Tag Archives: EdFestivals

+3 Interview: The Grandmothers Grimm

Posted in *Written Interviews, Plus 3 2019 – Features by

“I first came to Edinburgh and the Fringe in 2011 as a performer and ended up falling in love with the city and moving here the next year.”

WHO: Emily Ingram, Director/Playwright

WHAT: “Cannibalism, werewolf trials, deceit, and murder: Marie Hassenpflug and the Brothers Grimm are trying to edit the darkness out of old stories. But as they do so, the voices of the women who created these tales are lost… What will be saved and what will be forgotten? The Grandmothers Grimm explores women’s role in the creation of the Brothers Grimm’s famous anthology. Discover a night of folk and fairy tales as you’ve never heard them before. Following performances in Buxton and London, Some Kind of Theatre are proud to bring The Grandmothers Grimm home to the Edinburgh.”

WHERE: Paradise in The Vault – The Vault (Venue 29) 

WHEN: 21:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

We’re actually here all year: Some Kind of Theatre have been making shows in Edinburgh since 2015 and this is our fourth Fringe.

I first came to Edinburgh and the Fringe in 2011 as a performer and ended up falling in love with the city and moving here the next year. Since then, I’ve taken part in every Fringe either as a performer, stage manager, director, producer, or hander-out-of-flyers for friends’ shows.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

I adapted and staged the world premiere of a book that had been lost for 90 years!

In the 1920s, Vita Sackville-West wrote a brand new, miniature book called ‘A Note Of Explanation’ for the Queen Anne Dolls House and it got put on a tiny shelf in the dolls house without anyone realising “oh, this is a brand new story by a rather famous author!” and no one discovered it until the dolls house was renovated in 2017.

‘A Note Of Explanation’ – which is about the adventures of a cheeky sprite who’s been involved in all of the events in fairy tale history – was officially published and I read it and went “oh, this is SO perfect for Some Kind of Theatre – we have to stage it”, so got in touch with the Royal Collection Trust and Vita Sackville-West’s estate, got their blessing to adapt it, and away we went. It was one of our most ambitious shows so far (and our first children’s show!): we were using giant puppets, huge pantomime costumes, and shadow puppets and there was a wonderful, magical atmosphere that our three brilliant performers -Justin Skelton, Imogen Reiter, and Gillian Goupillot – managed to create. We’ve had a brilliant response to the show and have plans to take it on tour in December this year.

Tell us about your show.

Continuing slightly with the fairy tale theme, our Fringe 2019 show is ‘The Grandmothers Grimm’: an exploration of the dark origins of the Brothers Grimms fairy tales and the women who created them.

The show in set on a winter’s evening in the Brothers Grimm’s study, where they and a house guest – Marie Hassenpflug – are poring over transcripts of old folk tales told to the Brothers by women that they know. The Brothers and Marie start trying to remove the horror from these stories and re-tell them to make them more suitable for children, but Marie notices that the Brothers are erasing the female characters and the original authors. The show looks at why these women and female characters have been forgotten and tries to champion women who have been left out of history.

‘The Grandmothers Grimm’ started life as a short play at the Edinburgh Horror Festival in 2017. I’d been approached about putting a play on at the festival and decided to do something about the scary, early versions of classic fairy tales. While I was researching the play, I found out a lot about how the Brothers Grimm’s famous fairy tale collection was put together and how so many women have gone unacknowledged for their contributions to it, and I got pretty angry about that and the play morphed accordingly! I reworked it after the Horror Festival and it went from a fairly easy-going piece telling gory versions of fairy tales to this tirade against the way women and their artistic and literary work have been treated by history.

‘The Grandmothers Grimm’ is being performed throughout the Fringe: we’re spending the 3rd-17th (not 11th) at Paradise Green, where we performed ‘Twelfth Night’ last Fringe. Then, we’re taking the show on tour to living rooms, offices, care homes, and schools as part of our Theatre On The Sofa project. Theatre On The Sofa (and its sister project Shakespeare On The Sofa) started as an accessible theatre scheme, bringing shows into the homes of folk who can’t access theatre easily in traditional venues. But we’ve had a lot of demand from other theatre-goers and now absolutely anyone based between EH1-EH20 can book the show, and we’ll bring it right to you in your living room. It’s sort of like Netflix and on-demand TV, but a bit more immediate!

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

I really recommend ‘The Green Knight’ by Debbie Cannon. It’s a beautiful show, and I love the simple but creative way Debbie uses props in her performance. Go see it, folks!

I’m also really excited to see Keane & Doyle’s two-person production of ‘2Elfth Night’ at Paradise Green. Having produced on Some Kind of Theatre’s take of ‘Twelfth Night’ in 2018 and watched the show develop, I’m exciting to see another company’s adaptation of the play.

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+3 Interview: Polly: A Drag Rebellion

Posted in *Written Interviews, Plus 3 2018 – Features by

“Though I’ve done drag and performed live music many times before on separate occasions, I’ve never combined the two and doing so has proven an audience favourite…”

WHO: Joe Strickland, Writer and performer

WHAT: “Meet Polly, she doesn’t care what you think! All she wants is to be equal, for everyone to be equal. In a whirlwind evening of live music, spoken word and drag tomfoolery, Polly will put across her manifesto for ending all the world’s problems. Using drag and gig theatre, multi award-winning performer Joe Strickland will incite a rebellion against everything that holds us back in life, exploring the barriers that others put in front of us and the masks that we put in front of ourselves in the process.”

WHERE: Greenside @ Nicolson Square – Fern Studio (Venue 209) 

WHEN: 21:00 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our 4th year up at the festival and we’re so excited to be able to bring this show this year. This is, however, my first year performing in this way at the festival. Though I’ve done drag and performed live music many times before on separate occasions, I’ve never combined the two and doing so has proven an audience favourite when we’ve been previewing the show so I’m very excited for festival goers up in Edinburgh to be able to see it.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

Since the last Edinburgh Festival Fringe the director of this show and I have formed a new production company in Nottingham and we’ll be putting on 12 shows in 12 months from September 2019. Planning that has been a really exciting new experience and having this show to work on alongside that has been a really good strategy to give us something separate to work on so we don’t go crazy. Polly: A Drag Rebellion is going to be the last thing we do before starting the new company and we’re going into Edinburgh all guns blazing to make our mark before our new company begins.

Tell us about your show.

I wrote the show in response to how I was thinking about the world. I wanted some clarity of what and how to think and worry about everything that’s been happening and realised that this is not only something that a lot of other people must be thinking but something that the wrong person could easily abuse and manipulate people with. What would happen if this progressive figurehead emerged and slowly turned out to not be who everyone thought they were became the story of Polly. The show has been previewed in Nottingham to a wonderful audience at the Nottingham New Theatre’s StuFF festival and will go on to be performed after the festival. We’re also going to release an album of Polly’s music for people to enjoy once the show has finished its EdFringe run.

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

Directly after our show, in the same performance space, is a truly wonderful improv show, Hard Truths. They start by having deeply personal interviews with the performers and use those real life stories to build a narratively strong long-form show which has comedy and emotion in equal measure. Hard Truths deserves a lot of love this year at the festival. Also, we’re taking up another show, Apollo: Take 111, which is a farce about the faking of the Moon landings that incorporates a lot of cinema and American 60s popular culture.

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+3 Interview: Elliot Bibby – Magic in a Jiffy

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“I’d recommend seeing as many shows as possible. Take a punt on an unknown show, you might really enjoy it.”

WHO: Elliot Bibby, Performer

WHAT: “Join Scottish Magician of the Year 2018 in this fast-moving show full of laughs and surprises. As you know, shopping online isn’t always as straightforward as it seems. With Slick tricks and a quick wit, Elliot will make your drunken late night eBaying look like the antiques roadshow rejects. His inimitable skill and seamless delivery promises to reveal the magic in the everyday. Post and packaging inc. Current International Brotherhood of Magicians British Ring Close-Up Magic Champion and nominated for the 2018 Fringe World Comedy Award in Australia. ‘Highly Recommended’ ***** (EdinburghSpotlight.com).”

WHERE: The Voodoo Rooms – The Ballroom (Venue 68) 

WHEN: 18:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my 6th year performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. I originally moved to Edinburgh to go to University and study study Sports Engineering.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

I won the International Brotherhood of Magicians British Ring Close-Up Competition, down in Southport.

After the success of last years show, I took it out to Australia, and also back home to the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.

Tell us about your show.

I primarily write the show, with the help from a few others that include creatives and and magicians. The show is produced by the brilliant ‘Blonde Ambition’ and the venue, the Voodoo Rooms.

I’m excited to hopefully take this show out on tour towards the end of this year/start of 2020.

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

I’d recommend seeing as many shows as possible. Take a punt on an unknown show, you might really enjoy it. Also grab the opportunity to see unusual shows that you wouldn’t normally get the chance to see.

The shows I’d highly recommend seeing are:

– Chris Dugdale: Down to One
– Aaron Crow: Fearless
– Tom Crosbie: Nerd World Problems
– Kevin Quantum: Neon Future
– Troy Hawke: Tiles of the Unexpected!
– Stephen Buchanan: Baby Dove

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+3 Interview: Being Frank

Posted in *Written Interviews, Plus 3 2019 – Features by

“I wrote Being Frank over the course of the last year…”

WHO: Ian Tucker-Bell, Author

WHAT: “Frank’s son Alex is facing a mental health crisis, and Frank hasn’t a clue what to do about it or how to get Alex to talk about it. He’s got problems of his own, and what’s happening to Alex is opening up wounds he thought long forgotten. Weaving real-life stories into a fictional narrative, Being Frank uses humour, music, movement and a good deal of honesty to explore men’s relationships with each other, with mental health and with flat-pack furniture.”

WHERE: theSpace on North Bridge – Argyll Theatre (Venue 36) 

WHEN: Varies (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be our third time at Edinburgh. We came up for the first time two years ago with the play “From Today Everything Changes” which was well received. Last year we returned with that play again plus my then latest play “Trans Pennine” which again, was very well received by audiences over the course fo the two weeks we were there.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

I’ve had a busy year directing Things I Know To Be True at the Oast Theatre in Tonbridge. That was a huge undertaking, particularly working with the physical theatre aspect so much a feature of Frantic Assembly’s work, and composing the original music used in our production. It was totally new for our audience, and despite anxieties about how it would be received it could not have been received better.

Tell us about your show.

I wrote Being Frank over the course of the last year, and it was developed in workshop with my colleagues at The Orange Works. We’ve been together for about three years now, born out of a love of taking original work to Edinburgh, and tackling issues important to myself – often LGBT issues, but this time my battles with Mental Health over the last few years. It will preview at Tonbridge Old Fire Station at the end of July, but Edinburgh will be its official premiere, and afterwards, we will be heading to the Faversham Fringe…. and wherever else we can!

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

I recommend “TEACH” by Bread and Butter Productions – he is one exceptional writer and performer, and I’m really looking forward to seeing this production after the sublime “Canoe” he performed last year.

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+3 Interview: Bullarena

Posted in *Written Interviews, Plus 3 2019 – Features by

“After Edinburgh, we will be looking at the possibility of touring the production around the U.K.“

WHO: Holly Burgess Smith, Rebecca/ Rosien

WHAT: “Inspired by a true story, Bullarena is a tale of identity and how we choose to follow the truth behind ours. In the masculine-charged arena of bull riding, a sport where women are forbidden from competing, Cassidy has had enough. Never one for conforming to what society expects, Cassidy decides to challenge the perception of femininity and attempts to compete as an equal. Sometimes simply being told you can’t is enough to make you face your fears and prove that you can.”

WHERE: Greenside @ Nicolson Square – Emerald Theatre (Venue 209) 

WHEN: 21:40 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, this is rough stock productions debut production. Myself alongside fellow college Brandi McClaine have co-produced and devised this production.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

We first performed Bullarena at East 15 Acting school and then at the Camden Fringe for 2 nights, Edinburgh festival is without a doubt the biggest thing to have happened to rough stock productions! And we couldn’t be more excited!

Tell us about your show.

Rough stock productions comprises of a group of global actors who all met at East 15 Acting school.

Our show is inspired by true events; rough stocks co-producer and actor Brandi McClaine, disguised herself as a man, at age thirteen, so she could compete in the rodeo bull riding contest, a sport which was forbidden to women, after hearing this we were insistent this was our story!

The production of Bullarena was completely divided by the company; we first performed at East 15 and then took the production to the Camden fringe. After Edinburgh, we will be looking at the possibility of touring the production around the U.K.

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

I would highly recommend the production “In Her Corner” directed by Niloo Far-Kahn. A struggle between a woman, her family, and community violence and her new love for boxing!

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+3 Interview: Charlie Vero-Martin: Scrapbook

Posted in *Written Interviews, Plus 3 2019 – Features by

“It’s been a bit of a crazy year for my family.”

WHO: Charlie Vero-Martin, Writer/Performer

WHAT: “Charlie returns with more historical comedy, characters and stand-up. Napoleon and Amelia Earhart are back by popular demand but watch out for Jane Austen. Pasting together experiences old and new, expect trips down dodgy memory lanes, opinionated puppets, spontaneous discoveries and a showstopping finale! Like her previous two Edinburgh shows, this promises to be exceedingly charming, a little bit weird and very funny. ‘Talented in every style she pursues… a real renaissance woman’ **** (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘Deserves a wider audience’ **** (DarkChat.moonfruit.com). ‘Charming, hilarious and beautiful. An absolute must-see’ **** (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon at Old Tolbooth Market – Bothy (Venue 98) 

WHEN: 12:45 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It’s not! As I’m originally from Edinburgh, I’ve been part of the Fringe or International Festival in one way or another since I was about 6.

This is my third year however as a solo performer, which is still really exciting. My first show was all characters but last year there was a bit more of me in it and this year it’s about 50/50. Prior to being a solo act, I usually would be here as part of a bigger improv comedy groups such as Glitch – The Improvised Puppet Show or Blind Mirth.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

I guess it’s getting engaged! It’s been a bit of a crazy year for my family. My sister also had a baby so I’m an aunty now too! All of these big life events have had quite an impact on me and have inspired a lot of my show.

Tell us about your show.

The show is written, produced, (funded) and performed by me. All of my shows have a historical theme and this time I’m looking at history and memory: how are people remembered and how do we want to be remembered? It sounds quite deep but it’s a very silly show! I play Napoleon as an agony aunt, Amelia Earhart as a motivational speaker and a very frustrated Jane Austen. There are puppets, stories and a big dance finale! This a fun, uplifting hour where you might also learn something. And it’s guaranteed to be the only show on the Fringe about spolia*!

*Spolia – a term used in ancient and art history to describe repurposing old material. See, you’re learning already!

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

Straight after my show, in the same venue, is Maddie Campion so stick around for her! James Bran, who will be helping me out on tech, is also back doing stand-up and Gabby Best is doing her first hour!

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+3 Interview: 99 (First World) Problems feat Andy Quirk and Anna J

Posted in *Written Interviews, Plus 3 2019 – Features by

“The biggest thing for us personally is that we dumped our full-time jobs and moved out of London to near Manchester so we could build on the momentum Ed 2018 gave us.”

WHO: Andy Quirk, Performer and Writer

WHAT: “Andy Quirk, the UK’s premier rapper of first world problems and his surly lead backup dancer Anna J invite you to join their crew for their latest musical comedy show dealing with the inconsequential irks of modern living. Part concert, part group therapy session, with a genre-busting soundtrack paying homage to UK Garage, Scouse House, Funk, Eighties Synthpop, Nu Metal and more. There’s room in the crew for everyone!”

WHERE: Laughing Horse @ Sofi’s Southside – Upstairs Bar (Venue 264) 

WHEN: 15:45 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be our third full-run at the fringe, following on from “Andy Quirk’s Got First World Problems” in 2017 and “First World Problems” in 2018. Whilst 2017’s show was more of a work in progress, our 2018 run at Espionage was continually packed out and gained some nice reviews. And yes, there’s a theme.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

The biggest thing for us personally is that we dumped our full-time jobs and moved out of London to near Manchester so we could build on the momentum Ed 2018 gave us. So far we’ve settled in well with plenty of good gigs and a string of festival appearances across the north and midlands.

Tell us about your show.

“99 (First World) Problems Feat. Andy Quirk and Anna J” is a thoroughly tongue-in-cheek comedy rap concert with elements of group therapy for modern living thrown in the mix. The show’s narrative draws on the chalk-and-cheese relationship of the unfailingly polite Andy Quirk and his surly thirty-something-going-on-fourteen backup dancer whilst also taking a subtle swipe at new media and the self-obsession of selfie culture. Lead by lead backup dancer, Anna J, the audience form our crew and are involved with every song in some way. Musically, we genre hop from Scouse House to Funk to Eighties Electropop and beyond. We welcome families with older children but its primarily a clean show for adults.

99FWP debuted at Leicester Festival earlier this year and has also visited the fringes of Coventry, Manchester, Buxton and Morecambe in the run-up to August.

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

A therapist probably.

In terms of other acts I really rate I’d recommend Rob Broderick/Abandoman, David McIver and Andy Storey.

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+3 Interview: Isa Bonachera: The Great Emptiness

Posted in *Written Interviews, Plus 3 2019 – Features by

“I have been done some great pro gigs around the country and I have even written comedy for TV.”

WHO: Isa Bonachera, Performer

WHAT: “Isa has been obsessed with outer space all her life, and she spent twenty years trying to become an astronaut. Did she ever get any closer? Award-winning comedian Isa Bonachera will take you on a tour of the cosmos and her broken dreams in this unique stand-up comedy experience. Isa is a BBC New Comedy Award 2018 finalist, Phoenix Artist Club Cabaret Award 2018 third-place winner, Leicester Square Sketch Off! 2018 runner-up, Max Turner Prize 2018 finalist, and Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year 2017 finalist.”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon at Old Tolbooth Market – Top (Venue 98) 

WHEN: 16:45 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my third time taking a show to Edinburgh. The first time was in 2017 with a stand up show called “Wow!” that was transferred to Soho Theatre, and the second time was last year when I did a drag king show with my character Muchachico, which whom I reached the final of the Man Up! drag king competition and got third place at the Phoenix Artist Club Cabaret Award.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

While I was in Edinburgh last year, I reached the final of the BBC New Comedy Award and since then my comedy career has skyrocketed, I have been done some great pro gigs around the country and I have even written comedy for TV.

Tell us about your show.

The Great Emptiness is a tour of the weirdest parts of the cosmos, and a reflection on broken dreams and burn-out. An hour of original and offbeat comedy, filled with gags and plenty of out-of-this-world hilarious silliness.

This show is the a real-life story about my obsession to become an astronaut, the extreme lengths I went to achieve that dream, and the events that lead to the death of that dream. This includes stories involving Mars Rovers, meeting astronauts, and my experiences accidentally being involved in some of the major scientific discoveries of the century, such as the discovery of the Higgs Boson. The Great Emptiness gives an insider view of the best and worst parts of the world of science, and critiques the toxic culture of overwork that preys on people’s dreams.

This is a solo stand-up show and I am self-producing this year. So far I have performed the show at the VAULT festival, Leicester Comedy Festival, Bath Comedy Festival, Swindon Fringe, Prague Fringe and Hastings Fringe.

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

They should go see as many shows as they can, I have already planned the shows that I am going to see during my Edinburgh Fringe month and I already have more than 70 in my schedule. If I start recommending shows I will never finish but, just to name a few, I am excited to see Josie Long, Phil Wang, Kieran Hodgson, and Ahir Shah.

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+3 Interview: The Delightful Sausage: Ginster’s Paradise

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“He was called Norman and we think he only came in to get out of the rain.”

WHO: Chris Cantrill & Amy Gledhill, Performer/Writer

WHAT: “Yorkshire’s finest meat-themed double act is back, in an all-new sketch comedy nightmare. This time the perennial bad lads of Icklewick are at Ginster’s Paradise, a holiday camp unlike any other. Surreal shenanigans, unsettling illustrations and a staycation adventure you’ll never forget! ‘Very smart writing’ (Best Shows at the Edinburgh Festival 2018, Guardian). ‘A serious double act contender for a long time to come’ (Scotsman). ‘Barmy comedy fantasia’ **** (TheWeeReview.co.uk). ‘Old-fashioned silliness with modern comedy sensibilities’ ****½ (ShortCom.co.uk).”

WHERE: Monkey Barrel Comedy – Monkey Barrel 2 (Venue 515) 

WHEN: 12:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our third Fringe on the trot! We made our debut in 2017 with ‘Cold Hard Cache’, a show about the internet and yeast. On the first day we played to a small audience. He was called Norman and we think he only came in to get out of the rain.

We went back the year after with ‘Regeneration Game’, a show about localism and community. Well, at least that’s what we told the MSM. It was really just about bumholes.

This year we’re powering up, ‘Ginster’s Paradise’. And we promise you this – it’s going to be the most needlessly sexual lunchtime show at the festival.

Won’t someone stop us, please?

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

We’ve had such a busy year! Following last year’s show we were selected to be part of the BBC’s prestigious comedy room initiative to develop new writers which was an amazing experience. Amy was also awarded the Caroline Aherne bursary to develop northern comedy voices.

Chris has recently planted some new grass seed which he’s keenly nurturing and we finally burnt Amy’s bean bag! We sleep in bunk beds!

Tell us about your show.

Ginster’s Paradise is a surreal sketch comedy adventure. It was written by some kids who may have mistakenly been led to believe it’ll count towards their Duke of Edinburgh award. And it’s being directed by Colin Hoult, the genius behind Anna Man which we’re really excited about.

The show itself is another thrillingly bonkers adventure set in ‘Yorkshire’s most likley to be repressed holiday destination’, Ginster’s Paradise. The inept duo find themselves in hot water when then camp isn’t all it appears to be. We’re not going to say more than that!

We’re planning on following up Edinburgh with another wee tour which is already in the works!

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

That’s such a tough question as there are so many amazing looking shows this year!

Okay, well if you like it weird here’s our list of the festival’s most unnerving creeps. First off, we’ve got The Death Hilarious performing Razor. It’s a one-man sketch comedy nightmare which will terrify, delight and decay in equal measure. You should also check out known Sheffield’s absurdist King, Sean Morley. If his new show is anything like the last one, you’re in for a real treat. And surely your festival won’t be complete without a visit to see the deliriously unique Harriet Dyer performing The Dinosaur Show. Also make sure to check out character absurdist, Jayne Edwards, who is making her festival debut as Top Body Builder Brian. Genuinely gut-wrenchingly funny stuff which absolutely nails those gammon snowflake blokes.

We’d also recommend catching the new shows from Jen Brister, Jess Fostekew and Desiree Burch. All trailblazers, all hilarious and all class acts. We’re also looking forward to the new show from Alasdair Beckett-King. His debut was a triumph and this new show casts him as a visitor from an alternate universe so we’re so in. You should also try and get tickets for Sunil Patel’s new show, White Knight and Nick Elleray’s, Big Nick Energy. They’re both deadpan and hilarious!

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+3 Interview: Dominic Frisby: Libertarian Love Songs

Posted in *Written Interviews, Plus 3 2018 – Features by

“I lived and died many times in Edinburgh so it is appropriate that I should now be at the Banshee Labyrinth, Edinburgh’s most haunted vanue.”

WHO: Dominic Frisby, writer-performer

WHAT: “From ‘mercurially witty’ (Spectator) creator of YouTube smash 17 Million F*ck Offs – A Song About Brexit come comic songs, stories and stand-up for people who think the government should stay out of it. If you believe in things like free speech, free trade, bitcoin or Brexit, you’ll like this. If you think the government, BBC or EU has the answers, you won’t. Contains unacceptable views and swearing. No entry to statists, crony capitalists or the metropolitan liberal elite. As seen on BBC, ITV, Sky, Channel 4, Dave etc. ‘Outstanding’ (Times). ‘Excellent’ (Telegraph).”

WHERE: PBH’s Free Fringe @ Banshee Labyrinth – Cinema Room (Venue 156) 

WHEN: 17:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I first came to the Festival in 1998, doing an act called Ludwig The Bavarian, a Bavarian slap-dancer looking for slappers.

A couple of years later real Germans such as Henning Wehn and the Christian Shulte-Loh started coming to the circuit, and I figured it was time to drop the act.

I lived and died many times in Edinburgh so it is appropriate that I should now be at the Banshee Labyrinth, Edinburgh’s most haunted venue.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

I got a book deal with Penguin for my show about tax (which I actually did in Edinburgh 2016). The book is now written and will be published in October.

My song about Brexit – 17 Million Fuck-Offs – got to Number One in the Amazon charts and made the Top 20 on iTunes.

Tell us about your show.

I was having ukulele lessons and I discovered my teacher was a closet libertarian, so we started writing these militant libertarian songs together during ukulele lessons.

I then started doing them on stage and audiences (those sympathetic to that world view at least) seemed to really like them.

I’m really not sure how they’re going to go down in Edinburgh. I’ve found a drummer and a Keyboard player but to say they are going to be under-rehearsed is an understatement.

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

I think The Shadowpunk Revolution – the beatbox rock musical about invisibility sounds pretty epic.

And if you’re feeling grown up, come and see my lecture about the economics of the festival which I’ll be doing in Adam SMith’s own front room.

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