Category Archives: EdFestivals 2023

EdFringe Talk: Egg: Absolutely Fine

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“We thought we’d learned not to take too much on but we thought absolutely wrong about that because here we are doing 3 shows a day for 2 weeks.”

WHO: Emily Lloyd-Saini and Anna Leong Brophy

WHAT: “Just a fresh new show from two fresh young gals who, honestly, are absolutely fine. Egg are Anna Leong Brophy (Shadow and Bone, This Is Going to Hurt) and Emily Lloyd-Saini (Code 404, Catastrophe), but they don’t like to bang on about it. As seen on Harry Hill’s Club Nite (Channel 4). Nominee, Comedy Breakthrough, VAULT Festival ’23. ‘They deserve a bigger platform if there’s any justice’ **** (Chortle.co.uk). ‘Their chemistry is potent’ **** (Fest). ‘Superior fare’ **** (List). ‘Surreal, silly and relatable’ **** (FunnyWomen.com). ‘A hilariously confident hour’ **** (Skinny).”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Beside (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 16:50 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This our 3rd time to Edinburgh as EGG. We did a show in 2016, when we were just tiny babies, our last show was in 2018 and we planned one for 2020 but the world had other ideas. So here were are… 5 years later. We’re excited to see how the Fringe has evolved (or devolved) and what everyone has been working on – and to bring EGG back! A great festival for us is one where we get to show ‘Absolutely Fine’ to as many people as possible, remember to eat at least twice daily and don’t lose our voices. The bar is low for a great fringe is what we’re saying.

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

Since our last show we have learned so much about us. Our dynamic completely changed after so many years working apart, which was fun to explore, and also we were so grateful to be able to play again – that first gig we did trying new stuff – we both felt on top of the world. Emily, in some kind of ‘the universe is great’ euphoric state gave away her coat to a homeless man – it was November. And she later realised her car keys were still in there, and her bank card. Thats how good the gig was.

We’ve learned not to do that anymore. And we’ve learned to be kind to ourselves as well as each other… and we thought we’d learned not to take too much on but we thought absolutely wrong about that because here we are doing 3 shows a day for 2 weeks.

Tell us about your show.

The short answer is Absolutely Fine is about us. About who we are now, who we were… and sketches. Really silly sketches. Because thats what we do. Berks Nest are producing it – they also produced Richard Pictures our 2018 show – and they are magnificent people, everyone should tell them that. We premiered the show for 2 nights at the Roundhouse Festival in London, just days before we came up here. We’re so glad the 2020 show didn’t happen because we needed those few years of life to happen to make this show. After Ed we hope to give it a life in maybe a local tour, a national tour, a west End transfer, a film, a series based on the film, and a 3 part documentary.

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

You simply must see Cat Cohen ‘Come for me’ – she’s hilarious, filthy, and we fancy her alot. (to clarify we do not mean filthy as in bad hygiene)

Our friend Brendan Murphy wrote Buffy Revamped, and it so so good. The man is unstoppable.

Chloe Petts, If You Can’t Say Anything Nice – probs the last year we’ll see her before she costs way more to see.

Paddy Young – Hungry horny and Scared. We just saw Paddy a few weeks ago and we’re immediate fans.

Tarot – Hive Mind. We love Tarot as people and as the surreal, absurd sketch comedians that they are. We haven’t seen this show yet but already recommend it because it’s them.

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EdFringe Talk: Roger McGough’s Money-Go-Round

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“It’s got a bit expensive too now I suppose, but then I just sneak in. I say, “I’m Roger McGough.””

WHO: Roger McGough, in conversation with our Features Editor, Dan Lentell

WHAT: “Renowned poet Roger McGough brings to life his witty and mischievous children’s book in a vibrant new musical adaptation. Follow the trail of Mr Toad’s coin in this ‘beginner’s guide to the mysteries of economics’ (The School Librarian), sure to delight audiences of all ages. ‘This has to be the family show of the year. The mighty McGough has a magic way with words and he’s created an utterly enchanting musical that’s a must-see. Five Stars!’ (Gyles Brandreth). ‘A full hour of pure magic’ (Mark Aspen). ‘Amazing show! We loved it’ (Binky Felstead).”

WHERE: Assembly Rooms – Ballroom (Venue 20) 

WHEN: 11:55 (70 min)

MORE: Click Here!

DL: Are you going up to EdFringe this year?

RM: No, I’m not, unfortunately. I’m doing a new collected edition for Penguin, which is supposed to be delivered by the end of this month. It’s a big job, you know, I have millions, too many poems, I have thousands and thousands of poems. So I’m going to sift through them and it’s going to be done.

DL: You were first at the Fringe in the 1960s…

RM: Gosh, those days, you know it was very early days, ‘Beyond the Fringe‘ days. I went up with Scaffold. Everyone who was performing you’d meet in the Traverse Bar – that was the only bar that opened (after 10 o’clock) where you could get a drink in those days. What we did, and this goes to the poetry as well, we used to actually work out the show on the way up, on the train or in the car. By the end of our Edinburgh run – two weeks, sometimes three weeks – we’d have a decent show that we could then take on tour. Of course, it’s quite the opposite now, isn’t it? You go on tour, you work there, and you go to Edinburgh, hopefully with a sort of finished product. How we got away with it, I don’t know.

DL: What are the big things you’ve learned in recent and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

RM: It was not as bad for me as it was for others because although I still do gigs it didn’t matter too much, although I missed them, because what I like doing best is writing. I had a book come out called ‘Safety in Numbers‘. At the end of it, there’s this little four-liner, “Safety, in numbers, not anymore. The room starts to fill. I’m out of the door” It was a fallow period. A time to sow seeds and things came out of it. It was when I had the idea to adapt ‘Money-Go-Round‘ for the stage. So it was quite a good year really.

I was in ‘Toad of Toad Hall‘ at School, I played Mr Badger, so it was all in the back of my mind. When I did the book, with Walker books, and ‘Money Go Around‘ came out, I had one or two poems come out of it – a rabbit poem, a foxish poem and a toadish poem, and I thought, “I like lyrics again. Here we go again.” So I wrote it and took it over the road to the OSO, which is our local community theatre. I showed it to Johnny Danciger, who took it up and there we go.

DL: I’ve got an eight-year-old, a five-year-old, and a one and a bit…

RM: Oh, I wouldn’t let near it, mate! Okay. No, no. Oh, yes, of course, of course. Um, actually, I always say that. Children love it. They do, generally, love it. And they get involved in it, they believe it. That’s the thing. They understand it. They enjoy the wordplay. It’s all about the jokes and, of course, the actors bring so much to it. It’s a new cast and it’s full of acrobats doing things I could never dream of doing.

DL: Do you keep an eye on EdFringe? Are there things that you look for, even if you’re not coming up?

RM: No, I don’t. You see, because I’d want to be there. If you can’t afford it, don’t think about it, you know what I mean? It’s like when I was younger, and couldn’t afford to go with friends on holiday abroad. Don’t think about it. Don’t worry about it. There’s so many places I want to be, and retrace – places, and so on, so many memories. Do I look at the Fringe brochures? No, I’ll just wish, wish, wish I was there.

DL: So how did you pick #EdFringe shows in the ‘60s? How do you pick the shows you see now?

RM: Well, it was easy in the ‘60s because there were so few on then. Obviously, I had to see what was going on with other revues. There was Oxford and Cambridge but, in those days, Bristol did a lot of revues. There was a lot of surrealism, I remember Polish and Georgian companies. It was easy to walk down the street and just pick anything, walk in somewhere, and you’re exposed – in a delightful, surprising way – to so many things you wouldn’t have chosen.

You don’t quite know what you’re gonna get. That was always the exciting part of Edinburgh compared to the West End or Shakespeare. Of course, you know the great comedians are gonna be good. Frank Skinner this year’s going to be good. I hope our people are gonna be good, but my advice is to try and catch the ones that you don’t know about.

It’s got a bit expensive too now I suppose, but then I just sneak in. I say, “I’m Roger McGough.”

DL: Who or what was your best-ever EdFringe discovery?

RM: There was a chap called Paul Ableman. Have you heard of Paul Ableman?

DL: I have now.

RM: Paul Ableman used to have shows on at the Traverse around the same time that I was up there with Billy Connolly. Paul Averman was a sort of surrealist type of writing, which I liked, sort of early Pinter, surreal dialogue sort of stuff, like RD Laing, which I really enjoyed. And it was that sort of mix, as well as sort of Peter Cook people, who I got to know later on. Paul Ableman was someone who was an influence on me. Not known. Not recognized in a way. That was someone who you discover. You wouldn’t have gone to see him elsewhere. You have to go there, have to be there. So you can stumble across things. Especially when you’re young, when you’re looking out for it, you know. I’m so at that age now where I’m concentrating on what I do myself. I doubt if I’m going to be blown away by some poetry or some theatre.

DL: You’ve translated and published three plays by Molière…

RM: That’s happening. That’s another thing I’m doing. I’d forgotten about that. Sat 30 Sep – Sat 21 Oct at the Crucible in Sheffield – The Hypochondriac.

DL: What’s your elevator pitch for barbarians like me who’ve heard of him but never seen or read one of his plays?

RM: Well, I did French at university, French and Geography. Never really got to speak in French. Scraped through a degree. Never went to France. Didn’t think about it, until years, years have passed – as the French say, it’s not fully perfect. It was the year of Liverpool as European City of Culture, 2008. I was invited by, Gemma Bodinetz, who was the producer and manager of the Playhouse Theatre. She said, “Roger, how about doing a modern, theatre, a bit of culture, a specific culture?” She thought of French influence. I said, “Come on, I never went to Cambridge. I can’t do… I don’t know if I’d really be good enough.” And she said, “go on of course you can.”

So I did, and I enjoyed it. And what I found was, at first, being afraid of it. That’s the first fault line you’re going through – I can’t do it. I’m not good enough. But you start doing it and just start to enjoy it

There’s so many good versions of it that have been translated, word for word, syllable for syllable. But the syllables are too overly done to copy Moliere, and so it gets a bit like, um… it’s a bit boring sometimes.

So you’ve got to take a flyer yourself. I’d talk to Molière in my head. I got his permission to do things with the rhyming – not with the story, the story’s exactly him. The Hypochondriac, which he’d actually written, it’s not in verse, but in prose. I didn’t know that, and I just read the prose version and translated it into verse. I didn’t realize until I’d finished it. They said, “Hey, Roger, you know, this is in verse.”

“Well,” I said, “Molière didn’t do it, but he has now.”

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EdFringe Talk: Strictly Barking

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“If you don’t know what you’re doing – find someone who does!”

WHO: Oliver Nilsson

WHAT: “Fab-u-lous! A high-energy comedy about a lonely old man and a homeless dog who become friends and enter a ballroom dancing competition. But little do they know what trouble awaits! Get ready for comedy, slapstick, crazy characters and enthusiastic dance routines for the whole family! Overall winner Fringe World Children’s Event Award 2023. Winner Perth Now Critics Choice Award. Winner Adelaide Fringe Weekly Comedy Award. ‘Get ready to laugh your heads off… children’s entertainment at its finest’ ****½ (FourthWallMedia.wordpress.com). From the creators of Attenborough and his Animals (**** (Scotsman)) and Scotland! ***** (FringeFeed.com.au)).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Teviot – Nightclub (Venue 14) 

WHEN: 13:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

We first went to Edinburgh in 2019 with the Latebloomers, with our show, ‘Scotland!’ to great success. Since then, the company (Oliver Nilsson, Jonathan Tilley and Sam Dugmore) returned to Edinburgh in 2022 with other shows and as groups and a solo artists; this will be our third time at Edinburgh Fringe. This year we will be performing our family comedy show Strictly Barking by Jon & Ollie.

The festival is such an explosion in talent, creativity and inspiration. There is world class art around every corner, either its absolute bonkers stupid clownery, powerful queer cabaret, or shadow puppetry in a shoe box about acrobatic monkeys. Whatever your Edinburgh experience, it’s guaranteed to be unforgettable!

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

In 2019, we had a successful season in Australia and were in the financial position to go into Edinburgh with full backing – producer, PR, marketing, runners – we were very lucky; first day of the Fringe, we even got on the cover for The Times, But last year we were self-funding post pandemic and it was a very different experience, as we shouldered all of the roles ourselves.

If you don’t know what you’re doing – find someone who does! Last year Jon and I tried to do our own marketing but we didn’t have the time or expertise to do it properly. We’ve learned this year to reach out. The fringe community is big and beautiful. You can be given pointers either it is from your fellow artist friends, or the venue you collaborating with.

Also, my remarkable, super talented fiancée volunteered to manage our marketing and has gone above and beyond, from making pieces of costume to contacting programmers and finding other opportunities for the show. It’s made a real difference. So the lesson can also be that if someone offers to help, take it (and marry them later).

Tell us about your show.

Strictly Barking is a family comedy, created by myself Jon, and we perform the whole show together. We met at the Jacques Lecoq International School in Paris and have been working together ever since we graduated 2017.

We created Strictly Barking while living together in London, in partnership with the Hounslow Arts Centre and Fin Fringe. It’s a comedy for the whole family, about a lonely old man called Hogarth who befriends a homeless young pup he names Easy Peeler (it’s his favourite food!). Hogarth and Easy Peeler become dancing parters and so together they enter Barking’s Ballroom Dancing Competition. But they don’t know that the scheming cat Steven and his pet human The Mayor have other ideas…

The show is mostly non-verbal and uses plenty of clowning, physical comedy and interaction. When I’m not touring I’m working as a drama teacher for students with Autism, and we take big pride that this show is strongly accessible to children with neurodiversity.

This year we took Strictly Barking to Fringe World in Perth, Adelaide Fringe and Prague Fringe, where it was awarded Overall Children’s Event 2023 at Fringe World and has won four awards in total! After Edinburgh we’re excited to be taking Strictly Barking to Sweden for Gothenburg Fringe (my hometown!) and then to Colchester Fringe in October.

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

The jaw dropping Attenborough and his Animals (Gilded Balloon) and firework of a show Manbo (Underbelly) – by fellow members of the Latebloomers, Voloz Collective are amazingly talented (and doing two theatre shows this year!), Artiste by Brymore Productions for their brilliantly interactive children’s show, Elf Lyons and Duffy’s comedy show Heist (Monkey Barrel Comedy) which is hilarious and all done in BSL, Grubby Little Mitts because they’ll weird you out and make you laugh like no other (Assembly Rooms), our friends from Dizney in Drag from the Hairy Godmothers (Gilded Balloon), who have produced some of the funniest childhood ruining cabaret around, political satire The Briefing by American Melissa McGlensey, and if you want to roll on the floor laughter by master story-teller see Digeridoozy by Dane Simpson (both Assembly Rooms), and our favourite bonkers queer siblings Creepy Boys (Summerhall).

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EdFringe Talk: Monski Mouse’s Baby Cabaret & Baby Disco Dance Hall

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“Learned and absorbed through the sponge of life.”

WHO: Monski Mouse

WHAT: “Monski Mouse’s Baby Cabaret: Join Monski Mouse and her super talented friends, for a live musical sing-a-long cabaret of nursery classics, song, puppetry and bonkers fun for 0-5s and their parents. All the big topics covered: elephants, fish, wiggly worms, transport and the existential ways of the toddler. ‘Moments of utter beauty’ ***** (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine). ‘A delightful way to spend an hour’ **** (Edinburgh Families Magazine). ‘We love baby cabaret’ (Bubbles the Mermaid, CBeebies). ‘At the #Fringe with a toddler? Recommend Monski Mouse Baby Cabaret’ (Al Murray, Twitter).”

and: “Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall: Why toddle when you can dance? Join DJ Monski Mouse and her dancers for this multi award-nominated, epic session of bopping, bonkers, beautiful fun. Expect high-energy smiling to retro beats and thumping nursery rhymes. Get your disco-dancing booties on! Best of Kids Award Sydney Fringe nominee, 2022. Best Family Entertainment nominee, Hoop Award Edinburgh. ***** ‘Best. Time. Ever’ (Edinburgh Families Magazine). ***** ‘If you have a kid under five, get them to this show. Now’ (KidsinAdelaide.com.au).”

WHERE: Assembly George Square Gardens – Palais du Variete (Venue 117) 

WHEN: 10:40 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

My first Edinburgh was back in 2005, when I came to town as a DJ, in my single, no children, footloose and fancy free days, I played sets at the end of La Clique in the Famous Spiegeltent and after The Bongo Club Variety Cabaret. Oh my, what a time I had, met the most incredible people, had a wonderful festival romance, dawn climbs up Arthurs Seat and ALL THE FUN! I was hooked. I next made it back in 2008, coming straight from Clown Summer School at the Ecole Phillipe Gaulier in Paris. I played more DJ sets and I worked somewhat gruelling shifts of FOH for the Gilded Balloon. Meeting again more wonderful people. When I made my Baby Disco Dance Hall show in 2012, and sold out my debut season at Adelaide Fringe, I knew I had to bring the show to Edinburgh.. its now been here seven times and this year will be it’s eighth! And along for the ride is my newer show, Baby Cabaret slowing finding its own audience and bringing the joy of song to young audiences.

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

The big things I learned is that I love what I do, and I didn’t need a pivot, and so, I am going for it even more in the realm of mouse-dom. And, this will sound silly, but that I love a walk to my local park. Learned and absorbed through the sponge of life.

Tell us about your show.

As I mentioned I am bringing my two music based, comedy, theatre shows created for early years audiences AND their parents/carers, namely, Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall and Monski Mouse’s Baby Cabaret. Both shows are written and hosted by me, Monski Mouse, and I have some super talented cast that join me, in the Disco I have two dancers, and in the Cabaret its a small ensemble including the brilliant vocalist and comedian, Michelle Brasier, wonderful actor and musician, Tim Lancaster on Guitar and vocals and amazing clown comedian, Jemomai Detto on puppets and vocals.

After Edinburgh I take the Disco on the road to Sydney Fringe and then make my China debut at a new Children’s Festival in Shanghai.

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

Oh my gosh, so many things, from about three years up, I can recommend Adventure Bubble Show and Milkshake, adorable funny and magical, for older kids I can recommend A_Z of Awesome Science, and you can’t go wrong with The Listies. For grown ups, I say get along to Reform by our Michelle Brasier and Mush by our Jeromaia Detto, and also fight for a ticket to, Party Ghost (new, funny, macabre circus), Fools Paradise by Britt Plummer (a beautifully told clowns tale of love gone wrong), Grief Lightening (hilarious account of what really happened to Sandy and Danny in Grease), and Maureen Harbinger of Death (top class new writing and acting), really I could go on and on.. I might need to do a blog post!

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EdFringe Talk: Bennett Arron: Loser

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“There is no point in doing something unless you are 100% happy with it.”

WHO: Bennett Arron

WHAT: “What’s it like to be a winner? Bennett Arron wouldn’t know. He’s been a presenter on TV and Radio, written sitcoms, starred in the BBC Radio 4 series Alone and even been shortlisted for a BAFTA, but life still laughs at him. Queue early to enjoy disappointment. ‘Genuinely original’ (Times), ‘a Welsh Seinfeld’ (Guardian).”

WHERE: PBH’s Free Fringe @ Liquid Room Annexe/Warehouse – Annexe (Venue 276) 

WHEN: 16:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my 5th solo show but my 7th time at the Festival. The first time was when I was a finalist in the BBC New Comedy Awards. I was runner-up with Peter Kay (I didn’t win, which goes towards the title of my show). The festival has been very good for me in the past and has resulted in three radio series; Bennett Arron is JEWELSH, Bennett Arron Worries About and the sitcom ALONE. It also led to me Writing, Presenting and Directing the Channel 4 documentary HOW TO STEAL AN IDENTITY for which I was BAFTA shortlisted.

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

I was going to perform a show at the festival last year. I had the venue and accommodation sorted. However, half way thought writing the show I realised it wasn’t good enough. There was no real theme and it just wasn’t as funny as I wanted it to be. So I cancelled it. There is no point in doing something unless you are 100% happy with it.

Tell us about your show.

I wrote the show and, as am producing it myself. I have had 4 previews which, I’m delighted to say, have all gone really well. The premise is….. am I a Loser?

To answer the question, I look back on my life, from being born into the only Jewish family in Port Talbot, South Wales (where Anthony Hopkins used to light the fire for his grandparents), working as a grave digger for a day, being kicked out of drama school (twice), being the first major victim of identity theft in the UK which resulted in my becoming penniless and homeless, being arrested in a dawn raid by Scotland Yard, to celebrating, this year, 25 years as a professional comedian. By the end I/the audience will decide if I am a winner or a loser.

I am hoping to tour it after the festival. But I don’t want to produce that myself!

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

I have MANY friends performing shows this year. Some well known, some soon to be well known. It’s difficult to name some and not all and I know I will forget people, but ones I’ve seen and recommend are:

Ignacio Lopez – Welsh, Spanish and very funny.
Hal Cruttenden – A fantastic show for a TV regular.
Robin Ince – an Edinburgh regular who will be performing two great shows.

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EdFringe Talk: If You Were to Die Tomorrow

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“I’ve learned to trust my gut.”

WHO: Amani Bates

WHAT: “Reconnected with each other at a funeral, Charlotte and Hope question what the meaning of life is. Are we predetermined to do everything we do or is there such a thing as free will? Centred around this debate the show uses meta and philosophical comedy to ask these big questions as the play slowly descends into existential chaos. If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, how would you live today?”

WHERE: Paradise in Augustines – The Studio (Venue 152) 

WHEN: 16:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes! Which is super exciting! I’ve been to a few drama festivals before, but by all accounts, Edinburgh is a different beast! What I’m most looking forward to is the non-stop action of it all. Whilst not involved with our own show, I fully intend on seeing as many performances as humanly possible. What boggles my mind is thinking about the sheer range of things going up. The diversity of people and productions going from old, new, established, emerging, queer, musicals, comedy, serious and silly should make for an amazing festival and a fantastic community of creatives to be around and apart of. So if my expectations, which are admittedly high, are met, I’m certain this will be the first of many trips.

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

2022 was generally a pretty positive year for me creatively. I had the first run of this show on in Manchester and a short film I wrote got made and nominated for a few awards. From those experiences I’ve learned to trust my gut. There’s been a few occasions where I’ve been faced with a dilemma in relation to my writing, if the tone is right, if the jokes are funny, if the more serious moments are justified or disruptive to pacing, that kind of thing. In those instances I’ve really tried to rely on my instincts and I think that has served me well. Something I do now, which might sound a bit strange to some, but I’ve started audibly asking questions to myself out loud and then immediately answering them. This seems to uncover the way I feel about things and takes my overthinking tendencies out of the equation.

Tell us about your show.

Of course! So, I wrote the show and am assistant directing it. We have a fantastic director, Hollie Buckhurst, involved, an invaluable designer and producer in Hebe Jones and Amber Daly and a phenomenally talented cast of actors that I’m so happy we have onboard. We all met through our University Drama society, where the show originally premiered.

The play itself if very silly. I took big inspiration from Phoebe Waller-Bridge and her show ‘Fleabag’. When watching, I was really intrigued in the way she uses the technique of breaking the fourth wall both as a device for deepening characterisation but also as a comedic tool. This is something I wanted to experiment with. At the start of the show, it’s firmly established that one character has the ability to break the fourth wall and talk to the audience but by the end, all of the character’s become sentient and aware they’re being watched. We definitely play this up for laughs but it gives way to some interesting questions about free will, fate, purpose, and the inevitable prospect of death.

Despite these sometimes heavy questions, the show is hopefully very funny and just wildly chaotic, which should make for a good watch!

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

I have three other shows I want to recommend if you have the time, and if you don’t, you should make time because they are all going to be fantastic.

The first is the other show going up from our company which is called ‘SOFAR’ a queer piece of new writing. Based on a true story, Luna the crippled humpback whale is making her final migration and is being tracked by young marine biologist, Sadie as she gets over her first heartbreak.

Second is ‘Be Home Soon’ a heartwarming story about love and loss that you may well need a tissue box for!

Lastly, ‘A Working Title’, a multimedia piece about a struggling writer.

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EdFringe Talk: Messhead

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“I wrote it because there were just not enough one woman millennial shows out there… RIGHT GUYS?”

WHO: Kirby Lunn

WHAT: “A strange and emotionally stunted young woman is on an all-consuming mission to be the most special person in every room. Trying to balance the glamorous life she leads in her mind with the one she’s actually living is driving her a little, well, mad. The growing hunger to impress her overbearing stage mum, new influencer BFF (buccal fat not included) and boring sister, is leaving little room to fantasize and it’s becoming a real problem. Just how much damage can you do living inside your head? A new dark comedy begging for your attention.”

WHERE: Paradise in Augustines – The Snug (Venue 152) 

WHEN: 19:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first Edinburgh Fringe and I’m so excited to be a part of it! Im Australian but I lived in the UK when I was younger for a few years and never made it to the fringe because young people make interesting choices.

I plan on not sleeping and just seeing the most creative people in the world create something original and exciting. I’m concerned I wont have time to show up for my own show because there is so much to see.

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

I am truly a different person from last year, my mum, my biggest champion, was diagnosed with Leukaemia last year. After a year of hospital stays, chemotherapy and tears my favourite bad bitch is in remission. This made me really understand how precious and terribly short life is. I don’t want to wait anymore to make big moves in my life, I want to make stuff now! Im trying to ensure my legacy will be making people laugh and leaving audiences better and happier than I found them.
I started writing this show during her treatment and getting to perform it during her remission is a once in a lifetime celebration.

Tell us about your show.

Its meeeeee, I wrote it because there were just not enough one woman millennial shows out there… RIGHT GUYS?

But seriously the show is primarily a play but when it all gets too much, her inner monologue spills out on the stage through original songs. Expect uncomfortable short bops like, ’Disappointing my mum’ and ‘Dont google your diagnosis’

I just was kind of sick of my round, welcoming happy face making people underestimate my comic abilities so I wrote my own dream messy character. Truly, if I have to play one more ingenue the joy inside will forever leave my body.

For those of you unsure of what that is, an ingenue is industry talk for a sweet cardboard cut out of a woman on stage that the leading man can sing at for two hours.

I’m excited to continue the shows little life in Australia after Edinburgh Fringe, we’ve got a few shows in Melbourne booked with some more cities announced soon…

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

Oh baby, first of all, thank you for seeing my show. That was so cool of you and you’re officially my favourite person.

There is so much to see! My recommendations are Reuben Kaye (obviously) Lino The Play, The attendants, Lost and Found and Showstopper. Go see something weird too, something you’d never have usually picked, I’ll probably see you there!

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EdFringe Talk: Donut Dollies

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“I think what makes Fringe so great is that everyone is very supportive of one another. There is so much ‘out of the box’ thinking and risk-taking with these shows. It’s very inspiring as an artist.”

WHO: Giselle Fischman

WHAT: “Donut Dollies is a story about the women who volunteered with the Red Cross in WWII. This play follows three of those women, Marnie the feisty girl from Jersey, Elnora the wide eyed small town girl from Oregon, and Louise the cosmopolitan General’s daughter from Washington D.C. They could not be more different, but throughout their time volunteering as Doughnut Dollies these women forge a bond that will last a lifetime, as they navigate love, loss and the power of kindness in the face of adversity and tragedy.”

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

WHEN: 11:25 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is actually my 3rd time participating in Edfringe. I first came to Edinburgh for the 2018 Fringe with an original play. We only had a small taste with two performances that year, but I was completely blown away by the energy and creativity at the festival. I think what makes Fringe so great is that everyone is very supportive of one another. There is so much ‘out of the box’ thinking and risk-taking with these shows. It’s very inspiring as an artist. When I put my producer hat on, I think of all the little things that go into bringing a show to life. It’s a huge learning curve for me, as I would love to just be able to act, but it’s given me a huge respect for producers and all of the thoughtful details that go into producing a show at any size.

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

One of the things I’ve learned is that you can’t spend your time waiting for the opportunities you want. You have to take a step forward and create your own opportunities, and see where that leads. It can be incredible to see how the net just seems to appear right on time, if you’re willing to take the leap!

Tell us about your show.

It’s crazy to reflect and realize that this play has now been in development for over a year! I started to plant the seeds of this story with my castmate and co-writer, Francesca Reggio, in August of 2022. I said ‘I wanted to write this play and take it to Edinburgh Fringe’, and she was on board from there! The idea came to me over time, as I have always loved historical dramas, and took a special interest in the stories set around WWII. When I learned about the Red Cross efforts and the Donut Dollies, at first I thought it would actually make an amazing drama series on TV. The truth is there are so many stories and experiences from these women, and no one really knows about them! But I decided to develop the idea further as a play, and dig into the lives of our three protagonists on stage. Which brings us here now!

Our play explores the experience of the American Red Cross volunteers during WWII known as the “Donut Dollies”. Most of us know that during WWII, while many of the men were sent off to Europe with the Allied Forces, the women were left behind to support the war effort however they could from home. But one piece of the story that is rarely told is about the US women who trained with the American Red Cross to become “Clubmobile” crewmembers.

These women drove converted buses (Clubmobiles) throughout Great Britain, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany, visiting military camps along the way. Each clubmobile carried 3 women and were outfitted with ovens and kitchen equipment so they could make fresh donuts and coffee for the soldiers. Why donuts? Well, at that time, the donut was an American staple and was meant to be a taste of home. This earned them the endearing title of, “Donut Dollies.”

The Washington Star once wrote, “The Red Cross Girl was the sweetheart of WW2.” But the donuts weren’t their only responsibility. These women were trained thoroughly to be able to talk about sports, play cards, dance, and ultimately keep the soldiers’ morale up and spirits lifted. And while the dollies were popular among the troops, they were also highly respected and a welcomed light in the darkness of the front lines.

We have just completed a preview run in Los Angeles and are now premiering the show at EdFringe. It’s been an honor to share the dollies’ story with our audience, and we are excited to see what comes next. In the meantime, we hope this story inspires kindness and hope to all who hear it.

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

We have so much to recommend! The Fringe wouldn’t be as incredible as it is without the partnership and collaboration between all of the creatives. Several friends are performing in shows this year, which we will be supporting and would love to promote.

But first, I would be remiss not to mention In Loyal Company. I saw it in 2019 and it really inspired me to produce Donut Dollies! If you haven’t seen it yet, you must get a ticket and witness the brilliance of David William Bryan!

Next, you can see Second Chancers for a great laugh and spoof on reality dating shows (and it’s Free Fringe!). That will run Aug. 3-10 at the Laughing Horse. This show’s co-creator, Maria Hemming, is an old LAMDA classmate of one of our dollies, so we are thrilled to support her work!

Additionally, we’ll be seeing crackers at The Royal Scots Club, which explores how society struggles to recognize and manage mental illness. We have another classmate/friend in this one: Anna Davies, who is an incredibly talented young actress!

Another show we’re excited to see is from a fellow LA creative, Katherine Bourne Taylor. Her show, Grown Up Orphan Annie, is a dark comedy that revisits the classic character as an adult at the Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose – Coorie. It’s another Fringe premier and has already won Hollywood Fringe’s Pick of the Fringe award. We can’t wait to see it!

And last but not least, we have to share Pressure Cooker (a Keep It Fringe recipient) by the incredibly talented playwright and director, Jessie Millson, which runs Aug. 14-26 at Space 1 at the Space on the Mile.

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EdFringe Talk: Wild Things

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“I always prefer to go up with a show, it makes you feel like part of the action.”

WHO: Emma Hinnells

WHAT: “Conservation and comedy collide in this hour-long improvised play about endangered species. Join us to explore the fate of a completely invented animal and a community’s journey to save it. Informed by conservation research, Wild Things is a ‘hilarious yet poignant’ (Oxford Scientist) show that tackles environmental themes and nature in a way that will have you laughing and learning. All made up entirely on the spot based on audience suggestions, this creature’s story has never been told before… because we need you to help us make the show. You create the animal, we’ll fend off extinction!”

WHERE: Greenside @ Riddles Court – Willow Studio (Venue 16) 

WHEN: 13:55 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

All the performers have been to Edinburgh before, but this is our first time bringing this particular show. We LOVE the Edinburgh Fringe, it’s the highlight of our year! What makes the Fringe so special is the feeling of constant buzz around you – there are shows all over the city at all times of the day and night. It’s an incredibly exciting creative space to be in. I always prefer to go up with a show, it makes you feel like part of the action.

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

Building relationships with other shows can transform your experience of the Fringe, making you feel like a part of a big community rather than going it alone. We’re trying to reach out to other shows more, particularly within our Greenside Venues, to build that sense of camaraderie. You’re always learning up at the Fringe so you’ll never have a ‘perfect’ run, but that’s all part of the experience.

Tell us about your show.

Wild Things is a longform improv show where the audience creates the animal and the performers try to fend off extinction! It is informed by conservation science and supported by the British Ecological Society. Wild Things is primarily an entertainment show, but we are doing additional impact evaluation to better understand how the show affects people’s understanding of biodiversity and nature conservation.

Our Director is Sofia Castelló y Tickell, a conservation scientist and science communicator. She devised the format of Wild Things whilst researching for her PhD at the University of Oxford as a way to combine theoretical models for understanding conservation efforts with the immediacy and humour provided by improvised comedy. Wild Things was performed in Oxford for a limited run in February 2020 and now we’re bringing it to the Fringe for the first time!

Sofia is supported by Assistant Director and Musician Matthew Kemp, a geologist and science communicator with Geologise Theatre.

I am Emma Hinnells, Producer for the show and for performance group Just Improv. I work as an independent Producer for live events, short films and audio production and hve been improvising for over five years.

We’re so excited to bring this show to the Fringe and then hopefully take it round the country!

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

Disoriented on the Murder Express by House of Improv – lots of our group trained with House of Improv so we know just how good the performers are. It’s an improvised murder mystery that is guaranteed to make you laugh (and it’s on the Free Fringe!)

Chrissie and the Skiddle Witch by Geologise Theatre – Matthew’s other show is also FANTASTIC! A climate change story with brilliant songs, incredible writing and outstanding performances, and its on the slot before us in the same room so you can double up.

The Oxford Imps – an icon of the Fringe, this group at slick, quick and witty. Some of our team also trained with them, so they must be good 😉

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EdFringe Talk: Modern Witches

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“I am loathe to be so honest because I fear it punts me into a horrid stereotype of a haggard old theatre dame coveting youthful spirit.”

WHO: Katie Kopajtic

WHAT: “Lesbian actor Kate struggles to create a self-tape audition as Virginia Woolf, revealing that she is frozen in the midst of running away from her healthy relationship. The self-tape shifts from an actor’s grind to an incantation as Kate accidentally summons the ghost of Virginia Woolf, whose bold approach to life helps her to uncover the root of her fear. From the storefront of a mystic shop to the rabbit hole of #WitchTok, this comedic romp explores Woolf’s biography, queer relationship anxiety, and archetypes of the modern witch.”

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

WHEN: 19:35 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my second festival! I was here for a full run in 2017 with my solo show “Confessions of a Personal Trainer,” which gave me the first time high feeling of performing to a streak of full houses, and a first time low feeling of a terrible audience review. *That* guy felt like he was just “watching one of his mates complain about work.” Sorry, sir!

That first fringe experience reinstated my faith in theatre. Being in the U.S. can absolutely kill your soul as an artist, because it often feels like no one outside of theatre circles attends live theatre. At the fringe, seeing what I would describe (lovingly) as “regular people” show up at weird venues to see weird people do their weird art was literally life giving.

I was 28, I am 34 now. I am different. COVID changed us all, right? The rose colored glasses of “Maybe XYZ will happen and my career will go to the moon!” are off my face and across the room. I’m excited to be back because 1. my wife is running tech for me and that is sexy for us, and 2. I love my show. My palms are sweating with nervous excitement to showcase my American interpretation of Virginia Woolf for a U.K. audience.

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

Oh, sure! Nothing in life is guaranteed so you have to try! Really, I am loathe to be so honest because I fear it punts me into a horrid stereotype of a haggard old theatre dame coveting youthful spirit, but truly: it was the most freeing thing to let go of the entitled feeling that: since I am making this art, something must come out of it to further my career along. No. All your life as an artist, the best and most repeated wisdom is: trust the process. But I don’t think that happens right away. I feel like I’m finally starting to not only trust the process, but also cherish it.

Also, when life gets you down, grow some seeds in your house and plant them in some dirt. Nothing gives me more joy than to see a new squash sprout out from my garden.

Tell us about your show.

Modern Witches! I started writing this in 2019 after my older sister, a literal Doctor of Philosophy and Woolf scholar, told me I had a Woolfian profile and that I “should write a show about her.” Ever the obedient one, here I am. Modern Witches has taken on the roles of co-production, commissioned work and fringe show in Nashville, Baltimore, New York state and New York City. Ed Fringe will be its Global Premiere.

Our company Tres Brujas Productions – which is me and my wife – came together prior to the fringe in 2017. TBP is a lot of producing my work, but we also support and produce theatre from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

No after plans yet.

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

Hey so I am super biased, ok? Super biased. GO SEE QUEER THEATRE. Women kissing women. Enbys kissing enbys. t4t. Drag shows. Beards on beards. Shows about being trans. Some shows that have come across my radar around these matters are “Cowboys and Lesbians” “A Shark Ate My Penis,” “Burnt Lavender,” and “Vita and Virginia.”

Other things: I am very excited to catch the action in Bob’s Blundabus, and whatever Lucy Hopkins is doing this year. Lucy is an INSANELY TALENTED CLOWN. Summerhall is a dope venue and their programming just tends to be great, so I’ll be there as well. Finally, Janey Godley Janey Godley Janey Godley. Her show time unfortunately runs up against mine but I pray we’ll be able to find a way to squeeze the “Not Dead Yet” show on an off day.

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