“I kept having this tickle in my heart that I wanted to do a show at Fringe.”
WHO: Savannah Hankinson
WHAT: “When a dead body is discovered in a small and incredibly queer town, the audience must decide who committed the murder. Every queer stereotype is a suspect in this whodunnit!”
WHERE: Coorie at Gilded Balloon Patter House (Venue 24)
WHEN: 15:40 (60 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
It’s my first time performing at the Fringe and my second time attending the festival. I definitely feel like a newbie–my friends from Drama School (at Drama Centre, way back in the day) had all done Edinburgh while at University or even younger than that. As an American, I always felt like the Fringe was something far out of my reach. But I kept having this tickle in my heart that I wanted to do a show at Fringe. So finally, last year, my wonderful girlfriend suggested we take a trip and feel out the Fringe. And wow. My life was changed. I’ve never felt such a strong sense of joy and belonging and I had to come back. So, when I got home from the Fringe, I made a plan and started writing.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
My motto for the past few years has been “Just do the damn thing”. Collaboration is key. And asking for help is a very brave thing to do. Getting the support of experts is the smartest thing you can do and I’m particularly grateful to be part of the Emerging Rose with Chloé Nelkin Consulting. And next year, I’ll start everything two months earlier.
Tell us about your show.
The play is a one-person murder mystery comedy, where I play six different characters and the audience chooses how the play ends. There are five different endings (based on the five suspects) and I have no idea until halfway through the show how the play will end that day. It’s going to be sheer chaos and mistakes will be made, but that’s what the fringe is for! I was able to workshop the play at Qtopia’s PrideFest in Sydney, Australia in June. And I’ll be doing three preview performances at the Durham Fringe festival leading up to the Edinburgh Fringe. After August, the show will head to New York City for a run at The Tank. The brilliant Tara Elliott is my director and really helped me develop and shape the piece during our rehearsal period. As for the playwright, sound designer, graphic designer, producer, stage manager, etc: that’s all me. I’ve had to learn a lot of new skills during this process and I can’t wait to sleep in September.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
Everything! From mime to stand-up to musicals, everything at the Fringe is worth seeing! Some of my favorite shows from last year are returning and I’ve already grabbed tickets: Ada & Bron: The Origin of Love, The Horse of Jenin. The comic Alex Edelman is a genius–go see his show! And I’m personally pumped to see Don’t Kill Daisy, a choose your own adventure show coming over from the States.
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