Category Archives: *Written Interviews

From time to time we encounter an artist or producer toiling away at something pretty special. Here’s what they have to say, in their own words, about their work.

EdFringe Talk: Don Quixote (Is a Very Big Book)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“For decades I’ve heard nothing but horror stories from performers who return like they’ve been at the Somme.”

WHO: Dik Downey

WHAT: “Dik Downey’s mid-life crisis crashes headlong into Don Quixote’s crazed delusions. With a rogue’s gallery of puppets and desperate clowning, Quixote embarks on surreal, comic misadventures with sidekick Sancho Panza and decrepit horse, Rocinante. Dik fights to make this huge novel joyous to a contemporary audience. But as Quixote chases impossible dreams, Dik faces his own dwindling relevance and mortality. A laugh-out-loud international co-production on the indignities of fighting the inevitable. ‘Show of the year… so funny that your face will hurt’ (Bristol247.com) ‘Slapstick comedy and touching vulnerability… outstanding’ (Scotsman).”

WHERE: King Dome at Pleasance Dome (Venue 23) 

WHEN: 15:25 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time performing at the EdFringe and I’m trying hard not to think about what I’ve let myself in for. For decades I’ve heard nothing but horror stories from performers who return like they’ve been at the Somme. Tales of financial ruin, dodgy digs and performing for one man and his dog, but I thought “why not? What have I got to lose?, apart from my savings, dignity and my knees! But seriously, I do know that it is a fantastic place to work, and seeing as Don Quixote (is a very big book) is a relatively new show, a run of 24 performances will really break it in. Plus, it’s a great show and I want as many people as possible to see it.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Look after your body! After a year of careering around in a genuine suit of armour, I’ve discovered the importance of a strict exercise regime. I’ve taught puppetry and clowning for decades and always stress the importance of warm-ups, but have generally been crap at doing them myself. However, in preparation for the festival I got myself a personal trainer to try and whip me into shape. Let’s just say I’m still working on it.

Tell us about your show.

Don Quixote (is a very big book) was written by my director Emma Williams, my creative technician Chris Collier and myself, up in the Lofoten Islands within the Arctic Circle last May/June. We spent 5 weeks in 24hr perpetual daylight, slowly going mad as we tried to distil a 939-page novel, written in 1605 into 55 minutes of hysterical mayhem, with a suit of armour and a cast of puppets. I’m proud to say that I think we pulled it off. The show has had a great reception when we premiered it in Norway and played it in Spain, Sweden and Bristol. As soon as we pack up after Edinburgh, we fly off to Berlin where we play for 4 nights at the At.Tension Festival. I’ve been performing for 45 years and what’s interesting, is seeing a renewed enthusiasm for puppets. Every few years there’s a renaissance in puppetry and I’ve always been fortunate to be there to ride that wave.

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

I would certainly recommend Dracula: Lucy’s Dream by Plexus Polaire. It’s an astounding retelling of the story from Lucy’s perspective using life sized puppets and a beautiful score. They made the show at the same theatre in Norway where we made DQ(IAVBB). They are on at The Pleasance EICC at 17:30.

Also, you’d be a fool to miss Jill’s Tupperware Party at The Underbelly at 2:35. Good weird comedy. Then there’s Max Fulham: Memory Foam. He’s a fantastic ventriloquist I stumbled upon on Instagram , I’ve never seen him live, but I can’t wait, and finally; everyone (and their dogs) should go see Paul Currie: Remove Your Skin Please at Laughing Horse @ The Counting House. It’s his 11th hour long show at the festival. Almost impossible to describe, but it will be raucous, hilarious and
surreal.

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: SpinQueen™

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“No one is going to give you permission to exist as you want to and you shouldn’t need it anyway!”

WHO: Megan Tomei

WHAT: “After a violent, sleepless night with her abusive boyfriend, Meg goes back to her spin studio like nothing happened. It doesn’t take long for her to spiral into a manic breakdown as she realizes her version of self-care (perfectionism, calorie-counting and people pleasing) is self-destruction. Throughout this one-woman show, Meg faces body dysmorphia, internalized abuse and the exhausting need to be adored. Physically relentless, brutally funny and surprisingly moving, SpinQueen™ is theatre you can feel in every muscle. A show that will leave you questioning how far we go to keep up and what it really takes to stop.”

WHERE: Jade Studio at Greenside @ George Street (Venue 236) 

WHEN: 19:35 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my absolute first time at the Edinburgh Fringe – as a performer or otherwise! It has always been an absolute dream of mine to attend. I only have ever heard the most incredible things about the energy of the festival and the people that attend, and I cannot wait to soak it all in. I have always dreamed of bringing specifically a one-woman show to the Fringe. My late great friend, Issa Malak Best – who my play is dedicated to, always said I should create a one-woman show, as that’s how I typically move through the world (a never-ending performance), and I hope SpinQueen™ pursuit honors his artistry and memory.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Oh my goodness this has ONLY been a 12-month period of learning lessons! The biggest one right now is to say f*ck it to most things. No one is going to give you permission to exist as you want to and you shouldn’t need it anyway! It’s too crazy, too intense, and a lot of times too scary out there to not live the way you want to. I’m trying to live out loud essentially and not care what anyone thinks – but wow is that easier said than done.

Tell us about your show.

I wrote SpinQueen™, with the developmental help of my director Jennesy Herrera, and constantly feel like I’m still writing it. It is an absurd, often satirical piece, yet very much a personal story and a very personal experience that happened to me. It is shrouded in hyperbole, humor, the dark realities of being a woman in the world, and all the grotesque confrontations of having a body that endures these dichotomies. And who doesn’t love screaming into the void, while breaking a sweat? I came up with the concept after dealing after 8 years of teaching spin and was growing endlessly frustrated with myself and my body. It forced me to slow down against any will or desire of my own. It made me confront what systems I’m a part of and what cycles I perpetuate (pun very much intended). And I couldn’t help but connect it to how I keep pushing the physical and emotional facets of myself, often to the detriment of those very pillars that keep one moving forward. You think you should keep pushing through to get through, but when is it too far? And for what? Being a Native New Yorker, I premiered my show at the Chain Theatre in NYC just before heading across the pond for a full run at the Fringe, and plan on taking it to LA afterwards (where the play actually takes place).

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

Audiences should definitely see fellow one-man show In the Black created and performed by Quaz Degraft – it is very much as funny as it is true, and he is a phenomenal performer. Further, if you resonate with the themes of my show, please go see Belly created and performed by Reilly O’Shaughnessy. It’s touching, sweet, and full of deeper meanings that exist within a woman’s body. We love to delve into the depths of ourselves for the sake of art! It’s really brave what these artists are doing.

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: Toast

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“Can you believe a slightly feral, formally weird play about Universal Credit, by some skint gobshite from Coventry, won a Fringe First?”

WHO: Jude Green

WHAT: “A dark and unrelenting comedy about starving for your art. As negotiations with employers, agents and Universal Credit crumble, one actor drags you into a brutal and absurd takedown of the UK benefit system, the Cost of Living Crisis, and whether we value the art more than the people who make it. They’ll go down swinging, but they will go down – maybe making a play about food poverty is the only way out of it? After all, closed mouths don’t get fed. Winner of the Shedload-of-Future Fund 2026. ‘Impeccably written… a completely captivating performer’ (Liv Ello, Body Show).”

WHERE: Dissection Room at Summerhall & Old Lab at Summerhall (Venue 26) 

WHEN: Varies (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It is! I’ve never been here before, even as an audience member. It’s honestly just too expensive. I think a lot of people are feeling that, especially this year. I’ve spoken to people who’ve gone into £20k of debt bringing their show. When I was first planning the run I was getting accommodation quotes of £6k+ from some places, and then people telling me ‘oh yeah, that’s kinda normal.’ It’s really frustrating as a working-class artist. It just feels like we’re not considered, like we can’t feed the machine so there’s no room for us here. That’s why it’s been so sincerely encouraging for ‘Toast’ to get things like Shedinburgh’s Shedload of Future Fund earlier this year – I would have no business being here without it. It’s meant we could pay for the venue and (a mercifully cheaper than £6k+) accommodation. Now that I’m here I am absolutely having the time of my life.

The Fringe is so vibrant and alive, there’s so much going on constantly, and a swarm of like-minded people everywhere you look – and more working-class artists than you think, making incredible art and showing us how its done in spite of how hard it is. And then for ‘Toast’ to win a Fringe First during the first week? I’m still not really over it to be honest. Can you believe a slightly feral, formally weird play about Universal Credit, by some skint gobshite from Coventry, won a Fringe First? I guess this is the place where that kind of thing can happen. I think that’s what makes Ed Fringe great. For all its faults and exclusivity, if you can scratch out a place for yourself here then there are opportunities like nowhere else. I can’t believe the support the ‘Toast’ just from one short ten-day run (so much that we’ve had to add extra dates for the final week of the fest.)

I just wish it received more support, and that artists specifically had more access to financial support to come here. Shedinburgh’s grant is incredible, but it’s the only one of its kind. Keep It Fringe grants are much smaller and they still had their capacity slashed this year. For shows like ‘Toast’ made by people like me to keep coming here, there needs to be more financial infrastructure.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Done is better than perfect, and if you try and make a play for everyone then it’ll end up being for no one. I’d been a little obsessive about making this well-made-play that was very perfectly formed and would change hearts and minds about poverty and benefits in the UK, but ‘Toast’ was always very defiant of that goal and wanted to be its own angry, funny thing. If people resonated with it that was a bonus. I wasted a lot of time being worried about what other people would think, not just of the play as a piece of work but of me and other people on benefits. It felt like a great responsibility and that’s intimidating. But in the end that became fuel for it. There’s this absurd performance you’re expected to do when you’re skint, especially if you’re on benefits.

You have to be mild-mannered and calm and understanding of the people and systems who bluntly don’t treat you as human, otherwise you’re labelled a scrounger, a thief, lazy, aggy, etc. All of which is just cheap language that’s used as an excuse to ignore you and refuse you access to services, wages, and rights – and the way that class and poverty intersect with so many marginalised communities, it’s something a lot of us understand very deeply. If you’re angry you’re a problem, and while advocating for yourself is essential, doing it to the Universal Credit people can have unintended consequences. In the end the play only started flowing when I faced that head on, when the journey became directly intertwined with the fact that this whole thing is a fucking performance. It’s literally a play. So let’s name that, let’s interact with that, and see how far we can push the absurdity of all this burden of performance until all the wheels come off. Learning that made the play what it is, I just wish I’d learned it sooner.

Tell us about your show.

‘Toast’ is a darkly absurd comedy about what it means to starve for your art in the UK. It gets into the grubby parts we all know exist but rarely, if ever, talk about openly: Unpaid ‘opportunities’, the pay-to-play nature of a lot of theatre work (including the Fringe), Universal Credit, and past a certain point the food poverty that you can’t afford to hide anymore. Closed mouths don’t get fed after all. It takes the form of phone calls with agents, would-be employers, and Universal Credit, and gradually breaks down until the dole is the only voice you hear. Because it does feel all-consuming when that’s your life. It’s based on real calls I’ve had with UC over the past nine odd years of trying to balance freelance theatre work and failing, real systems and policies that impact many of us throughout our day-to-day life, and the real impacts – like the times where there’s nothing left to eat but toast. Eventually the play starts biting back. I get to start taking the piss, and that’s when the wheels really come off.

I wrote it myself, and initially it was this huge collection of sketches really. There’s over a hundred – obviously they didn’t all make it into the play! It was a process of curating a flow of scenes that felt like a narrative, that felt like a story and like a person really going through it, while still leaving space for this slightly feral comedy as everything breaks down and it stops being a play anymore. I had the wonderful help of my fellow performer (and tech operator, and babysitter, and and and…) Jack Wakely, and our Outside Eye, Debbie Hannan, who helped me refine the script. I’d met them through the phenomenal CRIPtic Arts, hands down the best company I’ve ever worked with in nine years of professional theatre. ‘Toast’ got accepted onto their Reach programme in 2025 and I got the support, space, and wage to finally give the concept a real go. Jack is their Development Producer and was running the programme and its residentials, and I asked him to just read in for the part of the off-stage voice at the sharing.

He was just so hilarious, he’s a really gifted and crafted clown on top of being a producer, and he was getting way bigger laughs than I was, so there was never any question of anyone else doing the part from then on. Debbie’s partner was performing in one of the other pieces and bless him literally ran up to me after the dress rehearsal and said he wanted to put me in touch with them (cheers, Vinnie, love you.) So yeah, it was a really organic thing and I’m so glad of that. I can’t imagine doing it with anyone else. Everyone is working-class and been on and off the bennys, so we all intimately understand what ‘Toast’ is about. Everyone is disabled, everyone is neurodivergent, and everyone is queer too. I’ve never felt so held. I’ve been self-producing this and it’s been bonkers, and not having to justify yourself or your experiences is hugely important on a project. They are a joy. Hire them for all your things.

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

Oh, man. Too many to mention. We have to big up the working-class artists up here showing how it should be done: I think our biggest mad cap comedy, laugh-out-loud stand-outs have been ‘Slugs’ by Creepy Boys, ‘Horrible Things’ by Frankie Thompson, ‘I Am Jonny’ by Tessa Parr, ‘Landlords Wet Dream’ by Verity Sharpe, and ‘Very Hot Very Messy’ by Georgia Polly Taylor. If you’re after some similarly cutting drama that holds its comedy moments incredibly well, I beg of you check out ‘You, Me, And Whoever Comes Next’ by Keron Day and ‘Man Or Bear’ by Katie Hurley & Sarah Hehir, both are a grateful punch in the chest.

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: Georgina Thomas: Hysterical Soprano

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“I am on my 789 day streak of Duolingo. I switch between Italian and German. I still haven’t made it through any tense other than the present, but if there’s an upcoming trip to a zoo or someone needs me to describe my morning routine, don’t worry, ragazze, I’m all over it. Genau!”

WHO: Georgina Thomas

WHAT: “Some might say Georgina is a narcissist, but she prefers the term Soprano. Trapped in the echo chamber of her own vibrato, Georgina is forced to confront her greatest obstacle: herself. ‘Satirical gold’ **** (Spectator). ‘Effortless comedy timing’ **** (Everything-Theatre.co.uk). ‘Loud’ (her neighbours). Hysterical Soprano is her solo debut and magnum opus. Directed by Will Jackson. ‘Thomas shows a huge amount of potential’ **** (TheUpcoming.co.uk).”

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

WHEN: 13:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Well, cowboys, this is not my first Edinburgh Fringe rodeo! I am very lucky to have experienced it in different capacities: as a punter, in a student show, as a volunteer and as a performer in my double act, Thick ‘n’ Fast. Each has been a unique experience and this time round will be different again as I am taking my first solo show. Just as a punter goes through the festival encountering weird and wonderful performances, performers go through the festival experiencing eclectic audiences of all sizes, shapes and attention spans. I’m excited for what this year’s Fringe will bring! (Yee-haw).

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I am on my 789 day streak of Duolingo. I switch between Italian and German. I still haven’t made it through any tense other than the present, but if there’s an upcoming trip to a zoo or someone needs me to describe my morning routine, don’t worry, ragazze, I’m all over it. Genau!

Otherwise, I’m really looking forward to repeating the same mistakes again over the next 12 months.

Tell us about your show.

The show was born out of a conversation at the start of this year with my old friend, Will Jackson. Will is an incredibly gifted writer and I had just seen him in his latest Christmas musical, Dashing, in which he played a surprise harp solo. I had not realised that he too had a secret past in Classical music. A plan was hatched and I have been writing the show and developing it with Will since. The production has also had enormous creative input from Olivia Doutney, an outrageously talented opera singer, (Soprano, of course), who has been coaching my voice and helping curate the selection of music that has gone into the show. The arrangement of the music and accompaniment has been recorded and performed by Anto Buckley. We are really hoping to take it to new locations next year, but for now we are focussing on debuting the best version to our Edinburgh Fringe audience.

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

I have so many I’d love to promote, so sorry to those I will have inevitably forgotten. I think you should see Abigail Weinstock’s Giraffe (Pleasance Courtyard, 1:45) – Abi is a really talented actor with a sharp sense of humour and this is a semi-autobiographical story I am really looking forward to seeing.

Gannet (Just the Tonic Mash House, 12:00) Gannet is a story about a gangly bird, who suddenly finds themself in the big city. Expect lots of laughs. Daisy Day and Peggy Pollard are a winning combination of comedy talent on the rise.

Plaything by Isabella Thompson (Hoots @ Nicholson Square, 13:10) is a clowning comedy show that takes you on a wild journey through a series of hilarious characters, costumes, big smiles, and one enormous rucksack.

Bed Five by Nikki Fagbemi (Gilded Balloon Teviot 11:50) – this is a highly-anticipated show based on lived experience of invisible illness. Nikki has been working with director Alex Hardy on this show and I know it will be a hilarious and defiant piece of comedy.

Also, Charlie Vero-Martin is doing a work-in-progress at the Big Yurt about ghosts and I think this will be excellent.

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: Dirty Dancer

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“We all need connection. The Fringe gives us a pretty extraordinary place to find it.”

WHO: Melissa Firlit

WHAT: “A one-woman parody with a lift, this bold, funny riff on the 1987 cult classic Dirty Dancing is packed with sharp wit, physical storytelling and playful audience connection. The colourful crew from Kellerman’s Resort comes to life with a twist, fuelling this fast-paced, high-energy ride: no partner required. Dirty Dancer invites you to relive the nostalgia, revel in the joy and have the time of your life… because nobody puts this Baby in a corner.”

WHERE: Belly Laugh at Underbelly, Cowgate (Venue 61) 

WHEN: 19:25 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is not my first Edinburgh Fringe, but it is my first time onstage at the Fringe in 20 years and Dirty Dancer’s world premiere.

I love the Fringe because everyone is taking a leap. Artists create, audiences choose adventure, and the whole city is alive with possibility. You can walk into a show knowing nothing about it and leave with one of your favorite festival memories.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I’ve learned that courage is jumping into the work before I feel ready. At some point I realized: if I don’t do this now, it may pass me by.

And I’m discovering and learning that connection is the biggest thread running through both the show and the festival; from my morning cafe hellos to the shows I see, the people I meet, and my fellow venue mates. We all need connection. The Fringe gives us a pretty extraordinary place to find it.

I’m trying to absorb these lessons the same way I try to absorb my vitamins: daily, with varying degrees of success.

Tell us about your show.

I created and perform Dirty Dancer, a one-woman love letter and parody inspired by the 1987 cult classic film Dirty Dancing, which has occupied a permanent corner of my brain since childhood.
Our team came together through years of collaboration, friendship and a shared “yes, and…” response to the question: “What would happen if Melissa did a one-woman Dirty Dancer?”

Michael Thomas Walker directs, Kristyn Pope brings movement and stage management, Elaine Wong lights the world, and Stefanie Genda creates the costumes; all helping one performer tell a story that has been a life marker for me and, hopefully, create a whole lot of joy and nostalgia for the people who come experience it.

We’re open to travel, adventures and continuing to share this high-energy, joy-fuelled hour with audiences wherever they’ll have us. Dirty Dancer was built to connect with people, so I’d love to see where she wants to dance next. Edinburgh is the world premiere, but I certainly don’t think it’s the last dance.

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

See Mark Vigeant’s Out There. I loved Mark’s The Best Man Show last year. If you saw that, go. If you didn’t, all the more reason to go now!

Keep the joy going with How to Art, where two bananas wake up duct-taped to a gallery wall. That’s enough of a hook for me. It should be for you too.

See Goodbye Dandelion, a moving story about an unlikely friendship. Go!

And Desperate Wee Gay Boy, a bold, messy and joyous journey. Go connect and be seen!

These shows are what I love about the Fringe: artists using humour and theatrical imagination to reach something deeply human. What more could you need?

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: Shotgunned

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“Nothing is a sure-fire success or failure, and audiences are always an unpredictable sort.”

WHO: Matt Anderson

WHAT: “Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, Matt Anderson’s Shotgunned is a relatable and intimate piece of theatre about how the people we lose can shape who we become. Described by The Stage as ‘a cleverly composed, superbly performed, achingly moving two-hander’. ***** (Stage). ‘Shotgunned is empathetic, heartfelt, and endearing all at once’ (WestEndBestFriend.co.uk). Following a sold-out run in 2024, Shotgunned returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the 2026 Made in Scotland showcase. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com”

WHERE: Studio Five at Assembly George Square Studios (Venue 17) 

WHEN: 15:10 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’m originally from Aberdeenshire, now based in Glasgow, so I’m no stranger to Edinburgh. I have attended the Fringe more years than not, and whether I am bringing my own work or just coming along as a punter, always find it a highlight of my year.

Whenever I have a show on at the festival I always really enjoy it, though find it difficult to ever relax. Once the Fringe begins, it feels like it goes 24/7 until the end of the month, and so it’s hard to not make your brain operate the same way. Emails, events, flyering…. Honestly, the best cure is going out and seeing other shows, absorbing the talent around you, and remembering you and all the other artists are in this together.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

To not expect anything! When I was here producing a show in 2024, all of my expectations were subverted. This year, I thought I would know what was coming, but honestly, it has all been subverted again. Nothing is a sure-fire success or failure, and audiences are always an unpredictable sort.

Also – monitor your daily caffeine intake. If I’m not paying attention, I can go the whole day drinking coffee, which makes trying to get a good nights sleep a bit of a challenge. I’ve gotten better now at limiting myself to one in the morning and one in the afternoon, potentially a third if I’m having a “meeting” with someone. For some reason meetings are always over cups of coffee and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Tell us about your show.

Shotgunned is a time-hopping two hander, chronicling a young couple’s relationship and break-up. It is written and directed by me and stars two amazing actors – Lorna Panton and Fraser Allan Hogg, both from Scotland.

The play is being produced by Kangaroo Court Productions and Serpentine Productions, and this is its second time at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2024, we were self-funded and had no real set, props, marketing, you name it. Despite that, we received some incredible five star reviews and won a Pleasance Pick of the Fringe award and a Scottish Theatre Award.

Now, we’re back at the Fringe as part of the Made in Scotland Showcase, with the hope that we are picked up for an international tour. The show is incredibly funny, heartbreaking, and universal in its exploration of love and loss. It has connected with older generations, teenagers, and first time theatre goers. It has also been published by Nick Hern Books, to coincide with our run this month.

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

Audiences should definitely go and see Common Tongue by Fraser Scott, an amazing monologue about Scots, language, and identity through accents.

Queen of the Empire by Sasha Snowdon is a really powerful story about a party girl dealing with addiction and grief. The run just finished but as audiences have been loving it, I think The Space has chosen it to come back for the last week of the Fringe in a new time slot.

I’m also really excited to see RockPools by Molly Windust and Behind Closed Doors by Studio Muiz Theatre.

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: Pajama Talks

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“We all had various notions of how it would go (some really optimistic and some imagining a worst case scenario).”

WHO: Brooke Stevenson

WHAT: “Pajama Talks is a coming-of-age story following childhood best friends Abby and Nina as they relive memories of their sleepovers. Together they are forced to confront their friendship, their girlhood and their personal identity. The show examines the joys and hardships of growing up and grief in all forms, asking the question: are the people we’ve loved and lost still with us? A play about platonic love, figuring out life and existential conversations in the middle of the night.”

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

WHEN: 18:40 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes! It is all five members of our company’s first time at the fringe. We all had various notions of how it would go (some really optimistic and some imagining a worst case scenario). However, we have been met with one of the most incredible experiences. Everyday we are meeting so many wonderful artists and audience members. It is really thrilling to be apart of.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

It’s not that serious. I have spent so long being so wound up and stressed about everything being perfect that the fun stuff has passed me by. What we do and I think life in general needs to be taking a little less seriously on my part. Before our show every night, Kira, one of our actors leads us in a chant she also does when she teaches children’s theatre. “I’m awesome! I got this! It’s about telling the story and having fun!!”

Tell us about your show.

Pajama talks was written by Sofia Tarzcy-Hornoch as a thesis project at New York University three years ago. Since then, the piece has evolved and the project has brought on new people, myself included! The show had a sold out run in NYC at the Chain Theater in 2024. As Sofia worked on tightening up the script based on that run, Kira Stone (one of the initial actors) hopped on as a producer. Once they decided the goal was to bring this beautiful piece to the fringe, they asked for me to be their producer as well! We really hope that this show can have a life after fringe. I can see this being an excellent piece for high school or colleges to put on/ great for scene study work. I think bringing Pajama Talks to a wider audience as well would be amazing to show how we can deal with greif and have compassion for our younger self.

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

While it is visually and tonally very different, for those on the mature side of the audience we absolutely loved and recommend Bitch Eat Dog at Greenside. This puppet comedy show is hilarious while also strikingly touching. the serious moments creep up on you and leave you a little breathless, much like I think Pajama Talks does. I want to see it again, it was that fun!

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: Wherefore Art Thou, Woman-Hater?

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“I came away from Fringe 2024 with a big list of things I’d do differently…”

WHO: Nuala Sankey

WHAT: “Written anonymously and first staged in the Renaissance, Swetnam The Woman-Hater, is where the word misogyny comes from. Star-crossed lovers, swordfights and sexism in the 16th century – it has it all. But how could that possibly be relevant today? Come and judge for yourself… The second show brought to you by Cumbrian production company Acting Speaks Louder, creators of Disco, Baby? ‘Outstanding’ (FringeReview.co.uk). Created and produced by three up-and-coming artists working across music and theatre. If they don’t take the Fringe by storm, at least there’ll be plenty of rain when they get home!”

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

WHEN: Varies (45 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my 3rd time at Edfringe! I first came with a production of Oliver Jr. in 2022 with Footsteps to Theatre and completely fell in love with being part of the festival. I decided I wanted to bring my own show, so I started Cumbrian production company Acting Speaks Louder to being new work by young people who might not otherwise feel the festival is accessible to them. Acting Speaks Louder’s debut production was Disco, Baby? which was a crazy experience writing, producing and performing at 17! I think I felt such a strong need to be at the Fringe because there is so much possibility and that’s just so exciting to be around and part of.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I came away from Fringe 2024 with a big list of things I’d do differently, but the biggest thing I learnt from the first time round is the importance of having a marker of success that is (somewhat) within your control. That keeps you sane and in possession of a semblance of perspective in what can be a mental month. I think this is a lesson that you periodically come back to when your in the depth of a fringe spiral.

Tell us about your show.

Our show is a modern language adaptation of a play from the 1600s called “Swetnam the woman-hater” which is thought to be where the word misogyny comes from. I wrote the adaptation and its a sad irony that not too much had to be changed as so much of it still rang true, even over 400 years after it was written. The show premiered at a local Cumbrian venue, the Staveley Roundhouse, and after Edinburgh we will be breaking new ground at the Camden Fringe!

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

Definitely “Reaching the C” – which is my mum’s show about her life as a professional bassoonist and how music has threaded its way through her life using a bassoon, a loop pedal and personal experience. But daughter duty done, I would also thoroughly recommend Briony Martha’s solo show “Parasocial Activity” about one woman’s parasocial relationship with James McAvoy! Phenomenally written and acted, both funny and moving; a tutor of mine once said I reminded him of Briony, and the more I speak to her and see her work, the more it becomes a massive compliment!

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: Voltei

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“My writing is raw because of the documentary tone but also realised that I contrast it with comedy and a lot of colloquial storytelling.”

WHO: Joana Raio

WHAT: “Voltei, a true story, begins by telling us what it takes for young people to leave their home country, what those big changes are, and the challenges they face. Voltei takes us back to England in 2006, when smartphones weren’t yet a thing and YouTube had just become part of our lives. It explores the various social and cultural differences between Portugal and the UK, through various first-hand emigrant stories and through the real impact of Brexit on the decision made by so many to return to their home country. Voltei is interdisciplinary and combines theatre with stand-up comedy.”

WHERE: Annexe at theSpace @ Symposium Hall (Venue 43) 

WHEN: 09:45 (65 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, I brought an interdisciplinary show called: a bridge by a cliff in 2017 which was a fantastic failure! It was more of a show for a gallery not a stage or maybe not the right venue! This time I feel Voltei at theSpace Uk is the right fit, it’s funny, political and heartwarming for anyone who has ever left home and then returned. As an emerging writer this has been a goal of mine, to bring Voltei, to have reviewers write about my show which is something we do not have in Portugal. Voltei has won an award but truly how relevant is it? Where do I stand?

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I’ ve written a second show after Voltei, which was a challenge for me: to write dialogue, to work more in collaboration. I’ve learnt about my practice, understood more about my identity as a writer, I feel! I’ve learnt that my work won’t always please everyone and my second show is definitely more specific in terms of target audience. My writing is raw because of the documentary tone but also realised that I contrast it with comedy and a lot of colloquial storytelling.

Tell us about your show.

Voltei is about my life as an emigrant in the UK and my return to Portugal after 12 years. It’s about growing up in the UK, beginning to think and dream in English and then unexpected challenges of speaking again my mother tongue. But not only, as I’ve come to realise how stark the differences between UK and Portugal are, how much that affected my identity and how family is the reason why most emigrants move back home. Tropodora was founded when I graduated from Drama school in 2010 but I only reactivated in 2024 to create Break Up my second show. This was also when I met Ana Cardoso, my producer and begin building my crew.

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

I Almost Died For This?!

I met Kristin (yet to see her show) and her show is raw, honest and auto-biographical, I have a feeling we speak the same language!

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 Shocking Truth About Flat Earth

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“The flyering has become an intensive course in rejection therapy but thankfully, once people actually make it into the theatre, they’ve been absolutely brilliant.”

WHO: Adam Tuffrey & Alex Moneypenny

WHAT: “She’s not crazy – she’s just done her research. On Facebook. At 3am. With a glass of pinot. Meet Sharon Hargreaves: part-time keyboard warrior, full-time flat-Earth believer, forever tumbling down online rabbit holes. When she heads to a flat Earth convention in Vegas, a Shakespearean mix-up sends her spiralling into chaos, conspiracies and unexpected self-discovery. With best mate Debs and a crew of lovable oddballs, Sharon sets out to expose “the truth”. What she finds? Big laughs, bigger tunes and absolutely zero scientific credibility. This is a gloriously unhinged, surprisingly heartfelt musical comedy.”

WHERE: Queen Dome at Pleasance Dome (Venue 23) 

WHEN: 14:05 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our first time doing the Edinburgh Fringe and, despite being only two previews in, it already feels like we’ve experienced every emotion known to mankind… and probably invented a few new ones.

The flyering has become an intensive course in rejection therapy but thankfully, once people actually make it into the theatre, they’ve been absolutely brilliant. The audiences have been fantastic, the response has been better than we could’ve hoped for and our cast have been nothing short of incredible… and yes, they paid me to say this.

We’ve also discovered that, yes, it is technically possible to tech a brand-new musical in three hours. Would I recommend it? Absolutely not.

It’s exhausting, exhilarating, mildly terrifying and everything people told us the Fringe would be. Ask us again in three weeks and we’ll let you know whether we’re seasoned Fringe veterans or just wandering the Royal Mile handing flyers out to bins.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Firstly, self-doubt is an incredibly committed colleague. It never takes a day off. You can finish a song you’re really proud of in the morning and be convinced you’re a fraud by lunchtime. Apparently that’s just part of being a writer, so I’ve stopped trying to get rid of it and instead just try to write faster than it can catch up.

I’ve also learnt that writing with your best friend is a joy… although it does mean there’s someone there to veto all your best ideas. Alex has spent the last year insisting I write fewer willy jokes. I maintain the audience deserves artistic freedom. He maintains we’re trying to get producers, not cancelled.

The biggest learning has been just how lovely the musical theatre industry is. Everyone we’ve met has been incredibly generous with their time, advice and encouragement. It’s one of the few industries where people genuinely seem to want everyone else to succeed, which feels deeply suspicious at first!

Tell us about your show.

The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth is our hilarious (promise) new comedy musical following forty-something flat earth fanatic Sharon Hargreaves as she heads to Vegas to see Adele, alongside long suffering best friend Debs. While there, a Shakespearean moment of mistaken identity propels her on a journey of chaos, conspiracies and unexpected self-discovery.

It’s a gloriously unhinged musical with big tunes, bigger laughs and zero scientific credibility… and we can’t wait to share it with the world.

We were initially drawn to the theatricality of flat earth theory – a ready-made ‘larger than life’ landscape. There’s bad guys (NASA, obviously), there’s DIY science, there’s secret military patrols, there’s a fight between good and evil and, supposedly, a massive great wall to go and look at somewhere.

A fight about the shape and nature of the universe, arguably the most fundamental aspect of what we accept to be true about our lives, felt like the perfect place to ask the biggest questions from an emotional perspective too – and the characters we meet along the way all bounce off the theories with varying degrees of humour, heart and heartbreak.

Having seen and loved so many shows at Edinburgh Fringe over the years, we know it is quite simply the perfect place for a zany, ambitious piece of theatre like this.

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

Andrew White: What a life! and The Bob Ross Effect (Sarah Louise Young) are both friends of ours and they’re bringing their shows to fringe this year – definitely a must watch! Sarah is a fringe veteran who’s been entertaining sell out audiences for years and, having worked with her for the last few years, I know what a lovely human she is! Andrew is one of the UKs funniest up and coming comedians, is genuinely extremely funny and again, a really great guy. He’ll having laughing out loud for the entire hour – that’s a promise!

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

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!