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.

+3 Interview: Under My Thumb

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Features by

“We have been overwhelmed with the positive responses received so far, and we could not have found a more supportive venue.”

WHO: James Haddrell, Director

WHAT: “In a dystopian present, five women are imprisoned for crimes against society. Brought together by a common enemy and facing indefinite incarceration, their one remaining dignity is their continuing belief in their own innocence. The arrival of yet another prisoner seems no surprise, just another woman brought down by the world outside, but is she all that she seems? Shortlisted for the inaugural RED Women’s Theatre Awards in 2016.”

WHERE: Assembly Roxy (Venue 139) 

WHEN: 16:10 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No – as Artistic Director of Greenwich Theatre I’m here every year, either supporting young companies bringing their work to the Fringe or searching for the most exciting new companies to take back to London. This year is no different – we are supporting nine shows this year at Pleasance, Assembly and Underbelly, from clowning to music theatre, political theatre to award-winning drama.

Back in 2015 I directed my first show at the Fringe, a revival of John Retallack’s Hannah & Hanna – the debut production by CultureClash Theatre. I’m delighted to be back directing not one but two shows this year, but I’m particularly excited to have reunited with CultureClash Theatre for this production of Under My Thumb.

Tell us about your show.

Under My Thumb was first discovered by CultureClash Theatre when a short 20 minute version of the script was shortlisted for the RED Women’s Theatre Awards. Serin Ibrahim and Cassandra Hercules from CultureClash met with the writer, an astonishingly talented young writer called Cassiah Joski-Jethi, to talk about developing the script into a full length play.

After that, I was invited to lead a period of R&D with the writer and a full cast to explore the short script that had already been written and support the writer in developing it. We spent a week running scenes, improvising around the characters, developing an understanding of the scenario and talking about our own experiences of inequality in society. This was an amazing process, and the writer and I were incredibly lucky to have such a generous cast, prepared to share their thoughts and experiences openly and honestly and to contribute to the development of the show.

Then, with support from Arts Council England, we presented a short run of 10 test performances in Greenwich, inviting audiences to stay after every show to talk to us about the script, the characters and the premise, to see whether the show needed further development. With great feedback from audiences Cassiah spent more time on the script and then the show played at the Brighton Fringe and Incoming Festival earlier this year before finally being ready to open here in Edinburgh.

We have been overwhelmed with the positive responses received so far, and we could not have found a more supportive venue. We are presenting the show in the Snug Bar at Assembly Roxy, a dark, subterranean space that offers the perfect home for this claustrophobic, tense thriller. With the audience surrounding them, the six women incarcerated for alleged crimes against society can never leave and have nowhere to hide. Moments of projection fill in some of the back story for the audience, but the characters themselves are trapped.

We are now exploring a future life for the show. With audiences raving about it, I’m sure there will be another outing for Under My Thumb…

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

I am proud to be supporting a range of shows at the Fringe this year, so they should definitely start with some of those! The list of good shows at the Fringe is obviously overwhelming but I would recommend the two winners of the Les Enfants Terribles Award this year – GOODY by BoonDog Theatre and FORM by Rendered Retina, both at the Pleasance.

Also at the Pleasance, Patch Of Blue are back with a new show, WHEN WE RAN, after the success of WE LIVE BY THE SEA last year which transferred to New York. Hyphen Theatre bring the touching autobiographical story THE SOFT SUBJECT to Assembly George Square, and Edinburgh favourites Familia de la Noche are at Underbelly with two parallel shows, BEADLEDOM ALPHA and BEADLEDOM OMEGA, a unique pair of clown shows about life, death, and what happens when they get mixed up.

Outside of the Greenwich family, SKIN at Pleasance Courtyard is an amazing piece of hip-hop dance theatre about gender. I’ve also heard great things about VAN GOGH FIND YOURSELF, hidden away at the Natural Food Kafe…

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+3 Interview: Adriano Cappelletta: This Boy’s in Love

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Features by

“I quit my job, moved out of my house and moved out of Australia to tour the UK. “

WHO: Adriano Cappelletta, Writer /Performer

WHAT: “It’s time to paint the rainbow and unleash the world’s first one-man gay rom-com cabaret! Hilarious and heartfelt songs meet physical comedy and candid storytelling in one man’s final shot at finding love. Nominated for Best Cabaret at Fringe World Perth 2016 and Adelaide Fringe 2017.”

WHERE: Assembly Roxy (Venue 139)

WHEN: 20:50 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is the second time I have presented a show in Edinburgh but the first time I’ve ever presented a solo show. My last show was in 2011 and was called Shane & Eddie: Picking up the Pieces which was at Just The Tonic.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’16?

I quit my job, moved out of my house and moved out of Australia to tour the UK.

Tell us about your show.

I wrote the show because I had never been in love, so I thought if I might not experience it first hand -perhaps I could experience it on stage. So in the show, I imagine to most unashamedly romantic, beautiful big gay love story…and I wrote a musical about it. A lot of gay love stories are tragic, without a happy ending -so I wanted to wrote a beautiful and bright gay love story, one that I wish I had of seen when I was younger.

I have presented the show at Perth Fringe, Adelaide Fringe, Sydney Mardi Gras Festival and Provocare Festival in Melbourne.

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

Check out the other talented Australian companies here including Siren Theatre Company who are presenting three shows: Misterman, Good With Maps and One Hander at C Venues. Highly acclaimed, award winning, visually stunning and rich theatre making.

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+3 Interview: Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall

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“The Disco was first launched at the Adelaide Fringe in 2012, we sold out our first season and have gone on the play around the UK and in Australia.”

WHO: Monski Mouse, Host/Producer/DJ

WHAT: “Why toddle when you can dance?! It’s time to get heads, shoulders, knees and toes bopping along to lashings of swing, pop, rock, latin and more! Selling out shows around the world, Monski Mouse is a hit with the under fives and their parents/carers. ‘The best dance party with your under 5-year-old that you’ve ever had… absolutely joyous’ ***** (FamiliesOnline.co.uk). All adults and children require a ticket, except for children six months and under who may enter free with a paying Adult.”

WHERE: Assembly George Square Gardens (Venue 3)

WHEN: 11:00 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is the forth season of my show Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall, which I first brought to the Festival in 2012, but my first time at the Festival was 2005 when I came to DJ at Club Swizzle at the Famous Spiegeltent and for the Bong Club Vauldeville Cabaret, hosted by Dusty Limits. I also worked for the Gilded Balloon in 2008 as a FOH and Dj-ed the staff party, when my Loft Bar DJ gig fell through that year. I love this Edinburgh.

Tell us about your show.

Aimed squarely at the children aged 0-5 AND their parents/carers, my show is really all about having fun, dancing, playing and letting loose with your loved ones. It gives both children and their parents a chance to enjoy the magic of a festival club, in the time slot when they are awake and raring to go.. 11:00am.

The Disco was first launched at the Adelaide Fringe in 2012, we sold out our first season and have gone on the play around the UK and in Australia. I was already a DJ who played playful music and loved to take audiences on an expected journey, when I become a Mum in 2010, the late night DJ gigs were becoming less attractive, so it was a fairly natural extension for me to create the Baby Disco Dance Hall. I’ve been really luck to have been able to make a show that audiences love and I still love performing for them.

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

The Hairy McLary and Friends Show is great for little ones, especially if you read the books first. They are great stories, and in the show version, they’ve made a beautiful piece that’s fun and interactive enough for little ones to be engaged.

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+3 Interview: Rosie Wilby: The Conscious Uncoupling

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“It’s a mix of funny and poignant.”

WHO: Rosie Wilby, Performer / writer

WHAT: “BBC Radio 4 regular Wilby poignantly interweaves comedy, memoir, love letters, breakup emails and Richard Hawley music to investigate the aftermath of separation in a post-Gwyneth world. The Conscious Uncoupling was commissioned by London’s Southbank Centre for Festival of Love and was shortlisted, via public vote, for Funny Women Best Show 2016.”

WHERE: Laughing Horse @ The Counting House (Venue 170)

WHEN: 18:30 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No. I’ve been coming up for a decade, most notably with a trilogy of shows about how we behave in our romantic relationships. It began with The Science of Sex, which has toured internationally and won awards. The middle part Is Monogamy Dead? spun off into a book and TEDx talk. Now I’m addressing relationship endings in the final part.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’16?

2016 was the first year in many that I didn’t come to Edinburgh. I won a place on a prestigious writers’ retreat at University of Southern California and started writing my book there. The biggest thing is getting that finished and out into world. It’s in lots of shops and getting a great response.

Tell us about your show.

The show was written and developed in 2016 with my director Colin Watkeys (who has worked with the late, great Ken Campbell, Jack Klaff and Claire Dowie). It premiered at Tristan Bates theatre first festival. A programmer from London Southbank was there and asked me to perform it at their festival of love. It was also shortlisted for Funny Women Best Show and has toured to venues including Salisbury Arts Centre and Summerhall (for Edinburgh science festival).

I’ll be performing it at Sheffield’s literary festival Off The Shelf in October. In the show, I interweave breakup emails, comedy, music and a love story to investigate how we might end relationships more compassionately. It’s a mix of funny and poignant.

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

Some of the hidden gems are on earlier in the day than my show at 6.30pm. But people could see them before or the day after.

Ada Campe, a comedy character creation of actress Naomi Paxton, skilfully weaves comedy, audience participation and magic into a compelling story – with the aid of her psychic duck.

Charmian Hughes has a lovely show this year called Soixante Mirth. It has some similarities to mine in that both involve ghosts from the past and a bit of time travel. She has several meetings with her younger self and wraps it all up in hilarious anecdotes and a wonderfully daft musical ending.

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+3 Interview: Not: Lady Chatterley’s Lover

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Features by

“The company came together following testing of the script at Scratch Night, ‘On The Night’ at The Arcola Theatre.”

WHO: Lawrence Russell, Writer/Actor

WHAT: “This is the company’s first time to Edinburgh. But with the support of Arts Council England and Red Rose Chain Theatre Company we had R&D and a mini tour of the show before shortening it for the fringe. During development we worked with Stephen Harper (Told by An Idiot), Helen Baggett (Gecko) and Annie Sertich (Groundlings Main Company). We’re very excited to be here and hope to come back next year with a new show!”

WHERE: Sweet Grassmarket (Venue 18) 

WHEN: 18:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is the company’s first time to Edinburgh. But with the support of Arts Council England and Red Rose Chain Theatre Company we had R&D and a mini tour of the show before shortening it for the fringe. During development we worked with Stephen Harper (Told by An Idiot), Helen Baggett (Gecko) and Annie Sertich (Groundlings Main Company). We’re very excited to be here and hope to come back next year with a new show!

Tell us about your show.

Not: Lady’s Chatterley’s Lover is a Mel Brooks style parody of the D.H. Lawrence novel. We’ve kept it sexy, made it funny and added a few twists along the way. Lawrence Russell wrote it and the company (Happy Idiot) is producing it with the help of Associate Producer, Ami Stidolph.

The company came together following testing of the script at Scratch Night, ‘On The Night’ at The Arcola Theatre. We’ve since performed the full version of the show in Ipswich, London and Shoreham-by-Sea.

Following the fringe we’d love to tour the U.K. and even take it to The U.S.A or Australia if the opportunity is there!

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

We love Annie Sertich: How Not To Kill Yourself…, Austentatious, The Secret Life of Humans, The Jurassic Parks and The Prophetic Visions of Bethany Lewis.

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+3 Interview: Merrily We Roll Along

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“This is a classic piece of theatre which deserves to be brought in front of audiences again.”

WHO: Paul Murphie, Producer/Director

WHAT: “Kaufman and Hart’s groundbreaking play sees its first revival in decades, telling the story of Richard Niles, a playwright who seemingly has it all – but what sacrifices has he made for fame? The play travels back in time, beginning in 1934 at the peak of Niles’ success, through the Great Depression and the roaring 20s, while he abandons his principles to fulfil his ambitions. The play that inspired the iconic Sondheim musical, this is a story of friendship, aspiration and betrayal, set in a glittering age of American culture.”

WHERE: theSpace @ Symposium Hall (Venue 43)

WHEN: 13:10 (90 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our first time at the Fringe as Our Time Theatre company. We are a brand new theatre company based in Edinburgh and are super excited to take part in the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe!

Tell us about your show.

Our show is a brand new adaptation of the 1934 play, Merrily We Roll Along, originally written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. We have been working with U.S producer and director, Christopher Hart (who is the son of Moss Hart!), to create this adaptation – and we are extremely excited and proud to be producing the first revival of this play in decades. Many people will be familiar with the 1980s Sondheim musical of the same name, which was based on the original 1934, although with some changes to the characters, storyline and era in which it was set.

We believe this is a classic piece of theatre which deserves to be brought in front of audiences again. It was a groundbreaking play when first released due to the reverse structure in which it is told – as we move forward in the play but backwards in time ,we see snapshots of our protagonist’s life, the important events and decisions that led him to where he is when we first meet him in 1934. This play is truly unique, charming, clever and thought-provoking; a moving story set in the glittering era of 1920s America, packed full of sensational drama as well as sparkling comedy with a poignant message.

We are Our Time Theatre, a new venture with the aim of providing actors with opportunities for creative and professional self-development, through the production and performance of new or lesser known work: which in turn, we want to bring to greater cultural prominence to audiences.

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

We are planning to see as many shows as possible during the Fringe and are very excited that we are in Edinburgh for the whole summer. We would recommend that audiences see as much as possible – there are a many great and wonderful (and weird!) things to see! We love the whole atmosphere of the Fringe, and our favourite thing to do is get out the Royal Mile and see what flyers we pick up! One show we will not be missing this year is “It Shoulda Been You” – a musical being put on by our good friends at Room 29 Theatre!

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+3 Interview: Over the Garden Fence

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“We love to perform in both theatrical and non-theatrical settings and hope to continue to do so, the Edinburgh Fringe is amazing platform for us to reach new audiences.”

WHO: Hayley Riley, Co-writer/perfomer

WHAT: “Over the Garden Fence follows the story of Annabelle and her gran Dolly. Annabelle and the audience are taken on a nostalgic journey through Gran’s life, sharing memories of happiness, sorrow and joy. It is a fast-paced, uplifting and comical exploration into family, life and relationships. The stories within the play are based on personal experiences. The play engages audiences in the discussion of not only dementia, but family life as well: including the ups and downs, the highs and lows and everything in-between.”

WHERE: Greenside @ Infirmary Street (Venue 236)

WHEN: 19:45 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes we are Edinburgh Fringe Festival novices, this is our very first time and we still have so much to do, hand out fliers, plan our route, and master setting up and down in under five minutes, not an easy feat when you have two fences, a suitcase, a rug, a china tea set, 14 books, numerous photographs, Christmas crackers, a turkey tray, various hats and scarfs, three pairs of glasses and a banana!

Tell us about your show.

A runaway turkey, gossiping neighbours, uncovered memories. A fast-paced, uplifting and emotional roller-coaster ride on the topic of dementia. The play follows Annabelle and her Grandmother Dolly on a beautiful nostalgic journey through Grans past, her treasured memories re-discovered and shared. ‘Over the Garden Fence’ co-written and performed by Hayley and Louise of Haylo Theatre is about life, family and love. Join these two women who will have you laughing one minute and crying the next.

It’s January 2013. Louise picks Hayley up from the station; a routine played out daily. It’s raining. A girl walks past them. Her green coat and the squeaky window wipers spark a conversation; a conversation about days gone by and a memory we thought we had forgotten; a memory insignificant to the girl in the green coat and the other wet commuters passing by, but in that car in that moment, that memory opened up a new chapter of our lives. We were going to find a way to share our memories and create stories not easily forgotten. Enter Haylo Theatre.

We wanted to create theatre that others would watch and see something they recognise of themselves or their own lives. Our characters and their stories in ‘Over the Garden Fence’ are an amalgamation of our own grandparents and some of their stories. With ‘Over the Garden Fence’ we wanted to help combat the stigma some people still feel by giving dementia a human face.

– Where have we been and where are we going?

We have been touring Over the Garden Fence for around three years. We have performed for various organisations, including:

Age UK, The Christie, Alzheimer’s Society, Dementia Action Alliance, E.D.U.C.A.T.E., Francis House, St Augustinian Care and Hospice UK, Dementia Congress, Worcestershire Palliative Care Conference, Hospice Enabled Dementia Care conference and the International Alzheimer’s Conference, Budapest.

We love to perform in both theatrical and non-theatrical settings and hope to continue to do so, the Edinburgh Fringe is amazing platform for us to reach new audiences.

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

Go and see Skimstone Arts The Ties that Bind a combination of performance, original sound and potent visuals. It was commissioned by Edinburgh University and based on their latest research along with stories collected from people living with dementia. This show challenges our perceptions of dementia, which is something we hugely support and are passionate about!

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+3 Interview: Cloud Avenue

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“The show explores childhood imagination through these puppets, along with incredible video art and an original soundtrack from electronic artist ZOU.”

WHO: Isobel Lewis, Producer

WHAT: “Violet has had the ability to travel back in time since a young age and has utilised her gift in her writing career. On a round the world trip into her childhood, she stumbles into the world of her emotions. How far will her relationship with the past jeopardise her existence in the present? Cloud Avenue is a multimedia puppet show which illustrates the vivid world of childhood imagination for all ages.”

WHERE: Greenside @ Nicolson Square (Venue 209)

WHEN: 23:05 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, and we’re so excited to be here!

Tell us about your show.

‘Cloud Avenue’ is a multimedia puppet show from the University of Manchester Drama Society. The play is the brain-child of Cara Looij, an incredibly talented writer, storyteller and puppeteer. Cara makes all the puppets herself (predominantly from recycled materials) and they are used to tell the story of Violet, a girl who has had the ability to travel back in time from a young age.

The show explores childhood imagination through these puppets, along with incredible video art and an original soundtrack from electronic artist ZOU. The show premiered in Manchester in February, where it won three Manchester In-Fringe Theatre Awards. ‘Cloud Avenue’ challenges the idea that family-appropriate theatre must be dumbed down and cannot be challenging or experimental, whilst remaining accessible.

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

No Show at Summerhall – life-changingly amazing circus performers putting on a hilarious and fascinating look into the industry.

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+3 Interview: The Hero Who Overslept

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“This original material arose out of a friendship discovered on a sustainability course in Devon.”

WHO: Stephen Peake and Philip Woodford, Writers and Performers

WHAT: “Here’s a heartfelt invitation to experience a never-before-seen mix of climate science, psychology and surrealist dance in which we attempt to remake ourselves just in time for a remaking of the world. The sleepy hero in all of us might be dozing, but this is a show with a wake-up call to begin a new love affair with our long-neglected earth. Join us on our quest to awaken sleeping heroes everywhere, in a performance that will playfully stretch what’s possible in an hour but could be many lifetimes in the living. We had better hope so!”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon at Rose Theatre (Venue 76)

WHEN: 13:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes.

Tell us about your show.

It’s a heartfelt invitation to experience a never-before-seen eclectic mix of climate science, psychology and surreal dance which playfully challenges our indifference/neglect of the planet.

The company and the production came together out of a shared concern for the future of the planet. This original material arose out of a friendship discovered on a sustainability course in Devon, where we made a promise to create a piece of activist arts-based theatre to inspire others to play a part in our response to the environmental crisis.

Fringe 17 was the premier for the production. We hope to take it back into some of the geographical (e.g. South West, London, Cambridge) as well as functional communities (e.g. @embercoombe) that have helped inspire us.

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

There are some particularly brave theatre shows tackling taboo subjects which I’d say is the role of theatre but this sometimes means that they don’t gather the audiences they deserve. In spite of their subjects, they all provide superb performances with strong life affirming themes reminding us what it is that we need to appreciate. The shows are B*easts, My Real Life, The Descent, and Mission Abort.

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+3 Interview: Margaret Thatcher Queen of Game Shows

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“I was directing traffic dressed as Thatcher. As they drove off they shouted ‘we love you Maggie'”

WHO:  Matthew Tedford, Co-creator/Writer and plays Margaret Thatcher

WHAT: “Ding dong the witch is back! Multi award-winning Fringe sensation Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho returns with the most fabulous game show of all! Join the Iron Lady for songs, games and catchphrases as audience members compete for their golden giro cheque!”

WHERE: Assembly George Square Gardens (Venue 3)

WHEN: 21:00 (70 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No actually, this is the fourth Edinburgh fringe that I’ve done. I was up for two years with Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho – my comedy musical about how the Iron Lady went from being Prime Minister to a cabaret superstar after getting lost in the gay bars of Soho. This is my second year doing the sequel Margaret Thatcher Queen of Game Shows – in which Maggie has become a game show host and is making people compete for their job seekers allowance.

I love the Fringe, we had a great every year and we’ve been very lucky in that people really respond to the shows. We have a little Maggie fan club and a lot of people come back again and again. Maybe that’s the reason Ruth Davidson has been able to become so popular… I still have to walk around the cobbled streets all day in heels but it’s worth it to meet all the lovely people. Sometimes I’m even able to provide a public service: I saw someone drive the wrong way down a one way street and ran into the road to stop them – I was directing traffic dressed as Thatcher. As they drove off they shouted “we love you Maggie”. Like I said Ruth Davidson has a lot to thank me for.

Tell us about your show.

I wrote the show with Olivier Award-winning playwright Jon Brittain, who also co-directs the show with Ant Cule; Ed Yelland and Paul Heath play Maggie’s backing dancers Strong and Stable; and Aine Flanagan produces the show with Off the Kerb. We all started working together on a fifteen minute version of Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho at Theatre503 in London for their Thatcherwrite.

I had gone to a Halloween party at Jon’s house dressed as Maggie so when they told him about the festival he gave me a ring. We took the show to the Fringe a year later and we’ve been here every year ever since. This is the second year of the game show but we have updated it to include references to Trump, the General Election and the new Doctor Who. Next up, I’m working on a few other shows, and if all else fails we’ll be back next year with Margaret Thatcher Queen of Cash Ins.

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

Well, you should absolutely check out the other shows by my co-writer and director Jon Brittain and my producer Aine Flanagan. He’s written a lovely little musical called A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Super Sad) which is about depression and has songs by Matthew Floyd Jones from Frisky and Mannish; and she’s also producing a wonderful new musical called Prom Kween by Rebecca Humphries, about a non-binary prom queen.

Aside from that you have to get tickets to double Fosters award-winner (and my university flatmate) John Kearns, the hugely funny and very silly Kat Bond in Loo Roll, head Weirdo Adam Larter in his brilliantly stupid show L’Art Nouveau, the play Gypsy Queen by Rob Ward and two of my favourite comedians Suzi Ruffell and Joz Norris.

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