Author Archives: Dan Lentell

EdFringe Talk: Leo Still Dies in the End

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“The show was born out of a totally healthy obsession with “Titanic” that my family absolutely did not mock me about.”

WHO: Alice Fishbein

WHAT: “It’s been 84 years… or 26, since April 1999, when six-year-old Alice was finally allowed to watch James Cameron’s classic, Titanic, on VHS. Presenting a one-woman parody re-enactment of Titanic in which Alice plays all the parts and the scenes are selected at random (but with the same emotional gravitas, she swears). In this show about how childhood obsessions shape who we are as adults, nostalgia for aging ’90s media, and claims of boats too big to sink, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, your heart will go on (even though Jack’s does not!).”

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

WHEN: 22:00 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I spent a few days in Edinburgh in October 2023 while doing a (mostly) solo trip in Ireland and Scotland and I can’t wait to be back! But this IS my first time doing Edfringe or any large festival, which is so thrilling as a performer. The idea of performing every day for 17 nights while everyone around me is doing the same thing is a performer’s dream! Now let’s just make sure I remember to drive on the other side of the road (just kidding, I’m a New Yorker, I don’t drive) and that my airline lets me bring all of my props on the plane (yes, that includes the infamous scene-deciding wheel)!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

The biggest thing I’ve learned since 2024 is if a man is emotionally unavailable, you will not be the one to make him available and it’s a lesson I have worked hard not to absorb! If you mean show related lessons, I’d say in the last year, I’ve learned that audiences are unpredictable and that’s part of the fun! One audience might laugh harder than you’ve ever heard at one moment and another audience might laugh even harder at a completely different moment, and neither is wrong or correct, it just is, and that’s the beauty of live performance (and sometimes the joke needs to change in the moment and I’ve learned how to do that because that’s showbiz, baby!).

Tell us about your show.

Leo Still dies in the End was written by, produced by and performed by me (though of course, the Titanic elements were written by none other than James Cameron but don’t tell him that) and directed by the talented Ryan Lind. The show was born out of a totally healthy obsession with “Titanic” that my family absolutely did not mock me about and it was out of total love that my sister and our friend during a trip to Portugal in 2019 started saying, “Alice, do Titanic” when they wanted some dinner theater. And so I did, parodying scenes line by line and interjecting with my own thoughts about the scenes, dialogue, and movie in general.

From there, the show grew into a mini version which premiered at a solo show festival in NYC in 2023, my director Ryan came aboard this unsinkable ship (we stayed on land), and the show went on to have a few sold-out previews in NYC before now coming to Edinburgh! I’m hoping to run it again in NYC after the festival and then take it on tour but I’m open to ideas if anyone has any (no, really, throw the possibilities at me! Shout them out like you’re on a boat that’s sinking and need to let the entire Atlantic Ocean know!).

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

Everyone should go see every show they can at the festival (I know I will be)! I’d say head over to Lily Blumkin’s Nice Try if you want to see quite the assortment of characters! I got to see it here in NYC and I’m looking forward to seeing it again.

I’d also recommend any of the other amazing shows that were awarded the Keep It Fringe US grant alongside me. I can’t wait to see them while I’m in Scotland!

I’m also really excited to see Woody Fu’s One Man John Wick – this will make me blush with embarrassment but years ago, he did Keanu on a character show and it is still one of my all-time favorites so I’m very excited to see the whole show.

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EdFringe Talk: Pop

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“The story is told with a heartfelt protagonist, larger-than-life Greek chorus, and big, catchy songs.”

WHO: George Oates

WHAT: “Pop is a gig-style musical about a songwriter who leaves their hometown and moves to London to pursue their dream of being heard on the biggest stages. This fast-paced show explores the highs and lows of being an aspiring creative and mixes this relatable sincerity with catchy songs and amazing vocals. The cast of five combines the energy and fun of a pop concert with the intimacy of musical theatre storytelling.”

WHERE: Big at theSpaceTriplex (Venue 38) 

WHEN: Varies (55 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, I was actually lucky enough to go as a performer last year, but this is my first time bringing my own material to fringe or anywhere! I’m super excited to have POP performed as part of the world’s largest performing arts festival, where the eclectic mix of shows means there’s an audience for almost everything. However, the rest of the POP team (both performers and behind the scenes) are making their fringe debuts, so as a company, we are very excited to experience all that fringe has to offer!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

When I first went to the fringe last year, I think I properly realised how big it was. It sounds silly but everyone tells you how much entertainment and theatre there is and you nod your head and agree, but until you’re there I think it’s really hard to grasp how much is actually happening! My experience of the fringe last year really helped shape what kind of show POP is. I really hope it appeals to all the creatives, writers, and performers who come to Edinburgh to experience the buzz of taking a show and trying to get a little bit closer to their big dream!

Tell us about your show.

POP is a musical that explores what it means to write music and embark on the dream of it being heard by many. The story is told with a heartfelt protagonist, larger-than-life Greek chorus, and big, catchy songs. I started writing the show in 2022, and put it forward for Chevron Theatre’s (a company formed by Leeds University Union Musical Theatre Society) 2025 show. Apart from 2 preview performances in Leeds, Edinburgh will be POP’s debut run!

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

POP is a musical all about what it means and what it takes to create music, so it would be rude not to point you in the direction of some of the other fantastic musical entertainment at Fringe. I am personally super excited to see Northern Lights Acapella for some exceptionally performed vocal music, and Hot Mess for a very fun and intriguing take on the break-up musical.

As well as being an exciting new musical, we are also very much a student theatre company, and there is plenty of student theatre from Leeds at the fringe this summer (and hopefully for many years to come!!). There are 4 plays written and produced by Leeds-based student theatre companies – Loose Threads, Lost Paws, Hands Up and Erica Plays Mr Waddiger – that all promise to be great watches. Likewise, the inimitable Leeds Tealights are back again this summer with a brand new sketch comedy group, and I, of course, have to give a shoutout to The Songsmiths, Leeds student a cappella group (who I also musical direct!).

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EdFringe Talk: Apocalypse Cabaret: Songs for the End of the World

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“My big piece of advice to myself is to choose projects wisely and go ten thousand percent.”

WHO: Tamsin Hurtado Clarke & Scarlett Plouviez: Performer & Director

WHAT: “A lonely karaoke jockey is the sole survivor at the end of the world, and decides to go out singing. A darkly hilarious, high-octane spectacle, where Nietzsche meets the Spice Girls, and the world ends in song. Chanteuse, comedian, and chaos enthusiast Scout Durwood (MTV’s Mary + Jane) hailed as ‘brazen, brass’ (Vogue), makes a powerhouse Fringe debut packed with original songs, pop bangers, audience interaction, and existential musings. This full-throttle celebration of life at the edge of the abyss asks the big question: is there time for one more song?”

WHERE: Dairy Room at Underbelly, Bristo Square (Venue 302) 

WHEN: 21:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Thoughts on festivals experienced as a producer v. experienced as a punter etc.): I have been once in the past many years ago, but this is my first time traveling with a real, full-blown show. It’s a pretty special thing for so many artists to be gathered for a live-show extravaganza. I’m stoked beyond words, and excited to take a nap for the rest of September when I get back to the states.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Don’t bail on the bit. Creative stuff is way harder than you think, especially if you want to pull it off well. So my big piece of advice to myself is to choose projects wisely and go ten thousand percent. I’ve definitely come up against a little bit of burnout, and the solution for me has been learning how to say no, which isn’t always the easiest thing. Creative projects make my heart sing, but I’ve learned (or maybe am still learning) to give myself downtime to compliment the busy times. It’s also helped me fall in love with the reality series DANCE MOMS, which is my new favorite pastime to unwind.

I’ve also learned a ton about the longevity of my singing voice! Being in the circus around all those incredible athletes helped me establish a physical discipline that I’m not used to in the cabaret/nightlife world. I’ve gotten pretty into training those two little vocal chord muscles. Not the most interesting lesson, but a fun and nerdy one.

Last thing, I think I’m done with cities. I just finished a two year contract that had me not in a major city for the first time in my adult life. Now I’m hanging in the woods and find cities way too stressful. Especially now that I spend most of my time writing, being able to go outside and listen to the birds has been vital for success.

Tell us about your show.

I spent the last two years working in the circus with Spiegelworld, and the soft premiere of this show in Walla Walla, WA was the first thing I did after I left. I wrote the show with the help of my director, Ellie Heyman (she/her) and it’s been a giant work in progress and a giant evolution for me as a comedian. This show is only funny sometimes, which is new for me. I am used to (trying to be) funny all of the time.  I have a scripted pilot in development, so after the festival, I head back to LA to do some pitching, then to a cabin in upstate New York to finish some writing and start to weave everything together. I’m actually writing this from a  music studio on my last day of recording a cover album. I got really into covers from my cabaret roots, thus the Edinburgh show being all about a karaoke jockey and my album being a bunch of protest-style covers of twangy, belty, piano banging tunes.

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

I want people to answer this question for me because I am new to the festival and have no idea! I want to see absolutely everything I possibly can, so if anyone out there is reading this, please send any and all recommendations to @scoutdurwood across all platforms.

I’m excited to check out Sugar, which is also in cabaret about a gender-fluid sugar baby and the discovery of transactional relationships. Tomáš Kantor stars in it, and they’re a really strong performer.

Also, a theater piece, Do You Accept These Charges? premiering based on Laurie Magers’ actual relationship with a guy she met on a dating app who turned out to be a multi-felon out on parole.. The show digs into themes like love addiction, abuse, and the American prison system.

And then in comedy, comedy, Dylan Adler is doing his debut show Haus of Dy-lan. He’s a classically trained pianist who mixes music with comedy, and the show touches on his experiences with race, being a gay identical twin, getting bullied as a kid, and even his grandfather’s past as a kamikaze pilot in WWII.

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EdFringe Talk: Joe Sib: California Calling

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“I’ve also learned how powerful it is to tell your truth on stage, even when it’s messy. Especially when it’s messy.”

WHO: Joe Sib

WHAT: “A story of growing up on a punk rock-fuelled journey. A unique comedian, Sib blends stand-up and storytelling like no one else, sharing raw, relatable tales from the 1980s suburbs to stages with Metallica, The Ramones and Social Distortion. Growing up in California, Sib saw punk rock explode into the suburbs, shaping his life. From fronting Wax and 22 Jacks to co-founding SideOneDummy Records. This unforgettable show is personal and raw. An inspiring journey. ‘Joe Sib’s show is a cross between theatre, memoir and a loogie in the eye’ (LA Times).”

WHERE: Pip at Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower (Venue 140) 

WHEN: 21:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes — this is my first time performing at the Edinburgh Fringe, and honestly, it’s a dream. I’ve toured the world in bands and as a comedian, but there’s something about Fringe that feels like the creative Olympics. It’s raw, unpredictable, and totally artist-driven. What makes a great festival is when it brings people together to feel something real — and that’s what I’m aiming for with this show.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

That everything can change in a day. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to stop waiting for some perfect moment — it doesn’t exist. I’ve also learned how powerful it is to tell your truth on stage, even when it’s messy. Especially when it’s messy.

Tell us about your show.

California Calling is my story — a one-man show that blends punk rock, skateboarding, family chaos, and chasing dreams. I wrote it based on my life growing up in the 1980s California punk scene, fronting bands, co-founding SideOneDummy Records, and ultimately finding myself in stand-up. I’m producing it independently, with some help from trusted collaborators. This is the show’s UK premiere, and after Fringe I plan to tour it in the U.S. and hopefully film it.

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

If you liked my show, seek out other storytelling and stand-up that digs deep — not just laughs, but heart. Go see performers who are giving you a piece of their soul, not just a set list of bits. Check out folks like Daniel Sloss, Fern Brady, or any raw one-person show about identity, music, or growing up on the fringe — metaphorically or literally.

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EdFringe Talk: Mitch Benn: The Lehrer Effect

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EdFringe LEGEND and Radio 4 Royalty, Mitch Benn talks TOM LEHRER with Thomas ‘No More F*cks To Give’ Benjamin Wilde esq. at Bedfringe on 26 July 2025.

WHO: Mitch Benn

WHAT: “When, years ago, a teenage Mitch discovered American comic songwriting legend Tom Lehrer, the course of his life was changed forever. Mitch looks at the legacy of the elusive Lehrer, the creative debt owed to him by all those who mix humour and melody, and performs some of the more Lehreresque of his own songs. Since Mr Lehrer (at time of writing, still slogging obstinately along at the age of 97) recently placed his entire catalogue in public domain, expect a few Mitch Benn-ified covers of some of Tom’s most famous creations as well.”

WHERE: Jersey at Underbelly, Bristo Square (Venue 302) 

WHEN: 16:00 (60 min)

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On the very night that the legendary satirist Tom Lehrer passed away, two of the UK’s finest musical comedians — Mitch Benn (BBC Radio 4’s The Now Show) and Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq. (of I’ve No More F**s to Give fame) — talked backstage at Bedfringe. What followed was an impromptu, heartfelt, and hilariously under-edited discussion of Lehrer’s influence, legacy, and unmatched brilliance.

Between witty anecdotes and musical reflections, the two performers honour the man who changed the landscape of comedy songwriting forever. A fitting tribute. A moment of spontaneous comic history. A must-watch for fans of clever wordplay, satire, and musical mischief.

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EdFringe Talk: Faustine: A Dissertation. A Confession. A Mental Breakdown

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“For the past two years, every time we’ve done this show at least one person has told us it belongs in the Edinburgh Fringe. It feels like it’s time.”

WHO: Sarah Norcross

WHAT: “Faustine: A Dissertation. A Confession. A Mental Breakdown. Faustine is excited to share her dissertation with you, but all is not what it seems. She’s sold her soul to the devil in exchange for her brilliant thesis. Faustine lied, cheated and murdered to get here, and she won’t go back. This solo musical critique of academia, ambition and class (coming to you from a sold-out NYC run) is equal parts Xiu Xiu and Sondheim, Heathers and Hedda Gabler, pedestrian and academic, and hilarious and horrifying.”

WHERE: Theatre 3 at theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall (Venue 53) 

WHEN: On Demand (50 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, this is both my and my collaborator, Lydia Brinkmann’s, first time to Edinburgh. We have lots of experience in smaller festivals in the U.S., including several cities’ fringe festivals, but Edinburgh has been a long-time dream for both of us. We met studying abroad together in Moscow, so we consider our friendship and collaboration to be an international one. The chance to travel across the Atlantic to make art together again is one that fills our hearts. Plus, for the past two years, every time we’ve done this show at least one person has told us it belongs in the Edinburgh Fringe. It feels like it’s time.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

We’ve learned to ask for what we want – not just from other people but from ourselves. Faustine, at its core, is about a woman who has chosen to stop believing in herself. She thinks that she needs to hand over her personhood in order to succeed because she doesn’t know what she contains within herself. She’s been so burned and so jaded that she forgets that all her previous success came from within and from asking of the world. I like to think that both Lydia and I know to ask others, and we’ve learned how often they say yes. And we’ve learned how to ask more of ourselves than we previously thought was possible. Ask and you shall receive.

Tell us about your show.

Lydia Brinkmann and Sarah Norcross started writing Faustine in 2023 while Sarah was drowning in graduate school. From the small seed of, “What if a graduate student sold her soul to the Devil”, it’s grown into something that makes audiences squirm, laugh, and cry. It was a cathartic process, a love letter to the hardworking, burned-out, overlooked women they knew (and were), and a bundle of laughs. Faustine dives into questions of privilege, desperation, and guilt as they apply to women who long for greatness.

The music picks up from all of their favorite genres and has been described as “Fiona Apple meets Richard Wagner” and “Sondheim…Loyd Webber… and Tim Rice”. You have to hear it to understand.

They first produced a 30-minute version at The Tank NYC, followed by a sold-out, hour-long version at AdultFilm NYC. The show got tighter, funnier, scarier, and messier in all the right ways as it grew. They just finished a run in Cincinnati (Lydia’s hometown) with rave reviews, where, for the first time, both Lydia and Sarah split the role. There are tasty morsels of both Sarah and Lydia in the character that make her the favorite role either of them has ever played. They got called a “full-blown musical exorcism”. What they’re exorcising personally is yet to be disclosed.

Up next, they’re taking the show to Philadelphia, where Sarah got her BFA and started to understand everything that theater could be.

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

You should go see more musicals by and about angry women! We’re particularly excited for Mary, Queen of Rock, I Was a Teenage She-Devil, and Remember That Time? All three of those shows sound like they’ll tap into the catharsis that we want to experience.

We’re excited for queer shows such as The Pink List, because we’re pretty sure that the best theatre will always be made by our queer comrades.

Finally, we can’t wait for Setlzer Boy because its premise sounds truly unique and because we’re such fans of Connor McKenna.

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EdFringe Talk: A Monkey Trial: The Gameshow or The True and Tragic Passion of Pauline Campbell

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“People are open to debate, and perhaps seeing things in a new light, if they can be taken on a ride into the darkness with hope and humility and laughter.”

WHO: St John McKay

WHAT: “Reenact the criminal trial of a real-life feminist activist martyr… but as a television gameshow. With talking monkeys. With you as the jury deciding her fate… WTF? It’s different every time but forever sad, nuts, tragic, absurd, heavy, bananas and intense. Daring to ask – does prison really make us safer? *All ticket sales go to criminal justice nonprofits.”

WHERE: Muse at Braw Venues @ Hill Street (Venue 41) 

WHEN: 14:30 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Though I’ve performed at Adelaide and Melbourne and Reykjavik and New York festivals, this is my first time at the big kahuna burger (also my first time in Scotland, where I’ve always dreamed of coming!). Edinburgh Fringe is the pinnacle of the world’s fringe festivals, and the city truly embraces art like no city does, becoming transformed into a world of creativity and expression and joy and thought and surprise. Artists come together with audiences, artists come together with artists, audience members come together with audience members, in the streets and the theatres and the pubs, surrounded by jaw dropping architectural reminders of our connection to the past — the streets, the buildings, the land. An inspirational time like no other is this Edinburgh festival. The dream place for anyone who believes in art not merely as entertainment, but as a life necessity.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

That the world’s pretty crazy right now! But one thing I’ve realised is, amongst all the horror we are bombarded with, what I have to remember is that every second of every day everywhere on this planet there are millions of acts of kindness, and love, and generosity, and compassion, and sacrifice, it’s just that those acts don’t make the news. With all my work over two decades now, as with this current show at the fringe, I admit I have a preoccupation with the heavy subjects — trauma, inequality, gender, unquestioning obedience, domestic abuse, and now, the criminal justice system. But the lesson I’ve found is that people are open to debate, and perhaps seeing things in a new light, if they can be taken on a ride into the darkness with hope and humility and laughter. I suppose the mantra I relearn over and over and over whilst being fortunate enough to keep creating is:
‘There but for the grace of god, go I.’

Tell us about your show.

The show I have written directed and will perform at Edinburgh, ‘A Monkey Trial: the gameshow OR The True and Tragic Passion of Pauline Campbell’ is a crazy, complicated, confrontational fish with many heads (hence the crazy complicated name!). In one respect, it’s a live documentary about a woman named Pauline Campbell, an obscure feminist activist hero from Northern England who, as a fifty five year old retiree, had her teenage daughter die in prison, and then sacrificed everything for a tireless and constant campaign against the barbarity of the criminal justice system — and then was brought before a judge, her day in court being what I ‘recreate’ on stage. I found out about Pauline five years ago while researching another prison-themed piece I had at Reykjavik Fringe, was immediately hooked, and have been working with her legacy ever since (I performed it at Adelaide and Melbourne Fringe). In another respect, it’s a solo show with the mission of exposing the hidden horrors and consequences of this punishment and vengeance society we take for granted as a necessity — we ‘have’ to have humans in cages to keep us safe, right? … Right? It is a personal obsession, as my own mother was incarcerated for six months when I was a child and, though she is the closest person in my life, she refuses to ever talk about that experience (I may have also spent a day or two or three in a cell myself, across five countries, so my knowledge is not only through others’) … And then the show is a comical farce, as I have turned the trial into a literal TV gameshow, where the other characters I banter and argue and interrogate and get mocked by — the judge, the prosecutor, the witnesses — are talking chimpanzees projected on screen (pieced together from old PG Tips commercials)! I fight to win the ‘game show’, this ‘monkey trial’, the absurdity reflecting the absurdity of the system itself. Finally, every time it is an improvisational conversation with the audience, ‘the jury’, as, in the end, it is they who decides the fate of I, the contestant. Do I win (‘Not guilty!’), or lose (‘Guilty’)? Every trial/game show it is their choice, and the interaction makes every performance fresh and invigorating and, depending on who are sitting in those seats, a very different kettle of fish.

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

Gravity and Other Myths — Australians! Pushing the boundaries! Unreal!
Ten Things I Hate About Me — Hope! Raw chickens! Funnily moving!
Spy Movie: The Play! — Blonde Bond! Villains! Outrageousness!
Dystopia: The Rock Opera — Masks! Satire! Blistering rock!
Streets Paved with Gold — Solo! Poignant! Emotional depth!
It Just So Happened — Comedy! History! 3x Top 10 Funniest Jokes of the Fringe!
Mythos: Ragnarök — Thor! Loki! Wrestling!
A Midsummer Night’s Dream — Titania! Hermia! Puck!
Quartet (from Dangerous Liaisons)! — Love! Sex! Power!
The Gummy Bears’ Great War — Existential tragicomedy about our search for meaning!
What If They Ate the Baby? — Fringe winners keep things under the table!

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EdFringe Talk: AI: The Waiting Room – An Audiovisual Journey

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“Wifi is a huge part of our show and from our past 2 years of experience, getting a reliable Wifi has been challenging.”

WHO: Joyce Lao

WHAT: “A mysterious message from the “future self” invites participants into an immersive space where AI unveils their projected histories. In The Waiting Room, choices shape a unique, evolving audio narrative, guiding participants through moments of dreams realised and challenges faced. As their future unfolds, from the fulfilment of deepest aspirations to a global crisis that transforms the world, participants explore a bizarre, unpredictable world where technology and humanity collide, prompting reflection on how our choices shape the future.”

WHERE: studio at C ARTS | C venues | C alto (Venue40) 

WHEN: 15:00 (40 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our third time in Edinburgh producing an AI show. In 2023, there were only 2 AI shows going on and we were one of them. Edfringe allows us to be bold, to experiment. It inspires us to see and be with other artists and we are creating our own small AI theater community at Edfringe. We all know each other and we are all friends. We are happy to be back at the C Venues Alto, at the Quaker Meeting House, which was the fringe central when we first did our production in 2023. There is a sense of community and competitiveness at Edfringe that I personally find intriguing. We, as a group love coming back here because it’s an anticipated event in our calendar. This is where we present iterations of our work. It’s a great playground for our immersive project to grow.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

To enjoy our time every time we arrive at Edfringe and trust the process. Sometimes, admittedly we were stressed out because of the unreliable internet connection in Edinburgh. Wifi is a huge part of our show and from our past 2 years of experience, getting a reliable Wifi has been challenging. We end up using our US mobile plans sometimes if we have to. We just had to adjust to this part of the Edinburgh experience. We hope that this will be resolved this year. In spite of this, we had multiple sold out shows last year – and that is trusting the process. We cannot control everything, all we can do is to do our best.

Tell us about your show.

We are a human created and written show. The AI is being used for something that is not humanly possible in a theatrical space: a live personalization of content for individual audience members. It means that every participant will have scenes based on their unique input and therefore be more personal within a story written by the author. It uses a concept of indeterminacy of art, that creates uniquely tailored stories for every participant.

We use AI creatively, and not to replace our own voices, thoughts and opinions. We have spent thousands of hours writing, playtesting, rehearsing, discussing and securing our show.

We started as a group of four NYC theatre artists—Natalia, Joyce, Anna, and Sabrina—in 2023. Though we had known each other for years, we wanted to create something together: a one-of-a-kind immersive show unlike anything seen in NYC before. Our diverse backgrounds—interactive theatre, dance performance, traditional theatre, vocal work, and experimental tech—complemented each other perfectly.

Around the same time Natalia was exploring AI technology, and together, we decided to experiment with it. That’s how our first production, Soulmates (Not) Found, was born. The show made it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where we were among only 4 or 5 AI shows and gained valuable insights into how AI can spark connection, interaction, and self-expression in immersive theatre.

With the help of an amazing developer, David Gaynor, we created a custom AI tool that personalizes the narrative in real-time, adjusting the story based on audience input. With our talented set designer, August Henney, we had a fantastic first run at Edinburgh Fringe 2024, selling out nearly every show. In 2025, Shafik Quoraishee joined our team to help us bring visual elements into our work, which had previously been focused on audio and immersive space design.

We are thrilled to announce an exciting expansion! Our show, previously an intimate 10-person experience, will now accommodate 20 audience members per performance, making it accessible to even more people. For our Edfringe run, audience members will need to bring their own charged smartphones and head or earphones. However, for future productions, with the provision of production-supplied devices and reliable internet, the audience per show could potentially exceed 100.

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

We have 2 other AI shows that we would like to recommend – Improbotics – of course, they are the first ever Ai show here. Piotr Mirowski, who is an AI engineer and an improviser created this show and he is our good friend. Also, there is a new AI show called AI campfire at Venue 13. We also know the producers there. It’s led by ian Garrett – a Veteran Edfringe producer from Canada who also works as a theater artist in the US.

In the comedy realm, I also am producing #40sandsingle – The Secrets to Finding Love. I play Dr. Kara Kibara – the world’s most successful relationship and dating guru at theSpaceUK. People will see the dorky side of me.

We are exploring other immersive and experimental shows as well…

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EdFringe Talk: #40sandsingle – The Secrets to Finding Love!

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“I decided that I would spend my summers at Edfringe from now on.”

WHO: Joyce Lao

WHAT: “Dr. Kara Kibara sells her services through a hybrid Ted talk-workshop transformation-improv performance style as the best dating and relationship guru. Dr. Kara unintentionally reflects on her past to find out why she is still single herself as she offers advice on how to manifest love. Featuring her unreleased original songs recorded when she was under a Columbia Records mentorship years ago, snippets of familiar 80s and 90s tunes as well as choreography and monologues that will leave the audience laughing, crying and inspired.”

WHERE: Haldane Theatre at theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall (Venue 53) 

WHEN: 22:55 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, this is my third time. I decided that I would spend my summers at Edfringe from now on. I love the energy and the grit of the festival. As a writer, producer and a performer of my show/s, I describe it as a theater production experience on steroids with arts administration marathon component to it. As a New Yorker, it inspires me more. Meeting new people, watching shows and creation of other artists feeds my soul.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Yes I have learned that I cannot control everything. I do my best with the resources that I have, I acknowledge that there are thousands of events and shows going on. I invite people to come see my show, wether there is only 1 audience or a full house, we as a team will give our best every time. There is no use stressing over audience numbers, negative reviews, comparing my ticket sales with other shows, it kills the spirit of fringe.

Tell us about your show.

#40sandsingle, is a Musical comedy variety show in a symposium style theatrical setting. I am excited about this because I will be performing my original songs, I will be playing the piano, dancing, improving, etc… I play Dr. Kara Kibara – the most successful dating and relationship expert. I relate my experience as a single woman in my #40s, and how my background as an “Indigenous of the Igorot tribe, Filipino, Asian -American, Protestant” has affected my perspective in dating and relationship The show was originally conceived as a pilot with locations in New York City and the Philippines in mind. The show has a ready 8 episode script. It can also be performed live as a Cabaret style, Concert style and Musical Comedy Variety style in 50 min, 60 min and 90 min versions. I am performing the 50 min Musical Comedy Variety version at Edfringe. It premiered at The PIT NYC – that was so much fun since the theater has an audience of comedy and improv lovers. I will be performing for the United Solo Festival at Theater Row in New York City. One of my goals at Edfringe is to meet prospective co-producers and venues around the world to tour this show.

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

I am also producing an Ai show called, AI:The Waiting Room at the C venues. We were sold out multiple times last year. I also recommend my dear friend’s show, The Boy from Bantay at theSpaceUK. I did encourage him to bring a show here. His show also talks about his experience growing up in the Philippines. For a more traditional theater experience, Jack Feldstein and Paul Doust”s “Falling in love with Mr. Dellamort”.

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EdFringe Talk: The Mayor and His Daughter: A Genuine Appreciation of Comedy

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“If you were to ask us what makes a great festival, we would reply with two words: Enormous Success.”

WHO: The Mayor

WHAT: “The Mayor and his daughter are in crisis. The soul of their beloved village is in tatters, besieged by the demonic forces of modern Britain. But there’s a light in the darkness. When they discover a sacred tome – a boxset of Russell Howard’s Good News (Series 2) – they make it their mission to repair their fractured community with laughter, by performing a genuine appreciation of comedy. Think The Krankies crossed with The Wicker Man. Nominated for Best Debut at Leicester Comedy Festival 2025.”

WHERE: Snug Bar at Assembly Roxy (Venue 139) 

WHEN: 16:10 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

My daughter and I have never OFFICIALLY been to Edinburgh. However, last year we secreted ourselves in a bunker and performed our show in incubus form. As always, we travelled a long way and tried not to upset anyone.

This year, we are delighted that we can crawl out of the woodwork and blast everyone with A Genuine Appreciation of Comedy. After all, this festival is the premium breeding ground for Professional Sketch Comedians such as Russell Howard, Bremner, Bird and Bremner, and The Kay Brothers (Peter and Vernon). It is a testament to the festival’s significance that so many comedians come here to die*.

If you were to ask us what makes a great festival, we would reply with two words: Enormous Success. What kind of success? Financial, of course! but also social (new friends) and spiritual (purging our village of demons (see below)).

We humbly ask that you help us meet our goals. In return, we will help you meet yours (i.e. repair your tattered community using the golden thread of comedy).

*We assume that is why Grey Friars is so enormous. My daughter says it’s the biggest graveyard she’s ever seen and she would like to live there one day.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

My daughter has learnt how to draw the big Superman ‘S’. I am very proud of her for that. Similarly, I have learnt not to worry about all the dried blood on our overhead projector: it was like that when we found it and it is almost certainly not our blood!

More broadly, we have learned to speak very loudly when you aren’t using a microphone and, in turn, not to shout when you are being amplified. Stick with this and you will be (A)Live at the Apollo in no time.

Like an earnest and resilient sponge, we work day-by-day to absorb these totems. We expect to have internalised them by 2035*.

*Not legally binding

Tell us about your show.

‘A Genuine Appreciation of Comedy’ is our attempt to use Professional Comedy to purge our village of demonic forces, in particular The LinkedIn Shop (aka Modern Britain) and also some actual demons. My daughter and I wrote it after we discovered a boxset of Russell Howard’s Good News (Series 2), a tome which introduced us to the Power of Comedy. Having watched the DVD on repeat and memorised the contents, we felt prepared to produce a show which unleashes the full occult force of comedy; three weeks later, we brought our work to the masses.

Our good friends and business associates Rosie Nicholls (producer/powerful woman) and Joz Norris (director/young boy) joined our merry Morris dance, bringing us some much needed ‘sparkle’! Rosie is already an established Professional Sketch Comedian as part of award-winning double act Grubby Little Mitts, while Joz has written and performed so many Fringe shows that he has earned the right to call himself A Classic of the Genre (and he does frequently!).

We have performed a number of previews in London, Oxford, Bristol, Nottingham, Birmingham and other Big City iniquity dens, but Edinburgh — Edinburgh, of all places! — will be our Debut Premier. We hope that EVERYONE comes to see it!

Post-Fringe, we have no concrete plans for the show, but Keep Your Eyes Peeled (literally — let them grow dryer than the Sahara!). Once expressed, these energies won’t return to their cage…

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

Our beautiful summer child Joz Norris is performing his show at Pleasance. We lovingly and aggressively commend him to you. In addition, please enjoy on our behalf: Caitriona Dowden; Nate Kitch; Ozzy Algar; Lil Wenker; Luly Popplewell; Sam Nicoresti; Mikey Bligh-Smith; Lorna Rose-Treen; and many more!

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