happens when I’m telling story with my own voice, is why I’m doing this.

Tell us about your show.

Walking Songs is written, produced, marketed, performed and all the rest of it, by little old me! I make the props, write the music, tell the stories and am taking it through 3 Fringe Festivals by my sweet self.

I spent almost 5months walking the length of my homeland – Aotearoa New Zealand – to heal from trauma, loss and attempt to re-find a sense of home. While doing do, along with screaming at ocean and bush, I wrote. On the other side of the walk, I put these writings together, wanting to tell the story, share the music and connect with those on their own healing journeys.

Walking Songs premiered at NZ Fringe in Feb this year and will go to Melbourne Fringe in October. With my background in Music, I have already started recording the songs and stories and will be releasing these as an album in the near future along with other developments of the work. I’m excited to move this in many creative and connected directions!

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

There are soooo many incredible acts at the Fringe – I’m almost overwhelmed exploring what I’M going to see!!

If you enjoy elements of what Walking Songs has to offer – music, solo, adventure and nature connection, I think the ‘intimate sound experience’ 1000 Miniature Meadows is offering might be of interest – I sure can’t wait to immerse in this thoughtful exploration!

Bronwyn Claire Asha is performing a new show called ‘As I Roved Out’ and if her previous work is anything to go by – this will be extraordinary! An enchanting storyteller and talented multi-instrumentalist, As I Roved Out is certainly for those looking for story and song for wandering feet and heart.

My fellow Greenside performers have a huge variety of music, solo acts, and female representing pieces – I love the sound of Charlotte Grimmer’s ‘Initial Consult’, a comedian from my part of the world, I imagine comedy from Australia with a musical twist can only be HEAPS of fun!

Also set in Australia but digging into a much darker story, Shaddows Of Angels would be my pick for something to challenge and provoke as a female lead theatre piece. I’m also very excited to see Alison’s Skilbeck’s Uncommon Ground, Queen Mary Theatre Company’s ‘All the Glorious Moments In Between’, Oor Theatre’s ‘Singing Sands and By the Moon’s ‘Be Home Soon’ which look at themes I have been exploring with Walking Songs, of home, loss, grief and a transience that can deepen an understanding of ourselves and our world.

There are just so many incredible offerings – go Fill Yer Boots!

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EdFringe Talk: Get Blessed!

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“I play funeral celebrant Áine Reilly. She’s at Fringe to teach the audience the art of the perfect send off.”

WHO: Niamh Denyer

WHAT: “Put the fun back into funeral! Award-winning writer-performer Niamh Denyer is funeral celebrant Áine Reilly, here to teach you the art of the perfect send off. Refusing to conform to one philosophy or traditional religion, Áine balances the modern and the spiritual to create the perfect last ritual. Just an hour in her presence and you’ll be ready to turn death into a living. Become her student, learn to connect with the people, and turn human ash into cash! Are you up to the task? ‘Most natural comedic actress I have seen on the Irish stage’ (Dublin Gazette).”

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

WHEN: 13:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’ve been as an audience member but I’ve never brought a show before. Honestly, I was just quite scared to! My husband went up last year with a show and I saw first hand how stressful it was. Of course it’s very fun too but it’s a massive undertaking. When I started working on this show though, I just felt it would fit really well there. I felt I had to give it a go, at least once. Do the things that scare you right?!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I can’t speak to learning from pervious lessons at Edinburgh as I mentioned I’ve not been before. But with the pandemic I think the big lesson there for me was seize the day. For months and months we couldn’t be out and about. I would have given anything to put a show on and spend the rest of the day going to see other shows and having pints in Bristo Square. Now we can, we just have to go for it!

Tell us about your show.

It’s a character comedy solo show. I play funeral celebrant Áine Reilly. She’s at Fringe to teach the audience the art of the perfect send off. Learn how to turn death into a living! It’s interactive, fun and there may or may not be a powerpoint presentation.

It started with the character, I got bored during the pandemic so I began filming these little sketches of Áine, a busy body Irish woman who thinks she always knows best, they went down well amongst my friends (the only people who saw them!) so I thought maybe there’s more out there for her, and now she’s off to Edinburgh Fringe.

It’s largely a solo venture for me, I wrote it and am the performer and have been doing all the heavy lifting with regards to producing it. I am fortunate to have an excellent director Marcia Davies as well, We knew each other at drama school but hadn’t seen each other for a couple of years. I put a shout out on social media that I was looking to work with a director on the show and she replied. It’s been essential to have an outside eye. I’ve done some work in progress versions of the show but it’s true debut will be at Edinburgh. There’s no plans to take anywhere after just yet, but watch this space!

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

Catherine Cohen because she’s hilarious and talented, Alison Spittle an Irish comedy legend. Goes without saying my husbands Mike Kunze’s new show Infinity Mirror. I also want to see Patti Harrison’s show and Sofie Hagen and Rosie Holt. I’ve also just booked to see Megan Stalter. So much talent in one city!

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EdFringe Talk: Not Our Crime, Still Our Sentence

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“As an artist (in my case for this year, a writer), it can be difficult to dedicate time to your craft, especially as a working-class person. With inflation, rising costs, rent increases, loss in business’ resulting in loss of jobs etc., finding time to focus on the work you love can be incredibly difficult, and at some points, impossible.”

WHO: Mikael Philippos

WHAT: “A vital new comedy play by Glaswegian playwright Mikael Philippos about the real struggles, judgement and most importantly, laughs, a family affected by the incarceration of a loved one experience. Four years into her husband’s 16-year prison sentence, Dawn struggles to navigate her family through their new “normal”. With two teenage kids, a comical best friend, puberty, washings, sex, Universal Credit and the price of fabric softener going through the roof – who’s really serving time? Inspired by Mikael’s life, this is a story about family, friendship, compassion, and finding joy in difficult situations.”

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

WHEN: 19:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, this is my first time taking part in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as an artist. For years, I have been coming to the Fringe and seeing as much variety as possible, so it’s exciting to peak behind the curtain and see just how this amazing festival comes together.

I grew up in Glasgow, so Edinburgh Fringe has always been a dream of mine to take part in and I am still taking-in the fact that it is finally happening!

The Edinburgh Fringe is such a magical part of Scotlands culture. Without it, there would be hundreds, thousands even, of Scottish born artists that may not have had their creative spark ignited if not for this festival. I know it definitely ignited mine.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

The big things I’ve learned are balance and trust. As an artist (in my case for this year, a writer), it can be difficult to dedicate time to your craft, especially as a working-class person. With inflation, rising costs, rent increases, loss in business’ resulting in loss of jobs etc., finding time to focus on the work you love can be incredibly difficult, and at some points, impossible.

For me, I had to learn how to balance the scales and use my time to keep creating and keep creative. It has been difficult, but with that, I wouldn’t have been able to balance my own time and passions with working to survive if I didn’t also learn how to trust people around me with my creative projects. I had to learn how to let go a little bit and ask for collaborators, support, advice, and trust in my support network and peers.

Tell us about your show.

NOCSOS was written by myself and is being produced by Under the Rug Theatre (UtRT) company, presented by Gilded Balloon. UtRT is a new theatre company based in Glasgow, which seeks to support and collaborate with emerging writers & artists based in Scotland. The company was formed in response to a lack of representation & opportunities for emerging artists in Scotland, but also to show the UK (and hopefully the world) what Scottish artists have to offer.

A snippet of NOCSOS has previosuly been staged at UtRT’s first scratch night, Cuttin’ a Rug, and at the University of Glasgow Playwrighting & Dramaturgy showcase event.

In the future, myself and UtRT hope to expand on NOCSOS and eventually create a touring production of the full-length show (for fringe, we have condensed the show into 60 minutes), as the topic and themes at the heart of the piece are highly important and unbelievably relevant to thousands of families across the UK.

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

At Fringe this year, there are THOUSANDS of great shows to see. However, my personal top picks as MUST SEE nuggets are:

Sex Diaries of an Ex-Catholic – theSpace @ Surgeons Hall. This is a show which is sure to have its audience laughing. Sex, God, Vulva’s and a 25 year old abandoning her life-long chastity pledge, what more could a Fringe audience need!?

Scott Murphy: About a Buoy – Gilded Balloon, Patter Hoose. Scott is one of the funniest performers I’ve ever seen, and I don’t doubt this show will promise some right sore belly laughs. With one of the most creative minds in theatre/comedy, I can’t wait to see what About a Buoy has in store!

Crash and Burn – theSpace @ Niddry St. Getting political now, Crash and Burn is a new piece of writing which has an important message about climate terrorism and the Scottish oil industry. A well written & directed piece of theatre, this is sure to have its audiences engaged and thinking.

Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story – PleasanceDome @ Kingdome. I mean, this one, I’ve only seen the online reviews and marketing campaign and I’m genuinely not more excited about anything else this Fringe. Looking into Diana’s stance on social & queer issues, drag, puppetry, a knife? I’m buzzed for this.

Almost Adult – Gilded Balloon Patter, Hoose. The tragicomedy of the north-west comes to Scotland and I. AM. GAGGED! Charlotte Anne-Tilly has already received some amazing praise for her work, and it’s clear why! This is 2023’s Fleabag without a doubt!

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EdFringe Talk: Dominique Salerno: The Box Show

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“Decades ago, my high school acting troupe wrote and performed a play called “California Stories,” and I delivered a heartfelt monologue about how I felt personally traumatized by bikinis. (Ah, the angst of my youth!)”

WHO: Dominique Salerno

WHAT: “In this award-winning solo show, Dominique performs 25+ characters while inside a tiny box. (Think SNL performed in a cupboard!) Each time the doors swing open, Dominique transports you to a hilarious new reality including: a lonely giantess, a drunken couple mid-fight, the entire Greek Army inside the Trojan Horse, and more! With sketch-style characters and musical numbers, The Box Show is an adrenaline-filled roller coaster ride that plunges its audience into different worlds without ever leaving The Box. ‘Purely delicious…a paragon of Fringe form’ (New York Times). ‘Intensely creative’ (Time Out).”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – The Cellar (Venue 117) 

WHEN: 15:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Decades ago, I wandered the streets of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as an impressionable adolescent! My high school acting troupe wrote and performed a play called “California Stories,” and I delivered a heartfelt monologue about how I felt personally traumatized by bikinis. (Ah, the angst of my youth!) Our little show had a four day run at the festival, and I remember those four days being a whirlwind of excitement, fatigue, and artistic exploration. This will be my first time coming to the festival as an adult, now with an hour-long solo show, which I will be performing for 25 days… not 4 days! Pray for me and my aged bones! This time around, I hope to survive my run, see a bunch of shows, be inspired by other creatives from around the world, and dive fully into the Fringe experience!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Something that I learned very recently is that you can avoid Covid-19 for the entire pandemic only to catch it a month before the Edinburgh Fringe Festival run of your solo show. What’s that old adage? “If you want to make the gods laugh, make plans?” Well, the gods must be having a good chuckle at little ol’ me. Getting sick and remaining bedridden during the two week period that I planned to be in the throes of rehearsal was a firm reminder that we mere mortals can’t control everything. No plan will ever be perfect, and, as they say, the show must go on! Now, I’m grateful to have recovered, and I have been reminded that life is too short not to make art! I’m entering into the festival with a feeling of gratitude for my health and my community, and with a sense of exploration and adventure. Let’s see what unfolds!

Tell us about your show.

The Box Show is a solo comedy show where I play 25 characters while inside of a small box. I initially created the show by playing around with some characters inside an actual cupboard in a wall. Don’t ask me why- it’s just how my brain works, okay? I see a cupboard and start to think: let me get in there! After I wrote the first draft of the show in that cupboard, I built my own box and toured The Box Show around the U.S. at places like The New York Fringe Festival, Soho Playhouse, iO Chicago, and La Jolla Playhouse. This will be the first time that I’m performing a shorter version of the piece internationally, and I’m thrilled! This Edinburgh run is being produced by the amazing company Alchemation, who has produced incredible projects including “SIX,” “The Play That Goes Wrong,” “RENT,” “Avenue Q” and many others. I’m so grateful to be counted among their productions and to be working with their fantastic team to make this show happen!

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

I’m super excited to see “Hello Kitty Must Die” (a dark new musical about smashing stereotypes and taking control of how the world sees you even if your hands get a little bloody along the way!), and Cat Cohen and Zach Zimmerman’s new shows!

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EdFringe Talk: Alexis Dubus: 3-Star Show

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“A great festival is one that genuinely gives independent producers and upcoming talent a chance to shine.”

WHO: Alexis Dubus

WHAT: “After 20 years on the circuit, Alexis Dubus, easily one of the comedians of his generation, is ready to deliver the greatest 3-star comedy experience ever staged. Don’t miss this explosively average show from a multi award-nominated performer truly at the middle of his game. As seen as a waiter in Derek (Channel 4), an idiot in Nathan Barley (Channel 4) and 3 of 63 in Red Dwarf XI (Dave). ‘Can write some strong lines… sometimes excellent… amusing’ *** (Chortle.co.uk). ‘Too clever’ *** (List). ‘Puts the audience almost too much at ease… begins well’ *** (BroadwayBaby.com).”

WHERE: Just the Tonic at La Belle Angele – La Belle Angele (Venue 117) 

WHEN: 18:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Nooooooo. I’ve been coming here for many a year. My first Edinburgh Fringe experience was 1998 as a student, performing at 00:20 at Bedlam Theatre in a drum & bass-soundtracked version of The Tempest. That year I saw The Mighty Boosh, Simon Munnery’s League Against Tedium, Spymonkey, Adam Bloom and many other shows that blew my mind a bit. That’s where my Edinburgh Fringe addiction began. I’ve since performed at festivals all over the world, but none of them compare in terms of scale or awe.

A great festival is one that genuinely gives independent producers and upcoming talent a chance to shine. Many fringe festivals become a victim of their own success, thinking that bigger means better, but sadly that often means it’s only large companies with money who can succeed there.

Edinburgh may be colossal but it has its own ecosystem which allows for acts to thrive on a low budget, thanks largely to the Free Fringe. That said, the extortionate accommodation costs really need to be addressed for that ecosystem to remain intact.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I’m not as young as I used to be. I used to fit in as many extra gigs as I could, ensuring I had a holiday booked in afterwards. Now I’ve got two young kids, my days of recuperation are over. I need to be a little more lean and discerning with those extra shows.

But I’ve learned to say yes to things outside my comfort zone – at past Fringes I’ve performed in a lift to 6 people, in a public toilet, in the nude (audience likewise), in the dark, in a swimming pool and with a live band and all of those experiences have made me a better performer.

I’ve learned that sometimes reclining in the shade of a tree is every bit as valuable as taking in some culture.

Tell us about your show.

The show started off as 8 years’ worth of jumbled notes and a stupid concept. A few years back someone brought a show to the Fringe called “5-Star Show.” I admired the cockiness, but immediately the idea of seeing “3-Star Show” in the programme really made me chuckle. I’ve put off putting it on until now, but felt it paired well time-wise with my afternoon kids show (Marcel Lucont: Les Enfants Terribles), so here we are.

It’s me attempting to put on the greatest 3-star show at the Fringe. There are jokes, songs and poems and if it’s going too well or too badly I’ve got a reserve of good and bad bits to bring it right back on track. I feel like this might be a Fringe-only production – the idea of attempting to sell a 3-star show to the nation just feels like hard work.

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

Mad Ron at Assembly George Square is my tip for some sharp and hilarious late-night character comedy. And if you want go full-Fringe, High Steaks by Eloina at Summerhall is confronting, sweet and hilarious, often all at once. For mixed-bill craziness you can’t beat the vibe of Stamptown – I’ll be appearing in some guise or other. And for spoken word you can’t get much better than Luke Wright, who’s at his imperial phase right now. Go and see his Silver Jubilee.

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‘Be Not Afeard: A Sensory Telling of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest” (Bedfringe, 22 July 2023)

Posted in 4*, Bedfringe 2023, Rated: Outstanding by

“Like all the best Shakespeare done proper, ‘Be Not Afeard’ can be enjoyed by those of us who live and breathe the bard as well as those who couldn’t give a honk about the Swan of Avon.”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Outstanding)

Theatre is a sensory experience. Arguably, theatre was the first sensory experience conjured by the earliest humans that was indisputably distinct from the natural world. The Victorians liked their theatre grand and pagentrick, a feast for the senses, which is why they favoured scripts such as ‘King John’ with its many parading princes. The original Globe Theatre burnt down as a result of a prop cannon gone wrong. Costumes, properties, scenery, standing with one’s legs apart shouting lines at the audience – these are all variations of the conjuring art of Theatre.

The Tempest lends itself to such magic. It is possible that Shakespeare wrote the part of Prospero for himself at the end of his star-studded career – “Now my charms are all o’erthrown, And what strength I have’s mine own.” What a closing night that must have been. Percy Stow’s pioneering 1908 silent movie version of The Tempest makes this paragraph’s point far better than I can.

So it’s wonderful to see a live production, aimed at us CBeebies viewers, delivering such a wealth of sensory charms, none of which would be out of place in a grown-up version, and delivering the same with such artistic precision. For the script, Collar & Cuffs Co. have taken inspiration from the underpinning themes of The Tempest without getting bogged down in the occasionally cumbersome plot. It’s the elegant equivalent of summarising Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana with just a picture of a potato and a pipe of tobacco. Like all the best Shakespeare done proper, ‘Be Not Afeard’ can be enjoyed by those of us who live and breathe the bard as well as those who couldn’t give a honk about the Swan of Avon.

Daughter 1.0 (8yrs) wrote in her notebook – the one with Arthur Rackham’s etching of Disney’s Maui arm wrestling Caliban on the cover:

“Yesterday I went to the tempest. When I walked in I Saw a big mat and three bins and a tent. We were asked to sit on the edge of the mat. The story was about all of us going on a long journey to find a magic artist and take them home.

I liked when they sprayed us with warter and balls I realy enjoyed it and it looked like the little kids did too!”

What this show did need was more bustle and less bossy. Bustle is Widdow Twanky or Captain Mainwaring taking themselves far more seriously than anyone else in the room. We can all giggle at that. Bossy is being slightly hungover at a raucous kids’ show and being endlessly told what to do in a way that might make artistically-minded disruptive kids want to throw a chair at their constricting early years teacher.

This is the show that Shakespeare would have taken his son Hamnet to if the latter hadn’t been so taken with the snake roll’d in a flowering bank With shining chequer’d slough. It’s a show that will stick long in the mind for its artistry and ingenuity.

Reviewer: Dan Lentell

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EdFringe Talk: Truly Madly Baldy

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“A big thing I took away from last year’s fringe was to not be afraid to speak to strangers or fellow creatives.”

WHO: Sam Macgregor

WHAT: “Truly, Madly, Baldy is a hilarious two-hander comedy based on the brutally honest stories of people who suffer from the hair-loss condition Alopecia. Told through a surreal and whacky lens, our characters Baldy 1 and Baldy 2 encounter doctors, dates and deluded opinions on beauty standards as they come to terms with their hair loss. Strap yourself in as things are about to get hairy!”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Pleasance Below (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 12:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time performing in my own show at the fringe. I was up in Edinburgh last year flyering for some other brilliant shows as well as having a very small cameo in an amazing play called Block’d Off in Pleasance Courtyard, so I’m already familiar with the vibe of the fringe. I guess I was more of a punter last year, so I didn’t really have the stress that comes with being there in a performer capacity. That was pretty relaxing and enjoyable since the fringe can get very hectic at times. I guess this year I will see the difference in experience since I will be performing nearly every day for an entire month.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I suppose one of them will be that, at any given time, something can go wrong. How do you react to this and help the situation? I had a few of those moments last year in terms of script issues and rejected arts council applications. Ultimately you’ve just got to get back ok the horse and keep going to be honest. It’s important to have strong and supportive friends/network, as they can help you when things aren’t going as planned. I think a big thing I took away from last year’s fringe was to not be afraid to speak to strangers or fellow creatives. We are all nervous and shy sometimes and it’s nice to speak to new people and realize that we are pretty similar in that regard. Not being cautious when it comes to flyering. People love it when you speak about your play with passion, but remember to keep it concise! Word of mouth is huge at the fringe and the more people you speak to the better.

Tell us about your show.

So this show is sort of all based on when I (the writer, performer and producer) lost my hair in late 2019 due to developing Alopecia. It was always something I knew about since my mother has had this for about 15 years. Essentially it’s real life scenarios and anecdotes played out before the audience through eulogies told at a metaphorical cremation of hair. Myself, the director and actor all have pretty busy schedules so we have not managed to preview this yet. However come Wednesday 2nd of August, you best believe we are going to give you a show, regardless of how many people come. I potentially see this being transferred to a London venue, however, as a Geordie, I really want to bring this play to a venue in Newcastle.

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

I fortunately work for the Pleasance theatre in London as a front of house duty manager, I’ve had this job since late 2019. I get to see loads of brilliant fringe shows and this year so far I’ve seen a few cracking shows that are at this summers fringe. Firstly we have 30 and Out by Kit Sinclair, I can see this doing very well and rightfully so. Secondly, Pitch, by November Theatre. Now I have not had the pleasure of seeing this show, nor has anyone as it is a brilliant new piece of theatre. Their last play, How To Build A Wax Figure was great though so I’m confident I’ll enjoy this play about queerness in football. Lastly, Public, a musical set in gender neutral toilet cubicles is going to be one to watch. This show, as well as Pitch, were both recipients of the Charlie Harthill Award (awarded by Pleasance). I managed to catch their slot during the decision process when I was at work and loved what I saw. Expect banging vocals and catchy tunes about important issues! Actually, one last one before I go, The Life Sporadic Of Jessica Wildgoose, by Voloz Theatre Collective. I caught a preview of this and its a very fun piece with slick choreography and witty dialogue.

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EdFringe Talk: All is Pink in West Berkshire County

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“We are all Fringe virgins, me, the prod team, and the cast.”

WHO: Eliza Christy

WHAT: “‘What would it take for you to eat a real-life human being?’ It’s dinner time in the Abbey stately home. The fire is crackling, champagne is fizzing – not to mention Eve Abbey has brought her new boyfriend home for the festivities. Set in the early years of a national meat ban, it is announced that meat will be back on the menu this evening and just in time for the arrival of new boyfriend, Rory… From award-winning playwright, Harry Daisley, comes a new, deliciously twisted comedy showcasing Berkshire’s finest family.”

WHERE: theSpace @ Symposium Hall – Annexe (Venue 43) 

WHEN: 17:05 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

We are all Fringe virgins, me, the prod team, and the cast. Which makes it all the more exciting we really are all in it together. This is actually my first time producing full stop, so a steep learning curve for me, but fringe is full of absolute professionals so I really have learned from the best.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

In 2022 it hadn’t even crossed my mind I might go to Fringe. And now I’m in full swing of taking a show there so safe to say I’ve learned a lot. The Big things though… the things that make the most impact (on my life anyway- admittedly this is a self-indulgent answer) are always things that have been created through the medium of theatre, film, or music. So that is where I want to be. So Fringe is definitely the place to lap up all that creative gold.

Tell us about your show.

Harry Daisley wrote and directed our show. An amazing writer, but also such an all-rounder I have never met someone who fits so much into their life! A Medic Student, an athlete, a writer and a performer, constantly pushing himself into new spaces and trying new things. This is part of why his writing is the way it is, he is not afraid, and that definitely shows in his writing. A key point of inspiration for the script was the phrase ‘eat the rich’, which Harry flipped on its head to ‘eat the poor’ (the original working title of our show). From this grew a sadistic tale that showcases the worst parts of humanity.

Myself and Ellery Turgoose make up the producing team, we were connected with Harry through Aireborne Theatre who thought we would make a good team and they were right! Our production is premiering in Leeds before Edinburgh, this is where we are based so will be a friendly local audience nice and supportive for our first few shows.

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

People should definitely go see 60 Minutes of Mood Swings by OnTheNose Productions. 5 Strong female cast, brilliant humor, I think the title paints the picture pretty well of what you’re in for. Exploration of female anger, rants, joy, and expectations. A twist on the classic ugly duckling trope. I will definitely be there and so should you!

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