Author Archives: Dan Lentell

EdFringe Talk: Dedication

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2022 by

“It’s a very personal show about reclaiming my family who perished in the Holocaust. Especially my uncle Norbert Stern – the finest pianist in Belgium until he was murdered at Auschwitz at age 21.”

WHO: Roger Peltzman

WHAT: “‘The past isn’t dead, it’s not even past’ (William Faulkner). New York pianist Roger Peltzman’s one–person show, Dedication, recounts his family’s tragic history fleeing the Nazis in war–torn Europe using drama, powerful images and musical performances of everything from blues to Chopin. Drawn into the story of people he never knew, Peltzman develops a ‘relationship’ with his uncle, Norbert Stern, a brilliant pianist who was murdered in Auschwitz at age 21. Learning that Holocaust trauma can be inherited, Peltzman is able to come to terms with himself and a past that becomes present.”

WHERE: Greenside @ Nicolson Square – Emerald Theatre (Venue 209) 

WHEN: 19:45(60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes. We originally were going to come in 2020, before Covid. This is Dedication’s world premier – and we couldn’t be more thrilled that it’s at this year’s Fringe! Where else are there 1,000,000 theatre lovers gathered in one spot? Where can you basically have a month run and be seen by reviewers and presenters? Plus lovely Edinburgh!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2019 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

To keep plugging along. Improve the show….do more drafts etc. The lesson is to take a terrible situation and adapt by using the extra time to your advantage.

Tell us about your show.

The show is produced, written and performed by me – New York City pianist Roger Peltzman. It’s a very personal show about reclaiming my family who perished in the Holocaust. Especially my uncle Norbert Stern – the finest pianist in Belgium until he was murdered at Auschwitz at age 21. I fell his presence everyday when I practice. He encourages me to play faster – or scolds me to play more beautifully! It also deals with over-coming 2nd generation trauma. Music, the determination to tell my mother’s escape story and remembrance for my murdered family – all help me to persevere.

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

Fallen Rose by Buzz Box Theatre is a political play about the White Rose movement in Nazi Germany. Young students who stood up to the murderous regime. Their story of courage always gets to me.

Pianodrome is an absolutely unique venue. It’s an in-the-round amphitheatre, made entirely from up-cycled pianos! They have plenty of piano concerts and cutting edge music.

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EdFringe Talk: Closure

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“As a theatre maker, the Edinburgh Fringe feels like a real bucket list moment.”

WHO: Faye Draper

WHAT: “Why be the bigger person when you can be the last one standing? Ink and Curtains make their Edinburgh debut hot on the heels of their first national tour with this tale of a dinner party with a dark secret. Alex and Laura quickly learn that their friend Mia may not let them all leave alive. Closure wields dark comedy and vicious catharsis to explore feminine rage, women’s rights and – more importantly – women’s wrongs.”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Baby Grand (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 15:10 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes it is! As a theatre maker, the Edinburgh Fringe feels like a real bucket list moment. Being able to showcase my work in front of – what feels like – the whole world is really exciting and a big moment for me. You never know who’s in the audience or where in the world they came from.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2019 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

There’s never a perfect time to create something or take a risk, you just need to go for it. The pandemic completely changed my life in so many ways and, whilst a lot of it has been really difficult, it also gave me a lot of perspective. I realised that if I didn’t take a punt on life, I’d be stuck in the same place forever. Closure really came out of that realisation – that making risky choices can pay off – and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.

Tell us about your show.

Like I said, I wrote the play through lockdown. First person I sent it to is the co-director of Ink and Curtain, Maz Hedgehog, and together we knew that we had to make it happen – come hell or high water. Closure is a revenge fantasy and battle cry, like Sarah Kane with a bit of banter. It also comes from painful personal experience, taking my past experience of sexual assault and turning into something meaningful (also hella violent and aggressively northern).

After we’re done with Edinburgh, it’ll be returning to Ink and Curtain’s home base (Manchester) where it’ll be part of HOME’s PUSH Festival in January. After that? Who knows! If any Hollywood studios want to buy the rights, I’m always available.

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

If you want to relax and destress after watching Closure, CLASSIC! is a 60 minute romp through classic literature. It’s also on in the Pleasance Courtyard so you don’t even need to go that far. Closure takes a lot of inspiration from classical art and literature, so Classic is a bit of a mirrorverse Closure.

If you want something else that’s gutsy and challenging, that tackles difficult issues head on with deftness and compassion then you have to see British as a Watermelon by Mandla. It’s an experimental look how we are formed by our memories and what it means to be British. I saw it when it was on at Contact Theatre in Manchester and it is just stunning.

And if you want something as intensely northern and irreverent as Closure, you need to see Skank. It’s on in Pleasance Two and this will be its last outing, so you have to see it before it closes.

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EdFringe Talk: Will Tell and the Big Bad Baron

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“As a promoter, you come because Edinburgh is the greatest showcase of live entertainment in the world and it has always been essential to be here for your work to be seen.”

WHO: Colin Granger: Writer

WHAT: “Inspired by tales of Sir Lancelot and Robin Hood, plucky heroine Will Tell disguises herself as a knight and rides off on a chivalric quest to rescue her freedom-fighting dad from Baron Boris’s deepest darkest dungeon. Will knows how to stand up to tyrants but nothing has prepared her for when Boris’s daughter Edeltraut falls madly in love with her and wants to be rescued too. Madcap physical comedy with capers around castles, damsels in distress, a jaw-dropping joust and lots of original catchy musical numbers.”

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

WHEN: 12:00 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, my first time was in 1979 and I’ve been coming ever since. Not every year but whenever we had a new play or when we were on the lookout for shows to bring to our venue Komedia in Brighton. As a promoter, you come because Edinburgh is the greatest showcase of live entertainment in the world and it has always been essential to be here for your work to be seen. Let’s hope it is the same this year.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2019 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

How fragile life is and how we shouldn’t take anything for granted. But also a reminder of what joy live performance can bring to us all and how much we missed it these past three years.

Tell us about your show.

Our new play is a mad-cap comic adventure with capers around castles, damsels in distress and even a jaw-dropping joust to the death on life-sized horse puppets mounted on bikes. We started working on it in 2020 at a time when democracy and liberty seemed particularly under threat and chose to base it on the legend of the great Swiss freedom fighter Wilhelm Tell – of shooting an apple off his child’s head fame – something which had never been done before in English-speaking theatre. In our play, this child is Wilhelm Tell’s daughter Will and the play tells how she rescues her father from th Baron’s deepest darkest dungeon. And the Bad Baron? Well, it was a toss-up between calling him ‘Donald’ or ‘Boris’ and Boris won because of his comic potential. Theatre Fideri Fidera is an Anglo-Swiss repertory touring company. We work and create together and we have performed in over 150 venues around the UK ranging from the Lowry to many a village hall. And post-Edinburgh? After five years on the road we are taking a breather before touring Will Tell in autumn 2023.

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

When we have a new play we hardly have time to look at what else is on until after we open the show. But I have heard great things about Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About A Terrible Monster at Underbelly. And if the fringe is getting too much I would also advise you to visit my old Edinburgh friends: the Meadows at sunset or early morning or wander through the trees at the Botanical Gardens. Both will be perfect preparation for your next Fringe show.

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EdFringe Talk: BOGEYMAN

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“I went to university in Edinburgh and chose the city specifically to be around for the festival.”

WHO: Emily Aboud: Writer and Director.

WHAT: “‘Our modern life was built on the backs of the oppressed – if they were to demand repayment, would you be afraid?’ In 1791, a voodoo ceremony begins the Haitian Revolution to end enslavement on the island. In the present, a man is haunted by ghosts in his city. From the creators of the highly acclaimed Splintered (***** (Guardian)) BOGEYMAN is a ghost story that playfully combines music, movement and history in the ultimate underdog story of resistance against the oppressor. Powerful, moving and ultimately uplifting, BOGEYMAN is a thrilling, genre-defying tale of hope, rebellion and connection.”

WHERE: Pleasance Dome (Venue 23) 

WHEN: 15:55 (70 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my 4th fringe festival in fact! I went to university in Edinburgh and chose the city specifically to be around for the festival. Coming back is always wonderful because I adore the city, it’s like a second home and there’s so so so much theatre and people to see!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2019 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

The importance of rest and exercise. In lockdown I was actually sleeping the required amount, going for walks everyday or a run – time outdoors is so essential! I think also, as an employer with my theatre company, making sure that our collaborators are respected and paid properly for their time and work. I love ending rehearsals early if people are tired, rest is essential!

Tell us about your show.

BOGEYMAN is a play we’ve been making for nearly two years. Grace (the producer) and I actually met in university and I asked her to produce a production I wanted to direct and here we are, 6 years later. The company, Lagahoo Productions, was formed because, as a Caribbean woman, I was really disheartened at the complete lack of Caribbean new writing in the theatre scene. We’ve been so lucky to be supported by so many venues for this fringe run, including Camden People’s Theatre (who first commissioned it!), the Gate Theatre, the Pleasance Theatre and the Streatham Space Project.

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

You’ve got to see every show at Paines Plough roundabout, they know how to program! I’m really excited for SAP and Caste-ing. Also, I’m looking forward to seeing Move Fast and Break Things at Summerhall, and Ghosts of the Near Future. Exodus at the Traverse is also something I’m buzzing for!

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EdFringe Talk: Lion

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“Edfringe is best and the most brutal way to find out if your show is rubbish or not.”

WHO: Marc-Fredrik Gassot

WHAT: “Lion – The Weird and Magical Abracadabra Circus Show is an hour of pleasure, skills and a bit of thrilling fear led by a one-man circus crew. The performance honours the history of traditional circus with a touch of the splatter of horror films. This physical comedy is mixing magnificent mime, entertaining circus, surprising illusions and playful horror – wrapped in superb live music. Lion is a curious joyride for young people and adults alike. Welcome to our skewed circus!”

WHERE: Assembly Rooms – Ballroom (Venue 20) 

WHEN: 16:40 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

What can I say? Edfringe is biggest festival in the world and we Finns we like big things. Edfringe is best and the most brutal way to find out if your show is rubbish or not.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2019 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

This is my third time in this Edfringe madness so obviously I haven’t learn anything.

Tell us about your show.

Lion is best dark physical comedy at the fringe (and probably the only one)! The show mixes together circus, magic, live music and horror in a very stupid and funny way. It’s the best show that I have ever done.

I got the idea for it while I was lying in the aftermath of mole fever in a hotel room in Camden.

After the Edinburgh I’m hope to get more gigs than ever and to get a hero’s welcome when I return to Finland!

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

You should go and see all the others shows from Finland: Johnny Got His Gun, Raging Mother, Receptionists and Kvartetto. You should also see Julia Masli’s show Choosh and Viggo Venn’s show Club Comedian which are both really funny.

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EdFringe Talk: Tom Mayhew: Trash Rich

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“I have learned that I only need to eat a medium Domino’s Pizza, and that ordering a large one is capitalism tricking me. But that doesn’t stop me from occasionally ordering a large one, like a fool.”

WHO: Tom Mayhew

WHAT: “Fresh from BBC Radio 4 (Tom Mayhew is Benefit Scum), critically acclaimed comedian Tom was planning to write a show that’s less frustrated, less political… the cost of living crisis screwed that. ‘It is genuine, powerful, political stuff. These are four stars for a voice that should be heard more. Four stars for comedy shining a light on some grim, unjust places.’ **** (Scotsman). ‘Mayhew is passionate, articulate and – above all else – hilarious. His jokes are punchy, sharp and forthcoming. Despite the often weighty subject matter, laughs are never too far apart’ **** (Skinny).”

WHERE: The Stand Comedy Club 2 – Stand 2 (Venue 5) 

WHEN: 21:20 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, I came to Edinburgh for the first time 10 years ago! It was a festival I had dreamed of coming to purely by hearing how highly so many comedians spoke of it, and as soon as I came for the first time back in 2012, I was hooked. It’s one of my favourite months of every single year, as you see all your mates, get to see lots of shows, and you are in a beautiful city. If I didn’t have to worry about ticket sales, it would be the dream month for me!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2019 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I have learned that I only need to eat a medium Domino’s Pizza, and that ordering a large one is capitalism tricking me. But that doesn’t stop me from occasionally ordering a large one, like a fool.

Tell us about your show.

It’s written by me and produced by Objectively Funny, and it has been previewed all over the country before Edinburgh. Whether it goes elsewhere will depend on how well the Edinburgh run goes, to be honest! But I’m hopeful we might be able to tour it.

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

Laura Davis should already be on their list of shows to see. She has been consistently excellent for years, if there’s any justice then she’ll sell out, so get your tickets quick.

Sian Davies is doing her debut show, and it is incredible. There is so much heart and proper laughs in there, I can’t recommend it enough.

Finally, Adele Cliff has been one of the best joke-writers at the Fringe for years, and she’s put together a fantastic show for 2022. It’s jam-packed with great jokes and astute observations, and it’s pretty much a guarantee nowadays that you will see one of the “Dave’s Top 10 Jokes of the Fringe” nominees in there!

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EdFringe Talk: Nick Everritt: Quiet

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“I’m a big fan of the Fringe. I love the hustle, and indeed the bustle. It’s one great big orgy of arts.”

WHO: Nick Everritt

WHAT: “Watch in awe as quiet man Nick Everritt establishes a comedic persona and performs a series of jokes. Featuring perfunctory crowd-work, a series of ice-breaking gags relating to his physical appearance, a lengthy Tinder bit and an obligatory emotionally resonant finale. ‘Those in search of the truly alternative, look no further’ **** (One4Review.co.uk). ‘A droll, witty and very self-conscious deconstruction of comedy… Expect to see more of him’ (Chortle.co.uk). 3rd place, South Coast Comedian of the Year 2020/21. Finalist: Max Turner Prize 2020, Sketch Off! 2019, Get Up Stand Up 2019, Laughing Horse New Act 2018.”

WHERE: Paradise in The Vault – The Vault (Venue 29) 

WHEN: 15:45(60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my third Edinburgh run. I did a split bill in 2018 and my first hour in 2019. It was at the 2019 Fringe that I learned that performing an hour of niche meta anti-comedy to an audience of 3 in a sweltering cave isn’t always a recipe of success. I’ve therefore designed my current show to be more accessible by featuring more so-called ‘jokes’. I hope to achieve a lower walk-out rate this time around. (It was 9% in 2019).

I’m a big fan of the Fringe. I love the hustle, and indeed the bustle. It’s one great big orgy of arts. You get to rub shoulders with so many aspiring young artists and creatives and you can practically smell the debt in the air. What better way to spend all your savings and annual leave?

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2019 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Since the pandemic I’ve learned that nothing is permanent, save for the indelible truth of the statement “nothing is permanent”, which is indeed permanent. I’ve learned that you have to live life to the full each and every day, but doing so is difficult in practical terms due to work, responsibilities, the cost of living, global events over which you have no control, and the paralysing pressuring of feeling like you have to live life to the full each and every day.

Tell us about your show.

Nick Everritt: Quiet is a parody of an Edinburgh hour. On paper the show is about shyness and how I’m trying to overcome it through comedy, but in truth the theme of shyness is only there to provide the illusion of structure and dramatic heft. In the show I establish a shy and creepy comedic persona and then perform a series of jokes. These jokes alternate between conventional jokes which are good because they’re funny, and jokes which are so bad they’re good because they’re not funny, but that’s what makes them funny.

Is the show good? I don’t know because nobody came to my previews. But each joke has worked on multiple occasions in the mics, pubs and clubs of Greater London and rural Kent.

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

Ted Hill: All The Presidents Man. I normally have a visceral hatred of PowerPoint shows but this one’s really good. Aside from that you should seek out the weirdest shows you can. Watch the one-woman King Lear where she’s dressed as a flightless cormorant for no reason. Seek out the mentally ill out of work actor trying to convince a Chinese tourist in the audience to eat cress out of the small of his back. The golden rule is this: the worse the show, the better the anecdote.

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EdFringe Talk: Self Service

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” My approach was to flick through the brochure, pause on any image that caught my eye, read the blurb and if it hooked me, I’d see it – a lucky dip.”

WHO: Anne Rabbitt

WHAT: “Breaking down? Lost the manual? Book in for this funny (meta)physical dive into how to keep going. Based on a complete strip-down and rebuild of the 1962 Rabbitt model. This 21,000-day service includes a troubleshooting guide and FAQs fielded by experts such as philosophers, physicists, poets and the manufacturers: Mum and Dad. Learn to laugh at built-in obsolescence and override factory settings. Lost your feeler gauge? Find it here. Warning: may contain candour. When life needs a service, rummage under the bonnet with the award-winning Anne Rabbitt – ‘reinventing her work with wonderful results!’ (FringeReview, 2021).”

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

WHEN: 19:15 (50 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Well, as punter or performer? They’re very different experiences. As a performer, this is my second time at the festival, the first being in 1986 (yes, 36 years ago) with my then double act partner, Doon Mackichan. I stayed in a single bed in the box room of an empty house, rented by students during term time (my dad wrangled it – the Catholic mafia at work). I was woken early one morning by the woman who owned/ran the house showing a potential student the room (“Here is table. Here is bed”…I pointed out that I wasn’t part of the deal.) As a punter I went a couple of years on the trot when my daughter was a student here (she wasn’t thrilled by my snoring). Edinburgh’s a wonderful city for a festival, not only beautiful but small enough to get around on foot/bike. My approach was to flick through the brochure, pause on any image that caught my eye, read the blurb and if it hooked me, I’d see it – a lucky dip. The late great Peter Brook could have been talking about the festival when he said, “A man walks across this empty space whilst someone else is watching him, and this is all that’s needed for an act of theatre to be engaged.”

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2019 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Human beings need to go out to play. No one cares/Some people care. Paprika crisps are the best in the world. “Missing out is what makes our choices meaningful in the first place,” wrote Olive Burkman; and, “To remember how little you matter on a cosmic timescale, can feel like putting down a heavy burden…” followed by Joe Moran’s “Your failure was like billions of other failures except that it was yours. And like those billions of other failures…it was a heroic and heartening thing.” You can judge if I’ve absorbed the lesson(s) by coming to see my show!

Tell us about your show.

Self Service was meant to premiere back in 2020, so it’s only two years late. And after 15 years away from performing, what’s another two years? (A lot! I’m not getting any younger you know!) I’m not only the creator/performer but everything else – producer, costume, props, sound design – though I’ve shamelessly asked for help from wonderful friends and family. The show draws on my background in dance, physical theatre, comedy and propensity for introspection. As another friend said, it will make you laugh and break your heart.

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

PUSH (Popelei) at The Pleasance Courtyard. I saw this at the Vault Festival (London) in 2019 and loved it. Another solo show about motherhood from the other end of the telescope (to bear a child or not…) It’s funny and physical and brilliantly performed.

Also, I must recommend my fellow flat mates, stand-up Charmian Hughes: She! Immortal Horror Queen’s Guide to Life. Charmian was on the cabaret circuit when I was doing my double-act Rabbitt & Doon (with Doon Mackichan) in the 1980s and unlike me, has never stopped. She’s a cracker, and Maureen Langan, who I don’t know, who’s coming all the way from the States with her show, Don’t Make Me Hate You.

Finally, I must plug a talk at the International Book Festival (come on, it’s the same city) by my friend and writer, Vanessa Onwuemezi. Following her debut collection of stories, Dark Neighbourhood, she’s discussing ‘Landscapes on the Edge’ at Northside Theatre on 17 August.

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EdFringe Talk: Made in India/Britain

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“I had an opportunity to go over things what I wanted to do in my future; It was a period that really shaped my current work.”

WHO: Rinkoo Barpaga

WHAT: “Since leaving home in Birmingham, Rinkoo Barpaga has been determined to find somewhere to settle. Along the way he’s encountered racism, discrimination and has begun asking himself: ‘Where do I belong?’ Join him as he delves deep into past experiences in order to discover his true self and a place he can finally call home. Performed by Rinkoo in British Sign Language, with live voiceover provided by an actor. Supported by the Pleasance’s Generate Fund. Directed by Tyrone Huggins.”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Pleasance Two (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 13:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It’s my first time going to a fringe and performing in one – I feel like I’m going to the World Cup! You want to do your best and I want to showcase the best of what I can do. It’ll be a very interesting experience for me because I have had to use my physical performance skills a lot growing up in the deaf community. I’ve relied a lot on body movements and facial expressions. Having the chance to perform using aspects of languages has been very informative for me.

In terms of what makes a great festival, this feels like a bit of a trick question.

For me accessibility, is a huge thing. BSL isn’t a foreign language and I think it’s a shame it gets treated like one by not getting taught in mainstream schools.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2019 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I think the biggest thing I’ve learnt was in lockdown, as it gave me the chance to reflect. It gave me a lot of time to look back on my life, on everything that I’ve done, what my thoughts were about the past and what they are now. I had an opportunity to go over things what I wanted to do in my future; It was a period that really shaped my current work.

Tell us about your show.

The show is about finding a home that I still haven’t found. I have an amazing team that helped me write this performance all based on my life story.

Daniel Bailey is the dramaturge and original director of the show. Tyrone Higgins is the current director of the show. Mathias Andre is assistant director and my voice over. I can’t forget Deaf Explorer who I became involved with in 2016 and are producing the shows.

It started coming together when I was at Birmingham Rep doing a one year foundry course. You learn to develop your work about theatre making everything to do with performance. I performed an iteration of the show at The Rep, The Midlands Art Theatre, Camden People Theatre and Crystal Palace Festival.

I have no clue what will happen afterwards but I would really like to perform around the UK. Here, compared to abroad, we have a lot of great deaf actors. We’ve got a lot of good stuff and I would like to be able to perform abroad and show deaf people in other countries what they can do.

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

Block’d Off because like my show it’s based on real stories and real lives, exposing what it’s like to be working-class in London today. Rapsody is also one to look out for because it’s a young Birmingham based company that’s bringing rap, trap and drill music to the main stage. Looking at the programme at Summerhall and Pleasance My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored and Rajesh and Naresh have also caught my eye.

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EdFringe Talk: How to Build a Wax Figure

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“Whenever we tell people we’re going up, they respond by either literally squealing with excitement, an involuntary shudder, telling us to pack a bag full of vitamins, or unveiling a parchment scroll of their favourite street corners.”

WHO: Isabella Waldron: Playwright

WHAT: “Girl meets anatomical wax sculptor. Anatomical wax sculptor meets girl. They fall in love. Or something like that. Bea’s older neighbour was her first love, her first cigarette, her first prosthetic eye. When Bea is invited to the Wellcome Collection to speak about her expertise making glass eyes, she finds herself unable to untie Margot from all that she does. As she tries to unpack her mentor’s effect on her work, Bea must dissect for herself what love really looks like.”

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

WHEN: 12:55 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, this will be the first time in Edinburgh for both Nell and me. We’re really excited to be up there, and get to experience firsthand all the Edinburgh lore. Whenever we tell people we’re going up, they respond by either literally squealing with excitement, an involuntary shudder, telling us to pack a bag full of vitamins, or unveiling a parchment scroll of their favourite street corners. We’re really excited that we will soon be a part of that now.

Also, my Scottish grandmother is absolutely thrilled and convinced that I’ll be converted by the charms of Edinburgh and move out of England.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2019 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I was supposed to take a show to the Fringe in 2020 that was obviously derailed due to pandemic. Since then I’ve learned that bringing twelve enormous moth puppets from the States to Edinburgh Fringe was probably not my best, nor cost-effective, idea.

Alright, but really, I feel like a big learning over the last few years has been accepting that things probably won’t go to plan, and that that is just part of the process. That one has been harder to learn, but important.

Tell us about your show.

This play is really about how we mould each other (ha ha – wax sculpting, get it?); that people in our lives sometimes weave in and out, leaving behind these huge impacts on who we are. And I think maybe that’s not such a horrible thing.

Through our first staged reading at the Golden Goose in London, to the sadly cancelled VAULT festival, to restaging for a preview run up at the Pleasance, this play has been shaped by so many incredible creatives.

Writing the first draft in deep, dark Covid times in Oregon, I could never have imagined the incredible people this play would bring into my life. I met our brilliant, sensitive director Nell from a mutual friend on Zoom. We both moved to London amid pandemic, and decided to workshop ‘wax figure’ a bit. Now, here we are.

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

Y’all. I don’t know how people do this. The list of incredible shows I want to see is so long. Does anyone blink, let alone sleep, for the entire month of August?

Theatre-wise, I’m really excited to see ‘Hungry’ at Roundabout, ‘Caste-ing’ with Nouveau Riche, ‘Speed Dial’ from Spies Like Us, ‘Happy Meal’ by lovely Tabby Lamb, and so many more. Also, I’m pumped to see the wonderful comics who performed at our big cabaret fundraiser in June — Jo Griffin, Diane Chorley, and Celya AB. Just fabulous people (and the cherry on top is they’re all incredibly talented).

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