Category Archives: EdFestivals 2024

EdFringe Talk: A Jaffa Cake Musical

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

image of event

“The vibe at the Fringe is just unparalleled, audiences are up for a good time before they’ve even found their seats, which makes staging comedy musicals an absolute joy. I don’t think I could stop going if I tried.”

WHO: Sam Cochrane

WHAT: “Time to decide once and for all… cake or biscuit? Inspired by the 1991 tribunal which determined the true identity of a Jaffa Cake, multi-award winning Gigglemug Theatre (Scouts! The Musical, RuneSical, Timpson: The Musical) present a brand-new family-friendly musical comedy that takes the biscuit (or cake…?). Praise for previous productions: ‘Incredible!’ (Bear Grylls); ‘Laugh-a-minute silliness’ (Daily Express); ‘Winning songs’ (Guardian); ‘Blistering wit’ ***** (TheatreWeekly.com); ‘Simply brilliant’ ***** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk); ‘An utter masterpiece’ ***** (BoxOfficeRadio.co.uk); ‘A comedic triumph’ ***** (WestEndEvenings.co.uk); ‘Absolute bangers’ **** (Stage); ‘Genius’ **** (BroadwayBaby.com).”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Pleasance Two (Venue 117) 

WHEN: 15:10 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our third time at the Fringe as a company, having previously performed there with our shows RuneSical and Timpson: The Musical. The vibe at the Fringe is just unparalleled, audiences are up for a good time before they’ve even found their seats, which makes staging comedy musicals an absolute joy. I don’t think I could stop going if I tried.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

The last time we were performing at the Fringe was in 2022, and it was brilliant to be back post-pandemic – I was amazed at how it all looked exactly the way it did a few years before, but I learnt pretty quickly that audiences would take a lot more convincing to embrace the festival after Covid. Thankfully now it seems like the Fringe is livelier than ever, and I have a feeling this year’s will be the best one yet.

Tell us about your show.

A Jaffa Cake Musical is inspired by the infamous 1991 tribunal which saw McVitie’s face off against the Tax Man to prove that a Jaffa Cake is in fact a cake rather than a biscuit. This has been my first time writing a show based on a true story so I finally got to put my History degree to good use and do some hardcore researching! Gigglemug was actually formed by a bunch of Warwick Uni students, we all met doing improvised musicals which is why I think our shows have that signature zaniness which really suits the Fringe. We’re known for creating seriously silly musicals based on existing brands and, after creating shows about Timpson, RuneScape and The Scouts, a musical all about Jaffa Cakes seemed like the only logical next step! We have two preview shows at The Other Palace on 23rd & 24th July; as we did our workshop performances there earlier this year as part of MTFest it will be great to return with the fully staged production!

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

John Tothill’s stand up last year was my favourite show of the Fringe so cannot recommend enough, also Lorna Rose Treen, Ania Magliano, Finlay Christie and of course you’ve got to catch OG Gigglemug Rob Madge in their brilliant show My Son’s a Queer. Not to mention our very own Alex Prescot and Katie Pritchard performing in their solo shows too!

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: Harriet Dyer: Skin

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

image of event

“I like them to be proper shows and I don’t mean with pyrotechnics, musical interludes and all that but a proper story, with an arc, to take the audience on a journey with a beginning middle and end… obviously making it well funny too! Some acts disagree with that and think it should just be jokes.”

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

WHAT: “Give us a cheer if you’ve got skin? Well then, this is the show for you! A new show of story-based chaos with heart and peculiarities from acclaimed stand-up Harriet Dyer (Comedy Central Live, Rosie Jones’s Disability Comedy Extravaganza, The Russell Howard Hour and winner of 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Neurodiversity Representation Award). ‘Harriet Dyer is everything I love about the Fringe’ **** (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘We shouldn’t underestimate the importance of Harriet Dyer’s show’ ***** (NeurodiverseReview.co.uk). ‘A fabulous hour with a sense of the joyful absurdity of life. Entirely charming’ ***** (One4Review.co.uk).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – Coorie (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 15:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’ve done Edinburgh many times over the years, it can be such a hubby menagerie of creativity!

I love having something like Edinburgh to work towards each year, I enjoy the circuit gigs for the other months but getting to do an hour is so much different from the shorter sets.

Before I did stand-up I always did dramary stuff and I think subconsciously that comes out in how I create my hours. I like them to be proper shows and I don’t mean with pyrotechnics, musical interludes and all that but a proper story, with an arc, to take the audience on a journey with a beginning middle and end… obviously making it well funny too! Some acts disagree with that and think it should just be jokes, no other nonsense but I do that all the other months in the year so it’s nice to wang more creativity out for August.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Edinburgh fringe can be a wonderful place but it can also be a chuffin’ expensive corporate nightmare! It’s like a toxic relationship – Last time I did it for the full month was 2022 and then after that I was like, “NEVER AGAIN” then as it approached in 2023 it was, “Maybe a little bit wouldn’t hurt” so did a week which I enjoyed so much and was deeply saddened that I wasn’t there for the full whack so here I am, back again for the full month this year… Is there a lesson somewhere in that? Probably not.

I always try to have a better show than the last.

Tell us about your show.

My show is called SKIN and I guess the crux of it is about being comfortable in your own skin… but on the path to that I get swept up with massive shoes, women jumping out of bushes, mental illness, addiction, squirrels, baby squids, pensioners with police radios, wrapping heads in sellotape and ‘Chicken Lickin’.

Phil McIntyre Live are producing it, my wonderful agent Andrew Roach at Insanity put us in touch. I’ve been previewing it up and down the country and I hope to take it on a little tour after.

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

Flippin’ Nora there’s so much good stuff at The Fringe this year! I’m a big fan of folk with a unique voice and ‘ere is a comedic gang of those…

Amy Mason: Feemason – Her delivery has me in stitches, this show has one of the best jokes I’ve ever heard in it… and the best hat!

Tom Lawrinson: Buried alive and loving it – Feel like Tom is a bit of a trailblazer, he’s always original, always daft and it’s always a pleasure to watch anything he’s doing.

Lee Kyle and Friend: Not Morning People and Lee Kyle: Throwing Bottles into the sea – King Daft of all the dafts. So silly, does things his way and always kicking something into the sea!

Kieron Flynn and Rachel Baker: Two reds are better than one – Both hilarious but only saw Rachel for the first time a couple of weeks ago, she had me in stitches, she’s one of those people with funny bones and I must be a sucker for a hat in comedy because her hat bit is sooooo funny too!

David Eagle: The Eagle is Candid – Brilliant comedian with accordion who happens to be blind

Best in Class – Showcasing amazing working class acts which is very much needed at the fringe

Marjolein Robertson: 0 – Marjolein is a whimsical comedy goddess, her show last year was so so good so looking forward to this one!

Lauren Stone: Cool for Cats – Also a whimsical goddess with funny bones, looking forward to seeing what she’s rustled up

Allyson June Smith: Little Smith Sunshine – Circuit legend, a joy to be around… Reckon you’ll feel better after being in her company for an hour as I always do!

Louise Leigh: Distracted – Fellow scatterbrain who sort of whirls you up in a ball of laughter!

Andrew White: Young, Gay and a Third Thing – Smart, unique, cutting. I’m always excited to see what he does next.

Fiona Ridgewell: Believable – Another person that is just great to watch over an hour (in a show,) she’s just really fun and that shows in her shows.

Joe Wells: Daddy Autism – Joe is very hilarious and wise and I feel more funny of knowledge and laughter after I’ve watched him

Aaron Twitchen: Himbo – His confidence and joy is infectious

Alison Spittle: New Stuff WIP – Her stories have me in stitches

George Zacharopoulos: 2024 Greek Comedian of the year, Greek in the sheets and 50/50 – Such a good joke writer, his shows are always very funny.

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

image of event

“I love inventive and creative theatre and this was done with such enthusiasm I enjoyed it every time and can remember it vividly at a distance of over 40 years.”

WHO: Adrian Palmer

WHAT: “I never met a man I so disliked and yet I can’t describe him. A fusion of storytelling and a one-person show. An intense hour-long dramatic narrative, adapted and performed by Adrian Palmer in a version as close as possible to the timeless literary masterpiece of Edinburgh’s own Robert Louis Stevenson. The original Victorian melodrama of Gothic suspense and horror on the nature of evil and the hypocrisy of a male dominated society. ‘An expressively superb Adrian Palmer held the audience spellbound.’ (Southern Daily Echo).”

WHERE: Paradise in Augustines – The Snug (Venue 117) 

WHEN: VARIES (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I have performed at the Edinburgh Fringe on two previous occasions. First in 1980 in a production of Harold Pinter’s – The Caretaker and then in 2016 in an adaptation of Franz Kafka’s – The Trial. It’s a really special experience. Fringe audiences tend to be knowledgeable about and interested in theatre and very supportive.

It’s a great experience as either a punter or performer. Memories of my first visit include dancing drunkenly with a group of friends on top of a phone box and going to see again and again a performance by Loughborough University students of a devised piece called E=MC2. Looking back it was what people call ‘A level drama’ but I’m a sucker for that type of thing. I love inventive and creative theatre and this was done with such enthusiasm I enjoyed it every time and can remember it vividly at a distance of over 40 years.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I wasn’t at the Fringe in 2023 but I have learnt over the years I have been performing my own adaptations and writing that it’s very satisfying to think small. My venue which is The Snug in Paradise in Augustine’s seats 35 people when full – which I hope it will be – and my performances are at lunchtime. There’s not a lot of technical wizardry, just me acting my little socks off and I hope my two pieces will appeal to audiences looking for something intimate, thought provoking and entertaining in the middle of the day.

Tell us about your show.

It’s two storytelling adaptations of great pieces of literature from the nineteenth century.

It’s more or less a one person venture for me but with a lot of personal support from friends. I run the company, devise the shows and manage myself. I don’t always do what I tell myself to do though. My friends have supported me in getting venues for my performances and helping me sell the tickets and running the shows and doing the marketing.

I have performed Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde many times. I had a week long run at The Theatre Anglais in Southern France and the performances really helped to develop the show and get it running smoothly. I have also performed it at a number of small scale venues – in a church in Wilmslow, in a restaurant in Stockport and online in aid of Macmillan cancer research.

My first performance of this incarnation of The Three Strangers will be a preview at Feed General Store in Heaton Chapel, Manchester on 27th June 2024. I haven’t got any performances booked in after August for either show yet but hoping to get some through my presence at The Edinburgh Fringe this year. There’s a lot of work goes into developing the work and once it’s done I keep it in my repertoire. I would love to take either of them abroad and am looking at International Festival opportunities.

My next big project will be a revival of my own adaptation of A Christmas Carol in December which is on the back burner at the moment but I am looking for a characterful Victorian restaurant or church, probably in the Manchester area where I can put on a ten day or two week run just before Christmas.

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

Talk to people you meet – Edinburgh is a very friendly city – they will tell you what is good and they will probably be right.

The big buzz when I went to the Fringe in 2016 was ‘Counting Sheep’ a Ukrainian immersive piece of folk opera and multi media which was great. The audience ate at a wedding, danced, stoned the police, wept at a funeral and finally joined the army. A Great Show. And how prophetic it proved to be.

Go small, take a chance, see as many shows as you can. Sometimes the big and hyped shows disappoint but the small stuff will blow you away.

I will definitely be planning to see shows that are working in a similar field to my own – literary adaptations, storytelling, one person shows. The following browse through the programme look interesting for a start but I will be wandering about and trying to see as many varied things as possible.

Shows I will be seeing:

• Under Milk Wood
• Don Quixote
• Sherlock Holmes – The Last Act
• One Man Poe
• A Montage of Monet
• Gulliver’s Travels

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: My Mother Doesn’t Know I’m Kinky

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

image of event

“During the pandemic, I felt a strong yearning to pick up the material again. My relationship with my mother has evolved and so have I.”

WHO: Jean Franzblau

WHAT: “A sexy story filled with drama and comedy, love and lust. Jean’s mom liked her new boyfriend and was disappointed when the two broke up. As close as she is to her mother, Jean can’t bring herself to explain the reason: She’d have to reveal that she’s a very kinky girl. She explores the early childhood hints that she was wired differently and shares her bumpy, awkwardly arousing journey towards self-acceptance. Ultimately, mama gets an earful. Featured on Playboy Radio and selected Top Ten in LA by Stage Raw. ‘Beautifully written; perfectly balanced’ (NoHoArtsDistrict.com).”

WHERE: theSpace @ Niddry St – Lower Theatre (Venue 9) 

WHEN: 22:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I felt drawn to EdFringe like a magnet this year. I’m actually not typically someone who takes huge financial risks and flies halfway across the world. But that’s what I’m doing. What kind of spell has the EdFringe put on me! I can’t wait to be immersed in the diverse, creative environment and am honored that I get to be a part of it. Watch out EdFringe, here comes my kinky show!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

My mission is to shift the culture to a more compassionate world – whether it’s as a consent expert at universities, an intimacy professional for TV, film and theatre, a teacher of cuddle therapy, or the performer of “My Mother Doesn’t Know I’m Kinky.” In 2023, I got this gut feeling that now is not the time to hold back. Whatever my gift is to the world, I need to give it now. My show is the best I have to offer distilled down to a whiskey shot of love. I’m bringing myself right to your doorstep to deliver it. Meet me there!

Tell us about your show.

My Mother Doesn’t Know I’m Kinky is an award-winning sexy story filled with drama and comedy, love and lust. It’s written by Jean Franzblau (that’s me) and is produced by Fringe Management. The show used to be called Coming Out Kinky. It was developed and directed by Karen Aschenbach and performed in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco.

During the pandemic, I felt a strong yearning to pick up the material again. My relationship with my mother has evolved and so have I. This resulted in a cascade of re-writes and creative activity for the past 22 months. The show is funnier, deeper and sexier than ever. The production is making its European premiere at EdFringe and is available to tour after.

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

I’m excited to see Toni Nagy’s Grape Culture and Ben Kassoy’s The Funny Thing About a Panic Attack. I’ve seen and definitely recommend A Transcriber’s Tale.

And here’s something else exciting. Torrey Shine is putting together free solo show compilations at the Brew Doghouse Hotel. She welcomes us to start each morning with her curated variety showcase featuring the very best solo shows at the Fringe! Rotating daily line-ups include storytelling, theatre, clown, cabaret, spoken word and comedy. We’ll laugh, cry, and feel – while sampling several solo shows at once, in this one hour compilation series. Doesn’t that sound great?

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: The Last Laugh

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

image of event

“Directing a play at the Fringe can be challenging because of the restrictions but I loved the camaraderie between all the different performers and creatives.”

WHO: Paul Hendy

WHAT: “The Last Laugh sees three legendary comedians – Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse – sitting in a dressing room, discussing the secret of life, death, comedy and what it means to be funny. Written and directed by the award-winning Paul Hendy and starring Edinburgh Fringe-legend Bob Golding as Morecambe, Damian Williams as Cooper and Simon Cartwright as Monkhouse, The Last Laugh is warm, funny, nostalgic and poignant. Not to be missed.”

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

WHEN: 13:20 (70 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, The Last Laugh will be my second time directing at the fringe and my first time as a writer. I can’t wait to bring the play to Edinburgh as I’m such a huge fan of the festival. Last year, I directed ‘Lena’, a play with music about the tragic life of child star, Lena Zavaroni. I loved the whole Fringe experience. Directing a play at the Fringe can be challenging because of the restrictions but I loved the camaraderie between all the different performers and creatives.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

The biggest lesson I learnt was that your play/show has to be something that people want to see. It sounds obvious but the audiences have so much choice so I think the subject matter of the show has to try to entice people in. Hopefully we have that with The Last Laugh

Tell us about your show.

It’s a brand new play. In it, three legendary comedians, Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse sit in a dressing room discussing the secret of life, death, comedy and what it means to be funny… really funny! It’s warm, nostalgic and poignant. I wrote ‘The Last Laugh’ and I’m also directing and producing it. I based the story on a short film I directed a few years ago which did very well on the film festival circuit – it won Best Film at the Manchester Film Festival, Best Comedy Drama at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Oxford Film Festival. I’m a huge comedy fan and I think anyone who loves comedy will love this play. We’re planning a UK tour of the play in 2025.

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

We’re also producing a totally different show called ‘Shantify’ – a group of West End leading men sing show tunes, rock classics and pop bangers in the style of sea-shanties. The singers are all incredibly talented; it’s brilliant fun and I think people at the Fringe will really enjoy it.

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: Mutant Olive 2.0

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

image of event

“When you get hordes of artists creating their own content, through their own filter & insanely unique vision of the world — it’s explosive!”

WHO: Mitch Hara

WHAT: “(Mommy’s a whore, Daddy’s a hitman). Laugh, cry and see God in this award-winning solo show by writer/performer Mitch Hara. Strap yourself in for a heart-wrenching rollercoaster ride you’ll never forget, featuring sex, drugs, disco balls and blackouts. All during an audition for Hamilton Unplugged. Directed by Carlyle King. ‘Genius! Run!’ ***** (LA Times). ‘Insanely entertaining’ ***** (IndieWire.com). ‘Dark and seductive’ ***** (StageRaw.com). ‘Hilarious!’ ***** (BroadwayWorld.com). Winner: Best Show, Hollywood Fringe. United SoloFest NYC. Whitefire Solofest. ‘Hilarious and heartbreaking’ ***** (TheaterMania.com).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – Nip (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 13:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

OMG. I love the creative tornado embracing the artists & supporters. We’re in this together. There’s an electrical current & community of excitement, expectation & effervescence sweeping the Fringe!!! I’ve been involved and won “Best Solo Show” in the Hollywood Fringe, Whitefire SoloFest, UnitedSoloFest NYC. I mean, when you get hordes of artists creating their own content, through their own filter & insanely unique vision of the world — it’s explosive! My moto is: i never wait for 12 people to give me permission to do what i love. Boom baby!! Life is short and so am I. Live theatre is my heart and soul. Sharing my world with an audience is my passion. It’s why I’m here, to effect people with my humor and heart!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I’ve learned to celebrate my uniqueness and I’ve gown fascinated by myself. I actually love everyone’s reaction to me. Everyone says, I move molecules when I walk in a room. That I disturb the peace. And I’ve also realized, I can’t give two shits about what anybody else thinks about what I’m doing, saying or being. And yes, I’ve absorbed the lessons. The closer I get to death; I just don’t care about the tidbits of nonsense. Plus, why would you put your healthy self-image in somebody else’s dysfunctional hands. Why would you give away your power. But you know, that’s me. Follow me on TicTok @mitch.hara & insta @mitch.hara

Tell us about your show.

It’s about my life, my baggage, my scars, my insanity, my growth, my triggers, my irreverence, my elevation to amazing!!! I wrote it, i lived it, i survived it, I’m taking it on parade and showing the immediate world my emotional roller coaster of a ride to becoming me!!

My parents were speed-freak alcoholics and in the mafia. hence the subtitle, “Mommy’s a Whore, Daddy’s a hitman” and you know, you become what you see. So, I’m a little slutty and if you piss me off, I may hit you with my car. You’ll laugh, cry and see God. I’m you’re designated drunk driver, so hop in mutherfu*kers, it’s a ride you’ll never forget.

Carlyle King is my magical director. Fringe Management is producing, Mike Blaha & Nigel Miles-Thomas & my sponsor John Metzner/Purple Donut. During my sold out run recently in Hollywood, Sony Pictures Execs said, “You’re a cross between, ‘Fleabag’ & ‘Baby Reindeer,’ they’d love you in Edinburgh! Well, Edinburgh, HERE I AM!!! I’m so excited, I’m emotionally hard. PS we’re pitching my show as a series!! PSS Soho Theatre, I’m ready for you!!

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

OHHHH so many!! I wanna see and experience the international creations of like-minded humanoids. Last year I was there for 9 hours picking a venue and I saw 7 shows!!! I was vibrating. There’s something for every palate. Sherlock Holmes Last Act, A transcriber’s tale, Mother had two faces, anything at the GILDED BALLOON!! Shout out thank yous to: Tik Tok, Johnnie Walker, 8ight Plus, The Skinny, Playbill, The list, Red61.

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: A Transcriber’s Tale

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

image of event

“I know I won’t really understand Edinburgh Fringe until I’m in the middle of it.”

WHO: Joanna Parson

WHAT: “Welcome to a bustling transcription office in 2001 New York City, where typists are busy listening to – and typing out – raw interviews for pulpy television shows and other mass media. The ultimate eavesdropper in a storm of sound bites, clichés and unexpected confessions, Joanna Parson presents a unique musical monologue that shows you what happens when a young woman with a sense of humour and a guitar tries to keep her sanity and heart intact in the centre of the news cycle. ‘I laughed, hummed, and was deeply touched’ (Kathryn Markey, Plays For Us).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – Bothie (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 12:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, this is my first time in Edinburgh! My roots are Fringe-y– I used to volunteer for the NYC International Fringe Festival from its very early days. I was an adjudicator for solo shows and for musicals, and it was always a fascinating experience as that festival tried to take lessons from Edinburgh and encourage that open, diverse theatrical energy in the heart of NYC. I’m doing my show “A Transcriber’s Tale” at the Hollywood Fringe now as a way to prep myself for August. But I know I won’t really understand Edinburgh Fringe until I’m in the middle of it. So many people have told me it’s a bucket list experience, and the best time they’ve ever had as an artist. I can’t wait!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Great question! I performed my show “A Transcriber’s Tale” for the first time in Bellingham, WA and Everett, WA last winter because I wanted to know how it would play for an audience outside NY. I incorporated changes to the show to make it even more of a personal journey. It turns out people really do want to learn from someone else’s experience, and the details of one person’s life story are all we need to start thinking of our own lives in a new way.

Tell us about your show.

I wrote the show myself with the help of developmental director Aimee Todoroff, and some additional musical arrangement by musical director Drew Wutke. I started working with Aimee in 2021 when I knew I wanted to resurrect the show I had begun developing in 2012 at the All For One Festival in NYC. The show is about a young woman who works as a transcriber for the mass media in NYC in the ’90s and through the time of 9/11, and the effect that listening to human voices tell stories has on our minds and hearts. The experiences we all went through in the last few years made this show land differently. In 2012, people said, “Are you sure you can talk about 9/11 on stage?” Now, people say, “Oh, right. Collective secondhand trauma. We get it.” I hooked up with Mike Blaha and Nigel Miles-Thomas of Fringe Management early this year after I realized I had several friends who’d had great experiences working with them, and I am so glad I did. They’re making the experience feel like a group endeavor.

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

I’m currently performing at the Hollywood Fringe along with awesome shows like “My Mother Doesn’t Know I’m Kinky” by Jean Franzblau, and I just got to see the adorable bilingual children’s show “Baby Rock”. My friend comedian Carolyn Castiglia is also bringing her AWESOME solo show “Chuck”, about gun violence that affected her family, to the Free Fringe. I can’t wait to see Karin Trachtenberg’s “My Mother Had Two Faces.” For music shows, I’ve heard great things about Oliver Harris’ Elvis and Rainee Blake’s Joni Mitchell: Take Me As I Am. And oh my God, I saw Zack Zucker’s “Jack Tucker’s Comedy Stand Up Hour” at the Soho Playhouse and was blown away. Check them all out!

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: Hypnotist Matt Hale: Top Fun! 80s Spectacular – Remix

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

image of event

“I felt I built the base last year, and really got a feel of how the fest runs, so thought it would’ve been a waste if I didn’t come back and try to grow that more.”

WHO: Matt Hale

WHAT: “The unmissable sell-out smash-hit comedy hypnosis show with 80s party vibes returns! Remixed for 2024! With multiple sell-out Fringe runs and 50 million+ views online, enjoy from stage or audience – you choose! All-ages friendly. ‘The laughter is uncontrollable!’ ***** (FringeFeed.com.au). ‘Fun-filled show!’ ***** (One4Review.co.uk). ‘Laugh until your sides hurt!’ ***** (WeekendNotes.com). ‘Rollicking good time’ ***** (SeeDoEatReview.com). ‘Spectacular silliness! Absolute feel-good must-see show’ ****½ (XPressMag.com.au). Hypnotist Matt Hale is a multi-award winner, seen on Best Shows, Top 10s and Picks of the Fringe.”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – Big Yin (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 17:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

First time was actually last year, but despite being the toughest festival I’ve performed at, in terms of trying to stand out amongst 3000+ other acts, and the incredibly high costs to be there for the month, I’m back for more! It turned out to be a great debut season – audiences flocked to the show and seemed to really buzz about it, so word of mouth worked very well. I felt I built the base last year, and really got a feel of how the fest runs, so thought it would’ve been a waste if I didn’t come back and try to grow that more. Plus the fact it was just wildly fun to be part of. With the amount of shows on at all different times of day and night, I was also able to see 30+ other shows. Normally I’m lucky if I get to a handful of others at a fest!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I’ve definitely realised you can find an audience at Edinburgh despite the eye-watering amount of other shows. That was my fear in my first year, that despite going in with a solid show that had sold well in the Australian Fringes (Adelaide and Perth – the next 2 biggest in the world), I found it hard to see how we could get enough people along when there was so much else on offer. But making sure that I served up a unique ridiculously fun show every night that people were posting and talking about, helped it spread and find an audience.

Tell us about your show.

Last year’s inital “Top Fun!” show became my most loved and best reviewed show in all the years I’ve been performing, so I felt that it wasn’t time to let it go completely. There was just something about the 80s theme that gave it a real party feel, with all the throwback bangers that I included and the action onstage. So decided to come back with a “remix” of it, meaning that there’s some new routines in it, plus some faves from last year, and all in keeping with the 80s theme again.

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

House of Life – joyful, funny, and genuinely uplifting hour of musical madness from the RaveRend…and Trev!

Josh Glanc – Family Man. New show from a man who makes me laugh so much!
I just love his surreal pure silliness.

John Robertson’s The Dark Room – live action retro choose-your-own adventure video game style chaos from the human hurricane!

Dizney in Drag – A very adult fairytale from our friends The Hairy Godmothers.

Michelle Brasier: Legacy – latest show from one of Australia’s funniest, and musically brilliant.

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: My Mother Had Two Faces: Reflections on Beauty, Aging and Acceptance

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

“From what I’ve gleaned, performing at Edinburgh Fringe is a roller-coaster of experiences and emotions but not one person has said they regretted it.”

WHO: Karin Trachtenberg

WHAT: “Presented in pseudo-fairytale style, this one-woman dramatic comedy dares to expose what lies beneath the mask of the perfect mother. Discovering her mother’s diaries after her passing, the heroine Karin begins to examine the history of their complicated relationship: from the gritty, urban streets of New York to her Swiss mother’s manicured orderliness. Engaged in conversations with her mirrored reflection, Karin wrestles with her own inner demons. A riveting and poetic journey employing multimedia and masks that asks, when we strip away the make-up, what is revealed? ****½ (TheFrontRowCenter.com).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – Bothie (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 13:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my first time in Edinburgh and the Fringe and it’s terrifying LOL. I’ve talked with scores of past performers to get an idea of what to expect, how to attract audiences and how to stay healthy and sane during this month-long festival. From what I’ve gleaned, performing at Edinburgh Fringe is a roller-coaster of experiences and emotions but not one person has said they regretted it. I see this as a once in a lifetime opportunity to perform at the world’s largest fringe festival. Fortunately, I have the production team of Fringe Management to help with marketing, promotion and technical aspects of bringing the show to Edinburgh.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I’ve learned that a big goal is achieved by taking small steps every day. Consistency is key and connecting and collaborating with a like-minded artist community. At the beginning of 2023 I had a bunch of notes and no idea how to go about creating a one woman show. But by making time daily to write, rehearse, seek out support and networking with other solo artists, by the end of 2023 my dream came to full fruition complete with video, music, theatrical masks, projections and a Hollywood World Premiere of My Mother Had Two Faces.

Tell us about your show.

My Mother Had Two Faces: Reflections on Beauty, Aging and Acceptance is a one-woman autobiographical show that reveals what lies behind the mask of the perfect mother. Written and performed by me, Karin Trachtenberg, this has been a collaborative effort involving a team of creatives.

Director Jessica Lynn Johnson of Soaring Solo Studios worked with me along the way to shepherd the play from conception to full production. She produced my first performance and acts as an invaluable source of support and guidance.

My passion for Greek Theatre led me to collaborate with esteemed mask maker, Eric Bornstein, to create the “two faces” of my Mother which lend so much drama and pathos to the production. Three Cubed Studios from LA provided video support, while my son, Bobby Raps, a recent Berklee College of Music grad, composed some of the music and will be traveling with me as my tech.

My Mother Had Two Faces has traveled from Los Angeles to Boston to Off-Broadway as part of the United Solo Festival in NYC. Initially, I had no intention of taking my show to Edinburgh, but I love a good challenge. We’ll see what opportunities present themselves after Fringe.

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

I would recommend seeing anything to do with Mothers and mothering. Because let’s face it, as the first and arguably the most important relationship in our lives, it’s a subject we can all relate to – both comic and tragic. I’ve scoped out a few shows with a maternal motif, most notably “Go to your Womb” which features a mother/daughter performing duo @toninagycomedy, “My Mother doesn’t know I’m Kinky”, “My Mother’s Funeral” @painesplough, “Fin Taylor: Ask your Mother”, and “Tiger Daughter or: How I Brought My Immigrant Mother Ultimate Shame”

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: Plotters

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

image of event

“A number of my plays have been translated and produced in German-speaking countries, so maybe the cast will be taking crash courses in Deutsch soon.”

WHO: Brian Parks

WHAT: “It’s a Grave Business. Infamy, riches, and the darkest secrets of the city collide in this fast-paced comedy by two-time Fringe First winner Brian Parks (‘A refreshingly mischievous, inventive author'(Times)). A clandestine cabal of misfits attempt their ultimate heist. Will these agents of the night seize the coveted prize, or bury themselves? A hilarious world premiere directed by Fringe First winner Margarett Perry and Natalie Tell, starring Matthew Boston, Mark Boyett, Brian Dykstra and Kate Siahaan-Rigg. From the team behind Fringe 2023 show Shortlist: ‘Perfectly crafted, deeply intelligent and supremely witty’ (Scotsman); ‘Immerse yourself in Perry’s direction’ (GetYourCoatsOn.com).”

WHERE: Assembly Rooms – Front Room (Venue 117) 

WHEN: 14:10 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will actually be my tenth show in Edinburgh. My first was back in 2000, with my play “Americana Absurdum,” which is a two-part, crazy surreal comedy with nine actors. The first part is about an attempted takeover of a family-run funeral parlour, the second about the bizarre and comic goings-on after an airliner crash. Both dark comedies, perhaps needless to say. We won a Fringe First for that production and had a fine first Edinburgh experience. Among my other past shows in the festival were my 2017 business comedy “Enterprise,” which also won a Fringe First; my real-estate comedy “The House” in 2018; and my show last year, “Shortlist” – about two longtime enemy novelists vying for the biggest literary award.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

“Absorbing a lesson” sounds like we’re now a slightly damp sponge. But yes, we certainly do learn things with every Edinburgh production. “Shortlist” was perhaps the most bare-bones production of my shows in Edinburgh, and it was great to see how well simple can work. “Plotters” is a bit more complicated but will be staged in a similar style. Also since 2023, I’ve learned – the accidental hard way – that the Tennent’s in Italy has more than twice the alcohol content as the Tennent’s in Scotland. But perhaps that’s off-topic.

Tell us about your show.

“Plotters” is a fast-paced heist comedy with a dark edge, which we’re doing at Assembly on George Street. The play is set in the 19th century, and follows a clandestine criminal firm as they attempt their biggest, most infamous job. I wrote it. It’s directed by Margarett Perry and Natalie Tell and performed by Matthew Boston, Mark Boyett, Brian Dykstra, and Kate Rigg. Twilight Theatre company is the producer; we’re all based in NYC. This is the show’s official world premiere, and it was specifically written to debut in Edinburgh. After Scotland, who knows? A number of my plays have been translated and produced in German-speaking countries, so maybe the cast will be taking crash courses in Deutsch soon.

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

I’m naturally eager to see our sister show “Polishing Shakespeare.” It’s also a Twilight Theatre production, written by Brian Dykstra and featuring some of the same actors as “Plotters.” Another NYC company, the Barrow Group, is staging “Lost…Found,” a charming piece written and performed by K. Lorrel Manning (at Assembly Roxy); the Barrow Group was at the festival last year for their first time, with Scott Organ’s terrific “17 Minutes.” Among others, I’m curious to see “Leni’s Last Lament,” a piece about Leni Riefenstahl that’s also at Assembly on George Street. The piece is directed by Richard Caliban, who staged one of my most favorite productions ever, Mac Wellman’s “Crowbar.” The play was mounted in a then-decrepit Broadway theater and was a kind of ghost story about that theater itself. “All theaters are haunted” went the chorus of its main song. Very true.

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!