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: Accidental Baby

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“It’s not just improv—it’s invitation.”

WHO: Alexander Cabana and Radostina Peteva

WHAT: “Get ready for laughs you didn’t plan for… The improv comedy show nobody meant to happen, but now you can’t live without! A night of off-the-cuff chaos where scenes are born on the spot, characters spiral out of control, and the only thing you can expect… is the unexpected. Accidental Baby delivers wild, unscripted fun that’ll leave you asking: “Wait… was that planned?” (It wasn’t.). Fuelled by audience suggestions and questionable wisdom, Accidental Baby is like couples therapy… if your therapists were hilarious, unlicensed and possibly drunk. Warning, you may leave pregnant.”

WHERE: Snug at Paradise in Augustines (Venue 152) 

WHEN: 21:45 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

If, by some cosmic sleight, Edinburgh Fringe were to vanish during August, the planet’s artistic pulse would stutter. Such is the density of genius, the saturation of talent that flows through its cobblestone veins during festival season.

Accidental Baby made its debut in 2024 with a sold-out one-week run… largely because they only booked it for one week. This year, emboldened by actual audience enthusiasm, we’ve doubled down with a two-week slot. If the crowds come back again, there’s talk of doing a full run in 2026—though no promises; it depends on stamina, funding, and how many pints of beer we can consume without emotional collapse.

Back in the saddle are we, Radostina Peteva—equal parts comedic genius and chaos wrangler—and stand up comedian and improvisor extraordinaire Alexander Cabana, who’s also back with a new hour of his solo stand-up show “Vulnerable White Passing Male”.

Being both producer and performer is like being your own overworked wedding planner and also the bride with spinach in her teeth—simultaneously architect of the ceremony and flailing center of attention. With Accidental Baby, we are two brides with lipstick on their teeth, begging for the audiences to point it out, because that means they are alive!

When audiences are responsive, adventurous, and slightly buzzed, everything feels electric. A festival thrives when people show up curious, not just because it’s raining.

Their whole show is a dare wrapped in a wink: “Notice us. Notice everything. Even the smudge.”

In their world, the laughter comes not from perfection, but from the shared delight of catching the imperfection together. It’s not just improv—it’s invitation. They aren’t aiming to fool you with polish; they’re begging you to join them in the mess!

So if you are gloriously unhinged, Accidental Baby is your spiritual home. Go. Sit in the front. Laugh too loud. Seriously—Accidental Baby is the show where your emotional baggage gets a standing ovation. Do Not Miss It!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

We discovered that connection matters far more than perfection—if the audience laughs with us when we drop a prop, we call it a win—and that a show’s story is its currency, sharpened until we can pitch it between traffic light changes. We learned to embrace serendipity, because the person you chat to in the chip queue might become your next booking.

We learned that radical self-reliance isn’t optional—you’re not just the performer, you’re the producer, the usher, the tech guy, the marketer, accountant, and occasionally the person fixing the stage after the last act. Adaptability became our second nature; one night we are in a theatre with perfect lighting, the next we’re competing with a smoothie blender, broken AC system and fan noise.

Other acts turned out to be allies, or rather therapists. We are in this grinder together, and remember that every day is a great day to have a great day!

We’ve absorbed these lessons the same way you absorb Fringe rain—at first you think you can dodge it, then you accept you’re drenched, and eventually you start wondering if you’ve developed gills.

Tell us about your show.

We are married. The show isn’t written. It’s a fully improvised long form comedic performance based on audience interaction. The questions we ask and stories we tell come from the conversations we have in real time.

Our show is about relationships—think of it as unqualified therapy with a very qualified sense of humour. We are two people with just enough relationship experience to be dangerous, and a willingness to hand out advice like free biscuits. We’ve learned a ton about what makes a healthy relationship (mostly from doing the opposite first), and we’re both endlessly curious about the weird, wonderful ways people approach sex, love, and partnership. For us, every audience is a fresh case study—equal parts sociology, comedy, and emotional group hug—where the advice might be heartfelt, might be unhinged, but will definitely be entertaining.

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

We saw RED LIKE FRUIT, a show every person should see whether you are dating, married or forever a rolling stone. It’s about relationship trauma and memory. Moscovitch’s writing is bold and unapologetic. https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/red-like-fruit

https://www.instagram.com/2btheatre/

On a lighter note, we saw Breaking The Musical and snickered and giggled for one hour about the breakdancing Australian genius at the Paris Olympics! If you have a silly  and a gossip bone in your body, go see that show! https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/breaking-the-musical

https://www.instagram.com/stephbroadbridge/?hl=en

If you want to see something different and wild, and funny but profound, go see 1Shoulder Pad: Galaxy Train, Japanese Musical Theatre. Wow these guys are fun! Great comedic timing and absurdity! https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/1shoulder-pad-galaxy-train-japanese-musical-theatre

https://www.instagram.com/shika564dayo/

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EdFringe Talk: Ascension

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“The fringe is exhilarating but exhausting, and that you absolutely MUST have a good rest after it.”

WHO: Dan Hazelwood

WHAT: “After a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024 and sold-out performances at Greenwich Theatre, Ascension returns for Edinburgh Fringe 2025. Ascension is based on the 300-year-old diary of Dutch sailor Leendert Hasenbosch, who was marooned on Ascension Island in 1725 for the crime of sodomy. Isolated and surrounded only by barren rock and endless ocean, he fought to survive. He was, however, pursued ashore by his personal demons. This bold and inventive adaptation reclaims his story for the 21st century, exploring queer identity, the weaponisation of religion and the resilience to love ourselves in a sometimes unforgiving world.”

WHERE: Theatre at Bedlam Theatre (Venue 49) 

WHEN: 14:00 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I first came to Edinburgh Fringe for a few days after graduating from drama school in 2017, renting a beanbag on the living room floor of another artist’s airbnb for £10 a night. I saw shows from morning until night, eventually giving up late every night – keen to see more but knowing that even if it was a 5 star show I would be too tired and too grumpy to enjoy it. I had no money at the time so hitch-hiked home to Birmingham, stopping overnight in Yorkshire where I was dropped off at my friend’s front door by a neighbour she had never met. I also got to ride in a lorry for the first time which was fun.

I’ve been hooked ever since. Being a punter vs being a performer are different flavours of chaos, but equally addictive.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I’ve learned that the fringe is exhilarating but exhausting, and that you absolutely MUST have a good rest after it. I’ve completely ignored my own advice and I’m straight back into work with no hope of rest until October. Maybe next year I’ll heed my own words?

Last year, I obsessed over ticket sales last year, constantly refreshing in hopes of seeing one more ticket sold. It’s a nice adrenaline boost when it does happen, but this year I have set times when I check sales and leave it alone the rest of the time. It’s better for the brain. Paint drying, kettle boiling, etc, etc.

Tell us about your show.

Ascension is based on the real life diaries of an 18th century Dutch castaway on Ascension Island, or should I say the translations of his long lost diary. This makes the question of who wrote Ascension a bit of a complicated one to answer. Leendert (or Lee as I like to call him) wrote the original diary, then multiple translators wrote their translations, and I have adapted all of the above. There is a lot of my original writing in the play, some of which is based on my own life (Lee’s first kiss is based on my own) but the script also contains a lot of diary extracts. It’s probably more accurate to say I’m a curator of the play as a whole, and the writer of a good chunk of it.

I’m producing it myself, and I’m very lucky to be joined by very talented creatives in every area of the production who I trust entirely. They have made the show very special and much easier for me!

We premiered at Edinburgh Fringe 2024, and following our 2025 stint here, we’ll be doing a performance in London for the 300 year anniversary of Lee’s death. Following that, I’m hoping to tour it around the UK and maybe even further afield!

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

For lovingly crafted idiocy, you’ve got to check out The Fit Prince (full title on the link below!) at Pleasance Courtyard by Awkward Productions, the hottest power couple of EdFringe! If you’ve ever seen a hallmark Christmas movie, you’ll love this:
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-fit-prince-who-gets-switched-on-the-square-in-the-frosty-castle-the-night-before-insert-public-holiday-here

You also must see “I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar” by Holly Redford Jones. Very funny, great music, and beautifully moving. It’s the only lesbian bar in Edinburgh, open for one hour a day at Underbelly Cowgate: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/i-was-dancing-in-the-lesbian-bar

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EdFringe Talk: Why I Stayed…? A Gothic Review of Life?

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“I have seen the abyss of misery and loneliness and I have traveled the paths not taken lightly.”

WHO: Aleksandr Popov

WHAT: “My goal is to talk to my ‘self’ and tell it the story of insecurities and prejudices I had before my life turned to shambles. I tried so hard to spiral down into the abyss that I completely forgot to take a moment and live. It was finding myself staring down the abyss that I suddenly got reminded of all the idiotic happenings and circumstances that led me to this moment – inability to grieve properly for my father, first serious relationship that ended in a heartbreak and bad financial decisions.”

WHERE: Just The Spare Room at Just the Tonic at The Caves (Venue 88) 

WHEN: 22:25 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This year is my 4th time at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Since my first visit 4 years ago a lot has changed – I don’t take to drink anymore, I have seen the abyss of misery and loneliness and I have traveled the paths not taken lightly. I have stepped on the road of a vagabond artist. At least in my hearts beating chambers.

It is however my first time to perform a full run of my own show at the EdFringe. Fours years ago I was a visiting comedian searching for spots at compilation shows to get my fiver in the spotlight. A year later I stumbled upon a pot of leprechaun gold on social media – sadly an artist had to pull his show and some times became available. So I put together a hotchpotch showcase performance and found myself performing “off-Fringe” for 9 days. ) days, 9 different time-slots, 9 shows open to the public who had no idea how to find me.

Last year I came to do a half-run of two shows – two different location, two different shows, but fixed time-slots AND most importantly officially registered with the EdFringe. I was in the pipeline My name was part of the matrix. I was transformed into the canvas of fringe. I had taken the pill of vagabond magic.

This year I want to do it from the beginning to the end. I want to be Alpha and Omega. I want to transform into a full-run performer. I want to test my boundaries and have some tee at the Toppings bookstore. And if I’m lucky enough I also hope to get reviewed!

This year I want to be true Edinburgh fringer!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I have learned to stay the course. I have taken the previous experiences to mean that even when you think you are down, there is a tide coming. And you will find yourself on a way up!

Hardest of it all is to keep your focus. It’s so easy to give in to the temptation – pull that show, let it slide, hakuna fringata. But excuses breed excuses. Therefore the biggest lesson for me is this – take every day as a blessing and go through it like a battle. Winning is a blessing. And being here to fight another day is a blessing!

Tell us about your show.

My show is my confession. It’s called “Why I Stayed…?” because in it I ask myself this question over and over again. I want to know, I really do.

It is a therapy session. I tell the viewer that I wanted to end it all – forever. And then I try and explain why. It is not a classic standup or linear story-telling experience. It is an immersive confession that aims for both laughter and fear. I want you to be scared – scared that I will not find the answers I am looking for.

I want you to laugh – laugh at me! At my incompetence, fear, lack of experience and slaughtering the rules of language as a non-native speaker. I want you to leave with a feeling of dread and anticipation t the same time.

I want you to dread the fact that you where bold enough to come to my session. I want you to anticipate your own journey that will follow, when your mind decides to take a re-run at what it is that monkey-boy actually said.

But most importantly – I want you to feel freedom from having to think those dark thought for yourself. Let me suffer that burden!

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

I would kindly ask you to go and see Raul Kohli and witness his greatness as a storyteller who mixes worlds together with an ease of Michelin rated chef. Discover true Britannia and its formidable captain.

Leah Rene will tell you all about awkward religious rules and cult like culty behaviour. She will probably also make you feel homey and safe!

Candace Bryan needs to tell you about her mum – an trust me you will wonder why! Every search is different, yet every find is unforgettable.

John Barrett is slappable – on and off the dating scene. Come witness the fragile story of searching for identity and trying to belong while desperately being in need of a date for a social function.

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EdFringe Talk: The Sound of Water

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“Growing up it seemed that someone else had to give me permission to do my art.”

WHO: Julia Ott

WHAT: “When the rain stopped falling, we returned to the beginning. A drought has been plaguing the crops of Tobias’s farm for five years. He believes that the answer to where the water went lies in the soil. Katherine believes the answer lies in the desert and canyons surrounding the farm. One night, Katherine goes into the canyon in search of the missing water, but what happens when a flash flood comes and washes everything away?”

WHERE: Venue 45 at theSpace @ Venue 45 (Venue 45) 

WHEN: Varies (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes! This is my first time visiting Edinburgh and experiencing The Fringe. I am so excited for people to see ‘The Sound of Water”, but I am also so excited to experience art from around the globe. I have a long list of shows I want to see and I am hoping I can get to them all and more!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

One big lesson that I have learned since 2024 is that no one has to give you permission to make art, you just have to be brave enough to take the first step. I used to always wait around hoping someone would give me the opportunity to perform and create. Growing up it seemed that someone else had to give me permission to do my art; I was always anxiously awaiting the next time someone said “okay now it’s your turn!” But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to create my own work more often and take my artistic life into my own hands.

Tell us about your show.

“The Sound of Water” is an original devised physical theater piece presented by Center Heart Theater Company. The Sound of Water explores climate change, scarcity of agricultural resources, and the stories we lose when our homes disappear. This show was created out of a desire to understand how Climate change is impacting communities in rural areas and how AI is playing into the climate crisis.

The show is written and directed by myself, Julia Ott – I’m a graduate of the prestigious University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), and I formed Center Heart Theater Company alongside fellow creatives from UNCSA.

After the Fringe, I hope to keep doing developmental workshops in New York and expand upon the story. After New York, I hope to do a full length, fully supported, version of the play in my hometown.

This is our debut production, and was developed with support from The Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts and is powered by Producer Hub.

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

After audiences come see our show, they should go see “Hold onto your Butts” presented by Recent Cutbacks. Although I haven’t seen the show in person, I followed their run at last year’s Fringe on Instagram and the clips from their show had me laughing out loud. If you love dinosaurs, foley artists, and laughter this is the show for you!

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EdFringe Talk: More Songs for a (Brave) New World

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“It doesn’t matter how good your own show is; if it’s not surrounded by other shows and /or on a main fringe route, you will be struggling.”

WHO: Richard Lewis

WHAT: “Whether it’s politics or digital dating, climate change or political correctness, Richard finds a musical angle to spotlight the natural absurdity of the human race – and if that’s not your cup of tea, just sit back and enjoy the piano playing! ‘The show is a masterclass of original parodies that would grace the finest of theatres, and Richard Lewis is a musician everyone should see whilst at the Fringe’ (ThreeWeeksEdinburgh.com).”

WHERE: Speakeasy at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms (Venue 68b) 

WHEN: 16:50 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, I did my first performance in Edinburgh at age 10 for the International Festival! (I’m from Edinburgh). I then did some more shows in my 20s and after a break and back and enjoying the Fringe experience again.

Two shows this year, the one above and the show on the life of Liberace.

The variety on offer is always Edinburgh‘s calling card. Yes, it can be hit and miss. But if you don’t like something today, you’re bound to find something you like tomorrow…

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Location is everything in Edinburgh. As well as having a vibrant venue, it doesn’t matter how good your own show is; if it’s not surrounded by other shows and /or on a main fringe route, you will be struggling.

Tell us about your show.

I did a show of satirical songs last year which went well and thought I would follow it up with a new one. I’ve kept the best songs from last year but added I think even stronger material. Hopefully, the mixture of politics, social affairs and silliness will appeal to a wide range of people.

My other show is on the life of Liberace – in the beautiful ballroom of the Voodoo Rooms. A venue the man himself would have appreciated.

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

If you’re not from a big city, I would always suggest that people would check out the International Festival. It includes some of the best artists in the world, some of whom only appear once in a generation.

In terms of the fringe, a friend of mine is producing a show called the ‘Queen is Mad’, which looks fun (a bit like a dark ‘Wicked) other than that I’ll need to check out the buzz as it starts coming in this weekend!

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EdFringe Talk: The Strongest Girl in the World

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“We have also learned a lot about visual storytelling—mainly from watching children’s shows.”

WHO: Truly Siskind-Weiss

WHAT: “Gather round the campfire for this funny and nostalgic play about love, loss and summer camp. Truly doesn’t remember her dad. Not really. Instead, she’s collected songs, objects and stories to build a picture of who he was. Join her as she embarks on a journey to discover her father, and uncovers her childhood self along the way. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll yearn for the early 2000s. Come see this story of fear and bravery that examines how we remember those we’ve lost.”

WHERE: Snug at Gilded Balloon Patter House (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 14:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Dark Skies Ensemble brought a work in progress production of The Strongest Girl in the World to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2023. Since then, our company has expanded the show, and we’re so excited to share the full production with Fringe audiences. The Fringe is an amazing opportunity for artists to connect with one another, and support each other’s work. We met our now producer, Alexandra Scordato, at the 2023 Fringe and feel lucky to now have her as a member of our team. We look forward to the connections we will forge this year, and can’t wait to see all of the other creative work on offer!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

One big thing that we’ve learned since performing the show as a Work In Progress in 2023, is that it’s important to invite the audience to laugh from the very beginning of the show when you’re sharing a story that is so personal and, on the surface, very somber. Watching other performances that handled dark stories with a bit of humor, we noticed that audiences were more comfortable laughing when the actor and script gave them permission to take the story a bit less seriously. We’re excited to share this new script with audiences, and we know that they will come away feeling lighter. We have also learned a lot about visual storytelling—mainly from watching children’s shows. We find that theatre for young audiences often does a better job at engaging the audience visually, and finding exciting and unexpected ways to tell the story through set. Our show uses pop up books to bring our audience on a journey, and to bridge the gap between Truly’s childhood self, and her teenage and adult selves.

Tell us about your show.

The Strongest Girl in the World is a poignant and surprisingly funny one woman show about love, loss, and summer camp. Truly doesn’t remember her dad. Not really. Instead, she’s collected songs, objects, and stories to build a picture of who he was. Join her as she embarks on a journey to connect with her father, and watch as she uncovers her childhood self along the way. This universal story thoughtfully examines how we remember those we’ve lost. It’s a love letter to Truly’s father, and the sassy and young girl who was the Strongest Girl in the World.

The play was written and performed by Truly Siskind-Weiss and it details her own personal experience of loss. Director Ellie Stevens studied with Truly Siskind-Weiss at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where they bonded over a love of rainbow sprinkles, Gilmore Girls, and art that centers and celebrates teen and tween girls. They have worked together for nearly 3 years to bring this personal and important story to life, and have performed works in progress of the play at London’s Bread and Roses Theatre, Bristol’s Alma Tavern Theatre, and the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe. They have a reading of the finished script at Manhattan Theatre Club this fall, and are thrilled to be returning to Truly’s homework of New York City for a preview run in 59E59 theatre’s East to Edinburgh Festival. The show has been coproduced by American company Forgotten Ones and Scottish Company Dark Skies Ensemble.

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

We’re excited to see our friend Anaïs Gralpois’ stand up show, American Fetish! We also think An Ode to the Casting Director by Sophie Fisher looks great! And, we love anything that comedian Cat Cohen does! We’re also excited to see our producer’s other show on at the Fringe: Behind by Sibet Partee.

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EdFringe Talk: Cardstock

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“As migrant women and student creators, we spent a long time waiting to feel “ready,” “qualified,” or “legitimate enough” to speak.”

WHO: Lin Cao

WHAT: “BL web novelist Mae is about to publish her first print book, but censorship forces her to revise it – triggering backlash from her obsessive fan Lily. As Lily’s buried trauma surfaces, Mae’s fantasy world begins to unravel, growing increasingly surreal and absurd. Drawn into the same interrogation room by surveillance and fate, the two women slowly build a fragile trust. This is a story about internet fringe culture, gender identity and female desire. It’s a torrent of images including abandoned manuscripts, folded posters and paper-thin characters. They attempt to rewrite a creased cardstock between fiction and reality.”

WHERE: Clover Studio at Greenside @ Riddles Court (Venue 16) 

WHEN: 11:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes — this is our first time bringing a show to the Edinburgh Fringe, and it feels both thrilling and terrifying in the best way.

As emerging migrant artists and students, we’ve long admired EdFringe from afar — not just for its scale, but for the values it claims to uphold: openness, experimentation, and decentralised creative voices. This is the kind of platform we dreamed of when we began working on Cardstock — a story that sits between categories, between cultures, and between fiction and reality.

We’ve attended other festivals as audiences, volunteers, and student artists — but producing for EdFringe is a completely different scale of responsibility. You’re not just sharing work; you’re negotiating space, attention, survival, and visibility in a system that’s exciting but also overwhelming.

What makes a great festival isn’t just the shows — it’s the chance to be in a space where you’re reminded that someone else, somewhere, might be folding a story too — and that your voices might crease, overlap, or echo. That possibility is worth everything.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Since 2024, the biggest thing we’ve learned is that permission doesn’t come — you have to claim it.

As migrant women and student creators, we spent a long time waiting to feel “ready,” “qualified,” or “legitimate enough” to speak. But the world didn’t wait for us — and neither did the stories we needed to tell. Cardstock was born from the urgency of voices that don’t fit, that aren’t easily platformed, that carry contradiction and risk. In 2024, we started listening to those voices — including our own.

We’ve also learned that making work collectively doesn’t mean compromising vision — it means expanding it. We learned how to fold scarcity into innovation, and how to hold space for each other’s pain, humour, and creative edges. Producing this show taught us to stop asking for approval — and instead, to write our own structure, even if it’s made of paper.

Some lessons are still being absorbed. But we’re no longer waiting for the right time. This is the time.

Tell us about your show.

Cardstock is an original play written by Qianyue Ang and co-produced by Lin Cao, Dina Nan, and Yuqi Wen — all of us migrant women who met while studying in the UK. The show is presented by HERstage & Seagull Sisters Productions, both collectives formed by emerging Asian artists seeking to tell stories often excluded from mainstream stages.

The idea began in a university dorm room, sparked by a single line from a real news story: “I feel like a piece of paper. And paper can’t stand.” That sentence stayed with us. We started folding it into a play — literally. Everything in our show is made from paper: the set, the metaphors, the memory.

We premiered Cardstock at Brighton Fringe in May 2025 — no marketing budget, just a suitcase full of foldable props and a lot of hope. To our surprise, we received a four-star review and powerful audience responses. Edinburgh is our next leap. After that, we hope to tour in London and return to Asia, especially to spaces where censorship and silence still shape how women are allowed to speak.

This play isn’t perfect. But it’s standing — creased, but upright.

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

After Cardstock, we hope you go see Is This Normal? by Ansa Edim — a one-woman show that’s sharp, hilarious, and unexpectedly intimate.

It’s for anyone who’s ever rehearsed break-up speeches in the mirror (guilty). With wit and warmth, Ansa unpacks heartbreak, self-worth, and the delusions we wrap in bedsheets. It’s solo storytelling at its best — punchy, personal, and beautifully written.

We left the trailer smiling, and the title alone deserves a standing ovation.
Catch it at theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, Aug 13–15. You won’t regret it.

Fringe isn’t just about scale — it’s about truth. And Is This Normal? tells it with grace and laughter.

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EdFringe Talk: Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (30 Plays in 60 Minutes)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“The script is a selection of 90 plays performed and written during the company’s first 25 years, hand-picked by Greg Allen, the creator of the genre.”

WHO: El Belilty

WHAT: “A variety show that melds together a myriad of different genres, each connected by audience interaction. From raunchy comedies to honest confessions, each play presents its own story, statement and/or improvisation that will take you through a rollercoaster of emotions. The ensemble will both guide you and be guided by you throughout the 60 minutes of our show. Every performance will be unique and entirely dictated by you – our audience! If you sit close enough, you may even star in the show yourself…”

WHERE: Upper Theatre at theSpace @ Niddry St (Venue 9) 

WHEN: 18:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, this is my first time in Edinburgh! Although I’ve participated in Fringe before (Hollywood Fringe Festival), the Edinburgh Fringe is an entirely new and unique experience. As the largest and first Fringe Festival in the world, the HFF was only a tiny taste of the energy, art, and creativity of EdFringe—which excites me beyond compare. The sheer amount of art brought here, both new works and old, and the range of every genre imaginable, make this the most inspiring environment to be in as an artist. I hope to leave this experience with new perspectives on art and creation, as well as a deeper understanding of the cultures, countries, and walks of life represented by those around me.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Honestly, since beginning this project in 2024, I’ve grown as both an artist and a person. This project has taught me patience, self-confidence, trust (in myself and others), and leadership. Transitioning from assistant directing at HFF24 to directing this production, I’ve become more self-assured, confident, and clear about the kind of art I want to put into the world. In times like these—marked by war, famine, fascism, genocide, and climate change—theatre is more important than ever. It remains a medium for true connection and change, and it’s an honor to bring joy to everyone who walks into our show. I know this is only the beginning of my journey of growth, and I cannot wait to see what more I can learn and gain from my actors, crew, and all the artists I’ve yet to meet!

Tell us about your show.

Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (30 Plays in 60 Minutes) is a neo-futurist play originating in Chicago that has never been performed the same way twice. Since 1988, the Neo-Futurists have developed a multitude of short plays that change weekly—each relating to the current state of the world, politics, or even the actors’ personal lives. The script is a selection of 90 plays performed and written during the company’s first 25 years, hand-picked by Greg Allen, the creator of the genre. From these 90 plays, I selected 30—ranging from comedy, drama, improv, and confessions to political commentary—to be performed by my cast of eleven USC students, ages 18–23. For the past nine months, we’ve been working, rehearsing, and perfecting our show, building on the success of our sold-out Los Angeles run. The ever-changing nature of this play and its elements of audience interaction capture the essence of live theatre and leave our audiences with smiles on their faces, sore abs, and—hopefully—fresh reflections on their reality.

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

I wholeheartedly recommend seeing Swamplesque—the energy, talent, and spectacle of the show are truly next level.

I’m also a huge fan of Xhloe and Natasha—their performances in every production are utterly captivating and not to be missed.

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EdFringe Talk: House Party

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“This is my Fringe debut with my own production company and my first big girl show!”

WHO: Chakira Alin

WHAT: “One young woman from East London is on a mission to bring back house parties. She just needs the house. Skip is an aspiring actor just trying to stay afloat. It’s her versus her peers with generational wealth. Armed with the perfect playlist, Skip takes us on a dance party through her changing hometown and the forces she contends with daily. A one-woman show exploring the housing crisis, gentrification, and the state of Britain today, House Party is all about how the future looks bleak right now, and how one great party can change the world.”

WHERE: Attic at Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 15:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I went up for the first time ever as a student in 2022 with the Cambridge Footlights and was involved in two shows that year, writing and performing in one, and having written another, so it was a real baptism of fire doing double duty. I was running between venues like a headless chicken going to check in on the play I had written in the morning then going to perform in the other show in the evening. It’s no surprise that I burnt myself out and I took 2023 off. I went back in 2024 for a week to see shows as research, knowing I wanted to take up my own show this year. This is my Fringe debut with my own production company and my first big girl show!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I’ve grown massively in the last year, around the same time period from when I first started developing the piece, which I don’t think is a coincidence. Writing this show has been incredibly cathartic. The thing about writing a show that’s autobiographical is you have to be self-aware. So I’ve done a lot of soul-searching. I’ve let go of a lot of resentment I didn’t even know I had and have embraced the party. I’ve learnt not to compare myself to anyone else, especially if we’re not starting from the same place. My self-esteem has skyrocketed. I believe in myself, my sauce and my work. Oh and I’m learning to do the splits. That’s pretty big.

Tell us about your show.

‘No one has house parties anymore.’

One young woman from East London is on a mission to change this. She just needs the house.

Skip is an aspiring actor just trying to stay afloat. It’s her versus her peers with generational wealth. Armed with the perfect playlist, Skip takes us on a dance party through her changing hometown and the forces she contends with on a daily basis. Home Counties transplants. The mullet and moustache army. Those weird skinny expensive dogs.

A one woman show exploring the housing crisis, gentrification, and the state of Britain today, House Party is all about how the future looks really bleak right now, and how one great party can change the world.

The show was inspired by my own experiences of homelessness, the rental market and witnessing the gentrification of my hometown firsthand. It uses the humble house party as a lens through which to dissect housing inequality in Britain.

I am producing through my company Quite The Cowboy, a bold new production company creating work that is comedic, irreverent and offbeat with a biting political core. Rae Morris is directing.

Shortlisted for the Charlie Hartill Award 2025, House Party has been developed with the support of Seven Dials Playhouse, Side eYe Productions, Hackney Empire and Soho Theatre. Extracts of the show have been performed at venues such as the Southbank Centre, Royal Court Theatre, Omnibus Theatre and EartH Hackney, all to rapturous reception. We performed Work In Progress versions of the show at Pleasance London and Theatre Peckham.

We have two more London previews at Seven Dials Playhouse on the 18th and 19th of July. The plan is to have a longer London run as well as a UK tour post-Fringe and adapt the piece for TV!

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

I’m super excited to see Just The Two Of Us by Soft Play, Eggs Aren’t That Easy To Make by Maria Telnikoff/Big Sofa Theatre, Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates x) by Jade Franks and Funny Though by Clare Noy.

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EdFringe Talk: Tides (An Autism Story)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“Make sure that the team you assemble are not only some of the most talented people on planet Earth, but are as passionate about the project as you are.”

WHO: Joe Dennis

WHAT: “Dylan Ward is autistic. He has his own way of thinking and his own way of doing things, but no one seems to understand him. How do you navigate a world which operates on a completely different wavelength to the one that you’re on? Following its critically acclaimed run at Camden Fringe last year, and based on real experiences of growing up autistic, Tides (An Autism Story) combines Monty Pythonesque humour with a touch of real-world drama to offer an insight into the wonderful, yet challenging world of autism… From one particularly silly individual.”

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

WHEN: 16:10 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes it is! However, it’s not the first time we’ve performed at a big Fringe festival. Last year we performed as part of Greater Manchester Fringe and in Camden Fringe, both of which were hugely acclaimed runs. This year we performed a SOLD OUT show at Wimbledons ‘FromtheFringe’ season and we’re hot off the heels of a great run at Newcastle Fringe as well.

Having done so well at all of these other Fringe festivals, it was high time we had a crack at Edinburgh. It’s such a beautiful city, vibrant in art and culture, and I can’t wait for people to see what we have in store!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Number 1). Be organised! Make sure you plan everything well in advanced. Number 2). Make sure that the team you assemble are not only some of the most talented people on planet Earth, but are as passionate about the project as you are. And Number 3). Probably the most important lesson of all: Enjoy every minute of it!

I’ve certainly absorbed the latter above all else.

Tell us about your show.

My show is a semi-autobiographical one-person show that tells the story of Dylan Ward’s attempts to fit in whilst living on the autism spectrum. It was written and performed by me, based on real experiences I’ve had, and how being autistic impacted my life. It is frequently funny, often sad, and has an important message… We’re all just human, so let’s be kind to one another. The show was directed by my good friend Will Sutherland whom I met at Drama School, with additional lighting and sound design by the talented Will Woodward.

The show actually premiered for Autism Acceptance Week at Londons Hope Theatre whereby we raised £100 for Autism Awareness. It then toured to Guildford, Manchester and Camden Fringe last year, and this year has performed at London, Wimbledon and Newcastle. This year’s Edinburgh Fringe will be the shows Edinburgh debut!

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

I think he’s on before me, but audiences absolutely have to see Matty Edgars ‘Daniel Moore’s Definitive Guide to Failure-Free Living’. Matty’s one of the most talented actors I know and the show is incredibly funny and thought provoking. After this, audiences should see ‘Mr Jones’ a heart wrenching tale based around the 1966 Aberfan disaster and how this affected the lives of the villagers. Written by and starring Liam Holmes alongside Mabli Gwynne and directed by Michael Neri, this is an incredibly powerful play that shook me to my core.

Also wanna give a some shout outs to CFACOLAB’s ‘That Show About The Hot Dog’ Jens Goosens ‘Sense: The Musical’, Jen DiGiacomo’s ‘Woman in the Arena’, Ruben Sparks’ ‘Chameleon’ and finally Holly Gow’s ‘How Can(t) I Help?’ So all in all, an amazing line-up this year!

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