Tag Archives: An Ode to the Casting Director

EdFringe Talk: An Ode to the Casting Director

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“I never thought I could do a one woman show before someone told me that I should.”

WHO: Sophie Fisher

WHAT: “The 2026 OffFEST nominee returns to Edinburgh after a smash-hit debut with five-star sell-out shows, winning a Fringe Theatre Award in 2025. Impressively accoladed solo show written and performed by screen actress Sophie Fisher (The Scotsman’s Rising Stars of Edinburgh Fringe 2025) following her gawky yet determined autobiographical self battling through a minefield of film industry dickheads, gender-role-obsessed boyfriends and insane actors, one audition at a time. ‘Ready for the West End’ ***** (FringeSider.com). ‘Hilarious, heartfelt and completely captivating’ ***** (CorrBlimey.uk). ‘Electric performance, tour-de-force’ ****½ (One4Review.co.uk). ‘On-stage camera work is a masterstroke’ **** (TheatreAndTonic.co.uk).”

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

WHEN: 12:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my second year at Edinburgh Fringe and I am excited to be returning with an understanding of how the Fringe goes! Last year I felt like a total deer in headlights, fighting for my damn life. I can’t wait to now get stuck in and bring audiences our further developed show and connect with even more artists. Fringe is such an incredible place to meet new people – artists, audiences, crew and more. Fringe people are some of the kindest, warmest and most supportive people I have ever met. I’ve already got my tickets booked to also see what everyone else has been up to, what people have been creating and see the hard work coming to life.

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

Since 2025 the biggest lesson has been learning to shut out the noise, the comparison, the reviews and just focusing in on staying in my own lane and enjoying creating stories and shows which mean a lot to me and which I am excited to share. Stories which I think people will resonate with and take something from. I’ve also learnt from my incredible Director, Linda Ludwig, that if I can imagine it, then it is possible. I never thought I could do a one woman show before someone told me that I should. Edinburgh Fringe was never something I thought I was capable of, and here we are returning for our second year. It has broadened my imagination to not pre-judge things as impossible but instead chasing what excites me and making it possible.

Tell us about your show.

An Ode to the Casting Director is a solo show, written by myself and developed with Director, Linda Ludwig. I am self producing this bad boy, as I did last year after a sold out London preview at Seven Dials Playhouse and a run of sold out shows at Gilded Balloon in 2025. We are excited to be returning with Assembly this year before finding out where the show will head to next! Linda and I met in London around 10 years ago in an Acting class, where we discovered that we in fact both lived in Oxfordshire, about 10 mins down the road from each other. Linda is an incredible Screen Director, one of the Sony Future Filmmakers 2025. Alongside her directing partner, James Curle, she has Garnered Awards and Official Selections in OSCAR, BAFTA and BIFA-qualifying festivals internationally, their films have distributed to territories worldwide on leading SVOD platforms, including Disney+ and Amazon Prime. When I got my slot at Fringe last year, she was always going to be my first pick to help me tell this story and I was over the moon when she agreed. I’m thrilled she is returning with me again this year, we can’t wait to show you what we have been working on.

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

I can’t wait to see ‘Jolly Fisherman’ at Underbelly with the incredibly talented Alex Hill. As well as ‘The Distance’ at Summerhall. And then of course at Assembly I’m excited ‘Alone’ is coming back, I missed it last year and am thrilled I have the chance to catch it this year.

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