Category Archives: EdFestivals 2023

EdFringe Talk: Santi and Naz

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“We’ve learned a lot about our capacity as a company and as theatre makers; what we’re willing and feasibly able to do, and more importantly what we actually want to be doing!”

WHO: Guleraana Mir

WHAT: “Best friends Santi and Naz live in pre-partition India. One Sikh, one Muslim, they have little understanding of how religion will divide them. As the political situation in their country worsens and the threat of separation looms large on the horizon, they decide to take drastic action. Award-winning company The Thelmas explore queer love, identity and loyalty, set against the backdrop of a country soon to be changed forever. Winner of the Pleasance’s Charlie Hartill Fund. Praise for Ladykiller (2018): ‘A smash hit’ ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘Superb’ **** (Scotsman).”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Pleasance Two (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 13:30 (70 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

The Thelmas made our debut at Edinburgh in 2018 with Ladykiller, which was a bit of a cult hit, so we’re excited to be returning this year! Since then, our Director, Madelaine Moore has returned with two more shows; Algorithms and Fatty Fat Fat in 2019. We’ve found that what’s great about the fringe is that there’s access to so many companies and artists that you’d never get to see in one place, particularly international companies. You really get to step out of your bubble as a punter, and as a producer you have a chance to share your work with audiences you may not otherwise have reached.

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

The lessons we’ve learned have been since 2020 because Santi & Naz is the first thing we’ve produced since then. We’ve learned a lot about our capacity as a company and as theatre makers; what we’re willing and feasibly able to do, and more importantly what we actually want to be doing! We’ve also learned how much an award or support scheme makes a difference to bringing a show to the fringe; Santi & Naz won the Charlie Hartill Fund this year, without which it just would not have been possible to attend, so a big shout out to Pleasance for that!

Tell us about your show.

Essentially, it’s a queer love letter to best friends everywhere. Set against the backdrop of the partition of India, Santi & Naz charts the story of these two besties, determined to stay together despite the, frankly horrific, decisions made by the men in power, the British, and their families in face of this huge historical event. It’s funny and bittersweet, especially made so as the friends are also navigating their sexuality and feelings for each other at the same time – it’s complicated. It will make you laugh, then cry, then want to go and google ‘partition of India and Pakistan’. It’s written by Guleraana Mir and afshan d’souza lodhi, based on an initial story conceived by Guleraana and director, Madelaine Moore. It’s produced by The Thelmas (run by Guleraana & Maddy), who’ve teamed up with Sarah Jordan Verghese as Associate Producer.

There was a shorter, less developed version of Santi & Naz that was at VAULT 2020 where it won and Origin Award for outstanding new work. Since then we’ve developed the script and production and it’s on a mini-preview tour; Mercury, Colchester; Old Fire Station, Oxford; Broadway, Catford and Macready Theatre, Ruby. We’re looking to tour it and do a full London run in 2024, so venues – hit us up!

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

We think you should see @AwkwardProds Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story, because we are Lady Di stans (especially untrue ones), Blueprints by @LoloUnplugged from @Recreate_agency (they have two more too!). Our fellow Charlie Hartill winners @stroudandnotes’ Public – The Musical, @NovTheatre’s Pitch and Unforgettable Girl from @Created_Monster. For International work we’re excited to see what the brilliant @1OntroerendGoed are bringing. Comedy wise, we’re looking forward to tasting @AlisonSpittle’s (no doubt hilarious) Soup.

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EdFringe Talk: Public – The Musical

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“Biggest lesson I’ve learnt, is trust your gut with WHO you want to work with.”

WHO: Kyla Stroud

WHAT: “Usually avoid public bathrooms? Here’s one you won’t want to miss! This award-winning new musical follows four unlikely strangers who find themselves trapped together in a gender-neutral public toilet. With an hour to kill until maintenance arrives, the group navigates unexpected challenges, pungent opinions and some seriously sticky conversations. Created by queer-led theatre collective Stroud & Notes, Public – The Musical explores stories of identity, connection and compassion, alongside an electrifying pop/rock score. This will be a trip to the bathroom you’ll never forget! Winner of the Pleasance’s Charlie Hartill Fund and VAULT Origins Award.”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Pleasance Two (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 18:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

First time as team Stroud & Notes! Hannah has been a few times with different shows and Kyla and Nat went as punters for the first time in 2022 and fell in love with the Festival. Liv has never been! I’ve only been as a punter, so I’m really excited to have a new experience this year!

I think what makes a great festival is connecting with all the fellow amazing creatives up in Edinburgh and getting inspired by all their new work. I’ve certainly received a lot of advise about pacing myself! I did 10 shows in 3 days last year and I think that might have to be spread out a little more as a producer. Advice to punters, leave space to see something random! That show in the corner of a basement with no marketing budget might just be the best thing you’ve ever seen! If not, it’s a good story!

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

Biggest lesson I’ve learnt, is trust your gut with WHO you want to work with. The reason we’ve managed to get this show off the ground (not to say it doesn’t have a long way to go) in a year, is because we work as a team and we create a working environment based around kindness and enjoyment.

Tell us about your show.

The idea for Public – The Musical was initially conceived in early 2022 by yours truly (Kyla Stroud) and shortly after I began building the Stroud & Notes team which consists of myself: composer / co-writer / co-producer, Hannah Sands: co-producer /co-writer / theatre maker, Natalie Stroud: co-writer / movement director and Olivia Zacharia, musical supervisor. Hannah actually went to stagecoach with us Stroud twins back in the day and Olivia and went to the same primary and secondary school. Edinburgh will be the official international premiere of the show, co-produced by The Pleasance as winners of their Charlie Hartill Fund. This follows on from 2 sold-out work-in-progress shows at The Vault Festival in March where they won the Vault Origin Award.
The future is an exciting mystery! We hope Fringe will open the conversations to theatres and producers who want to help us take the show on tour or even a potential London run!

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

Definitely check out our cast member Annabel Marlow’s solo show ‘Annabel Marlow…Is this ok? She is bloomin’ hilarious and totally brilliant.

Our fellow Charlie Hartill winners November Theatre with their show PITCH is definitely on my watch list. It’s about the relationship between football and the queer community, something I so relate to as a queer person who loves the game.

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EdFringe Talk: Mervyn Stutter’s Pick of the Fringe

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“Producer and punters I think share one basic problem. The Fringe is really big! Maybe 3500 plus shows this year. So, producers need to discover how to get their shows noticed and punters need to discover how to notice the best shows. It’s a very big festival!”

WHO: Mervyn Stutter

WHAT: “It’s like the Royal Variety Show of the Fringe. Mervyn and his team carefully research the Fringe and bring you live extracts from seven top shows in a packed 90-minute lunchtime extravaganza. Every day there is a different selection. Pick the ones you like and then go and see them. Simple! Brilliant! There’s comedy, theatre, cabaret, music, dance, circus and the indefinable. Daily line-ups at http://www.mervspotfringe.com. ‘A vibrant, stimulating showcase of talent’ (Scotsman). ‘Excellent, really, really good!’ (Observer). Celebrating its 30th year!”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Pleasance One (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 12:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No – I’ve been performing on the Fringe for 35 consecutive years now! It is of course the largest Arts Festival in the world and unique in that anyone can attend and perform if they can get a room – and have a suitable budget!

This is what makes the Fringe so exciting. The bigger venues do invite shows onto their menus, but mostly the Fringe is open to anyone – especially now on the Free Fringe.

Producer and punters I think share one basic problem. The Fringe is really big! Maybe 3500 plus shows this year. So, producers need to discover how to get their shows noticed and punters need to discover how to notice the best shows. It’s a very big festival!

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

I have been learning Fringe lessons since I started back in 1987 – and still learning. From 1987, I was doing my solo comedy and song shows each year. The PR decisions were so different then. There was no internet and no mobile phones. So it was the very basic stuff of festivals – poster and flyers and a lot of energy chatting with people.

Even in my first five years of solo shows, ticket pricing was key. I always felt it best to keep prices very reasonable – low even – to encourage people in. And when I started Pick of the Fringe in 1992, keeping tickets prices low was even more necessary. Firstly, to establish a new show and secondly to provide a good crowd every day to reassure invited guest shows that this showcase was really worth it for them.

The main thing to learn is “Keep up!” The Fringe changed enormously with the tech revolution. And continues to change. Over the years we’ve seen mobiles, emails, texts, WhatsApp, WhatsApp groups (That’s a good one for teams like ours) Pre-booking tickets and now through major ecological concerns the ubiquitous Fringe flyer is fading out. So “flyering” may soon be “Hello. Want to see a good show? Here’s my QR code.”

Tell us about your show.

Mervyn Stutter’s Pick of the Fringe (So named because others started setting up shows using Pick of the Fringe and I had to add my name so my audiences knew which was hosted by me) is a daily 90 minute showcase of Fringe talent. Every show that is invited to appear has been reviewed by my team to ensure that only the best shows are selected. It’s a guarantee I’ve given my audiences since I started back in 1992.

From the very first year I’ve always had a team of researchers so audiences can trust the quality of the work we showcase. The seven guests shows each day – and every day there’s different shows – will do a 5 minute piece and then a short interview with me to bring out more details to excite the audience to go and buy tickets! There’s always a wide selection of Fringe acts to be seen each day – theatre, comedy, music, dance, cabaret, circus – the lot really.

Pick of the Fringe does not premier or carry on after the festival. It’s essentially a “service” within each year’s Fringe helping people navigate the 3500 or so shows to find what they like and having seen a trailer to then go and buy tickets.

But there can be a significant post Fringe effect from my Spirit of the Fringe Award though – for
to leave Edinburgh with an award is always useful publicity. One winner, a playwright, told me that my award opened up Fringe festivals around the world for him.

Whether any of these now famous award winners felt the same, I don’t know. But I did give Spirit of the Fringe Awards to The League of Gentlemen, Ed Byrne, Tim Vine, Omid Djalili, Arthur Smith, Henning Wehn, Jess Robinson, Dave Johns, Ross Noble, Phil Nichol, Cal McCrystal, Fascinating Aida, Showstoppers – The Musical, Ben Hart, Jo Caulfield and Jim Tavare.

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

As my show is there to help my audiences choose what to see then ideally, I’d like them to see shows they like from my Pick of the Fringe. And they do. And because it really works for them, audiences will come back two or three times a week because every day there’s a different selection of shows from right across the Fringe.

It’s a great way for acts to meet new audiences and for audiences to meet new acts. And has been for the last 30 years!

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EdFringe Talk: Lucky Pigeons

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“Rooted in our unique sense of humour, we weave a narrative that’s as unpredictable and heartwarming as our pigeons are taking acrobatic flight.”

WHO: Toffy (Christoph) Paulweber

WHAT: “A treat for the whole family, BrainFools’ Fringe debut defies gravity to conjure a surreal world where a flock of energetic, curious pigeons dwell. Join us on a journey to a magical space created through incredible contemporary circus skills.”

WHERE: Underbelly’s Circus Hub on the Meadows – The Beauty (Venue 360) 

WHEN: 13:05 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

YES, it is our maiden flight to Edinburgh. Navigating the bustling artistic skies of Edfringe for the first time, we’re truly pigeon-eyed with excitement! The festival’s constantly pulsating energy and eclectic mix of talent make it a veritable bird’s nest of creativity.

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

Since 2022, our coo-llective wisdom has grown significantly. We’ve learned that in this unpredictable world, you need to wing it sometimes. Flexibility, resilience—they’re not just for acrobats!

Tell us about your show.

Lucky Pigeons, a whimsical creation hatched by Finn and me (Toffy), is a testament to our adventurous spirit. Launched on a successful Southwest tour last year, it called for celebration, creativity, and of course, a bit of chaos! Now, we’re taking this show under our wings and soaring towards its exhilarating Edinburgh Fringe debut. Rooted in our unique sense of humour, we weave a narrative that’s as unpredictable and heartwarming as our pigeons are taking acrobatic flight.

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

Once you’ve flapped your wings with our Lucky Pigeons, make sure to book a seat at “Sophie’s Birthday Party.” It’s an uproarious late-night immersive cabaret featuring the crème de la crème of the UK circus scene. Consider it the perfect nightcap after an exhilarating Fringe day—you’re sure to leave with feathers well and truly ruffled from laughter!

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EdFringe Talk: Lovefool

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“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)

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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

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“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)

MORE: Click Here!

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)

MORE: Click Here!

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

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“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

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“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)

MORE: Click Here!

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

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“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)

MORE: Click Here!

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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