Author Archives: Dan Lentell

EdFringe Talk: Lovefool

Posted in EdFestivals 2023 by

“It’s a one-woman play about Grace, a young woman who is hungry for love, affection, and validation and who looks for it in all the wrong places and people.”

WHO: Gintare Parulyte

WHAT: “A brutally honest, hilarious and heartbreaking one-woman show navigating the impossibly confusing gender dynamics of modern love. Grace, a young woman hungry for affection and looking for love in all the wrong places, is forced to discover what healthy (self) love might look like. A sensational solo performance championing a life’s endless pursuit of healing, told with vulnerability and humour. Presented by the Théâtre National du Luxembourg, where it played to sold out audiences and received critical acclaim. This extraordinary piece of new writing received its UK Premiere at The Coronet Theatre.”

WHERE: Summerhall – Red Lecture Theatre (Venue 26) 

WHEN: 19:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It’s my first time showing my work at the Edinburgh Fringe, although it’s not the first time for my actor Kristin Winters, who performed her show “Ghislaine/Gabler” there last year and had already been there before. This run at the Summerhall is very special for us both for different reasons. Sharing the show and connecting with so many different people in such a short amount of time is a true dream come true, and I absolutely can’t wait to meet artists whose work I have admired for years and see their work, as well as discover new talent and get inspired, moved, and imbued with theatrical magic.

And, I mean, for a theatremaker, Edinburgh is the ultimate dream and I still can’t fully believe that it’s all happening. I also think that it’s rare and unique to be able to marinate in pure theatre bliss and in an isolated artistic bubble like that, where the city is imbued with people who either make or love watching theatre. I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of this universe.

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

I have learnt the beauty of working with talented people who place love and kindness at the centre of all collaboration. I have worked on “Lovefool” and other film projects since last year and realized how much hard work, focus, time, and energy is involved in creating meaningful work that matters, and I want to continue to create projects that not only speak about the necessity of being kind and compassionate towards each other but reflect that mindset in the creation process as well.

Tell us about your show.

My name is Gintare Parulyte, and I am a Lithuanian-born actor, writer, filmmaker, and theatre director from Luxembourg. “Lovefool” is the second play I have both written and directed, and it was commissioned by The Fundamental Monodrama Festival, a yearly theatre festival that takes place in Luxembourg and that celebrates the best solo shows in the world. It’s a one-woman play about Grace, a young woman who is hungry for love, affection, and validation and who looks for it in all the wrong places and people. It’s about addictions, sexual assault, emotionally absent fathers, codependent mothers, substance abuse, and the effects of trauma on our ability to love and receive love as adults. Although we explore difficult and painful topics, the show is also extremely funny, unapologetically honest, and ends up with a uniting and uplifting note.

The National Theatre of Luxembourg invited the play after its initial opening, and since I had to do a re-casting, I ended up meeting Kristin Winters, my magnificent actror who became a close friend as well, and who I have been sailing on this adventure with. The play was performed to two sold-out runs at The National Theatre in Luxembourg, we then followed this success with a sold-out run at The Coronet Theatre in London where we had our UK Premiere, and we are very excited about upcoming shows at the ConTempo Festival in Lithuania as well as our run at the Edinburgh Fringe. We will return to the National Theatre of Luxembourg for an additional run in autumn and can’t wait to continue to travel the world with it. It’s such a special play, and we are extremely grateful and excited that people receive it in the way we hoped they would.

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

Performing alongside people I admire and love is such a beautiful part of this adventure. I am particularly looking forward to seeing Daniel Foxx’ “Villain”, Victor Esses’ “The Death and Life of All of Us”, “A Spectacle of Herself” with Laura Murphy, “Summer Camp For Broken People” by Emily Beecher, “Sad” by Brigitte Aphrodite and Quiet Boy, among others.

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EdFringe Talk: Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“The Diana show started with me writing a silly little thing as a birthday present for my mother-in-law that then grew into its own arts council funded, multi-disciplinary, UK-touring show.”

WHO: Linus Karp

WHAT: “Do you know the story of Diana? Probably. But do you know our story of Diana? We very much doubt it. Join Diana in heaven as she shares the untold and untrue tale of her extraordinary life. Combining drag, multimedia, audience interaction, puppetry and a lot of queer joy – this unique celebration of the People’s Princess is as hilarious as it is tasteless. ‘Hilarious, joyful and ridiculous to the point of sublime’ (Deborah Frances-White, The Guilty Feminist – podcast). ‘The most unhinged piece of theatre in existence’ ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).”

WHERE: Pleasance Dome – KingDome (Venue 23) 

WHEN: 16:30 (70 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

With the quite obvious exceptions of 2020-21, I have performed at the Fringe every year since 2017. It’s so special to be at a place where you’re surrounded by creativity and artistry wherever you turn – there really isn’t anything like it.

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

Since last year’s Fringe I feel like I’ve grown so much as a performer – through my latest show I got to collaborate with so many amazing creatives from a range of fields – a choreographer, a composer, a designer, a puppeteer, a drag artist etc. and having hoovered up as much knowledge from them as possible I feel like a stronger theatre maker than ever before.

Tell us about your show.

I am doing two shows – both created and performed by myself alongside my partner Joseph Martin. “Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story” is a ridiculous, queer and comedic celebration of Princess Diana and “how to live a jellicle life: life lessons from the 2019 hit movie musical ‘cats'” is a queer and chaotic PowerPoint presentation about how you can make your life more jellicle – and what that entails.

The Diana show started with me writing a silly little thing as a birthday present for my mother-in-law that then grew into its own arts council funded, multi-disciplinary, UK-touring show.

Jellicle came out of my unhealthy hyper fixation of the cinematic masterpiece Cats (2019). After seeing the film, I could not think or speak about anything else, so I made a jellicle show about it. That said, you do not need to have seen the film or know anything about Cats to enjoy it – just be up for an evening of queer chaos.

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

At its best, the Fringe is emerging with exciting creatives being given a platform to find their audiences. So, I would very much recommend being bold in your choices and watch acts you’ve not heard of before and across all genres, rather than just comedians you’ve seen on TV. At a time where we see so much anti-queer rhetoric, I would also recommend making an effort to see queer work. Wasteman, A Shark ate my Penis, Public – The Musical and Pitch are some of the queer shows I’m looking forward to the most.

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EdFringe Talk: Bowjangles: Dracula in Space

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“Always pay the bin people..”

WHO: Ezme Gaze

WHAT: “Forget everything you think you know about string quartets, Bowjangles are an irreverent, anarchic group of genre-spanners, bringing music, theatre and comedy together in a way you’ve never seen before. Now, the award-winning foursome are blasting into outer space to meet a mysterious benefactor whose proposition seems a little too good to be true… ‘Completely original… the music would be entertaining enough without all the other incredible action and comedy going on’ ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘Full of zest, action and charisma… unfailingly entertaining’ **** (Chortle.co.uk). Warning: Contains scenes of graphic violins.”

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

WHEN: 16:30 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It’s our 4th as a group, we love it because the audiences are like nothing else – they’re a hungry pack of cagouled hyenas, searching for something weirder, something wilder with every show. Knowing what Edinburgh crowds are like has always really pushed us to make shows that surprise.

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

To never compare your fringe experience to anyone else’s, and to celebrate other peoples success – even if they seem like they’re a competitor. Oh – and always pay the bin people.

Tell us about your show.

We started as street performers 15 years ago playing classical music in Covent Garden, gradually we added singing, comedy and dance to the act and how we’ve accidentally written a full musical. Dracula in Space was written on zoom over a lockdown, and learnt by making hundred of recordings in home studios. Finally we were able to get together and make it, it’s been sporadically touring since then, but has been re-vamped for Edinburgh. It’s the story of a down on their luck string quartet who go to space looking for corporate entertainment work where they meet a sinister impresario who offers them their dreams – but at what cost?

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

We’re really looking forward to Charmaine Wombwell’s Ma’s Monster, she’s a fantastic singer, clown and yarn dyer making a show about motherhood, it’s in the yurt next to the BlundaBus – it’ll be proper fringe

Also can’t wait for Sophie’s Suprise 29th at the circus hub – a fun immersive party show with lots of circus and idiocy!

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EdFringe Talk: Soldiers of Tomorrow

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“I realized that to the Palestinian at the checkpoint it doesn’t matter if I am kind, I am still his oppressor.”

WHO: Itai Erdal

WHAT: “Playwright and performer Itai Erdal writes of a day when his eight-year-old Israeli nephew came home from school with an empty box to be filled with goods for soldiers on the front lines. Inside the box the boy’s teacher had written: ‘To the soldiers of today from the soldiers of tomorrow.’ A former Israeli soldier, Erdal shares some of his actions in the army, revealing a personal and frank context to the Arab Israeli conflict and the Occupation of Palestine. In his guilt and frustration, one can see reflections of a nation in turmoil.”

WHERE: Summerhall – Old Lab (Venue 26) 

WHEN: 14:50 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my third time in Edinburgh and my second time performing. I first came in 2011 as a lighting designer for a show called Time for the Good Looking Boy by Box Clever Theatre at Pleasance. In 2014 I brought my one man show How to Disappear Completely to Underbelly. It was shortlisted to the Brighton Fringe Award and to a Total Theatre Award for Innovation. I loved performing in Edinburgh, it’s an inspiring environment. It’s the largest theatre festival in the world and it attracts presenters from all over the globe. This is a unique opportunity to be seen by dozens of presenters and producers that I simply have no other way of reaching.

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

I learned that theatre is very resilient. There is nothing quite like sitting in the dark with a bunch of strangers and sharing some magic that is performed live. The cliche says that theatre has been on the verge of extinction for three thousand years, but it seems to be more relevant than ever.

Tell us about your show.

Soldiers of Tomorrow was written by me (Itai Erdal) with Colleen Murphy. It’s based on real events that happened to me during my military service in Israel 30 years ago. The show premieres at the 2023 Push Festival in Vancouver and is scheduled to tour Canada next season.

I grew up in Israel where military service is compulsory, but I was hesitant to enlist; I always objected to the way my country treated Palestinians and I didn’t want to be a part of the occupation. I thought about faking a mental condition to get out of the army, but my mom talked me out of it. She said that if people like me didn’t serve than we’d be leaving the military to the right-wing fanatics and if I enlist, I could be kind to people. But then I realized that to the Palestinian at the checkpoint it doesn’t matter if I am kind, I am still his oppressor.

When my nephew was eight, he came home from school one day with an empty box he had to fill with stuff to send to the soldiers in the front line. Inside the box his teacher wrote: to the soldiers of today, from the soldiers of tomorrow. My sister was the only parent to complain, most Israelis accept that their children will be soldiers and will take part in the endless Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the past 75 years the situation of the Palestinians has only gotten worse, it never gets better. Israel recently elected the most right-wing government in its history so unfortunately the future looks bleak.

I’ve decided to bring Soldiers of Tomorrow to Edinburgh, at a significant financial risk, because the situation in Palestine is close to a boiling point, and as someone who served in the Israeli army and helped oppress Palestinians, I feel a moral responsibility to try to do something, and theatre is the only thing I know how to do.

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

Everyone should see Horizon Showcase: The Talent by Deborah Pearson at Summerhall. Deborah is an amazing theatre maker, I am a huge fan.

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EdFringe Talk: Quitting Comedy

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“We have different stand-up styles, but we bounce ideas off each other a lot. We’re both learning how to have our own identity on stage rather than trying to be anyone else.”

WHO: Malia Simon and Caroline Hanes

WHAT: “In this mixed-media comedic play, two young New York City comedians pull back the curtain on the dark side of comedy. Through satirical stand-up and painfully accurate reenactments of moments with egocentric comedians, they grapple with the ever-present question: is it time to quit comedy?”

WHERE: PBH’s Free Fringe @ Legends – Upstairs (Venue 96) 

WHEN: 19:20 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Caroline: I went to Edinburgh last year to act in a play written by some friends who are also New York comedians. I also did a ton of stand-up throughout the month in various showcases. Malia came to visit me for a week, so she got to see the festival but neither of us has produced before.

Malia: Caroline can probably speak more on this more than I can, but even in the week I was at Fringe, the exposure to so many talented people from all over the world was amazing–I really hadn’t been a part of something like that before.

Caroline: We always describe it to other American comics as “summer camp for comedians.”

Malia: And really inspiring too. As artists, I think we sometimes discount how important it is to see good art to make your own work better. Before I got there, Caroline was messaging me like, “You’re going to be so inspired, it’s going to breathe life into your stand-up again!” and it definitely did.

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

Caroline: I think for both of us, in terms of our stand-up, we’ve learned a lot about being yourself on stage and speaking in your own natural tone. We have different stand-up styles, but we bounce ideas off each other a lot. We’re both learning how to have our own identity on stage rather than trying to be anyone else.

Malia: Yeah, for sure. I always try to think of it like, at the end of the day, it’s just comedy. There’s all the stress and the business and putting on a great show and all that, but like… you know, it’s comedy we’re talking about here. It’s not that serious!

Tell us about your show.

Caroline: We wrote it together. Typically, we’d sit down and block out the plot of the show, then break it up and say, “You go draft this scene, and I’ll draft this scene,” and then we’d edit together. So it’s very 50/50 in terms of our voices. Which worked! Our voices felt very consistent when we put everything together, which I’m proud of.

Malia: The play, in many ways, tracks our relationship, our different perspectives on being women in comedy, feminism, comedy in general. It merges our two perspectives. We came up with this idea while I was visiting Caroline at the Fringe last year. It was a fantasy at first, like, “Would anyone care about this?” because it’s so specific to our world, right? But then we realized that a lot of the material is more broadly relatable and even people who don’t do comedy can get something from it.

Caroline: Yeah, it came very naturally because a lot of the plot is based directly on our own lives. I’m constantly ranting on the phone to Malia about various things, and some of those rants went straight into the script.

Malia: Yeah, there’s a lot of shit we deal with. Pursuing a career in the entertainment industry is hard. Sometimes you feel helpless, as if there’s nothing you can do about it. But as a comic, you write about it. That’s what you can do about it.

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

Caroline: I want to highlight two of the cast members in our play who are bringing their own shows. Eve Ellenbogen is bringing a one-woman show called “Dead Mom Stuff,” which she wrote about losing her mom as a teenager. It’s hilarious despite the dark subject matter.

Malia: Yeah, she’s totally unfiltered and wild onstage. You’ll just fall in love with her as an audience member.

Caroline: She was initially only in one scene of our show, but she was so great that we wrote new scenes for her because we love her character so much. She will be such a highlight in the show.

Malia: We love our cast. We got so lucky.

Caroline: Mark Row is a British comic in our cast, and he’s also bringing his own show called “A * in the Making.” It’s about a teacher pursuing comedy, and the progression from hating his day job to ultimately finding a new appreciation for it.

Malia: Mark’s show is somewhat similar to ours in the sense that it touches on balancing being a normal person with being a stand-up comedian. He’s dry and witty and a fantastic actor and comedian, perfect for our role.

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EdFringe Talk: Matty Hutson: Don’t Hold Back

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“I’ve also been working on my posture and ability to maintain eye contact with mixed results.”

WHO: Matty Hutson

WHAT: “Leicester Square New Comedian and Musical Comedy Awards three-time finalist, musical comedian Matty Hutson bares his sensitive soul in this highly anticipated debut hour, accompanied by as many instruments as he can fit into a suitcase. As heard on BBC Radio 4’s The Now Show. ‘I need to hear a whole album of this genius’ (Shaun Keaveny). ‘Would entertain any comedy club’ (Chortle.co.uk). ‘Emotional but hilarious’ (Comedy.co.uk).”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – The Attic (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 19:15 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’ve done split bills and shorter shows but this is my first full run hour long show. For me the fringe is an opportunity to do guitar solos. One day i hope to do a show that is one long guitar solo. But this year I have taken the approach of writing a show with funny songs and jokes in it. Boring! I always love going to the fringe. Comedians are weird little odd balls for most of the time – so it’s nice to be surrounded by my peers and watching all of the different ways they’ve found of making people laugh.

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

I’ve learned to play the piano, play the electric guitar and use this cool loop pedal I’ve got – and that’s all in the show. It’s a very ambitious show with loads of sounds and visuals. I’ve made everything myself and i think it has a pleasant DIY vibe to it. I’ve learned loads about music production and sound design – and even had to learn a bit of computer code. I’ve also been working on my posture and ability to maintain eye contact with mixed results.

Tell us about your show.

I’m Matty Hutson – a musical comedian with the voice of an angel and the moustache of much more confident man. My show is called Don’t Hold Back – and it’s about trying, and failing to fit in. I’m not just a musical comedian playing a guitar. I’m also saying words in between doing that. Georgia House is my producer and she is the most well connected woman in comedy. She’s so on it and can chat to anyone – which is fantastic for me as I am scatty recluse. It’s also directed by Tom Parry – who I can safetely say is a comedic genius.

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

I would like to challenge this year’s fringe goers to do the ‘Attic Marathon’ – where they watch every comedy show in my venue in one day. Trash Salad, Lorna Rose Treen, Lindsey Santoro, Annabel Marlow, Leila Navabi and me. They are all amazing new comedians so less of a challenge and more of a great day out.

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EdFringe Talk: I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“I have been increasingly learning the benefits of being able to delegate wherever possible.”

WHO: Alexander S. Bermange

WHAT: “The definitive comedic musical revue revealing all about musical theatre, and the people who love it on both sides of the curtain! Updated version featuring new songs. Lauded with an unprecedented 35 five-star reviews for its previous sell-out fringe and London seasons. ‘Flawless’ ***** (BritishTheatre.com). ‘Sharp satire, undiluted fun’ ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘Delightful’ ***** (BroadwayWorld.com). ‘Hilarious… Wonderfully witty’ ***** (EdinburghGuide.com). ‘Crisp, perfect, immaculate, hilarious. Unmistakable gem!’ ***** (Musical Talk, podcast). ‘Laughs come thick and fast’ ***** (MusicalTheatreReview.com). ‘Loving tribute to world of musicals’ (Matt Lucas). ‘Must-see’ (Tim Rice). ‘Brilliant score’ (Miriam Margolyes).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon at the Museum – Auditorium (Venue 64) 

WHEN: 20:50 (70 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my fifth time in Edinburgh, and my third with I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical (though this being a fresh production of the show including additional songs and featuring a new cast, in many ways it feels like my first!). The Edinburgh Fringe is truly unique – the all-pervading sense of vibrancy and creativity that arises from so many artistically-minded individuals descending on the city to create and/or experience a staggering array of shows make it feel like nowhere else on Earth.

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

I have been increasingly learning the benefits of being able to delegate wherever possible. Each year this has become a little easier, as we have been able to steadily increase the size of our team, and there have therefore been more of us able (and qualified) to take on different responsibilities. This is particularly so this year, when we have the luxury of being under the umbrella of an established production company whose staff are experts in their respective fields.

Tell us about your show.

I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical is a comedic musical revue that reveals everything you could want to know about being a musical theatre performer – if only there were any who would admit it – plus everything about the devotees, detractors and disruptors they perform to! I’m the writer, it features a cast of West End regulars, and the producer is the great James Seabright, who picked the show up after seeing it in Edinburgh last year. In addition to its past runs there, the show has played in London, Liverpool, Switzerland and South Korea and was filmed for online streaming, though the forthcoming Edinburgh season will be the premiere of this new production. It will subsequently play at Wilton’s in London from 29th August to 9th September.

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

My audience should see Black is the Color of My Voice, which is inspired by the life of Nina Simone and features her music performed live. And having enjoyed seeing Iain Dale in conversation with legendary lyricist Tim Rice (who has been so kind as to be a vocal champion of my work) at last year’s Fringe, Iain Dale: All Talk will also be well worth a watch. Finally, having recently composed music for the West End production of Spitting Image The Musical, I’d encourage my audience to check out one of the terrifically talented team I had the pleasure of working with on it – comedian Matt Forde – who is in Edinburgh with his shows Inside No. 10 and The Political Party.

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EdFringe Talk: Kathy Maniura: Objectified

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“You’ve gotta fight pretty hard to keep a level head, a regular sleep pattern and healthy gut, but it’s absolutely worth it.”

WHO: Kathy Maniura

WHAT: “Kathy Maniura is ready to be objectified – by which she means pretend to be a bunch of objects live on stage!! In her debut solo show, this award-winning character comedian brings to life a few of her favourite things – and a lot of her least favourite. Meet an exhausting paper straw, a desperate electric scooter and a teeny tiny sexy little airpod among others in an hour of silliness that might make you look at the world a little differently. ‘Standout performer… Enigmatic’ (Scotsman). ‘Flawlessly performed and wittily and inventively scripted’ (Chortle.co.uk).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Teviot – Wee Room (Venue 14) 

WHEN: 16:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It’s my 5th time at the Fringe in some way, but my first time doing a show just me (the other times I was doing shows as part of character comedy duo Horseplay). The Edinburgh Fringe is a magical place – performances everywhere you turn at any time of the night or day, so much inspiration and energy. It’s also relentless, at times competitive, and wildly expensive. You’ve gotta fight pretty hard to keep a level head, a regular sleep pattern and healthy gut, but it’s absolutely worth it. I’m so excited to do my show every day – it’s a character comedy show where I pretend to be objects, and the more I do the characters the more exaggerated and absurd they become. I can’t wait to see how they end up by the end of the month…

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

I suppose the main thing I’m learning and trying very hard (and mostly failing) to actually put into practice is to go with the flow. Within any given performance, within the roller coaster of a Fringe run, and in life generally. In 2021 I had a near death experience from freak tonsillitis (a disease for children, how embarrassing!!) and it’s really taught me that you never know what’s around the corner, so in many ways there’s no point worrying and it’s best to just get on with it and do your silly little comedy show and hope it makes people laugh.

Tell us about your show.

Objectified is an absurd character comedy show where I bring to life a variety of everyday objects – by which I mean, if objects were people, what would they be like? I’m asking the big questions – will a regularly discarded e-scooter ever be loved? Can anyone resist the appeal of a slutty little airpod? What’s a wine bottle hiding? And much more… It’s good natured, silly, and I hope might inspire people to look at the world around them a little differently. I wrote the show myself, and the process has been mostly me prancing around talking to myself in my room. That said, a solo show is never really a solo show – it’s being co produced by Gilded Balloon, I’ve had invaluable feedback from Alison Thea-Skot and Kat Bond and I’m so grateful for the input of my brilliant comedy pals who have put up with me agonising about the show and offered me insightful feedback over pints – Derek Mitchell, Hannah Turk, Simon David, Jen Ives and many, many more. It began as work in progress shows in London through the winter, and has since been to the Glasgow Comedy Festival, Brighton Fringe and Oxford Comedy Festival. I’d love to tour the show after Edinburgh – watch this space!

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

There’s so much wonderful absurd, character-driven comedy at the festival this year. It’s something that doesn’t necessarily have a home year-round, so I’d say grab the opportunity furiously with both hands to see as much as possible. Lorna Rose Treen (fiendish skin pigeon), Lachlan Werner (ventriloquist and cultural icon), Jodie Mitchell (as drag king John Travulva), Simon David (shamlessly using his dad’s death to make ART). One of the great joys of the fringe is taking a punt on things you’d never otherwise see, so just explore! You haven’t done the fringe until you’ve seen something mind-blowingly good, something awful, and something completely baffling.

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EdFringe Talk: Some Sonnets and a Bit of Bach

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“What makes EdFringe unique is its sheer size and the ever-present chance of discovering something that a few years later turns into a cultural icon.”

WHO: Sebastian Michael

WHAT: “What do William Shakespeare and Johann Sebastian Bach have in common? Sebastian Michael, author of The Sonneteer and Sonnetcast podcaster, is trying to find out, bringing you some of his and your favourite sonnets and connecting them – somewhat adventurously – to a fugue. Expect glorious poetry, some fascinating insights, and one or two surprises…”

WHERE: Greenside @ Infirmary Street – Ivy Studio (Venue 236) 

WHEN: 11:30 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time at the Edinburgh Fringe in nearly ten years. I’ve done it in various capacities before – as an actor, performer, director, producer – but never with a spoken word solo show until now.

I’ve had my ‘triumphs’ and ‘disasters’, sometimes with the same show in the same year, and I’ve tried to “treat those two imposters just the same,” as well as anything in-between, though I admit it tends to be markedly easier to handle the former than the latter…

More than once have I told myself: that’s it, I’ve done it now, I don’t need to do this again. But the lure of Edinburgh proves irresistible. What makes it unique is its sheer size, the abundant wealth of productions in one place that you simply don’t get to see anywhere else because they will never be commercially viable enough to make it to London, for example, and the ever-present chance of discovering something that a few years later turns into a cultural icon.

I’ve never been to the Festival just as a punter – even my first trip about 35 years ago was in essence a recce – but I know the choice of shows can be overwhelming. And, as everyone knows, just being there has become prohibitively expensive. This I consider a big problem, because it threatens the experimental nature of the Fringe to its core.

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

I have to answer this question very literally: The big things I’ve learnt since 2022 are the Fugue and the Sonnets. I haven’t learnt all of the Sonnets yet – this is a work in progress – but in April 2022 I started learning William Shakespeare’s 154 Sonnets by heart and I’m nearly halfway through, currently, as I write this, approaching Sonnet 68, Thus Is His Cheek the Map of Days Outworn.

Playing the Fugue in C Major from the Well-Tempered Clavier, let alone performing it as part of a show, would have been beyond me a year ago, and the thought of doing so ludicrous. It’s genuinely amazing what a good teacher and a lot of practice can do for you though.

I suppose the big learning in more general terms came in 2020/21 with Covid, which served as a major reset button and put everything in perspective, as has the war in Ukraine since: we really need to treasure our arts, our forms of expression, our poetry, because although they be robust and lasting, the freedom and leisure we need to nurture, develop, and enjoy them are fragile indeed and may come under existential threat at a moment’s notice.

Tell us about your show.

This show sprang from a conversation I had with my young and prodigiously gifted piano teacher, when I wondered out loud: what do William Shakespeare and Johann Sebastian Bach have in common? and semi-jokingly answered: me. On account of my abundant love for them both. The two are really as different as you can imagine, but this piqued my interest further and I thought it might be a rewarding challenge to try and link Shakespeare’s Sonnets somehow to a Fugue by Bach.

The show consists pretty much of what it says on the metaphorical tin: I am presenting some of my and also some of the audience’s favourite Sonnets, giving a bit of background to how they came about and what they may mean, and linking them to one particular piece of music by Bach.

This is a premiere and whether it goes on anywhere else after Edinburgh, and if so where, depends entirely on the universe: if the world wants me to do this show, it is on offer and I’ll consider going anywhere that I’m invited to. If it turns out that nobody has any need or use for it, then I’ll enjoy the rest of the fest as best I can and book it all down to what will in any case be a profound experience.

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

I am doing this interview a month before I travel up to the Festival, so I haven’t seen anything yet, but my recommendation to anyone is: go discover! Find the shows nobody’s talking about. Eschew the deluge of ‘star-ratings’ and seek out obscure but interesting premises and ideas. Be the only person in an auditorium that seats sixty and see something that blows your mind.

The following are shows that have so far attracted my attention. They’re mostly from the venue group that I’m at – Greenside – because I’ve only looked at their programme in detail so far, but I have also identified a couple or so outside.

Enjoy:

A/lone: Loneliness and disconnectedness are big themes for us today, and this physical theatre / dance / verbatim piece looks like it’s taking an imaginative approach to them.

Burnt Lavender: “The revolution starts here,” is what this company of students from the University of Worcester say about their foray into LGBTQ+ history. I feel I am part of that history and I’m intrigued to know what the revolution looks like from their perspective…

Maybe Things Are Okay The themes of this show – life, loss and love in different colours – have forever fascinated me and they are ones I have dealt with in some of my own plays. So this is an opportunity to see how a new generation explores them.

Perfect Pairing: A Wine Tasting Dancegustation The concept of a ‘dancegustation’ in itself is one that most likely has to be experienced to be understood, and I am all for word creations if they define something that may well be worth cultivating…

Peer Gynt: A Jazz Festival Grieg and jazz sounds to me like an exquisitely promising combination, and one that I can’t wait to hear in fusion.

Alan Bennett’s Cocktail Sticks I’m a great admirer of Alan Bennett and I don’t know this piece, so this will be one of those opportunities the Fringe often offers for filling an educational gap.

I Believe in One Bach The cue for me here is in the title: I have not found many shows at this year’s Fringe that feature Bach, and none that isn’t simply a performance of his music, except mine and this one here, so obviously I’ll have to go and find out more.

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EdFringe Talk: Gallus Stooshie’s Cool Ceilidh

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“We wanted to bring something a little bit different from an hour long dance performance and realised that a modern ceilidh would appeal to so many locals and tourists from around the world.”

WHO: Susan Elena

WHAT: “Gallus Stooshie is a modern Scottish dance troupe here to make ceilidhs cool again. Enjoy a sensational performance, then take part in the coolest ceilidh in town, all led by our gallus dancers. Expect fun, fancy footwork and floor-filling tunes in an interactive, family-friendly event you don’t want to miss! Gallus: bold, cheeky or flashy. Stooshie: a commotion or fuss. Gallus Stooshie: made in Scotland to make you dance!”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Teviot – Debating Hall (Venue 117) 

WHEN: 14:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is Gallus Stooshie’s first EdFringe experience but we have been attending the festival for many, many years as punters taking in the shows and soaking up the atmosphere. There’s nothing better than wandering around the meadows between shows and enjoying the hustle and bustle, especially when the sun is shining.

The huge variety of shows involved in the Fringe truly make it accessible for everyone and we believe that our Cool Ceilidh will go down a storm with families and anyone who loves to ‘wheech’ around a dance floor.

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

Just to go for it and make it happen! My husband, Mark from Gigging It Up, had his EdFringe debut last year with comedy shows at Boteco do Brazil and is back again for his second year. After hearing all about his Fringe experience, I knew it was time for us to get involved too and Gallus Stooshie just seemed like the perfect fit. We wanted to bring something a little bit different from an hour long dance performance and realised that a modern ceilidh would appeal to so many locals and tourists from around the world.

Tell us about your show.

Gallus Stooshie was originally formed way back in 2014 to promote the Glasgow International Comedy Festival in Dublin. After a long hiatus, the show’s director, Susan Elena, decided to extend the performance and add a ceilidh to get everyone up on their feet and dancing along.

The whole idea is to bring ceilidhs into the 21st century with modern music that different generations will enjoy, and a show-stopping performance that includes traditional Highland dancing with a twist of Jazz and Urban dance.

We’ll be performing at the World Cycling Championships’ Go Live! festival in Glasgow just a few days before our EdFringe debut with the Gilded Balloon.

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

We’re very excited about Adele Birkmyre’s show Happy Pants and Men In Quilts, both happening in Boteco do Brazil with Gigging It Up.

Adele Birkmyre is a fantastic comedian who can even make Tena pants funny while the guys behind Men in Quilts, Ronnie Black, Kenny Sinclair & Graham Stewart, were once hot-bodied men in kilts but are now revelling as warm-bodied men in quilts.

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