Tag Archives: EdFringe

‘Orpheus: A New Musical’ (Annexe at theSpace @ Symposium Hall, until AUG 15)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, 4*, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by

“A confident and lively crowd pleaser.”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Nae Bad)

One of the great pleasures at EdFringe is seeing new talent emerge. The budding talents showcased in Yorkshire CREATE’s retelling of the classic myth properly deliver. The lasses and lad, all in their teens, deliver a confident and lively crowd pleaser packed with invention. Their graft and focus are obvious from the get go as they pacily storm through Sam Essen and Ben Glastone’s new musical in which the legendary musician attempts the impossible.

Beneath the toe-tapping tunes, well-chosen costumes, and ultra-amazeballs puppetry is a grand piece of good auld fashioned storytelling which balances the human melodrama, tragedy, and comedy. Are the sound levels quite right on opening night? Not quite. Is every high note hit precisely? No, but the energy and effort of each and every swing of the bat is unmistakeable.

A unFringedly large cast transform a small space into a big canvas on which to shine. Much of the heavy lifting is done throughout by the actor playing the titular songster. Her performance is characterised by the assured gravity of a gifted young someone who has worked their cotton socks off. The rest of the cast is equally engaging with some truly memorable performances. You’ll never see another Oracle so gracefully light on their feet.

Come for the showcase of youthful energy and talent. Stay for the best Cerberus puppet in the known universe. Get your chitons on and go see this!

 

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‘Jess Carrivick: For Your Consideration’ (Nook at Gilded Balloon Teviot until AUG 30)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, 5*, Comedy, Gilded Balloon, Potterrow & Teviot, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“With many rapid costume changes and lively use of props, this is a highly theatrical show that goes way beyond the limits of mere stand-up comedy.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

Two years ago, I saw a one-woman show at the 2024 Fringe by a young lady called Jess Carrivick. Entitled Attention Seeker and listed as a ‘Work in Progress’, I thought it a masterclass in how to stage a solo piece of comic theatre. This year she’s back with For Your Consideration, a madcap whirlwind of character-based solo sketch comedy, directed by Elf Lyons and produced in association with Rosie Nicholls and Avalon.

Carrivick has been either shortlisted or a finalist for more comedy awards than you can blow a raspberry at, and her undoubted talent has been praised by respected figures in the industry as “gearing up to conquer”. Her charismatic natural wit and flair for creating outlandishly funny characters is reminiscent of the late, great Peter Sellers (if he’d been female and looked a bit like the young Glynis Johns). Carrivick’s highly expressive face and her evocative talent for vocal impersonation combine to create a fast-paced succession of mercilessly parodic character-based vignettes, poking fun at day-to-day types ranging from pushy school mums to psychopathic cinema usherettes. One of Carrivick’s particularly memorable showbiz characters is Cassandra Della Treebourne, an elegantly wasted diva jazz chanteuse whose cigarette-raddled voice has more vocal fry than your local chippy – imagine a godforsaken, ageing lovechild of Judy Garland and Keith Richards.

With many rapid costume changes and lively use of props, this is a highly theatrical show that goes way beyond the limits of mere stand-up comedy. Use of projected Carrivick family videos as a framing device also bestows a certain cinematic quality. But the solid gold heart of this show is the sheer visual physicality of the solo performer. Two particular highlights were: a Chaplinesque ballet routine that had the audience – including me – hooting with shrieks of laughter at its surreal absurdity; the other was a mad sea captain-cum-wannabe mermaid who sang the most hilariously filthy sea shanty you’ll ever hear.

The intimate Nook auditorium at the Gilded Balloon Teviot was packed with a highly appreciative audience who left at the end with their sides having been completely split and their ribs thoroughly tickled. Give this woman a TV show, for goodness’ sake – she’s far more innovative than much of the predictable sketch-based comedy we see on the telly.

The tickets are worth every penny – you won’t see a funnier show at the Fringe this year.

 

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‘A Highly Suspect Murder Mystery: Knives In’ (TheSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, Fleming Theatre, until AUG 29)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, 4*, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by

“In a tone of relentless pun-infested irony, the crime fiction genre itself is mercilessly parodied as the cast guide the audience through a fiendishly intricate plot to identify the killer.”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Nae Bad)

Like many people, I like a good murder mystery, and with the Cosy Crime genre in the midst of a boom these days, the performance company Highly Suspect – seasoned Fringe veterans with a track record of sold-out shows – are catering for a ready-made audience.

As that Knives In title suggests, what we have here is a spoof of the hugely successful Knives Out movie franchise. The renowned detective Beignet Blank arrives at a remote country house to solve the murder of a famous author. In a tone of relentless pun-infested irony, the crime fiction genre itself is mercilessly parodied as the cast guide the audience through a fiendishly intricate plot to identify the killer.

To ease the complexity a little, the cast of four limit the action to five characters: detective Blank; his uncannily identical twin, a poet of excruciating doggerel; the late author’s graspingly cynical publisher; the late author’s nurse; and where would any country house murder mystery be without the local vicar?

To assist the audience with their investigation, the cast hand out very smart executive-style folders which are evidence packs full of cryptic clues, character summaries, diagrams, and visual puzzles. There was a tangible buzz in the air as the audience of would-be detectives attempted to solve the riddle.

The full house in the fairly large Fleming Theatre clearly enjoyed this show. A number of individuals and teams were unbelievably competitive and at least one team managed to work out the solution to a fairly complex mystery.

The only small fly in the ointment for me was the ambience of the venue. Most murder mysteries I’ve attended have been situated in fairly smart hotels, with the audience sitting around tables in self-selected family or friendship groups (and often after a good dinner). Here, the auditorium is actually a lecture theatre at the Royal College of Surgeons; the seating in pretty tightly-packed rows of seats with desks in front of them. This isn’t ideal for working in sociable groups, often with complete strangers either side of you. The fact that the house lights necessarily remained on (to aid reading and writing in the folders) throughout the show gave it the feel of an exam at times. Nonetheless, most of the large audience had clearly enjoyed themselves. (Though I got the impression that a few visitors from abroad – perhaps unfamiliar with this genre of entertainment – had been rather mystified by the experience.)

For fans of the genre, the Highly Suspect company are also staging another murder mystery called ABBAsolute Murder in The Space @ Surgeons’ Hall  (Theatre 1), which we are “assured” is absolutely not a spoof of either ABBA or the Eurovision Song Contest!

 

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‘Lear’s Fool’ (Greenside @ George Street, Lime Studio, until AUG 22)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, 4*, EdFestivals, Greenside, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by

“An engaging tragicomedy in the Stoppardesque spin-off manner, offering stark juxtapositions of comedy and terror, despair and song, political polemic and renaissance stand-up comedy, in a lively romp of a show.”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Nae Bad)

Way back in 1966, the Edinburgh Fringe saw the premiere of Tom Stoppard’s tragicomedy Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which famously highlights and follows the two eponymous minor characters from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, once they disappear from the main action of the play.

Here, in Lear’s Fool, we see similar treatment of the Fool, the court jester from King Lear, who exits and disappears about halfway through Shakespeare’s other great tragedy. This new production of David Henry Wilson’s play is directed by Liz Carruthers. It is an engaging tragicomedy in the Stoppardesque spin-off manner, offering stark juxtapositions of comedy and terror, despair and song, political polemic and renaissance stand-up comedy in a lively romp of a show.

Even if you don’t know Shakespeare’s original work, this production offers an entertaining and often heart-breaking show which can be enjoyed on its own terms. Set in a prison cell near Dover, the Fool’s treatment and interrogation by a jailer and his captain reflect the hierarchical values of a bygone age whilst also offering contemporary takes on the futility of war, the self-interest and corruption of politics, and the stranglehold of the social class system that will ring true to modern ears.

Wilson’s writing reworks well-known Shakespearian quotes from the original play to give fresh and often ironic meaning within the play’s postmodern context. The eponymous Fool, played with aplomb by Jill Riddford (a two-time Scottish Theatre Critics Award nominee), is still the mischievous joker from the parent play, but her excruciating puns mask a soul that is devastated by continuing news of her old master’s madness and downfall as the action of the source drama unfolds offstage.

Shakespearean humour is notoriously dated and hasn’t aged at all well, but Riddiford’s occasional delivery of some lines stand-up style direct to the audience, rather than other characters, made them laugh out loud.

King Lear and Lear’s Fool overlap with each other at the end when Lear (Finlay McLean) and his faithful daughter Cordelia (Kirsty McDuff) make a striking Shakespearian intervention into the postmodern world of the play. Sam Stopford (another Scottish Critics Award nominee) is an engagingly cynical and mercenary jailer, whilst John Kay Steel’s sinister portrayal of the ruthless Captain surely puts him in the running for casting as a Bond villain once they’ve got a new 007.

Whilst not actual Shakespeare, this show makes a welcome addition to the small body of the Bard’s works featuring in this year’s Fringe, so it’s well worth a look.

 

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EdFringe Talk: Wherefore Art Thou, Woman-Hater?

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“I came away from Fringe 2024 with a big list of things I’d do differently…”

WHO: Nuala Sankey

WHAT: “Written anonymously and first staged in the Renaissance, Swetnam The Woman-Hater, is where the word misogyny comes from. Star-crossed lovers, swordfights and sexism in the 16th century – it has it all. But how could that possibly be relevant today? Come and judge for yourself… The second show brought to you by Cumbrian production company Acting Speaks Louder, creators of Disco, Baby? ‘Outstanding’ (FringeReview.co.uk). Created and produced by three up-and-coming artists working across music and theatre. If they don’t take the Fringe by storm, at least there’ll be plenty of rain when they get home!”

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

WHEN: Varies (45 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my 3rd time at Edfringe! I first came with a production of Oliver Jr. in 2022 with Footsteps to Theatre and completely fell in love with being part of the festival. I decided I wanted to bring my own show, so I started Cumbrian production company Acting Speaks Louder to being new work by young people who might not otherwise feel the festival is accessible to them. Acting Speaks Louder’s debut production was Disco, Baby? which was a crazy experience writing, producing and performing at 17! I think I felt such a strong need to be at the Fringe because there is so much possibility and that’s just so exciting to be around and part of.

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

I came away from Fringe 2024 with a big list of things I’d do differently, but the biggest thing I learnt from the first time round is the importance of having a marker of success that is (somewhat) within your control. That keeps you sane and in possession of a semblance of perspective in what can be a mental month. I think this is a lesson that you periodically come back to when your in the depth of a fringe spiral.

Tell us about your show.

Our show is a modern language adaptation of a play from the 1600s called “Swetnam the woman-hater” which is thought to be where the word misogyny comes from. I wrote the adaptation and its a sad irony that not too much had to be changed as so much of it still rang true, even over 400 years after it was written. The show premiered at a local Cumbrian venue, the Staveley Roundhouse, and after Edinburgh we will be breaking new ground at the Camden Fringe!

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

Definitely “Reaching the C” – which is my mum’s show about her life as a professional bassoonist and how music has threaded its way through her life using a bassoon, a loop pedal and personal experience. But daughter duty done, I would also thoroughly recommend Briony Martha’s solo show “Parasocial Activity” about one woman’s parasocial relationship with James McAvoy! Phenomenally written and acted, both funny and moving; a tutor of mine once said I reminded him of Briony, and the more I speak to her and see her work, the more it becomes a massive compliment!

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EdFringe Talk: Voltei

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“My writing is raw because of the documentary tone but also realised that I contrast it with comedy and a lot of colloquial storytelling.”

WHO: Joana Raio

WHAT: “Voltei, a true story, begins by telling us what it takes for young people to leave their home country, what those big changes are, and the challenges they face. Voltei takes us back to England in 2006, when smartphones weren’t yet a thing and YouTube had just become part of our lives. It explores the various social and cultural differences between Portugal and the UK, through various first-hand emigrant stories and through the real impact of Brexit on the decision made by so many to return to their home country. Voltei is interdisciplinary and combines theatre with stand-up comedy.”

WHERE: Annexe at theSpace @ Symposium Hall (Venue 43) 

WHEN: 09:45 (65 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, I brought an interdisciplinary show called: a bridge by a cliff in 2017 which was a fantastic failure! It was more of a show for a gallery not a stage or maybe not the right venue! This time I feel Voltei at theSpace Uk is the right fit, it’s funny, political and heartwarming for anyone who has ever left home and then returned. As an emerging writer this has been a goal of mine, to bring Voltei, to have reviewers write about my show which is something we do not have in Portugal. Voltei has won an award but truly how relevant is it? Where do I stand?

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

I’ ve written a second show after Voltei, which was a challenge for me: to write dialogue, to work more in collaboration. I’ve learnt about my practice, understood more about my identity as a writer, I feel! I’ve learnt that my work won’t always please everyone and my second show is definitely more specific in terms of target audience. My writing is raw because of the documentary tone but also realised that I contrast it with comedy and a lot of colloquial storytelling.

Tell us about your show.

Voltei is about my life as an emigrant in the UK and my return to Portugal after 12 years. It’s about growing up in the UK, beginning to think and dream in English and then unexpected challenges of speaking again my mother tongue. But not only, as I’ve come to realise how stark the differences between UK and Portugal are, how much that affected my identity and how family is the reason why most emigrants move back home. Tropodora was founded when I graduated from Drama school in 2010 but I only reactivated in 2024 to create Break Up my second show. This was also when I met Ana Cardoso, my producer and begin building my crew.

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

I Almost Died For This?!

I met Kristin (yet to see her show) and her show is raw, honest and auto-biographical, I have a feeling we speak the same language!

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‘Heart Beats Strong’ (Pleasance Courtyard: Bunker Two, until AUG 31)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, 5*, Dance, EdFestivals, Pleasance, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“A highly energetic performance, presenting stark, fast-paced vignettes contrasting the innocence and vulnerability of youth with the wild, dangerously carefree onset of adulthood.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

This is a lively coming-of-age story written and performed by Noah Manzoor, Kai Porter, and Alfie Wickham (collectively known as Kickdrum), and apparently based on their actual teenage diaries. In a highly physical production, themes such as cultural identity, sexuality, and the pressures of boyhood, adolescence, and the approach of manhood are explored in a punchy drama enhanced by music and dance, with a cinematic ambience bestowed by acrobatically effective use of hand-held lighting.

In the medium-sized black box studio of Bunker Two at the Pleasance Courtyard, the three young men delivered a highly energetic performance, presenting stark, fast-paced vignettes contrasting the innocence and vulnerability of youth with the wild, dangerously carefree onset of adulthood; all interspersed with highly synchronised bursts of vigorous street dance.

Whilst this is very much a young person’s show (at 67, I was the oldest person in the room by a country mile), their evocation of the crass boorishness and insensitivity of male childhood raised a wry smile; then the angst-ridden sexual fumblings involved in the onset of adolescence and then manhood gave rise to regular laugh-out-loud moments.

No punches are pulled in what is very much a vigorously in-your-face production, with the dark undercurrents of racism and homophobia often raising their ugly heads. Unfortunately, one other dark undercurrent was occasional external noise coming from the queue for another show outside the venue’s poorly-soundproofed door. However, the vigorous enunciation and projection of the talented onstage trio easily overcame this unwelcome backing track.

With the auditorium almost full for the show I saw in the very early stages of this year’s Fringe, it already looks like a pretty hot ticket – so I wouldn’t hang around if you wanted to see it.

 

EdFringe Talk: The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“The flyering has become an intensive course in rejection therapy but thankfully, once people actually make it into the theatre, they’ve been absolutely brilliant.”

WHO: Adam Tuffrey & Alex Moneypenny

WHAT: “She’s not crazy – she’s just done her research. On Facebook. At 3am. With a glass of pinot. Meet Sharon Hargreaves: part-time keyboard warrior, full-time flat-Earth believer, forever tumbling down online rabbit holes. When she heads to a flat Earth convention in Vegas, a Shakespearean mix-up sends her spiralling into chaos, conspiracies and unexpected self-discovery. With best mate Debs and a crew of lovable oddballs, Sharon sets out to expose “the truth”. What she finds? Big laughs, bigger tunes and absolutely zero scientific credibility. This is a gloriously unhinged, surprisingly heartfelt musical comedy.”

WHERE: Queen Dome at Pleasance Dome (Venue 23) 

WHEN: 14:05 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our first time doing the Edinburgh Fringe and, despite being only two previews in, it already feels like we’ve experienced every emotion known to mankind… and probably invented a few new ones.

The flyering has become an intensive course in rejection therapy but thankfully, once people actually make it into the theatre, they’ve been absolutely brilliant. The audiences have been fantastic, the response has been better than we could’ve hoped for and our cast have been nothing short of incredible… and yes, they paid me to say this.

We’ve also discovered that, yes, it is technically possible to tech a brand-new musical in three hours. Would I recommend it? Absolutely not.

It’s exhausting, exhilarating, mildly terrifying and everything people told us the Fringe would be. Ask us again in three weeks and we’ll let you know whether we’re seasoned Fringe veterans or just wandering the Royal Mile handing flyers out to bins.

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

Firstly, self-doubt is an incredibly committed colleague. It never takes a day off. You can finish a song you’re really proud of in the morning and be convinced you’re a fraud by lunchtime. Apparently that’s just part of being a writer, so I’ve stopped trying to get rid of it and instead just try to write faster than it can catch up.

I’ve also learnt that writing with your best friend is a joy… although it does mean there’s someone there to veto all your best ideas. Alex has spent the last year insisting I write fewer willy jokes. I maintain the audience deserves artistic freedom. He maintains we’re trying to get producers, not cancelled.

The biggest learning has been just how lovely the musical theatre industry is. Everyone we’ve met has been incredibly generous with their time, advice and encouragement. It’s one of the few industries where people genuinely seem to want everyone else to succeed, which feels deeply suspicious at first!

Tell us about your show.

The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth is our hilarious (promise) new comedy musical following forty-something flat earth fanatic Sharon Hargreaves as she heads to Vegas to see Adele, alongside long suffering best friend Debs. While there, a Shakespearean moment of mistaken identity propels her on a journey of chaos, conspiracies and unexpected self-discovery.

It’s a gloriously unhinged musical with big tunes, bigger laughs and zero scientific credibility… and we can’t wait to share it with the world.

We were initially drawn to the theatricality of flat earth theory – a ready-made ‘larger than life’ landscape. There’s bad guys (NASA, obviously), there’s DIY science, there’s secret military patrols, there’s a fight between good and evil and, supposedly, a massive great wall to go and look at somewhere.

A fight about the shape and nature of the universe, arguably the most fundamental aspect of what we accept to be true about our lives, felt like the perfect place to ask the biggest questions from an emotional perspective too – and the characters we meet along the way all bounce off the theories with varying degrees of humour, heart and heartbreak.

Having seen and loved so many shows at Edinburgh Fringe over the years, we know it is quite simply the perfect place for a zany, ambitious piece of theatre like this.

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

Andrew White: What a life! and The Bob Ross Effect (Sarah Louise Young) are both friends of ours and they’re bringing their shows to fringe this year – definitely a must watch! Sarah is a fringe veteran who’s been entertaining sell out audiences for years and, having worked with her for the last few years, I know what a lovely human she is! Andrew is one of the UKs funniest up and coming comedians, is genuinely extremely funny and again, a really great guy. He’ll having laughing out loud for the entire hour – that’s a promise!

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EdFringe Talk: The Extraordinary Life of a Rat Racer

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“What’s made it even more special is that this play was developed by my fiancèe and I – so I get to share this adventure with the love of my life!”

WHO: Chiara Fumanti

WHAT: “Ever wondered what the person next to you is thinking? Eva is just a regular rat racer. Single mother to a six-year-old boy, she is desperately trying to play the game – pay the bills, get him to football, survive mum’s comments. Her mind has different plans. On the way to an important job interview, Eva gets bombarded by a series of ever-worsening intrusive thoughts. So prepare for the uncomfortable and dive into Eva’s mind. Guided by Arthur, a sadistic, half-real figure, this two-hander surreal dark comedy will shift your concept of normality.”

WHERE: Studio at theSpace @ Niddry St AND Space 2 at theSpace on the Mile (Venues 9 & 39) 

WHEN: Varies (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It is, as a producer/writer/perfomer. I went in 2018, but only as a performer – and the difference in experience is night and day, so I might as well say it’s my first time! However, from that first experience as a performer nearly a decade ago now, what’s stuck with me the most is the buzz, the lifestyle (I thrive on adrenaline!), the feeling that acting is actually my job. So when I started writing my own show, I just knew that one of the biggest goals for it had to be bringing it to Edinburgh. What’s made it even more special is that this play was developed by my fiancèe and I – so I get to share this adventure with the love of my life!

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

That I do not recommend planning a wedding and bringing a show to the EdFringe at the same time!

But seriously – I learned a lot about my approach to work. I learned (the hard way) that sometimes taking every opportunity that comes your way is not necessarily the right choice. At the same time, I have learned that if you don’t take opportunities, projects can very easily fizzle down until they are forgotten in some dusty drawer. I have learned that if you have no clue what you’re doing, the best way to find out is to give it a shot.

Tell us about your show.

The show is called The Extraordinary Life of a Rat Racer, it’s a two-hander surreal dark comedy that explores the topic of intrusive thoughts. It’s full of cartoon violence, balloons, and Italians! A quick synopsis would be: woman fights with this crazy guy who’s talking about chopping people up on the tube. Only issue is, he’s in her head.

I wrote and produced the show myself – it’s a semi autobiographical exploration of trauma and its consequences, but told in a very fun way, with lots of clownerie and physical theatre . The company, Stage Leftovers, is a new accent-blind company that myself and Andrea (my other half, and the other half of the company) have created because, as migrant artists, we have been feeling more alienated from the theatre industry. Our aim is to create a space where accent is incidental rather than defining – we are hoping to do so by championing new voices and new stories, and by challenging the role that stereotypes around accents still has when it comes to casting.

Our first ever production was at the Voilà Theatre Festival last November (which fitted beautifully with our accent-blind mission!). We brought half the audience from Italy, it was glorious. We then did a little tour of London pub theatres to develop the show, refresh a few details, waste a little money (mostly in after show drinks), and now here we are! So incredibly excited for the EdFringe! And after Edinburgh, the world!

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

If you like physical theatre, go see “The Last Lie of Pinocchio” by Avanzi di Scena! It’s like a sequel to Pinocchio, but told through dance theatre. It’s beautifully told through movement, dance, projections, images… It just needs to be experienced!

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EdFringe Talk: Brendan Scannell: The Abyss

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“The best theatre and comedy festivals shove as many artists as possible together in close quarters.”

WHO: Brendan Scannell

WHAT: “After a sold out 2026 Hollywood Fringe run and Top of the Fringe and Solo Theatre Award nominations, Emmy nominated actor and comedian Brendan Scannell makes his Edinburgh debut with The Abyss. Part stand-up, part deep dive in a sinking submersible, descend to the depths of Brendan’s brain where his Irish mother is a life coach obsessed with death, his brother is communing spiritually with Gwyneth Paltrow, and his inner child is a total asshole. Star of Netflix’s Bonding and Paramount’s Heathers, Scannell has headlined at Netflix is a Joke, NY Comedy Festival and SF Sketchfest.”

WHERE: Bothie at Gilded Balloon Patter House (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 21:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes! I just got to Edinburgh today and I can already feel the creative energy snaking through the alleyways. To have such a stunnin’ and historic city as the backdrop for all this theatre and art is amazing. The best theatre and comedy festivals shove as many artists as possible together in close quarters. This creates great connections for the artists and ease and energy for the audiences. I love festivals because I see more in a week than I would in a month.

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

The biggest thing I’ve learned is that the most important thing you can do is make your show as good as it can be. And that takes writing and rewriting and questioning and all these other steps that kind of feel like pulling toenails. I’m from America and live in Hollywood and it’s easy to get distracted by things that don’t matter. The hour that I have on stage with an audience is so important to me.

Tell us about your show.

My show is written and performed by me, Brendan Scannell. It is directed by Emily Olcott and presented by Richard Bucknall of RBM Comedy and Cara Christian, an independent theatre producer in LA. We premiered at Hollywood Fringe for a sold out run ‘Top of the Fringe’ and ;Solo Theatre Award’ nominations. Next up, we’re doing 2 more shows at The Elysian Theater LA in September and The Bell House Brooklyn in October.

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

I’m not a clown but I love watching clown and am excited to see The Underground Monk Show. A few American comedians I’m excited to see are Sydney Washington, Jenny Gorelick, the many Heated Rivalry parodies, Sam Morrison, Guy Branum, Drew Lausch and Greggory Nussen. I’ve seen their work in the states, and I’m excited to see how it translates internationally into a Scottish audience. I also so Ayo Bamgboye at Netflix is a Joke in LA and loved her show. I’m excited to check out her work in progress.

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