Tag Archives: EdFringe

‘Aaaand Now for Something Completely Improvised’ (Venue 17, Aug 9-11)

Posted in 3*, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Nae Bad by

“This is a fun show by fun people for folks who aren’t minded to splash all their Fringe cash on dead parent, my house was bombed by moomins, what’s the point of existence? serious and sombre stuff.”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars (Nae Bad)

We enter to find the troupe dishing out Opal Fruits, interacting with the audience, and getting the energy levels up. It’s a very welcoming space. You can feel the energy crackling. It’s obvious that the chaps on stage really enjoy working together and we’re all invited to share the bromance. An absent-minded grandparent is about to tell a story to his grandlings, but what story? Any suggestions?

What follows is an entirely unpredictable series of vignettes, sidebars, and recurring characters. When the chaps ask if anyone has ever heard of Sunderland Footballer Len Shackleton, not actually the brother of Earnest, it’s all I can do to stop my Geordie GetYourCoatsOn colleague, the one with a still unwritten play about Colin Veitch, from launching into his favourite before, during, and after dinner lecture – luckily he’s busy chewing on an Opal Fruit.

Over the course of the hour we’re in the sea. We’re on an island. We’re on a rollercoaster of madcappery and bonkersosity that provides much merriment. This is a fun show by fun people for folks who aren’t minded to splash all their Fringe cash on dead parent, my house was bombed by moomins, what’s the point of existence? serious and sombre stuff.

I have to admit I raised an eyebrow when I read the show’s listing at EdFringe.com – “Improv Legends” is a strong sell. It’s also an admission that the show is not new. So is it still fresh? Is it still quick-witted? Certainly, these Oxford Imps almuns have appeared (and are appearing) in some of the best-known improv shows at the festival including ‘Austentatious’ and ‘Adventures of the Improvised Sherlock Holmes’. Definitely, they are good at what they do. However, undeniably, there is a flatness and a whiff of complacency. Like an undergased, overpriced pint in a plastic glass from a popup bar there’s something there that’s missing. At several points, when the ball slips into dead air, I find myself wishing Len Shackleton would give the boys a talking-to in the dressing room about the importance of possession and positioning.

I would like to see this show getting back to basics and resting on a few fewer laurels. The best thing about improv is that it exists only in the moment, so the moment matters more than anything before or after. There’s plenty more Fringe in the sea lads, so stop treading water. This improv needs improving if the best days are still ahead.

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‘Chokeslam’ (Venue 8, Aug 9-10, 12-25)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Outstanding by

“Tegan Verheul might not be doing any of the moves. She might not be that comfortable standing on a chair even, but she delivers an inspiringly fearless performance.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

I don’t know anything about professional wrestling except that it has something to do with ‘Moana’ and the greatest movie ever made – ‘The Scorpion King’. Tegan Verheul on the other hand fell head over heels in love with pro-wrestling even as she fell in and then out of love with her husband. It’s not hard to see why creative people would be drawn into the high-energy, high-stakes, high-cannot-believe they just did that world within a world of big muscles, big personalities, and even bigger rivalries.

Pro wrestling immediately captures the imagination in a way that only the very top six or seven Fringe productions about the impacts of climate change on inland colonies of kittiwakes during the prohibition era can. Is mass appeal crass appeal? Who chuffing cares if it makes people happy?!

Tegan Verheul might not be doing any of the moves. She might not be that comfortable standing on a chair even, but she delivers an inspiringly fearless performance that will leave you feeling like you too could just about pull off an Inverted Death Valley driver on the grandmother of whichever EBay bidder it was who jumped in at the last minute and stole that mint condition Saraya Jade Bevis action figure from under your nose.

Just like the megastars she’s describing, Verheul has a pedigree scaffolding her rise to greatness. I don’t know if The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama or the Guildhall School of Music and Drama offer programmes in pro wrestling, but maybe it’s time they did. It is a joy to hear one highly trained professional throw so much love and light on the work, dedication, struggles, and legacy of those working another cultural seam. This is a show that hits all the high notes (with a steel chair) even for an admittedly disinterested newbie. This is a show that simply crushes those same high notes (and makes them cry for their meemaw) with the wrestling super fans in the audience who are on the edge of their seats from the get-go and on their feet stomping like Rey Mysterio just slammed Silo Sam into the mat.

The show is structured with a double-helix. It’s a fan’s starstruck journey and it’s also a woman’s heartsick journey. There is a pretty hefty shovel in my garage and I would take it kindly if you would bash my brains out with it the very moment I ever turn down a woman like Tegan Verheul. But somebody did! Repeatedly! leaving Tegan feeling starved of love even as her cup of wrestling friendships overflowed.

If you have ever felt underappreciated, this is a show for you. If you have ever wondered what it takes to step back, re-evaluate, pick a new life course, abandon the disappointing but familiar present and take a chance on the possibility that you too deserve to be loved and happy, then this is a show for you. If you are totally unmoved by pro wrestling but simply love a cracking bit of storytelling delivered by a professional at the top of their game and loving it, then this a show for you.

Get your Wrestlemania coats on and go see this!

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EdFringe Talk: Songs for a (Brave) New World – Free

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“My show is a satirical cabaret.”

WHO: Richard Lewis

WHAT: “Songs for a (Brave) New World. Richard Lewis follows up last year’s hit show A Cabaret called Hamlet by looking at the state of the world in 2024. Whether it’s politics, digital dating, Trump, green issues or political correctness, Richard finds a musical reason to spotlight the natural absurdity of the human race – and if that’s not your cup of tea, just sit back and enjoy the piano playing! ‘Not only is Lewis’ patter quick-fire and knowledgeable, but his piano playing is sublime’ **** (JonathonBaz.com, 2023).”

WHERE: PBH’s Free Fringe @ Fingers Piano Bar – Fingers Piano Bar (Venue 221) 

WHEN: 16:20 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’m from Edinburgh and did my first show here when I was 10 for the Edinburgh International Festival. Since then I’ve done numerous shows here both at the fringe and the Edinburgh International festival.

The fringe is great, but always a challenge. With the EIF, you just get a fee which makes your life a lot easier!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

The biggest thing is, I’m very grateful to be an Edinburgh resident. God knows how anyone else is able to afford it…

Tell us about your show.

My show is a satirical cabaret looking at contemporary themes such as digital dating, politics, environmental issues and anything else I could think of.

I try to mix as many musical styles as possible as my background is in classical as well as pop and musical theatre.

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

I confess, I haven’t seen anything else as yet! I’m doing two shows a day and rehearsing a third one.

I am musical director on Wallis at The Space and very very happy to plug my excellent colleagues on that show.

From the 19th to the 25th, I do Liberace in his own words.

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EdFringe Talk: The Techtonics: 44 Days of Liz Truss (A Cappella)

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“I went into the 2023 festival as a tourist with zero information on it other than that Fleabag originated there.”

WHO: Alex Christopherson

WHAT: “It’s been a bumpy few years in UK politics, and one story is particularly comical: Liz Truss’s stint as prime minister. In 44 days, Trussonomics tanked the economy, her cabinet made more U-turns than Mr Bean on a roundabout and, after one meeting, the Queen passed away. Who could be more fitting to tell this story than an all-male a cappella group of nerds from Imperial College London? Not just any group though: the only UK group to have won the ICCAs! Yes, that’s the competition in Pitch Perfect.”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – Doonstairs (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 11:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Even though I actually put Edinburgh as my insurance university, the first time I ever visited was for the Fringe last year and I fell in love with both the city and the festival. I had never seen such an amazing and diverse display of the arts which, as a performer my whole life, was really special. It’s not the first time the group has been to the Fringe though – back in 2016 The Techtonics had a sell-out show, though none of the current members were there. Once the trauma of those stressful few months had been forgotten, talk of going back resurfaced, and that’s when I had this idea…. the alumni still think we are crazy.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

What haven’t I learned? I went into the 2023 festival as a tourist with zero information on it other than that Fleabag originated there. Now we’re about to start our run at the 2024 festival with a show I’ve written, directed, and am starring in! Safe to say there has been a lot to learn, and I’ve gained a real appreciation for just how much work goes into putting on a stage show. It seems endless, but it’s worth it!

Tell us about your show.

Weirdly, the group was formed as part of the Imperial College Croquet Society in 2008 when a group of guys realised they had a mutual love of A Cappella. Over many generations of “techtoddlers” we’ve released three albums, been on international tours and won and hosted competitions, but this show is something very new for us.

I came up with the idea myself just after Liz’s chaotic premiership back in Autumn 2022 as the group were planning what to do the following Summer. Eventually we decided not to go to Fringe and instead head on tour to the USA, but the idea stuck with me. When the same conversations happened ahead of the next academic year, I teamed up with Alex Li (together we are called Alex Squared) to pitch the show again. Our president, Robert Brickle, joined to produce the show and friend of the group Mari Dickenson came on to choreograph. Its been a roller-coaster ride putting this together, especially alongside Summer term at university! We did manage to preview the show back in June though, so are very excited to be coming to Fringe next week!

What have we got planned for after the Fringe? Well, that’s up to the returning and new members of the group! Sadly, this is my last project with the group, but it won’t be over right after our last show because we are making a film of the show too!

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

Where to begin? Of course I have to recommend our A Cappella partners in crime from the University of Bath, Aquapella. Unlike our show, theirs is just an hour of music (no politics!), but boy is their music good. If you see two A Cappella shows this year, make it them and us, and, better still, we’re in the same venue, one after the other!

My other university group recommendation is Musical Theatre Warwick: The Improv Musical. Every show is different and based on audience prompts, but somehow the singers and jazz band come up with a full soundtrack right in front of you!? I really don’t know how they do it, but its incredible and hilarious every time.

Moving away from student groups, I am super excited to see Newscast and No Such Thing as a Fish live at the Fringe! These two podcasts are where a lot of my random/topical facts come from for our own show!

Of course, my inpiration isn’t just podcasts… I am an absolute sucker for stand up comedy and topical panel shows, so I can’t wait to go see Hannah Gadsby and Tiff Stevenson.

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‘A Montage of Monet’ (Venue 236, Aug 9-10, 12-17)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals, EdFestivals 2024, Greenside, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by

“An aged-up Stephen Smith plays the eponymous artist with all the power and emphasis that can be mustered by a younger actor playing an old man.”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Nae Bad)

This is a very engaging and thoughtful show presenting the life, loves, and art of the legendary French impressionist painter, Claude Monet. As we are shown, the great artist’s private life was certainly full enough of drama, crisis, and angst to justify a play. This production, a piece of well-crafted new writing by Joan Greening, takes us on a journey to Belle Epoque Paris and beyond, offering much entertaining insight into the bohemian world of these creative types whilst shattering a few myths about what drives their urge to paint.

The small, black box Mint Studio of Greenside @ George Street is simply transformed into the artist’s world by means of a few props and we see Monet’s instantly recognisable works projected onto a blank canvas standing on an easel. An aged-up Stephen Smith plays the eponymous artist with all the power and emphasis that can be mustered by a younger actor playing an old man. Two characteristics of this production give it a very intimate feel. The lighting is deliberately kept fairly low – much at odds with the bursting colour of Monet’s canvases, but subtly encouraging introspective focus on the man himself. Secondly, the monologue is quietly underscored by original piano music by Joseph Furey playing in the background. I’m not usually a fan of incidental music in theatre, but this gently melodic accompaniment adds a wistful backdrop to Monet’s tale.

The human story behind the legendary paintings is often fascinating and revealing. Monet was no saint: an aesthete, but no angel. The roller coaster of his love life often belies the tranquillity evoked by his art. His relationships with fellow artists were often complex, whilst catastrophic events in his own life often threatened his very ability to create his works. Spiced with moments of humour and wit, there are also many surprising revelations concerning the stories behind some of his most celebrated images. No spoilers here, but I’ll never look at his famous Water Lilies paintings in the same way again, having been told how the subject matter in his garden pond at Giverny was so beautifully arranged. There was even a word of warning for us critics in learning how the name of the genre Impressionism arose from some laboured mockery by an infamous and now largely forgotten journalist.

Of the many solo shows on offer at the Fringe, a number are always biographical dramatisations of some historical person’s life: often a literary or show business figure, or more rarely, an artist. The problems inherent in representing an artist’s life on stage include: the sedentary nature of their work; talented individuals leading often dull and uneventful private lives; and the difficulty of making drama from the creation of still-life in the shape of a canvas or sculpture. In a different show I saw earlier this week, we watched an actor physically recreate a painting brush-in-hand as she spoke to the audience in character as the artist in question; very talented and skilled, but not great theatre and more suited to the radio. This production does not make the same mistake and is thus well worth going along to see.

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Jess Carrivick: Attention Seeker (WIP) at Venue 236 until 24th AUG (not 11th or 18th)

Posted in 5*, Comedy, EdFestivals 2024, Greenside, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“…a must-see for anyone who loves comedy; it would also serve as a masterclass for those who hope to bring a one-hander show to the Fringe.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

Regular readers of this site will know that I’ve got a bit of a thing about solo shows this year. They’ve been one of the mainstays of the Fringe for decades (especially one-woman shows) and are becoming a genre all of their own. The quality of such shows can be highly variable, but this one is the best I’ve seen this summer by a country mile.

Jess Carrivick is a self-confessed “almost” ex-child TV star nepo baby and in this show she tells the story of her life. In a whirlwind of character vignettes, multiple costume changes, bits, skits, and sketches, she whisks us on an absurdist journey which showreels her first ten years that peaked with BBC TV sitcom stardom in the noughties. Apart from one genuinely tearful episode this is a laugh-a-minute romp, see-sawing between hilarious observations on the mundanity of post-fame life and peeks behind the barbed wire curtain of celebrity telly.

As both performer and writer (2021 BAFTA Rockcliffe shortlist), Carrivick pulls off a tour de force in the small black-box Mint Studio, part of the Greenside @ George Street venue. An experienced improv and sketch comedienne, she’s one of those confident and engaging performers it’s impossible not to like. In several silent routines, she has the audience in stitches of laughter with her range of facial expressions and stares that speak a thousand words. A brilliant caricaturist, she evokes a number of showbiz and “civilian” stereotypes with mercilessly effective style and aplomb; regularly complemented by her own deprecating self-criticism. In some gently merciful and non-embarrassing audience participation, she effectively gives a little stage skill coaching to those punters keen to join in the fun. A skilled performer to her fingertips, Carrivick even manages to entertain whilst getting changed behind her costume rail.

At 45 minutes, this is an ideal piece of quickfire entertainment to squeeze in between other shows as you sample the delights of George Street. It’s a must-see for anyone who loves comedy; it would also serve as a masterclass for those who hope to bring a solo show to the Fringe.

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‘Spy Movie: The Play!’ (Venue 33, Aug 9-12, 14-19, 21-26)

Posted in 4*, Comedy, EdFestivals 2024, Pleasance, Pleasance, Potterrow & Teviot, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by

“The ensemble cast of four keep the laughs coming at a whirlwind pace. “

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Nae Bad)

This hilarious spoof homage to the Bond movie franchise is a fast-paced satire which sends up pretty much every scene from Dr No to The Spy Who Loved Me. But you don’t need to be a fan of Ian Fleming’s 007 to appreciate the quickfire wordplay in this show, which bears the same relationship to the genre it parodies as Blazing Saddles does to westerns, or Police Squad does to 1970s TV cop shows. The premise of the show is that what you’re seeing on stage is a pitch to an audience of Hollywood movie producers to get the script turned into a film. The farcically disastrous goings-on are reminiscent of The Play That Goes Wrong; and two of the cast members you see were in that very show.

The protagonist of The Greatest Spy Movie (N)ever Made is Jane Blonde, who has 24 hours to save the world and likes her martinis “shaken, stirred, and jiggled”. Along the way, she must contend with the global criminal network EVIW, which stands for Every Villain In [the] World (just think about how a cockney would pronounce the word “evil”). From the first moments we are treated to merciless skits of scenes that are the hallmark of every classic Bond movie you’ll have seen: the opening credits sequence; the briefing from M; a chase down a ski slope; a trans-European rail journey; a car chase.

The ensemble cast of four keep the laughs coming at a whirlwind pace. Jo Hartland plays Jane Blonde with cool panache (though she refuses to dye her hair blonde), whilst the versatile Emily Waters tickles the funny bone playing character roles ranging from M (pronounced “mmm”) to super-villain Mr Lovely. James Watterson doubles as spy novelist Ian Flemish and American secret double agent Randy Lust. The irrepressible Matthew Howell plays just about everyone else and certainly gets to wear the greatest variety of hats as he darts seamlessly from role to role.

Using a minimal set consisting of a pair of curtains, the pseudo-cinematic action is irreverently created by some highly co-ordinated and inventive use of props, always with the tongue planted firmly in the cheek. The show’s publicity warns of loud sound effects, flashing lights and lasers, and smoke/haze, all used to create a lively sense of anarchic slapstick. This is also probably the only show in Edinburgh this season that makes use of an actual flying helicopter.

Staged in the Beneath auditorium at the Pleasance Courtyard, the show runs for nearly the whole of this month, excepting Tuesdays. Starting at midday, it’s an ideal laugh-a-minute show for all of the family. It’s already selling well, so Get Your Coats On and go buy your tickets!

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EdFringe Talk: The Chairs Revisited

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“We’re not only actors but also producers, marketeers, writers, translators, designers, proof readers, costume designers, pencilpushers (a term from the play) and roadies.”

WHO: Louise

WHAT: “Following five-star success with Miss Julie (*****, ThreeWeeks) and The Nine Lives of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (*****, CafeBabel.com), the veterans are back with a perfect lockdown party. Picture an ancient couple, beached in life and marooned in some isolated spot, inviting many imaginary guests. Sometimes life is more absurd than fiction. ‘Brilliant new version of Eugene Ionesco’s surreal, funny and moving mini-masterpiece with rhyming rhythms and sizzling dialogue’ (Scotsman). ‘A pot-pourri of word-plays, slapstick and physical comedy. Well-paced theatre and highly entertaining. A wee bit like Waiting for Godot meets The Marx Brothers’ ***** (Herald).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – Other Yin (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 10:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be our 15th time at the the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Over the years this Festival has grown and grown and grown and grown and exploded all over town to as far as Leith in the north and the Meadows in the south. In 1996 we were invited by Ricky Demarco and the Demarco European Art Foundation to perform the Chairs in his St. Mary’s School building in Albany Street in Edinburgh’s NewTown. There were other theatre groups from Eastern Europe and in the front of the building was an art exhibition with new work by Jimmy Boyle. We probably fitted into his
Eastern Europe programme because Eugene Ionesco is from Romania. The next year our Director
Andrew Dallmeyer got us into The Assembly Rooms on George Street in a long and narrow room
with crystal chandeliers on a tiny high stage where you could easily fall off. Of course we haven’t
been every year but pretty regularly though. Producing and writing takes a lot of time and research especially if you wear all the hats. We’re a small company but we have performed in all the big venues. New and existing plays, we’ve brought it all to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. We’re not only actors but also producers, marketeers, writers, translators, designers, proof readers, costume designers, pencilpushers (a term from the play) and roadies. It is great to see how much people can enjoy the imagination that is inherent to theatre. It is an event of communication in which the experience of imagery is shared with others. The Festival is great to discover new talent, to see such a variety of performers and the city is buzzing with creative energy.

But to get them to your show…. You have to work hard get an audience in. They don’t come flying
in like that, especially when there is so much choice, so you REALLY have to work for it. It’s
always nice to run into people who say their friend urged them to come and see us. Word of mouth is the best publicity. We can’t complain, we’ve always had very decent audience numbers and even some groupies that check us out whenever we’re back.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Since 2023 we learned that Absurd theatre is appreciated and recognized much more in this day and age than in the past. And we see a much wider range of people – young, old, comedians, and people who would never go to a theatre play – all craving to have an absurd experience that touches on the essence of life. Before the Covid pandemic absurdity in Western Europe was a term only used by dramaturgs or high brow theatre critics to describe incomprehensible niche plays. In Eastern Europe absurdity and black humour was part and parcel of daily life. A way to cope with the stark reality of daily life. A way to express yourself and talk about things that mattered. Since the pandemic however we have all been experiencing absurdity in our daily lives: rigorous rules that had to be obeyed turned out to be rules that changed every day. Experts on virus infections had more unanswered questions every day. Nothing was certain, everything was real and not real at the same time. Theatres were closed, technical operators found new work installing solar panels. People changed careers because of Covid, divorced or fell in love, lost friends and neighbours, bought dogs for company and suddenly realized what really mattered in life. Ionesco was a close friend of Samuel Beckett. They lived in Paris and were part of a group of European writer friends who, after the horrors of World War II, had a different look on life. They concentrated on the emptiness and absurdity we encounter in our lives. Now we recognize their take on the world.

Another thing learned since 2023 is that the importance of social media is nothing to be sniffed at. I never cared much for social media, but now really have to force myself to contribute to all the different platforms on behalf of the company. It’s a steep learning curve. This way to advertise and keep people informed, to me feels as an easy, lazy and ephemeral way to communicate and work yourself into the picture. Apparently it’s the thing to do so we have to adapt to that phenomenon and go with the flow. I still prefer language over emojis and the old-fashioned contact between real people over all that digital froth. Funnily enough on my rounds I meet a lot of people who re-appreciate the old legwork and real contact with someone who is involved in a show over the virtual deluge of information they are forced to swallow every day.

Tell us about your show.

Eugene Ionesco wrote The Chairs in 1952. He wrote many other plays like Rhinocéros. That play deals with the temptations of Fascism. A very bizarre play, probably because it is not realistic but at the same time a very striking a comparison with our own society. That is his strength and that is what we liked about The Chairs. A very old couple, living on a remote lighthouse island. One day the old man decides it is time to reveal his message to the world and invites all the great and the good to come and listen to his message to mankind. We hear the boat arriving, the doorbells – they have many front doors -we see the chairs they pull out from every nook and cranny but we don’t see any real guests. However we can imagine very well what they all look like and how they (mis)- behave.

After the pandemic we decided to take up this play again because it made so much sense all of a sudden. We call our new translation The Chairs Revisited because the same actors are coming back with the same play, after 28 years, to the same festival. During the Covid pandemic we all had to adapt to living in small bubbles. Just like that old couple in the play. Those restrictions led to apathy and depression for some of us and to revolt, protests and inventive actions for others. What can you do when all entertainment and all sportclubs shut down? You go for a walk in the woods. There we stumbled on secret meetings: friends gathering in the middle of nowhere far out on the moors, looking over their shoulders while carefully nipping at glasses, passing around a bottle of Gin. We passed grandparents and grandchildren sitting on a fallen tree the midst of the woods. With all the restaurants and theatres shut where else to go for fun and entertainment? Experts and politicians, that we looked up to, had to bring hope and clarity but in the end proved to be inexperienced weak humans like the rest of us. They did not know the answers to all our questions and misbehaved as much as the rest of us. All this and more (Greta Thunberg) you can find back in our new translation/adaptation of the play from 1952. We plan to bring it to other theatres after the Fringe and are working on a Dutch translation to be able to show it in Belgium and the Netherlands.

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

Please go an see other theatre productions during this Festival. It is a small section in the Fringe guide but worth exploring. What about Myra’s Story. I keep running into people who were deeply moved by this play, a one woman show and I plan to see it this year now my schedule will not clash. Grandma ‘s shop sounds really interesting, a granddaughters investigation in the life of her own grandmother, new work and multi characters. Also in Gilded Balloon Patter House: The Steamie. It is a fantastic play done by a great team with music, funny and heart warming. And don’t forget the comedians: Jason Byrne, I saw him a couple of years ago, he never fails to surprise you with anarchy and fun. Michelle Brasier, saw her last year, she’s a powerhouse very inspiring, good connection with her audience and quick witted. And of course: the magician Caspar Thomas who combines self-deprecating humor with really clever tricks and a very good with his audience. Check out Anu Vaidyanathan. I met her last year, we were both flyering for our shows and found her already very funny off stage, this year our shows are not at the same time and I plan to go to her show at Gilded Balloon.

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EdFringe Talk: Shaolin Clown

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

“I’m not here with any expectations rather than hone this new physical comedy show to perfection.”

WHO: Tom Corradini

WHAT: “Physical and visual comedy. A Shaolin monk relives his childish and clownish soul in his Zen practice, discovering a world always full of surprises and which finds its meaning in seemingly insignificant little things. Suitable for all ages and nationalities.”

WHERE: Banshee Labyrinth – Chamber Room (Venue 156) 

WHEN: 19:20 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It’s my second time at the Edfringe. Previously, I was here in 2012 with another solo show (titled ‘Superheroes’). Then, sotospeak, a lot of water passed under the bridge. I produced and written several shows (you can find some of the scripts on Amazon), set up my theatre company, created a physical theatre festival, became a full time YouTuber and also set up a talent agency for film and TV during covid which has taken a life of its own. I did A LOT of festivals around the world (Brighton, Prague, Tallinn, Adelaide) and attended for 6 years AVIGNON OFF (I’ have written the only guide available in English for non-French speaking companies interested in attending Avignon off, titled “The Avignon Off Rough Guide”). Now I’m back to Edinburgh as the final step of a summer tour that took me to Prague Fringe, Athens, Avignon Off and now here.

I’m not here with any expectations rather than hone this new physical comedy show to perfection. As a matter of fact I’m not even listed on the official guide of the festival (I’m part of PBH Free Fringe and I’m listed there).

I just wanted to do as many performances as I could with my show and also go back to Edinburgh to feel its vibe. When you are a full time performer like me and travelling like I do (this season China, India, Germany, France, Italy, etc.) it’s easy to isolate yourself in your own bubble. I like watching shows and see what’s around.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

The most important lesson I learned in 2023 is to care less about what other people think of me and to follow my way. I’m very much into alternative comedy. In 2023 I decided to go full time on YouTube impersonating MUSSOLINI. I have a live feed every Wednesday where I take questions as Mussolini and my channel made over 1 million 200 thousand views in 2023.

I’d like to take this show I have in Edinburgh to countries I have never touched: Iraq, Iran, Algeria and other countries in Asia. The New World… as the old one is crumbling to pieces. I’m not trying to follow mainstream. I don’t want to be ‘discovered’ – I want to create my own destiny.

Tell us about your show.

The idea of the show was born in 2014 after I read a book titled “Shaolin – Du musst nicht kämpfen, um zu siegen!” (Shaolin you don’t have to fight in order to win) by Bernhard Moestl. At the time I was living in Berlin and going through a major transformational period. I started to develop the clown character of a Shaolin monk in Berlin, doing lots of open mic nights there. Then I carried on with my other shows (in 2018 I performed 169 days out of the year) and kind of forgot about it.

In 2022 I performed in Vietnam and South Korea with another show I produced and I had to retrain an actor to perform with me (I usually play this show, titled “The Lehman Brothers” with another actor, you can find the photo catalogue of that experience on Amazon if you search for “The Lehman Brothers Asia Tour”). The whole experience was tyring for me so I finally decided to go solo with a silent comedy show. This is the 3rd silent comedy show I’ve produced (and I written tons of others)

In 2023 I partecipated in the Tallinn Fringe festival and used that opportunity to premiere the show there. Then after a winter/spring pause I’m now touring with it all over the summer.

As I said I’d like to take the show to the Middle East and Asia.

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

It’s a funny question. Edfringe is soooooooooooo DIVERSE, so much to see. I’d say watch another show of the PBH Fringe. Discover tomorrow’s new artists. Stay away from the mainstream.

I’d also say go watch Tim Licata A MAGIC MORNING! (for kids) and James UNBEFLEAVABLE! A FLEA CIRCUS MAGIC SHOW – they are before and after my show. Incredible guys.

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