Tag Archives: EdFringe

EdFringe Talk: A Cat in a Box

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“I worked painstakingly to make the show relatable, understandable, engaging, entertaining, heartfelt, and passionate. It had to be more than a series of memories. It had to work as theatre.”

WHO: Tom Nemec

WHAT: “A deeply personal solo play that tells a story everyone can relate to. Through darkly humorous and dramatic monologues, Tom explores love, loss and hope growing up in an alcoholic, dysfunctional family, showing how trauma shapes our lives. Offering that no matter how dark the past, the present holds the possibility of light. ‘Nemec avoids all of the flaws of the genre that make autobiographical solo plays cringeworthy’ (Showtones.com). ‘For a moment, we were united in our collective experience, and in our resolve to heal’ (ArtsIndependent.com).”

WHERE: Theatre 3 at theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall (Venue 53) 

WHEN: 14:05 (50 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes. I’ve never brought a show to Edinburgh before, so I’m excited and a little nervous. The Fringe is huge, and I know I’m going to be one person in one room trying to get people to come see a solo play. That’s scary, but it’s also why I wanted to do it.

What seems special about Edinburgh is that people go there looking for shows. They’re not just killing time. They’re there to discover things. That’s what makes a good festival to me: people taking chances on work they might not normally see.

I’m also learning how different it is to experience a festival as the person producing the show. You’re not just thinking about the performance. You’re thinking about flyers, posters, money, tech, reviews, audiences, and whether anyone is going to show up. But underneath all that, it still comes down to the same thing: get in a room with people and tell the story.

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

The show has been developing for longer than 12 months, but over the past year I’ve learned even more about how much care it takes to turn personal material into a real play.

There are so many things that are part of my story and happened in my life, but not all of them helped me drive this particular play forward. I worked painstakingly to make the show relatable, understandable, engaging, entertaining, heartfelt, and passionate. It had to be more than a series of memories. It had to work as theatre.

The show is grounded in my real experience. I didn’t add stories or invent things to make it more dramatic — though there is one moment where I imagine my Evel Knievel doll coming to life. That’s not there to exaggerate the story; it’s there because it shows how a kid’s imagination can become part of how he survives what’s happening around him.

I’m 60 now, and part of what I wanted was to finally give that 10-year-old boy the voice he didn’t have then.

I’ve also learned how much I really love telling this story. It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a child — and something I needed to do.

I’m proud of the piece I’m bringing to Edinburgh.

Tell us about your show.

A Cat in a Box is an autobiographical solo play about growing up in an alcoholic, dysfunctional family and what you carry from that.

I wrote it, I perform it, and I’m producing it myself. The show came together because this is a story I wanted to tell my entire life. After working for many years on and off as a stand-up comedian and actor, something happened in my life that finally pushed me to tell it.

I started looking for a director who would understand my vision and also help me shape the material into a play that would be relatable and engaging. That’s how I began working with Jim Mendrinos.

The show didn’t premiere before Edinburgh in a formal sense, but I did develop it through workshops and performances in New York, including at The Tank. I’m also presenting it in New York this summer before taking it to the Fringe. After Edinburgh, I’m going to continue touring it to theatres, festivals, and rooms where this kind of story can reach people. I believe the show’s life has just begun, and I believe it can be healing.

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

I’d recommend GLOB by Les Foutoukours. I first saw clips of it on Instagram and was mesmerized, and I can’t wait to see it live. Then I read the description on their website: “A peaceful, serene, deeply human, and comical work that amazes children and gives adults a break from the frantic pace of everyday life.”

That got me. My show is personal and language-driven. GLOB looks like the opposite in the best way — movement, clowning, silence, and wonder. That’s one of the reasons I want to see it.

I’d also recommend Jordan Brookes: The Part of You That’s Always Screaming. I don’t know exactly what to expect from it, which is part of the appeal. I like work that feels risky and not too polished or safe, and his show sounds like it goes into strange, funny, uncomfortable places.

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EdFringe Talk: 3 Times I Killed

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“I’m plant-based and gluten free and I ate so well in Edinburgh last year I feared I wouldn’t fit into my costume by the end of the run.”

WHO: Andrea Coleman

WHAT: “Ever faced impossible odds? Stomach in knots? Needing a miracle? Well, New York attorney Andrea Coleman has. Then she gets Divine communication (yay!) that somehow makes things scarier (no!). As she debates whether to trust these otherworldly instructions or protect her professional image, the courtroom becomes a playground for resilience, identity and digestive distress. Blending courtroom drama and humour, this show celebrates the joy and absurdity of being alive. At its heart, the play asks what happens when you push your fear to the side and let yourself be a “killer”.”

WHERE: Playground 1 at ZOO Playground (Venue 186) 

WHEN: 14:00 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my second time performing at Fringe! I went for the first time last year and absolutely LOVED my time there. The audiences are incredible. I received such great energy from the people I met, there is nothing in the world like an Edinburgh Fringe audience. After the shows people would share their stories with me and connect, I really caught the bug. Fringe is incredibly special. Not to mention the food in Edinburgh is NEXT LEVEL. I’m plant-based and gluten free and I ate so well in Edinburgh last year I feared I wouldn’t fit into my costume by the end of the run. I’m excited to feast again!

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

The creation process can be different for every show. The show I brought to Fringe last year flowed out of me really easily. The show I’m bringing this year was a bear to shape. I didn’t know what it would be or how audiences would respond. It took me a while to absorb that it’s ok if this show doesn’t feel like my last one.

Tell us about your show.

My show is called “3 Times I Killed”, it’s about the 3 most significant times I’ve gotten Divine communication in the courtroom. I’m a NY lawyer and the show is very much about how my identity evolved from being sweet polite Southern girl and turned into being a “Killer” in the courtroom. I wrote the show and Edinburgh will be it’s world premier. I’ve done a handful of work in progress performances here in NY and I’m discovering that the show is quite funny. I wasn’t expecting that, it’s always fun to see which moments an audience will respond to. I hope performing at Fringe gives me an idea of where I’m taking the show after Fringe. I’d love to tour it in London and do an Off Broadway run.

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

My audience should absolutely see the show “Japanese Grandma Funeral” by Kento Morita. Kento and I met a couple years back in the same solo writing class in NYC. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Kento perform and he is INCREDIBLE. His show will be playing at the same venue as mine, ZOO Playground 1 at 17:45 – 18:45.

My audience should also see “EMOJI” by Aarushi Agni another NYC friend of mine. Her show is so full of energy, she sings, educates and tells risky text stories. It won a ton of awards at NY Fringe.

My audience should also go see “Hayes/Shah” about Real Housewife reality star Jen Shah and disgraced biotech entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes. One of the performers is Meg Hayes who I had the pleasure of meeting and befriending many moons ago in San Francisco. She is a delight and a talent.

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EdFringe Talk: It’s A Struggle Coming Ou

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“I taught international teaching assistants how to adjust to America… God. I really hope I learned something from all that.”

WHO: Alec Schwartz

WHAT: “When four Evangelical teens plan to convert citizens for their debutante ball, a closeted goth teen falls for a vampire, igniting a campy crusade of repression, romance and religious hysteria – forcing her to choose between her church, friends and thirst for authenticity. Written and performed by students at USC and fresh off a sold-out run in Los Angeles, It’s A Struggle Coming Out makes its international debut!”

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

WHEN: 18:05 (55min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

As a first time comer to EdFringe, I am unbelievably excited to get to come here for the first time as a Director. EdFringe is renowned the world over for being THE theater festival. The very cutting edge of creativity, where artists the world over come to share and learn from each other. And now I get to participate in that exchange. I’m eager to broaden my horizons and let everyone else get a taste of what my freak flag can offer.

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

I’ve spent the last two years sponging up as much knowledge as I could. I’ve been majoring in acting, minoring in screenwriting, directing a production of Rocky Horror Picture Show, a one act play called Ratdog, this show. I’ve done four original sketch comedy shows. I’ve done weekly improv. I had a one act play of mine produced. I played Brutus in a production of Julius Caesar. I worked at a comedy club, taught international teaching assistants how to adjust to America… God. I really hope I learned something from all that.

Tell us about your show.

There’s vampires. I’d tell you there’s gay people, but you assumed that when you heard there’s vampires. It’s funny, it’s sweet, it’s sincere. It’s campy and fun. It’s a show about love, community, and being yourself. If you like Twilight, Mean Girls, or whimsy, you should see it.

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

After It’s A Struggle, go see the rest of what LATI is bringing to Fringe this year.

Revelation, is running back to back with our production and is fresh off a sold-out run in New York and making its international premiere. It is a genuinely funny piece of new writing about the horror and hope of being American. The four horsemen gather at a Southern diner and toy with ordinary folks like puppets, all while wrestling with the one thing bigger than the end of the world: their own egos.

Guns In Dragonland is back after a critically acclaimed run at last year’s festival with a new production and cast. It’s a powerful and moving show about the very timely subject of gun violence in American classrooms. The show is somehow tender, inventive, yet quietly devastating, the kind of hour that gets people talking long after they leave the theatre.

I would also make sure to catch DECKHAND which received 5 stars at Hollywood Fringe and makes its international debut in the last week of the festival, it is a fast paced comedy set aboard a sinking ship that explores the toxic and nuanced relationship between an assistant and their boss.

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EdFringe Talk: Deckhand

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“While I have so much love for the Hollywood Fringe, I knew from the start that my ultimate goal was EdFringe.”

WHO: Grace Guy

WHAT: “Joseph, an abrasive pushing-40 talent agent, is awoken in the middle of the night to a call from his top-billing client – she’s on Catalina Island for a photoshoot without any of her wardrobe or glam. Joseph arrives at the dock ready to set sail but waits on one last thing: his assistant Fiona. Join Joseph and Fiona as they embark on a tumultuous journey aboard a failing speedboat in this comedic look at the divide between agent and assistant. Fresh off a sell-out run in Los Angeles, Deckhand makes its Edinburgh Fringe debut!”

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

WHEN: 18:10 (50 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

When I was a senior at Emerson College, I studied comedy in London for a semester. During that time, I was lucky enough to go to the Fringe for the very first time. It was the most vibrant and lively festival, and though I got very little sleep between the shows and parties, it remains one of the best memories of my school years. EdFringe is a taste of everything. It’s the Mecca of theatre, comedy, clown, variety, stand-up—the list goes on. I knew then that one day I would come back with my own show.

Last year, my show DECKHAND made its debut at the Hollywood Fringe, and while I have so much love for the Hollywood Fringe, I knew from the start that my ultimate goal was EdFringe. Bringing this show to Edinburgh Fringe expands our audience beyond the American scope and helps us share a story that is universal to so many young people trying to break into a closed-off industry. At its core, DECKHAND is a comedic look at the divide between agent and assistant, focusing on two careerists of different generations, genders, and social backgrounds to examine the deepening divide between employer and employee.

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

In 2024, I was still working and grinding it out as a Hollywood assistant. I was grabbing coffees, getting yelled at over the phone, and hoping that one day the experience would lead to something great. It led me straight to DECKHAND. This story is based on my own experience as an assistant. My ultimate goal in writing this project was to shed light on the underlying torment assistants like me are subjected to day in and day out. This show became a cathartic love letter to every assistant I worked with along the way.

I’ve learned many lessons throughout this journey, the first of which is that speaking out against unfair treatment in an industry where you hope to find success is not without its challenges. Finding the courage to share my experience despite the risk of professional retaliation from men who benefit from silence has been an overwhelming challenge. None of this could have happened without the lighthouse of our project, our director, Wylie Anderson. Wylie and I shared in the misery of watching men parade around Los Angeles making demands while searching for parking. We took that hardship and turned it into the laugh-riot torture cruise that DECKHAND is today.

Tell us about your show.

DECKHAND is a high-speed comedy about power dynamics, confronting your reality, and how much work sucks. If you’ve ever worked a nine-to-five (or two to ten or four to one) and been promised more after years of soul-grinding service, then you’ll find something to laugh at here. The play uses a literal maritime disaster to explore a professional one. As Joseph and Fiona struggle to keep their speedboat afloat, their employer-employee relationship begins to unravel, revealing the absurdity and fragility of modern workplace hierarchies.

The show was written by me and directed by the incredible Wylie Anderson, whose recent film Thanks for Having Me premiered at the Palm Springs International ShortFest. She also directed How to Cry on Command, starring Christopher Cassarino, best known for his work on New Amsterdam (2018), NCIS: New Orleans (2018), and Mercy Street (2016). Scenic design is by Alex Mollo, whose work can be seen on stage in Ironbound (2023) and on screen in Euphoria (2025) and Yellowbelt Gallery (2024).

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

Honestly? All of our sister shows with Los Angeles Theatre Initiative! Guns In Dragonland somehow makes a show about gun violence in schools tender, hopeful, and impossible to look away from. It’s A Struggle Coming Out is camp to it’s fingertips and one of the sharpest queer comedies debuting in Edinburgh this year. And Revelation will have you laughing about the apocalypse in a diner in North Carolina and questioning what it means to challenge your beliefs and culture. Each show is student written and presented by young artists from the most esteemed universities in the states and I can’t wait to see them sell out!!

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EdFringe Talk: Lt Love Dr’s Boot Camp for Lonely People Like You

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“I’ve begun to really find my pleasure on stage, and am getting more comfortable trusting my impulses.”

WHO: Chloe Matonis

WHAT: “Meet Lt Love Dr Hotty McTotty – a futuristic soldier who has travelled back in time from 2075. Her mission: to revive human connection. Through a series of drills including: small talk, eye contact and speed dating, audiences will rally together to combat our increasingly isolated reality. This hilarious, heartfelt and surprisingly impactful show will inspire you to make friends, disconnect from the digital world and rediscover what it means to be human. ‘The beating heart of Fringe comedy’ **** (BroadwayBaby.com).”

WHERE: The Saloon Bar at Just The Tonic at Westside Rodeo (Venue 25) 

WHEN: 18:40 (50 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my third time performing at EdFringe! The first year I attended, 2024, was as a cast member on Broken Planet Show. I played Lt. Love Dr. Hotty McTotty and had a ~5 minute act. The following year, I returned with Broken Planet Show, but also with a 10-day run of Lt. Love Dr. Hotty McTotty’s 50-minute solo show! This year, 2026, I am doing a full-month run of my Lt. Love Dr. solo show. Coming as part of another person’s show was a great way to get exposed to Ed Fringe and build up the confidence to come back with my own solo show. Every year you come, you learn something new.

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

I spent 3 months studying at Ecole Philippe Gaulier in France, where I learned many valuable performance lessons. I’ve begun to really find my pleasure on stage, and am getting more comfortable trusting my impulses. My show is starting to shift from being a piece of theatre to becoming an interactive experience where people can meet each other. One lesson that I keep re-learning is that marketing your show and selling tickets is continuously challenging!

Tell us about your show.

My show is a labor of love (literally!). It is written by, produced by, and performed by me. It began as a performance art piece I did on the sidewalk when I was incredibly lonely living in Chicago. I started posing as Lt Love Dr Hotty McTotty in a genuine attempt to meet people! I thought if I stood outside of grocery stores and bars, inviting people to “join the grassroots movement to save human connection”, I might actually make some friends (I did). Then I became part of Broken Planet Show, and developed the character, Lt Love Dr Hotty McTotty, into a cabaret act. A year later, I decided that Lt Love Dr deserved her own full-length show. It premiered in Chicago 2025, and has since run in NYC, Atlanta, Boston, and Las Vegas!

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

I’ve already brought it up a few times, but BROKEN PLANET SHOW!!! created by former Blue Man, Callum Grant, this show is all about healing planetary divide through a celebration of silliness. If you like family-friendly, multi-disciplinary, outrageous FUN, then you’ll love this show. You’ll laugh your socks off and leave feeling hopeful.

Lizzy Sunshine by Liz Coin – Liz is an expert performer who beautifully blends comedy and tragedy into this heart-felt solo show.

The Most Toast by Ollie Horn Comedy – this is an outrageous experience showcasing expert crowd work and one hilarious premise. Everyone in the room must answer, who among them has eaten the most toast?”. It usually runs for 1 or 2 days only, so get tickets quick!

Classic Penguins by Garry Starr – one man bares all to summarize dozens of Penguin Classics in 1 hour. I can’t say much more.. come with an open mind!

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EdFringe Talk: When We Were Young

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“As a punter, it’s dangerous for the bank balance! You head out to see one show and somehow end up seeing five.”

WHO: Liam Lambie

WHAT: “The public and critically acclaimed, multi award-winning When We Were Young is back for 2026. This five-star show goes beyond the tabloid stereotype of ‘neds’ to tell a powerful and hilarious story about the realities of gang culture and young team mentality in Glasgow during the 90s. Follow the lives of one of the many young teams who polluted the streets of the city during a time when it was known as the murder capital of Europe.”

WHERE: Space 2 at theSpace on the Mile (Venue 39) 

WHEN: Varies (50 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No – we made our Fringe debut last year, and what an introduction it was! We were lucky enough to have a completely sold-out run, pick up multiple awards and meet so many brilliant people along the way. It was everything everyone had told us it would be… and then some.

As a producer, the Fringe is equal parts exciting and terrifying. One minute you’re flyering in the rain wondering if anyone is going to turn up, the next you’re chatting to someone who’s travelled halfway across the world to see your show. There’s nowhere else quite like it.

As a punter, it’s dangerous for the bank balance! You head out to see one show and somehow end up seeing five. The best thing about the Fringe is that every corner has something happening. You can walk into a show knowing absolutely nothing about it and come out having discovered your new favourite performer. That unpredictability is what makes it so special, and why people keep coming back year after year.

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

The biggest lesson for me has been to trust your instincts. It’s easy to second-guess yourself, especially when you’re creating your own work, but I’ve realised that if you believe in the story you’re telling, that’s what matters most. Last year really reinforced that. We took When We Were Young to the Fringe, backed ourselves, and the response completely blew us away.

I’ve also learned that you don’t have to do everything on your own. Surrounding yourself with people you trust, listening to your cast and creative team, and being open to new ideas always makes the end result stronger. I’m still learning every day, but I’d like to think I’ve become a bit better at trusting the process

Tell us about your show.

When We Were Young was written by me, Liam Lambie, and is produced by Geez a Break Productions. I originally wrote the play to tell an honest Scottish story that went beyond the headlines, exploring friendship, family, gang culture and the choices that can shape young lives.

The show premiered in 2022 and has since toured theatres across Scotland, picking up multiple awards, five-star reviews and building an incredible following along the way. Last year we made our Edinburgh Fringe debut with a sold-out run, and we’re delighted to be returning this year.

After the Fringe, we’ll be heading straight back out on tour, with performances across Scotland, including The Pavilion Theatre, East Kilbride Arts Centre, Lanternhouse in Cumbernauld and a number of other venues. It’s brilliant to see the show continuing to reach new audiences while welcoming back those who’ve supported it from the very beginning.

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

One of my favourite things about the Fringe is discovering shows you’d never planned to see. You go in with no expectations and sometimes come out wondering why they’re not playing to thousands every night. So my advice would be to leave a few gaps in your schedule and take a chance on something you’ve never heard of.
The Fringe is at its best when everyone supports each other, so if someone hands you a flyer with a smile, maybe give them an hour of your time. You never know, you might just find your favourite show of the festival.

Go see AuldLang Sings. We have a few friends in that 🙂

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EdFringe Talk: The Stevenson Experience: O Brother, Where Art Thou! (On stage, beside me)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“The lesson is to step out of the rat race a little and really work on the craft off-stage, which makes the show on-stage that much better.”

WHO: Benjamin Stevenson

WHAT: “Two-time Perth Fringe World Best Comedy Show nominees, Thurber Prize semi-finalist, over two million copies sold – Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone book series. Identical twins. Musical comedy. Sibling rivalry. The Stevenson Experience deliver a brand-new show of hilarious songs, razor-sharp banter and good natured (extremely personal) rivalry. Since their last visit Benjamin wrote multiple bestselling novels which are being adapted by Amazon for television. James also did cool stuff, but whatever, he doesn’t like to brag. ‘An absolute highlight of Fringe’ ****½ (Advertiser, Adelaide).”

WHERE: Underground at Assembly George Square Studios (Venue 17) 

WHEN: 19:30 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It’s our 4th Fringe, but in a way it feels like our first, as we are returning off a five year hiatus. Some pesky flu kept us down in Australia for a couple of years, and then it took another few years for the timing to be right. We’ve got all of the nerves of our very first fringe all over again! Though this time we know what to do (take the day off!) and what not to do (don’t eat hot chips every day!).

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

Taking your time with things! I think when you start out in comedy it’s very much a hamster wheel of new material – particularly the festival circuit, doing a new hour every year. We’ve now learned that we write a better show if we spend 1 year working on it, and 1 year touring it. So the lesson is to step out of the rat race a little and really work on the craft off-stage, which makes the show on-stage that much better.

Tell us about your show.

Our show is us, identical twin brothers, telling jokes and singing songs about our lives and our relationship as brothers. Yes, we are real twins. More accurately though, we’ve been away from the Fringe for 5 years, and in that time we’ve done 3 national tours of Australia. This show is the absolute best pieces of those tours combined into one as it is all brand new material for Edinburgh, so it’s lightning fast and packed with gags, and something we are really excited to share. This will probably be the end of the show’s run before we turn to our next local tour back home.

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

Sammy J’s Hero Complex is simply one of the best comedy shows I’ve seen. He debuted it a decade ago and this is his first time back to the Fringe in 12 years (says the website, I’m not stalking him…)

Otherwise: SEE THE AUSTRALIANS. We have such a great scene with so many fresh ideas and talents. Ray O’Leary (Kiwi, but we can adopt him) and Frankie McNair both have great shows.

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EdFringe Talk: Max Davidson: Strangers

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“Your outcome is directly correlated to how much work you put in. Last year, I didn’t prepare well enough, and I struggled a ton.”

WHO: Max Davidson

WHAT: “An interactive mentalism show where the audience plays a central role, and no secret – or phone passcode – is safe. The sold-out sensation comes to Edinburgh on the heels of multiple U.S. tours and NYC runs. Part mind-reading, part storytelling, the show is ultimately a joyful celebration of the beauty we find in strangers when we slow down enough to see them. A Time Out NYC Top Magic Show. As seen at The Magic Castle, Caesars’ Palace and in the NYT.”

WHERE: Just The Tonic at The Subway at Just The Tonic at Subway (Venue 27) 

WHEN: 17:50 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my second Edinburgh Fringe, and I’m excited to have my sea legs under me. Last year, I went effectively as a trial, and this year, I feel like I know a bit more about what I’m doing. I’m constantly reflecting on why I’m doing it. After all, it’s such a hard endeavor. But I’m slowly realizing—that’s the point. The challenge is the fun part. That, and the fact that it’s a massive festival with all your friends for a month. And in addition, you get to perform every day. What more could you ask for??

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

Your outcome is directly correlated to how much work you put in. Last year, I didn’t prepare well enough, and I struggled a ton. This year, I’ve prepared well and assembled a phenomenal team around me, and I know that fringe is so much more likely to go well (As in, sell more tickets, have a better show, etc).

I’ve also always been a big proponent, as a magician, of getting in your reps in any way possible. I’ve done my show Strangers a ton of times over the last 12 months throughout the U.S., so I’m confident, going into Edinburgh, that I’ll have a good product because I’ve gotten to test it in the States so many times.

Tell us about your show.

My show, Strangers, is a mentalism and mind-reading show that I’ve written over the last three years. It started as my simple corporate show that I’d perform at private bookings around the U.S. It slowly morphed into a tighter product specifically for public shows, with more of a through line and consistent setlist.

At much as it is a mind-reading/magic show, it is also about the audience. The show changes every night based on the audience’s choices—so even though the structure is the same, the content totally depends on who’s in the room. For example, each night I guess people’s passwords, the cities they’ve traveled to, and specific objects in their homes, among other things. I look forward to learning about people’s choices every night!

After Edinburgh, the goal is to film the show and put it on YouTube.

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

There’s so many great shows! If you’re looking for more magic, I highly recommend my friends Colin Cloud (Hoax at Pleasance Grand) and The Duo: A Three Person Magic Show (The Space). If you’re looking for storytelling, I’d send you to Olivia Raine Atwood’s Oops (a truly phenomenal one-woman show that’s as heartfelt and poignant as it is funny at Gilded Balloon) and Lizzy Sunshine. Finally, in musical comedy, check out Couplet’s Folk Marry Kill!

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Bedfringe 2026 Interview: Musical Chairs

Posted in *Written Interviews, Bedfringe 2026 by

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“BedFringe is a lovely boutique festival, with some excellent spaces and a discerning audience.”

WHO: Ashley Frieze

WHAT: “Musical Chairs was set up in 2023 when Friz Frizzle, Edi Johnston and Ashley Frieze were chatting on Facebook about the unwritten rule that musical comedians are never allowed to be on the same bill.

If only that rule could be broken…

A few hours of admin later, their “make a wish” was granted and they’ve been roaming comedy festivals in the UK every since.

It’s simply an hour of wonderful musical stand-up comedy, proving you can have multiple musical comedians on the bill… and nobody gets hurt.

Song ruiner Friz Frizzle is joined by the daft, exuberant Ashley Frieze, and the droll and sharp Edi Johnston.”

WHERE: Quarry Theatre

WHEN: 25 July 2026 @ 16:00 (60mins)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Bedfringe?

This is our first time coming to BedFringe. We’ve expanded our tour to cover the major UK Fringe and Comedy Festivals this year, excepting Edinburgh. We’ve played our solo shows at Fringe festivals before, but this trio show is a lot harder to coordinate, and so we’ve been selective about the places to put it on. BedFringe is a lovely boutique festival, with some excellent spaces and a discerning audience.

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

Last year I put on a show at the Edinburgh Fringe in which I didn’t appear – Ashley Frieze Is Not Coming. What I learned from that is that there’s a lot of admin and no real pleasure in putting on no show. This year is more admin, but a lot more fun going to the different Fringes and seeing a variety of lovely audiences. We’re lucky to have found people who like what we do.

Tell us about your show.

There’s an unwritten law in stand-up comedy – you should not have more than one musical act on the same bill. We’ve got three… and more than one instrument per person. It’s a chance for us to show that there’s a lot we do differently to each other as musical comics, while also a lot we have in common. We even have a little band for the last song.

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

Go and see Mitch Benn. Now.

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EdFringe Talk: Did You Charge Your Phone for the End of the World AND Oops! We Lost a Nuke

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“The festival is a dream — drinking absurd theater from a fire hose.”

WHO: Fletcher Michael

WHAT: Did You Charge Your Phone for the End of the World “The year is 2034. A city-demolishing asteroid is heading for Brooklyn. The government refuses to alert the public of the impending catastrophe until a boutique advertising agency can come up with a positive rebrand for the calamitous asteroid.”

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

WHEN: 19:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

AND: Oops! We Lost a Nuke “…is a comedic play set in the 1950s, featuring four characters performed – sometimes simultaneously – by two actors. When an unassuming pacifist abuses his position within the US government in order to hide a nuclear warhead, it becomes clear that his affair with his secretary and his wife’s affair with her doctor are the least of their worries. As the government closes in, secrets come to light.”

WHERE: Just The Snifter Room at Just The Tonic at The Mash House (Venue 288) 

WHEN: 19:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will actually be my second year attending Edinburgh Fringe Festival as a producer. Last year Infinite Monkey Theater Co. brought our sketch comedy show, Chimp Cocktail, for a three show run, and that taste of the Fringe left me wanting more. So for this year’s fringe, we’ll be bringing two shows (Did You Charge Your Phone for the End of the World? and Oops! We Lost a Nuke) which will run in tandem for the last two weeks of the festival. The festival is a dream — drinking absurd theater from a fire hose. Where else is space sanctioned for us weirdos to make and enjoy the strange and wonderful things we like to see on stage?

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

My biggest takeaway from the past year is that time moves quickly! You’d think that clocking this fact would make me slow down and be monastically chill about appreciating the present moment, but that doesn’t seem to be how I’m wired. Prepping for an international tour seems to require that I obsessively check and recheck all the little bureaucratic minutiae necessary for putting on a show in a foreign country. But the other lesson I’ve learned is that I am not alone in my pursuit! This extends not just to my amazing castmates, Lucy Boisvert and Collin Dennis, who are endlessly helpful to me, but also all the other folks you meet before, during, and after the Fringe. We’re all nuts for live theater, and we all know what it takes to be successful, so the community of the Fringe’s producing artists — whether here in New York City or across the pond in Scotland — becomes an essential support network.

Tell us about your show.

Did You Charge Your Phone for the End of the World? is a darkly absurd, satirical comedy set in the year 2034. A city-demolishing asteroid is heading for Brooklyn. The government refuses to alert the public of the impending catastrophe until a boutique advertising agency can come up with a positive rebrand — in the form of an upbeat jingle — for the calamitous space rock. It is written and directed by me (Fletcher Michael) and, because I’m a psychopath, I also perform in the show alongside the very talented Lucy Boisvert and Collin Dennis.

We’re also bringing our show Oops! We Lost a Nuke, which is a a comedic play set in the 1950s, featuring four characters performed – sometimes simultaneously – by two actors!

Infinite Monkey Theater Co. has produced nearly thirty shows since its founding in 2023, ranging from our hit Off-Broadway sketch comedy show, Chimp Cocktail, to several full-length comedic plays that have appeared in festivals around New York City. The company is formed from a grab-bag of improvisers, sketch comedians, and actors who I’ve met through various classes and projects, and I’ve collaborated with Lucy and Collin on nearly every IMTCo. production. Did You Charge Your Phone for the End of the World? made its world premiere at New York City Fringe in April 2026, and we’re hoping to ride the critical acclaim we received from that run on to critical acclaim in Scotland this August.

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

After you’ve seen the two shows we’ll be bringing to this year’s Fringe (Did You Charge Your Phone for the End of the World? and Oops! We Lost a Nuke), you MUST see SLUGS. I saw it last year and it changed how I think about live theater. In fact, it was a huge inspiration for the shows we’ll be bringing to this year’s festival. It’s wild, absurd, hilarious, moving, and unforgettable.

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