Tag Archives: EdFestivals

+3 Interview: Mother and the Monster / Free Festival

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

“At this early stage, we’ve decided that we would like to work together in the future.”

WHO: Lewis Forman, Eduardo Fahey, Arabella Spendlove, Emily Knutsson, Erin Lynch: Producer

WHAT: “Charlotte was a legendary Hollywood props mistress who disappeared from public view decades ago. Now she lives in retirement, with no one to keep her company except the cleaning lady and a mysterious voice coming from her cupboard. Can a young journalist coax her to reveal what happened all those years ago? And who is it who keeps calling Charlotte ‘mother’?”

WHERE: Laughing Horse @ The Golf Tavern – Upstairs Bar (Venue 114) 

WHEN: 21:45 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Lewis: This is my first fringe and I’m very excited to be at the beginning of what will hopefully be a long journey for our new collective. With the collective, I’m looking to bring everyone forward and progress as a group. Despite only acting in theatre through first year, I’m very happy to be working on the production side of things starting this fringe. Moving forward it gives me chance to express myself creatively in different ways.

Eduardo: This is my eighth fringe so far. In my first 6 years I performed acapella with a male group, and in my seventh year I performed ‘American Idiot’ with Edinburgh University ‘Footlights’. Working as a smaller collective has a different performance dynamic and more freedom. This is my first time doing straight theatre as a smaller group, which more collaborative and already feels more intimate and productive. A fear with every free show is that whether or not people are going to come, but not having that fear means you’re not putting your all in to it. All that does is make us push for publicity which will just work in our favor.

Arabella: This is my second fringe. My first fringe was spent performing with group that combined Manchester University and Edinburgh University students. Last year, working with a big theatre collective meant it was a different experience than the smaller collective we’re working with now. This experience has felt more involved creatively and productively, along with having a role as cast in the play. I’m looking forward to seeing how our show will be received because we’ve been working on it for a long time and feel really connected to it, so it’ll be exciting to share it with other people.

Emily: This is my first year at fringe. I recently moved to the UK from New York, so I’m really excited to experience the intensity of the festival. I love how the city becomes open to artistic expression and a center of art during the fringe. I’m excited to be part of a new collective that feels cutting edge and open to exploring different aspects of the show. I’ve loved not being too strict with the script and letting it grow organically.

Erin: This is my first year at the fringe, and I’m so excited to be doing it with our collective. The process has been so involved and equal, giving the chance for all of us to become really close to the story and how we want to communicate it. Having the chance to work at the fringe has been such a privilege, and I’m so excited to experience it as a visitor and creator!

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

Lewis: Since last year, I have finished my first year at Edinburgh University and dived in to straight theatre as opposed to musical theatre. This has changed my perspective and renewed my love for theatre, despite only being in two plays before.

Eduardo: Since last fringe, I have been in several non-musical productions and 2 musical productions. This has allowed me to diversify what I’ve done so far, and instilled confidence and drive.

Arabella: I have since graduated from Edinburgh University. This year, I’ve done more drama than ever, having three main parts in uni shows. This has been my biggest year and only time in drama apart from school. This is because of my focus on skiing in first three years of University. My first year at fringe was last year and was my first time in theatre, meaning its my fifth show of the year and final University show!

Emily: I have really delved in to the theatre community in Edinburgh and experienced the characteristics of the city. I’ve grown as performer through being exposed to new ways of approaching acting and directing. My worldview has been expanded in a way that has grown my approach to acting.

Erin: Since last fringe, I’ve involved myself in theatre in a way that I’ve been so pleased with. Since involving myself in the theatre community in Edinburgh, I’ve felt so welcomed and pushed creatively in ways that have made me grow as a person and professionally. I’ve learnt lots of new things from so many people and I’m so excited to continue in my next two years at University.

Tell us about your show.

Collaborative answer: The writer of the play, Rory Kelly, booked a run for fringe and was then looking for a team to help put it on. Lewis and Erin decided to direct and produce together. We then held auditions and cast those who would be best in the roles, and on top of that found that we gelled really well as a collective! At this early stage, we’ve decided that we would like to work together in the future. After the fringe, we have been discussing keeping Rory Kelly on as a writer. Additionally we may go in a different direction, however we have decided to keep the process as collaborative as possible. This would mean choosing scripts as a team and keeping everyone as involved in creative decisions as possible!

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

Lewis: Deficit theatre because its approach to physical theatre looks interesting

Teddy: Footlights ‘RENT’ because it’s always nice to support other theatre groups from our University

Arabella: ‘Sweet Charity’ because the publicity looks amazing!

Emily: ‘Number Please’ because of the collectives feminist ethos!

Erin: Never None (But She) because it incorporates the same messages of feminism and inclusivity that we want to promote in our show

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+3 Interview: Confirmation

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“I don’t drink during the month and get to do a lot of walking so it’s always a sort of a bit of fitness boost which of course I forget about on August 28th when I hit my couch in London.”

WHO: Xnthony: Performer

WHAT: “This is not a story about the status quo. This is a story about making a change. Xnthony was 12 when he made his confirmation. He was 26 when his home town voted against Ireland’s marriage equality referendum. Gig meets theatre in a moving and hilarious look at how a vote can change the way we view ourselves. Direct from a sell-out run at the Dublin Fringe Festival, this is a poignant pop concert from an award-winning company exploring the relationships we have with the places we call home and the stories they hold. ‘Captivating’ ***** (TheReviewsHub.com).”

WHERE: Pleasance Dome – JackDome (Venue 23) 

WHEN: 16:10 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is not my first time at the rodeo and I am so excited to be back at Edinburgh! Every time I get here I take it as a chance to take stock of where I am in my work and my life so it’s always a good marker! It’s also the time I get to wholly spend focusing on seeing amazing work from other artists and really exercising my own skills as a performer. I get really focused and secretly love the structure and intensity of it. I don’t drink during the month and get to do a lot of walking so it’s always a sort of a bit of fitness boost which of course I forget about on August 28th when I hit my couch in London. I also really love meeting all the locals again that I’ve performed for in the past. I’ve built up a great relationship with people in the city and their support is really valued.

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

Since the last time I was at Edinburgh Fringe with DOUZE in 2017 I was given funding by the Arts Council in Ireland to develop my practice and create this show. I don’t work in easily identifiable categories, so I’ve had to work extra hard to show to big supporters like the Arts Council that I’m not just a nutty, art weirdo (which would be fine!) but someone with big plans and big ideas. Using the funding I’ve been able to focus on the next steps in my work. Right now it’s all about the personal, the rural and storytelling. But soon I’m starting on another new show and that’ll build on the pop world of this show and will hopefully be a show that makes people dance.

Tell us about your show.

The show is a poignant pop concert about how a vote changes the way we view ourselves and where we’re from. Much like the UK, Ireland recently had its own referendum revolution and in 2015 Ireland voted on Marriage Equality. In what was seen as a massive sea change in Ireland’s perceived conservatism the country voted overwhelmingly in favour of giving same sex couples access to marriage. But to my horror and sadness, my home town, Roscommon became the only place in the whole country that voted against Marriage Equality.

The result made me think a lot about my hometown and what it meant to me after what initially seemed like a vote against my identity. So I went back home to investigate and ended up making this show about growing up there and my changing relationship to the place I call home. In the show I talk about my story, my childhood in rural Ireland as a magical, queer child and how that presents its own challenges. It’s an ambitious blend of theatre and pop music which moves between sweeping choral arrangements and some really fabulous Robyn style beats which premiered and had a sell-out run at Dublin Fringe Festival in 2018.

Of course I’m nothing without my team and it’s taken a lot of work from great artists to make this show. Many on the team have a myriad of skills like David Doyle who produces for the show as well as assisting on the writing and designing the lighting! I think creatives can have many different skills so I don’t see why someone can’t have a dynamic, varied role like this. It keeps every day different!

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

I am super excited to see the new comedy show by comedian Harriet Braine at Gilded Balloon. Harriet does this thing where she’s able merge history and music and somehow make it universal, relevant and hilarious. As a fan of the Eurovision I also have to recommend a fellow Irishman Fionn Foley: his one-man show Brendan Galileo for Europe is whip-smart and hilarious. For those loving a late night out, I am so excited to experience drag icon’s Ginger Johnson’s Happy Place at Pleasance. Wouldn’t you?

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+3 Interview: Legs

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

“It all started in Adelaide. I went to a charity shop with my friend, found a jacket, a hat, and shoes, but couldn’t find trousers. I put on the jacket, hat, and shoes, and started doing a silly walk around the shop trouser-less.”

WHO: Julia Masli: Performer

WHAT: “Legs* are what most humans stand on. They also allow humans to walk, crouch and lunge. If at any point in your life you have used your legs, thought about legs or if you know someone with legs, then this is the show for you. Legs. *Warning: this show may contain legs. ‘You might have trouble explaining to your friends what you just witnessed’ ****½ (TheAdelaidian.net). ‘Massive fun… If you feel the need for a little crazy in your life… they would be the people to provide it” (Kate Copstick).”

WHERE: Just the Tonic at The Caves – Just Up the Stairs (Venue 88) 

WHEN: 21:05 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

We heard people like hiking in Edinburgh, so we thought it’s the perfect place to bring our show about legs here. We had the time of our lives with our previous shows ‘Sensitive Bricks’ and ‘Late Night Nonsense’.

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

The best thing that happened was that we made a show about legs, our favourite limbs. It all started in Adelaide. I went to a charity shop with my friend, found a jacket, a hat, and shoes, but couldn’t find trousers. I put on the jacket, hat, and shoes, and started doing a silly walk around the shop trouser-less. My friend was laughing and said: ‘You have to go on stage like that’. I went on stage dressed like that, it was awkward so I said: ‘Legs’, everyone laughed. Then The Duncan Brothers came on board and we made an hour show about legs. This is the only show I’ve ever been in where I pee myself a little bit backstage every-time.

Tell us about your show.

The Duncan Brothers are real-life brothers, and Julia dreamt to be a Duncan Brother since she met them. Dreams come true.

If at any point in your life you have used your legs, thought about legs or if you know someone with legs, then this is the show for you. Legs. *Warning: this show may contain legs.

We have created the show with direction from the brilliant Dan Lees (The Establishment).

We are planning to take the show to The Vaults Festival, Machynlleth Comedy Festival, Tallinn Comedy Festival and Brighton Fringe.

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

The Pushkinettes: We Must Live – The only hilarious funeral you will ever go to.

Lucy Hopkins: Ceremony of Golden Truth – This woman is magic.

Viggo The Viking – Viggo will make you laugh until you cry.

Courtney Pauroso: Gutterplum – Must see.

The Establishment: La Bureau de Strange – Pure idiocy.

Jack Tucker: Comedy Stand-Up Hour – The best worst stand-up in the whole world.

Siblings: The Siblinginging – Real-life sister rivalry.

Privates: A Sperm Odyssey – A show about sperm!!!

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+3 Interview: Lost Voice Guy: I’m Only in It for the Parking

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“I’m worrying about seeing my flyers being trampled into the cobbles on the streets of Edinburgh while my hopes and dreams come crashing down on me.”

WHO: Lost Voice Guy/Lee Ridley: Performer

WHAT: “Following the unprecedented success of his appearance on the final of Britain’s Got Talent 2018, BBC New Comedy Award winner and star and writer of BBC Radio 4’s comedy series Ability, Lee Ridley (AKA Lost Voice Guy) is back at the Edinburgh Fringe. He may not be able to talk but he definitely has something to say and his comedy will leave you speechless. ‘Laugh-out loud funny’ **** (Independent). ‘Savagely funny… he’s a bloody good comedian’ **** (TheWeeReview.com). ‘Consistently hilarious’ **** (BroadwayBaby.com).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon at the Museum – Auditorium (Venue 64) 

WHEN: 19:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will. be my seventh festival in a row and I’m still as excited as ever to spend some time in Edinburgh. Of course, I’m worrying about seeing my flyers being trampled into the cobbles on the streets of Edinburgh while my hopes and dreams come crashing down on me. But I think the positives of the festival always outweigh the negatives. There’s such a good buzz at the festival, which I’ve honestly never experienced anywhere else in the world. And where else can you catch up with all your mates in one place for a whole month. Granted, Edinburgh isn’t the most accessible of cities for a disabled person like myself, but I do like a challenge!

I’ve been coming up to the fringe to watch stuff ever since I was a teenager, so to come back as a performer is always a real privilege for me. Every year it just seems to get better and better.

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

Since winning Britain’s Got Talent last year, it’s been a pretty crazy time. I’m busier than I ever was before, as a comedian . I’m on my first nationwide tour, and I’ve also written a book which is out now called ‘I’m Only In It For The Parking.

The general public have been so supportive as well. I’m always getting stopped for selfies, and having people congratulate me. And it has been really nice. I’m very grateful for all the kind words I have received. One of the Best things to happen since I won, is that people are engaging with me a lot more than they would have in the past. For the first time, they seem comfortable talking to a disabled person. I’m used to being stared at for negative reasons, so it’s nice to be stared at for positive reasons for a change.

Tell us about your show.

My Edinburgh show will be a typical Lost Voice Guy show, it’ll be cheeky, mischievous and, most of all, very funny. During my Britains got talent experience, the general public were so supportive of me and everyone has been really lovely since, so it’s going to be nice to give something back to them. I’m excited to meet everyone and I hope they enjoy the show.

It’s basically all about the stupid questions that people ask me. The dumbest question yet is probably ‘have I ever tried to talk just to see what would happen?’. As if I had just been lazy all of my life, and therefore just couldn’t be bothered to talk. Like I was only putting it on to take advantage of the disabled parking. But, In case you are wondering, no I haven’t tried to talk before. Mainly because I know nothing would happen. Besides, I’ve built a career out of not being able to speak now. I don’t think I should be encouraging my voice to magically reappear too much. The found voice guy just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

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

Aaron Simmonds show is really good, I’ve heard such good things about it, so that’s definitely worth a watch. I’m also looking forward to seeing Tarot, which is a show from the people behind the hilarious Gein’s Family Giftshop. I’m hoping that it’s going to very dark indeed. Finally, I can’t wait to see Micky P Kerr’s show. We became good friends while doing Britain’s Got Talent, and we have a similar sense of humour, so I’m bound to enjoy it.

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+3 Interview: Nick Horseman: The Rhyme Scheme

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“I was away on my honeymoon in Indonesia. It was all pretty glorious until a massive, devastating earthquake hit about 20 miles away from the island we were on at the time and we then had to evacuate, along with the thousands of other tourists and locals, as it had become unsafe to stay.”

WHO: Nick Horseman: Writer/performer

WHAT: “In 2018, Nick ‘Horse’ Horseman got married, survived a 6.9 magnitude earthquake that killed 450 people and gave up his day job to become the biggest rap superstar of all time. This is his story, told through original beats, rhymes, several jokes and sick hip-hop music vids. Horse was previously half of musical double act Horse & Louis, Musical Comedy Awards runners-up in 2010 with appearances on BBC Radio 2 and 4. This is his first solo Fringe. Press for Horse & Louis: ‘An excellent hour of comedy’ **** (Comedy.co.uk). ‘Very funny’ **** (ThreeWeeks).”

WHERE: Just the Tonic at The Mash House – Just the Attic (Venue 288) 

WHEN: 21:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time here as a solo performer. I used to be part of a double-act (exactly half, in fact) called ‘Horse & Louis’ and we did a few runs here between 2010-2014. Our final show here was a comedy bingo show which attracted an eclectic mix of comedy enthusiasts and die-hard bingo fans. The latter group were decidedly unimpressed at our meddling with their beloved game and gave us quite a hard time but a very valuable lesson: never miss with the bingo-heads. Frightening.

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

Whilst Edfringe 2018 was happening, I was away on my honeymoon in Indonesia. It was all pretty glorious until a massive, devastating earthquake hit about 20 miles away from the island we were on at the time and we then had to evacuate, along with the thousands of other tourists and locals, as it had become unsafe to stay.

I remember sending some pictures of the chaos to a friend who was up at the Fringe at the time and she messaged back: “that’s not fair sending that, you know we don’t have any sunshine up here”. She hadn’t clocked the collapsed buildings and general destruction, just the relentless Indonesian sunshine! She felt pretty bad about it afterwards.

Tell us about your show.

My show is about surviving the earthquake and how it changed my life. I basically decided that life was too short and precarious and that I needed to quit my job immediately and pursue my true calling: hip-hop superstardom. It might be an unlikely career choice for a 37-year-old database administrator but I think I’ve got what it takes to make it. This show is the first step on my journey to the top.

I first performed the show at the Leicester Comedy Festival in February and have since taken it to Machynlleth Comedy Festival, Brighton Fringe and Hastings Comedy Fringe. The final pre-Edinburgh stop was in Buxton, where I was honoured to be nominated in the Buxton Fringe Comedy Awards.

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

If you want to see more comedy hip-hop, go check out Joe Jacobs’ show ‘Grimefulness’, which I’m thoroughly looking forward to. Other musical comics to watch out for this year would be Huge Davies with his show ‘The Car Park’ and Katie Pritchard with ‘Storm Stud’. Joe, Katie and Huge were my personal favourite acts in this year’s Musical Comedy Awards, which I’m lucky enough to host on the regular.

Other shows that I’ve seen in preview and really enjoyed were Joey Page’s ‘Afterlife’ and Nathan Cassidy’s ‘Observational’. Both definitely worth checking out.

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+3 Interview: Judas

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“I’m coming back to Edinburgh for the third year. I had a little toe-in-the-water limited run of six performances in 2017 and got the festival bug.”

WHO: Tim Marriott: Judas

WHAT: “A political thriller with biblical bite. In a contemporary single-faith Middle Eastern state, a charismatic preacher with a radical message of peace emerges from the desert. As violence continues to tear the region apart, his followers are persecuted and imprisoned. A 21st-century Judas is interrogated but is this zealot really the betrayer or betrayed, and who is ultimately pulling the strings? From the same team that presented the sell-out Mengele at Edinburgh Fringe 2018, Judas is ‘an intriguing and relevant parable for our times’ (FringeGuru.com). ‘Magnificent. Riveting. A powerful, moving, and vitally important piece of theatre’ (BroadwayWorld.com).”

WHERE: Assembly George Square – The Blue Room (Venue 8) 

WHEN: 12:05 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’m coming back to Edinburgh for the third year. I had a little toe-in-the-water limited run of six performances in 2017 and got the festival bug. Last year I came back with three shows, one of which, ‘Mengele’, was a sell-out show and picked up some great responses, another, ‘Shell Shock’, picked up a tour of Australia. Against that, we also caught a bit of flak and had our posters vandalised; all part of the fun. We took both shows to Adelaide as well, where we were also lucky enough to sell out, and last month we took ‘Mengele’ to the Avignon Festival which was fantastic, performing right next to the Pont d’Avignon in French and English. We ran subtitles, but in a classic fringe venue, with a low ceiling, it meant we had to perform almost the entire show with our backs to the wings on opposite sides of the stage so that the audience could see the subtitles between us. It didn’t make for dynamically physical performance…

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

The biggest thing of the last year would be that after EdFringe18 we went to Australia to tour ‘Shell Shock’. The show is a mental fitness-themed solo piece framed in a military context, and we toured in support of the Invictus Games in association with the charity Stand Tall for PTS. We went to Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and 22 towns along the way, travelling in a convoy of military and first responder vehicles, blue lights flashing, blaring woo-woos and all! An amazing experience – and only one kangaroo came through a windscreen along the way…

In the last year, we’ve also introduced our new show, ‘Judas’, which we opened at Adelaide Fringe and which we’re bringing to EdFringe19 as well as reprising ‘Mengele’.

Tell us about your show.

We’re producing ‘Judas’ this year after a long process of script editing, rehearsed readings and workshops. In imagining Judas as a 21st century radical religious zealot, the play has relevance in the present and echoes the rhetoric of today in telling a tale from the past. After trying out a version of the play in Adelaide we were encouraged by very positive responses to develop it further and bring it to Edinburgh. We are thrilled to have a truly international cast for such a piece with global resonance and are being joined by Stefanie Rossi from Australia and David Calvitto from the US. By giving the piece a showcase alongside the more established ‘Mengele’ we hope to find producing partners to take the play further afield and repeat the international touring pattern of previous productions. We also hope to raise awareness of the work of Amnesty International, who we are supporting with this show.

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

As always, there’s so much to recommend, but if I had to name one, I’d say that David Calvitto is a must-see. He is an Edinburgh stalwart, a previous Stage Best Actor Winner and has once more teamed up with writer and Fringe First Winner Brian Parks with a solo show ‘The Professor’. I saw a version of this in Adelaide and in David’s hands, this will be a comic masterpiece of a performance, of the best kind, one that gives you much to think about afterwards. Brain’s writing is incredibly clever, witty and downright funny as well as frequently poignant and astute – and David is simply a comedy genius. Go see it!

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+3 Interview: Lovely Girls

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“Using our genre-splatting blend of dance, theatre and comedy, Lovely Girls is a show that is challenging the norms, values and expectations we have set for women.”

WHO: Cristina MacKerron & Chess Dillon-Reams: Performers and directors

WHAT: “Chess and Cristina are multi award-winning duo, The Hiccup Project, often introduced as ‘the lovely hiccup girls’. At first, they didn’t react, because women are supposed to be lovely. But then they started to wonder what else they could be… Using their powerful blend of dance, theatre and comedy, they delve into the ridiculous and limiting contradictions and clichés of being a woman today. Follow Cristina and Chess’ poignant, hilarious and truthful journey where they imagine a world where women can be – and do – whatever they want. A celebration of two women, reclaiming their power.”

WHERE: ZOO Southside – Main House (Venue 82) 

WHEN: 20:50 (70 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Our first Edinburgh Fringe was in 2016, with our first show May-We-Go-Round?, at Dance Base. We didn’t know what to expect, and it was a very positive experience for us. It was such a joy to see the work grow over the run, and meet so many people! We learnt so much, made so many connections and gained so much work from it – that is still continuing to grow!

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

We didn’t get to Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018. We spent most of it recovering from a spring/summer tour of our second show ‘It’s Okay, I’m Dealing With It”. In August 2018, we actually started making Lovely Girls, and it’s been a whirlwind of a journey since then! We worked with Bryony Kimmings and Solene Weinachter in the process. The process has been broken up into lots of different slots.

Tell us about your show.

Lovely Girls is our third show – directed and choreographed by us – Chess and Cristina – the performers, and directors of The Hiccup Project. We dream, write, direct, choreograph the whole shebang!

Using our genre-splatting blend of dance, theatre and comedy, Lovely Girls is a show that is challenging the norms, values and expectations we have set for women. Lovely Girls is a show about finding a voice – a voice that says ‘enough’ to being called just lovely, says ‘no’ to being sidelined and says YES to being whatever we want to be! On a broader level, it’s also challenging how we all want to be seen, and speaking up about it.

After meeting at school, and training at Northern School of Contemporary Dance – we formed the company Brighton in 2014. We’ve made two other shows ‘May-We-Go-Round?’ and ‘It’s Ok, I’m dealing with it’ which have both toured nationally, and performed at both Edinburgh Fringe and Brighton Fringes. Our work always uses social, universal themes, using our real experience/stories, and observational humour – with an aim to connect to audiences no matter their experience in theatre or dance! The work has premiered prior to Edinburgh Fringe – but the show has significantly developed since then – so we’re very excited to get performing!

Post Edinburgh – we are planning a big tour in Spring 2020 – we can’t wait to get it out there!

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

Everyone should go and see HoneyBee, the one-woman show by Eleanor Dillon-Reams. Expect a thumping soundtrack, phenomenal spoken word, beautiful writing and a very engaging performance from her. Not to be missed!

Juliet and Romeo – Lost Dog Dance – a fantastic mix of dance, theatre, and comedy. Juliet and Romeo didn’t die in this story – they’re now married, in their 40s, and struggling. It’s heart warming, painfully honest, beautifully executed.

The South Afreakins – Robyn Patterson – a fantastic one-woman show. Robyn takes both roles of her parents, as they talk about the struggles of living in South Africa. She is a superb actor. A real gem of a piece!

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+3 Interview: Ed MacArthur: Humoresque

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” If we thought about the world as freely and creatively as children, we’d already be living on Mars by now.”

WHO: Ed MacArthur: Performer

WHAT: “Join award-winning Ed MacArthur in this madcap, multi-instrumental, one-man musical comedy. Star of hit shows Inheritance Blues (**** (Scotsman)), Swansong (**** (Stage)), Stack (**** (Fest)) and Murder For Two (**** (Telegraph)), MacArthur returns to delight audiences with his razor-sharp wit and stunning musicianship. ‘MacArthur, straight-backed and deadpan, has talent in spades’ (Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph). Produced by Fringe favourites DugOut Theatre, Humoresque is a hilarious hour in which MacArthur thrills audiences on piano, guitar, accordion, ukulele and more. ‘MacArthur has natural charm and considerable skill’ (Lyn Gardner, Guardian). **** (List). **** (ThreeWeeks). ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). **** (ThePegReview.com). **** (AYoungerTheatre.com). **** (WestEndFrame.com).”

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

WHEN: 14:00 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It’ll be my first fringe as a solo musical comedian, but this will be my 7th fringe as a performer. I’ve been up many times with DugOut Theatre. We did musical comedies for theatres like Inheritance Blues, Stack, Swansong and other less successful shows.

Fringe lowlights include performing in a 3 person sketch show to 3 people, one of whom left to answer the phone halfway through, so we paused the sketch until she came back. Highlights include almost breaking even in 2013.

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

The biggest thing that’s happened to me since I was last at the fringe is working with children. My new show is about teaching young children music and how it’s been very fulfilling and very, very funny. If we thought about the world as freely and creatively as children, we’d already be living on Mars by now. I’ve also got into squash. It’s a fast game, squash.

Tell us about your show.

Humoresque is a madcap multi-instrumental musical comedy solo show, starring me, Ed MacArthur. I’ve been writing the show for a few months, composing songs and playing them to George Chilcott, my director and founder of DugOut Theatre. We’re best mates and have been coming up here since 2010, so we’re gluttons for punishment. The show will be debuting in Edinburgh and then touring afterwards, performing 7 shows in 7 days in 7 different continents!

I’ve actually made that up, but if the offer was on the cards I would happily do it, especially Antarctica. They say a venue should be ‘cold for comedy’.

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

Jack Barry is a wonderful stand up comedian. I could watch him forever. Annie McGrath’s stand up will have people crying with laughter. GoodBear is a fantastic sketch group and I think this year will be their best show yet. They’re absolutely hilarious performers. Difficult to work with, but great guys.

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+3 Interview: Luke Rollason’s Infinite Content

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

“I was cast in a Christmas advert for [well-known clothing brand], and I was flown out to Bulgaria where I was pretty much abandoned, baffled and sleep-deprived, outside my hotel. I wandered around Sophia (the capital of Bulgaria – thanks Google!) for two days, with no idea of when the nightmare would end.”

WHO: Luke Rollason: Performer/Creator

WHAT: “Switch on your phones and switch off your brains, as one idiot enters the cloud and puts his mind on a spin cycle for your entertainment. Welcome to a slapstick Black Mirror that is guaranteed to make us all mutual friends. Viral nonsense from the ‘amazingly entertaining’ ***** (EdFestMag.com) celebrity internet nonentity Luke Rollason. Unlimited calls and texts and time and space and hope and everybody wins an iPad. ‘Made me cry with laughter’ **** (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘Hugely entertaining’ (Chortle.co.uk).”

WHERE: Monkey Barrel Comedy – Monkey Barrel 4 (Venue 515) 

WHEN: 12:00 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

My history with the Edinburgh Fringe is a case study in trial-and-error. I’ve been in children’s theatre (played the role of “table”, was upstaged by giant elephant puppet), experimental physical theatre (upstaged by talking vagina puppet), musicals about political philosophy (upstaged by complex ideas), and last year I performed by debut solo show, which was a one-man David Attenborough nature documentary (upstaged by my technician’s poor Attenborough impersonation).

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

I was cast in a Christmas advert for [well-known clothing brand], and I was flown out to Bulgaria where I was pretty much abandoned, baffled and sleep-deprived, outside my hotel. I wandered around Sophia (the capital of Bulgaria – thanks Google!) for two days, with no idea of when the nightmare would end. Then I was taken to set where I was told, after four hours of waiting, that I had been cut because it took too long to get the actor who played the role of the Christmas Stocking in and out of his costume. But to be fair, he’d been to drama school, and I hadn’t. This complete non-experience was probably instrumental in my decision to make a show about advertising.

Tell us about your show.

My show is a one-man physical comedy show where I attempt to recreate the experience of your brain when you go online. As a result, my show is confusing, distracting, full of unfinished thoughts and (according to my press release!) addictive. My hope is people come back again and again, just to see if they missed something (they haven’t). It’s also super stupid, but has moments where something real and ‘human’ and that involves to connecting with people happens in the room. As part of all the manic chaos, quite a lot is asked of one audience member and the entire show totally hangs on the bond of uncertain trust we’ve built together. It’s an incredibly ambitious hour of high-concept comedy.

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

Straight after my show, people should go see some nature. Turn off their phones and head out onto the meadows or that park next to the train station. Take a bit of digital detox. At the very least, stick their heads in a pot plant. Then, if they are SURE they wanted to consume even more content, they should go and see Lucy Pearman’s new show Baggage, who is also at the Monkey Barrel. There are loads of excellent idiots at the Monkey Barrel – Josh Glanc and Pat Cahill are other favourites of mine. Then go check out the Heroes line up – like the Monkey Barrel, these are all excellent comedians doing Pay What You Want Shows (and unlike the rest of the Fringe, they’ll actually make money from doing them!). I don’t want to just list names, but it would be a real shame to miss Ali Brice’s new show in a bin, Bin Wondering. Finally, go see Privates: A Sperm Odyssey at 5.20pm at Heroes @ Boteco. It’s about sperm, and I’m in it, playing a sperm.

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+3 Interview: Steve N Allen: Better Than

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

“This year’s show takes a step back from the detail and basically looks at why we’re all become worse.”

WHO: Steve N Allen: Writer, performer

WHAT: “In a time when you can’t do right for doing wrong, Steve N Allen (as seen on BBC Two’s The Mash Report) takes a look at how hard it is to be better. When you want to be PC, right on or woke, it can be tough. Be better than a Weinstein. Be better than an angry Twitter egg. Be better than you. An entertaining and sometimes hard-edged guide to better better than. ‘Biting satire’ **** (ThreeWeeks). ‘Cutting wit’ (Time Out). ‘A performer with masses of talent’ (FringeReview.co.uk).”

WHERE: The Stand Comedy Club 2 – Stand 2 (Venue 5) 

WHEN: 20:50 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I have done shows for a few years now but this is the most stand-uppy of stand-up I have done. In the past I have done shows that were topical comedy reviews of the year. I loved those shows and I’m grateful that one of them landed me the chance to get on The Mash Report.

This year’s show takes a step back from the detail and basically looks at why we’re all become worse. I know it doesn’t sound like an uplifting experience but I think it is when you get to the end of it.

I think we all know the right thing to do, but in recent years we have become skilled at finding a reason to do the worse things. We excuse it because we feel wronged, we think other people are worse, we think we can get away with it – come and see my show and find out how to be better than the worst people.

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

In the last year some of the basics have happened – slightly more weight gained, slightly more hair lost – but I have also learned to care less about those things.

I’ve been doing a topical comedy podcast with the BBC. Whenever I do podcasts I notice they are downloaded in lots of foreign countries. I get emails from people who listen in far-flung places. It seems my podcasts are useful in learning English. So in a few years, when lots of tourists come to the UK and have a strange East Midlands accent, I will apologise.

Tell us about your show.

In a sense, this year’s show has been in the works for decades. Every time I have noticed something get worse – from people nicking tables in coffee shops before they have been served, the people who stop to work out where to go next at the top of an escalator, to the people who abuse their power at the top of the political system but make out they’re the victims – I have been working on a plan to be better.

Do I think my show will actually make the world a better place? Of course not, but you can only try.

Putting the bits of the show together has been some of the most fun times I have had on the stand up circuit. It’s been so nice to rant about the small annoyances, to open up about the losses in life and to talk about the joys of living through it all.

There’s a small tour of this show in the works. I’ll spread the word of being better than the worst type of people.

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

Go and see it all. See some political comedy like Erich McElroy’s Radical Centrist, go and see Pete Firman’s special type of comedy and magic (Pete Firman & The Amazing TBC). See a dance show that’s really experimental and you won’t understand it. See some late night comedy that is so raw you’ll feel bad for laughing at some of the jokes (Late N Live). What’s the worst that could happen? You’ll see a bad show but you’ll get a great story out of it.

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