Tag Archives: EdFringe

EdFringe Talk: Gulliver’s Travels

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“The Fringe is a really important part of our calendar, partly as a place for our company to share work, but also as a source of inspiration – even after all these years, I still leave full of renewed excitement and enthusiasm, which is quite a gift!”

WHO: Noel Byrne

WHAT: “With ingenious puppetry, stirring shanties, and sharp, relevant satire, Box Tale Soup bring Gulliver’s breathtaking journey to life in this astonishing adaptation. Inventive, imaginative and sublimely skilful, let the current carry you through tiny realms and giant waves to a raft of bizarre civilisations… This is Swift’s classic tale of adventure and discovery as you’ve never seen it before. ‘Beautifully performed… simply wonderful’ ***** (TheWeeReview.com). ‘Time and space hold no bounds… remarkable’ ***** (ThreeWeeks). ‘Outstanding… extraordinarily talented’ ***** (ScotsGay). ‘Crafted to perfection… flawless’ ***** (ChrisOnTheatre.wordpress.com). Commissioned by Clark Library, UCLA. Creation supported by Arts Council England.”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Above (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 13:00 (65 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Our company, Box Tale Soup, has been coming to the Fringe since 2013, and I’ve been going a lot longer than that – my first visit was when I was sixteen, and I haven’t missed one since! So, we always really look forward to seeing all the friends we’ve made from all over the world. It’s also amazing to be immersed in all of the creativity, connect with new people, and see incredible shows all in one place. The Fringe is a really important part of our calendar, partly as a place for our company to share work, but also as a source of inspiration – even after all these years, I still leave full of renewed excitement and enthusiasm, which is quite a gift!

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

We’re always learning as we go, each show is a progression, and you try to build on everything you’ve done before. Although both of the shows we’re doing this year have been to the Festival before, I think they have developed, and we’ve made a few improvements here and there. We had a fantastic Fringe in 2023, with so many brilliant reviews and reactions, so I think the biggest takeaway is a sense of encouragement, that people like what we’re doing and we’re heading in the right direction – it gives you confidence to push further.

Sadly, there’s another bin strike threatened during the Fringe this year (there was one in 2022), but it makes us glad that we’ve continued to pursue our sustainability goals and do a ‘paperless’ Fringe – we don’t have any flyers for the shows, so there’s nothing to be thrown away or dropped. We tried it first in 2022, and again in 2023. The reactions from the public have been really positive, so we’ll continue to do more if we can. We make most of our sets and puppets from reclaimed, recycled or sustainable material and avoiding waste is important to us – ‘Don’t be wasteful, be creative’ is a kind of unofficial motto for the company.

Tell us about your show.

We have two shows this year! We’re performing them back to back, one after the other at the Pleasance Courtyard. This first show is ‘Casting the Runes’, a supernatural thriller based on the stories of M.R.James, the grandfather of British horror – we performed it at the Fringe last year and it went down incredibly well, it’s been touring the UK since then and has gathered an array of fantastic reviews. The second show is ‘Gulliver’s Travels’, based on the classic novel by Jonathan Swift, an amazing adventure featuring a huge range of puppetry and original sea shanties – we’ve performed it around the UK and taken it to the US and Malta, again receiving outstanding reactions and reviews!

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

The Fringe is such an amazing chance to see acts from all over, especially since we often don’t get a chance when we’re touring. Obviously, we love to see some puppetry, so we’ll try to catch Blind Summit’s ‘The Sex Lives of Puppets’, which is their exposé of puppet sexuality! Otherwise, we keep our ears to the ground for interesting theatre, Ugly Bucket are in the same space as us with ‘Stuffed’, a clowning show about food banks, so we’ll see that if we can, and we’d like to see George Rennie’s ‘Hamstrung’ too, with Yorick the jester exploring what really happened in Elsinore… Flat and the Curves are a great comedy girl band we saw unexpectedly last year – lots of glitter, great vocals and good gags – and they’re back with ‘Rosé-tinted’, so we’ll definitely try to catch them. We always try to see some circuses too – we saw ‘Sophie’s Surprise 29th’ last year, a brilliant selection of high-skilled circus acts arranged as a surprise birthday party, and I notice they’re back again. We really enjoyed ‘Yuck Circus’ a couple of years ago, a wild, all-female, Australian acrobatic troupe, they’re back too so we’ll go and check that out!

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EdFringe Talk: Catafalque

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“My unedited CV is messy as hell and if it was completely uncensored, it would also include the times I needed to make room for illness, heartbreak or just to have a good old think.”

WHO: Amy Conway

WHAT: “Fern doesn’t get invited to dinner parties anymore. They used to love her tales of the macabre. But now? The mask is slipping. Written by Amy Conway and directed by Beth Morton, Catafalque is a one woman eulogy to death through the lens of a civil celebrant. How do we grieve the ungrievable? How do you speak of death when no-one wants to look? A show about love, loss and a lifetime of secrets. Join Fern as she navigates the complexities of a grieving family and learns to tell the truth when it repels the bravest of us.”

WHERE: Summerhall – TechCube 0 (Venue 26) 

WHEN: 12:25 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is actually my 13th time at the Fringe as a performer! Luckily I’m not superstitious! But it is only my second time bringing my own work so in that sense I still feel quite green and vulnerable. I adore the festival though, the atmosphere alone is exciting and being in a hotbed of creativity usually does a brilliant job of reminding me why I do this. I say usually but there is a dark side to punting a Fringe show and it’s only with experience and being surrounded by a truly excellent production team that means that I’m feeling more confident this year that I’m fully equipped to weather the storm of self-doubt that buffets every artist at some point during the festival.

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

Slow down! Where are you in such a big rush to get to? This is a lesson I’ve had to learn the hard way since the Pandemic hit. It’s rare that you can just keep going forwards in a straight line in life so while you’re waiting to find the path, look around you, take a seat, have a picnic, build a rockery. If you can’t go big and fast, go small and slow. My unedited CV is messy as hell and if it was completely uncensored, it would also include the times I needed to make room for illness, heartbreak or just to have a good old think. In lockdown when live theatre wasn’t possible, I taught drama online, I made a podcast, I bought some rollerskates and I became a civil celebrant which inspired me to write Catafalque a couple of years later. The lesson I’m still learning is it’s all allowed and it’s all important.

Tell us about your show.

Catafalque comes from my long-standing collaboration with Stephanie Katie Hunter, Artistic Director of Scissor Kick. Stephanie and I have been working together on a number of projects since 2019, and she’s continued to support my work through her incredible skill as a producer and creative. Not all theatre projects make it to an audience of course and Scissor Kick knows that artists need investment and the confidence from those that hold the purse strings to make any headway with all the ideas they’re incubating.

As a mark of their confidence in me as a writer, Scissor Kick made the decision as a burgeoning production company to commission Catafalque, which was their first commission and my first full commission as a playwright and a huge boost to my motivation to keep going in this industry. I was even given mentoring from the brilliant Jenna Watt as part of their package of support. So Catafalque was actual already a couple of drafts down the line before Scissor Kick got the additional funding to go to full production this year. At which point things got particularly exciting because we were able to recruit the rest of our creative team.

Beth Morton has such vast and varied experience as a director that I feel in incredibly safe hands both as a writer and the sole performer. And we’ve got some gorgeous home-grown Scottish talent in Olivia Millar Ross as Associate Director, Aisha Oyedepo on Lighting Design and Gary Cameron on Sound Design, not to mention Colin Bell as Production Manager and Susan McWhirter as Stage Manager. I feel so lucky to have such a highly skilled, experienced team behind the show, especially since it’s got some heavy themes and material that needs some holding and it takes a team to do that.
We’re taking the show around Scotland immediately after the Fringe and hope to tour it further in 2025.

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

I’m planning on spending a lot of time at Summerhall. Catafalque is showing there for starters but it’s also my favourite venue by a long shot. It’s the venue where I’m most surprised. I expect to be surprised (if that’s not too paradoxical!). If you’re looking for other shows about death or death adjacent (because why wouldn’t you be?) then OUTPATIENT and LITTLE DEATHS both at Summerhall are a good place to start.

The Show for Young Men, a dance piece about masculinity and friendship is technically a show for children but I know will be tender and beautiful and have me reaching for the tissues. There is some brilliant work for young people made in Scotland and I urge you to seek it out!
For something lighter but still packed with meaning and theatre magic, I’ll be heading to Gracie and the Start of the End of the World (Again) at Assembly Roxy and I am expecting to be delighted with weirdness.

And I already have my ticket to A History of Paper at the Traverse because I loved the radio play written by Oliver Emanuel and loved it so much and now it is a musical with songs by Gareth Williams and it is going to be very special.

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EdFringe Talk: 1 Moment in Time

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“Let go of the small stuff and live life to the full. You have to put yourself out there and be authentic!”

WHO: Sean Alexander

WHAT: “In his brand new, thought-provoking show, magician and mind illusionist Sean Alexander reflects on the defining moments in time that shape each and every one of us. With jaw dropping magic throughout, each instance intertwined with powerful metaphors and storytelling, this show is unlike anything else. Discover your moments in time all over again… ‘You are incredible, I will have you attend the palace’ (HRH Princess Michael of Kent). ‘Incredibly talented’ (Stephen Mulhern). ‘I love magic that tells a story and I really like you’ (Simon Cowell).”

WHERE: theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall – Fleming Theatre (Venue 53) 

WHEN: Varies (50 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my debut Edinburgh Fringe and something I have wanted to do for many, many years now. It’s been a BIG bucket list for me and now feels the right time to finally do it. It’s such an incredible and important occasion for performance and performers and every time I visit as a spectator, I am in awe of it and the company’s that work so hard to bring a show here.

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

I’ve learnt a lot in recent years since the pandemic and not just 2023. I’ve learnt that life is far too short and sometimes you just have to go and do what’s right for you. To take risks which mostly turn out ok in the end. To let go of the small stuff and live life to the full. You have to put yourself out there and be authentic!

Tell us about your show.

The show is a thought provoking magic show about moments in time that define us. I initially wrote a couple of routines that have been a part of general shows that I do for a number of years and I wrote a piece for TV that unfortunately didn’t air. So rather than waste it I have turned it into an entire show that I am immensely proud of. It’s emotive, inspiring and has incredible moments of magic throughout.

Nell Hardy who is a fabulous writer and someone that writes and directs shows based around trauma has helped with the scripting and narrative of the show. She is an amazing person who has been a big help.

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

The big shout outs would be fellow magicians who always produce amazing work. They would be Arturo Brachetti, Ben Hart, Chris Dugdale and Colin Cloud.

Arturo Brachetti and his show Solo is absolutely incredible. I saw it a few years ago and it’s really great!

Ben is exceptional and his storytelling is so captivating.

Chris is in his 11th year at Ed Fringe and always produces a great show. He usually sells out too!

Colin has just landed a Vegas residency and is definitely one to go see

Other 2 stand outs are La Clique and Massaoke!

La Clique is a brilliant cirque show that is very funny.

And for the party goers it would have to be Massaoke who are Brilliant!

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EdFringe Talk: Murder, She Didn’t Write

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“Fast forward a few years and it’s just so exciting for us to be celebrating this 10th-fringe milestone and to be playing in our biggest venue yet.”

WHO: Peter Baker

WHAT: “Celebrating their 10th year at the Fringe! A classic murder mystery is created on the spot from audience suggestions in this ingenious and hilarious show from Fringe favourites, Degrees of Error. Lady Violet exploded on fireworks night? Madam Gold slain on the catwalk during fashion week? You decide, but will you guess whodunnit? ‘Outstanding performances delivered by a seriously talented cast!’ ***** (ThreeWeeks). ‘Absolutely fantastic… incredibly clever… laugh-out-loud funny… a truly entertaining and hilarious take on the murder mystery and absolutely not one to miss’ ***** (VoiceMag.uk). ‘Hilarious… the show is a riot’ (Daily Mail).”

WHERE: Assembly George Square – Gordon Aikman Theatre (Venue 8) 

WHEN: 15:50 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my 8th time to the fringe, my 7th with Degrees Of Error, and the 10th year of Murder, She Didn’t Write at the fringe! When I first joined the show, we were performing in a small venue, living in a small flat, had a small budget but we were dreaming big. We didn’t just put the work in making the show the best it could be, but also grafted hard to get the punters in! (Flyering rotas and pure enthusiasm are my top tips if anyone wants them.) Fast forward a few years and it’s just so exciting for us to be celebrating this 10th-fringe milestone and to be playing in our biggest venue yet.

We keep coming back because the fringe is such an inspiring environment to be a part of. Nowhere else has the same breadth and range of shows as Edinburgh Fringe, and for nearly a whole month you get to meet amazing artists, discover new viewpoints, be challenged by provocative work and have a right old laugh! I just love the fact you can see proven productions alongside new exciting experiments, and see work from all over the world.

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

I think the biggest thing I learned last year was the importance of self-care. Treating myself to a walk, cooking a good meal, making time to hang out with the gang. This year, our company manager, Rachael Procter-Lane has created a brilliant company guide and checklist for having a fab fringe, a Fringe-survival guide if you will. Dedicated nights for a flat social, providing communal kitchen items for the flat, tips on things we might want to bring with us to make our room feel homely and so on. Being thoughtful about your fringe experience is a great lesson, and we’re lucky Rachael’s done a lot of that thinking for us!

Tell us about your show.

As our title suggests, Murder, She Didn’t Write is improvised, so every night’s a different story, with different jokes, characters, murders etc… The format was created by the company, who all met at the Bristol University Improv Society and realised that performing and creating work was the course for them. That’s how the name of company came about: “Degrees of Error” because they’d all made the wrong choice on the UCAS form! Some of the members of Degrees Of Error also ended up founding the Bristol Improv Theatre – the UK’s first theatre dedicated to improvised theatre.

For the last few years, we self-produced, steered by our uber-capable castmate and director extraordinaire, Lizzy Skrzypiec putting in our own savings to get us up here. This year, however, we’ve got the wonderful Laura Elmes from Wildpark Entertainment, who’ve had tremendous success with the hilarious Ursula musical, Unfortunate by Fat Rascal and Algorithms among many others.
Post-Edinburgh we’re excited to tour the show around the UK and beyond, including our dream gig at the Agatha Christie festival in Paignton. Or if you fancy seeing us on a ship, book yourself onto the Cunard Queen Anne in January! You can see our future dates on degreesoferror.com/tour.

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

Well, after seeing our show, you’ll have a taste for the comedic, the dramatic, the intriguing, the farcical, the high-brow wit, and the downright murderous mayhem.

So breaking those down:

For comedic, check out Defence Mechanism by Hannah Platt at The Pleasance.

You can never have too much comedy and I can never have too much Sooz Kempner , bringing her new show Class Of 2000 to Underbelly.

For a good dose of drama, Surrender playing at Summerhall is gripping, intriguing and brilliantly acted.

For high-brow wit, satire and great songs, see Will Of The People by Will Sebag-Montefiore at Underbelly.

And for more murderous improve, then definitely catch The Adventure Of The Improvised Sherlock Holmes performing at Just The Tonic.

Less murderous, but just as improvised and equally as brilliant are Austentatious who are up the first two weeks Underbelly.

Also up for the first two weeks are Up The Antics with their show Antics Joke Show at TheSpaceUK– we love them and their show, and that’s not just because one of our cast is in it!

Oh, and I’m also chomping at the bit to see Horses by Elf Lyons at The Pleasance.

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EdFringe Talk: Driver’s Seat: Obsessive Compulsive Disaster

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“It’s actually my first time traveling to Scotland at all, but I have quite a bit of Scottish ancestry (I’m apparently very distantly related to Mary, Queen of Scots?!?!) which makes this experience even more meaningful and exciting.”

WHO: Ellie Brelis

WHAT: “When you’re eight, monsters live under your bed. Ellie’s live in her head, threatening to harm her sister and taunting the imminent death of her parents. After her monster was diagnosed as OCD, the life in threat became hers. It’s 2020: Ellie can’t drive, she can’t eat pizza, she decidedly can’t keep a boyfriend… but the one thing she can do is find humour in the horror. Buckle up for a shockingly funny and twisted ride through a young woman’s epic breakup, major breakdown, coming out, and – just possibly – learning how to drive.”

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

WHEN: 15:10 (45 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, this will be my first time at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! It’s actually my first time traveling to Scotland at all, but I have quite a bit of Scottish ancestry (I’m apparently very distantly related to Mary, Queen of Scots?!?!) which makes this experience even more meaningful and exciting. As a theatre lover, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival’s legendary and it’s a dream to be able to bring DRIVER’S SEAT: OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISASTER to the festival. I am prepared to be overwhelmed by the Royal Mile, but I can’t wait to share my show, meet with other artists, and explore Edinburgh!

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

This is a fabulous question, and the short answer is: I learned a lot, which I share in my show! So without giving too much of it away… I’d say that 2023 taught me things rarely go according to plan. Healing often hurts, but it should not necessarily cause harm. I experienced a lot of loss and witnessed a lot of suffering and it reminded me: while we all live in the same world, we operate in very different realities based on the resources we have available to us. 2023 also encouraged me to reexamine how I approach things. To look at the function of an action, over the form. If I’m doing something because it brings me closer to my values, great. If I’m doing something simply so it is “right” or “perfect” or is what I “should” be doing, then I probably need to take a step back and examine what’s really motivating my action and if it is adding anything to my life.

I also would say that 2023 reminded me nothing is binary (including myself!). There is always so much more to any one given experience, thing, being. Growing up in the States, I was socialized and conditioned to hustle hard and never let a moment pass you by… However, last year I realized I had missed most of the meaningful moments in my life because I was rushing through them trying to do everything the “right” way. So I’ve been working on challenging my sense of urgency to understand what is really a priority in my life. I do not want to waste my time, but I do want to take it. I don’t want to speed through, hustle through, amazing moments and experiences (like Edinburgh Fringe Festival) and feel like “thank goodness that’s over!” I want to challenge myself and make the most of the opportunity, but for me, that also means enjoying myself and practicing compassion.

TLDR; I’m never going to feel ready. Anything I really care about will never feel “done.” There is always more I could have done, more I could have prepared for… and there’s also always more out there. More opportunities after one on to the next. It’s scary… but also freeing.

Tell us about your show.

I wrote Driver’s Seat because it felt necessary. During my recovery, I searched for representations of OCD and mental health treatment that resonated with my experience and found absolutely nothing. In 2022, the opportunity was presented to perform it at the NY Frigid Festival. I performed in a literal basement with no expectations except to share my story. The show ended up winning four awards, including the Audience Choice Award, and that’s when it felt really important to share with a wider audience.

I was introduced to a theatre producer in LA, Misha Riley, and did a 5-week run in Los Angeles in the fall of 2022. He brought on a new director, Emily Mikolitch, as well as my stage manager/associate producer Roella Dellosa. We immediately connected as people and as collaborators, and it has been a joy reuniting to take the show to Edinburgh. I am beyond grateful for Misha, Emily, and Roella’s fierce friendship, incredible insight, and incomparable compassion and creativity.

After Edinburgh we have an engagement booked at Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse in Massachusetts in summer 2025, and we would love to tour theatrically to continue sharing the piece with new audiences.

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

We are also always looking for recommendations on shows to see, but here are a few we definitely have our eyes on!

Tomatoes Tried To Kill Me But Banjo’s Saved My Life by Keith Alessi (Directed by Erika Conway) This is a show I learned about the Frigid Festival and it is moving, funny, and crafted by some of the most compassionate creators I’ve had the privilege to meet! Erika and Keith have been SO helpful and supportive as we navigate our first time at Fringe and you should definitely check out this moving, funny, and true story!

Stamptown: one of our Director’s picks. You’ll never know what you’re going to get each night, but it’s certain you’re in for a wild, raucous, hilarious ride. (Bonus: Host Zach Zucker is also a great human)

Other shows we are on the lookout for:
– Let’s Tidy Up: Josh Thomas
– F*GHAG: Dylan Mulvaney
– Don’t Kill Yourself Yet: Kenice Mobley
– What If They Ate The Baby?: Xhloe and Natasha
– I Sell Windows: Kacie Rogers
– Love is Blind: An Improvised Musical

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EdFringe Talk: Temping

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“You can see such a huge variety of shows at ticket prices that are really reasonable!”

WHO: Alley Scott

WHAT: “In a basement office in Illinois, there’s a job waiting for you. Sarah Jane is on vacation, and you’ve been hired to fill in. In this interactive show for one, you’ll explore her cubicle, answer her phone, and receive her faxes as the story of Sarah Jane unfolds. Sit down, send an email, and experience a meditation on life and death between the cells of an Excel spreadsheet. Created by narrative technologists Wolf 359. ‘A technical masterclass’ ***** (EdinburghGuide.com). One of The Telegraph’s best theatre shows, 2022. ***** (Telegraph). ‘Jewel-like’ **** (TheArtsDesk.com). **** (List.com).”

WHERE: Assembly George Square Studios – The Cubicle at Buccleuch Place (Venue 17) 

WHEN: 10:00, 11:30, 13:00, 14:30, 16:00, 17:30, 19:00, 20:30, 22:00 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

On no. We’ve been at the fringe steadily since 2016 and we LOVE it. It’s the best place in the world for experimental, immersive, interactive and developmental theatre to find a new audience. As a producer when you find a great place to work, like The Assembly, there really isn’t anything like it, but as a punter – well you can see such a huge variety of shows at ticket prices that are really reasonable!

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

Our show, Temping, has one audience member at a time. And what we learn not just from 2023 but from every one of our audience members is how different each show is. Its fascinating to get to know them so closely in some ways during the hour they are with us. I don’t want to give much away – but our audience members teach us more about the show than we show them sometimes!

Tell us about your show.

Temping is an interactive, immersive theatrical experience for only audience member at a time. As that audience member you are the temp for the day at an office filling in for Sarah Jane Tully who just went on vacation. You will interact with the piece via spreadsheets, phone calls, emails, voice memos, printouts and whatever else you can find. Its a fun and beautiful piece about loneliness, work, and what it means to be an individual. Dutch Kills Theater is producing it (the company I run) and it was developed by the narrative technologists at Wolf 359. This is our third year at Edinburgh and our fifth production of this little piece. We love it and there isn’t anything like it out there yet, so you’ll want to get your tickets early! Only nine audience members per day.

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

Well! We have some fellow New Yorkers coming to the fringe this year. Recent Cut Backs is bringing their hilarious show “Hold Onto Your Butts” to the Pleasance and if you like Jurassic Park, if you don’t like Jurassic Park but you remember it – whatever – you’ll love it. So check that out. Also Salty Brine, a NYC cabaret performer will be at Assembly Checkpoint with his take on an Annie Lennox album called “These Are the Contents of My Head.” He’s just amazing and one of my favorites. Otherwise I’m looking forward to seeing the new Darkfield show – I think its called “Arcade”? I love how precise their design is and I’m always transported by them. Who doesn’t love being in the dark completely immersed in a very strange mostly nonlinear story? I certainly do. And “The Ceremony” which was my favorite show at the Adelaide Fringe this year. Both of those are at Summerhall.

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EdFringe Talk: Gogo Boots Go

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“Don’t get me wrong, it’s exhausting, and the come down post-Fringe is like no other. But it’s so worth it.”

WHO: Cecelia Quant

WHAT: “Charlie runs a bridal shop. Clelia is getting married. The two women exist as strangers, their lives running in parallel without ever touching, until their paths intersect. As they search for the perfect dress, they spill secrets, laughter and desires with a familiarity that defies logic. It becomes clear that Clelia and Charlie share a connection that’s more than skin deep. A razor-sharp and heartfelt comedy exploring the shame we carry from childhood, the speed at which women become intimately connected and the people we meet briefly who leave an indelible imprint on our lives.”

WHERE: ZOO Playground – Playground 3 (Venue 186) 

WHEN: 14:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be our third time at the Fringe as a company, but we’ve all been here as audience members a couple of times before. For us, Fringe every year is kind of a reset. It might sound odd since it’s so high intensity and it’s nerve-wracking to bring a new show to the biggest arts festival in the world, but it really is the place where we feel most energised and focussed. It’s such a unique place where you’re surrounded by some of the most engaging and interesting people who are all there with brilliant new work.

The energy is unreal – having pints at Summerhall after a show like Hungry (Paines Plough, 2021) where the whole courtyard is just buzzing with this mad feverish excitement that you’ve all seen something so new and special, there’s nowhere else that has that atmosphere. Don’t get me wrong, it’s exhausting, and the come down post-Fringe is like no other. But it’s so worth it. Going into the Autumn having seen some fantastic new shows, made some great professional links, and met friends too, and just feeling generally really connected to the wider UK Fringe scene. It’s a fantastic end to the Summer.

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

I think the biggest one is that you can’t do everything on your own and you shouldn’t, it’s not good for you, your company, or the show you’re working on. It’s hard advice to stick to, especially when you’re a bit of a control freak, but it’s definitely a lesson that benefits everyone. Also, pushing ourselves outside our comfort zone and not being afraid to take risks. Our new show has Amber and Rosalie performing as well as writing which is very new to us. We’re definitely still a bit terrified to see what this play is going to look like but I think what we took away from last year’s Fringe is that it’s fringe! It’s the time to take risks, experiment, play – essentially you have the freedom to make your show whacky as fuck. Edinburgh Fringe audiences are one of the most open, giving, and generous you can perform to – take advantage of that because it’s rare.

And then for Fringe specific advice – pack a raincoat, pace yourselves (no, you don’t have to see 20 shows a day), have a favourite coffee shop you can escape to for a bit of peace and quiet/laptop time. And if you’re really at the end of your tether and just need some encouragement, head to Alby’s on Buccleuch Street and get one of their mega sandwiches. Promise they can cure a lot of sins.

Tell us about your show.

We co-founded the company in 2022, off the back of our first Fringe! The three of us have been putting shows on since. Gogo Boots Go is particularly exciting because Amber and Rosalie are writers/performers for the first time which is new and scary territory but makes this show feel really special. It’s not at all autobiographical but it is based on the real feelings of two female best friends and the intensity that comes with that. Putting those experiences into the worlds and minds of two characters is very fun – and cathartic in a way? We want the show to feel as intense as we did, but for it also to be celebratory, and hopefully hilarious.

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

‘Gay Disaster Musical’, ‘Gwyneth Goes Skiing’. All the Roundabout shows; ‘Playfight’ and ‘How I Learned to Swim’, I’m particularly excited to see.

There’s a whole bunch of other wonderful Bristol creatives coming up to the Fringe as well this August that we’ll definitely be catching. They’re up with a variety of different shows! There’s ‘The Emu War: A New Musical’, ‘To Watch A Man Eat’, ‘My Type on Paper’, ‘Hardly Working’, ‘Would You Like A Bag?’, ‘Boardroom’, ‘Bachelor Girls’ and ‘Flytrap’. We’ve got to shout out the Bristol gang!

And then comedy wise, it’s got to be Ania Magliano, Sarah Roberts, and I’m really excited to see Dylan Mulvaney’s new show.

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EdFringe Talk: In the Lady Garden

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we intend to relish and enjoy every single moment.”

WHO: Deborah Edgington

WHAT: “At 69, Alice wonders: if she hadn’t been expelled from convent school and had sex with Keith from the sausage rolls section, what might her life have been? Will Alice shake off the shackles of the patriarchy and live out the rest of her days with outrageous abandon? Find out in this rip-roaring feminist comedy, created by three women over 60.”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – Bunker One (Venue 33) 

WHEN: 14:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It’s going to be a very different experience. For a start I am older! I never ever expected to be making my Edinburgh debut at my time of my life! None of The Lady Gardeners did. We are a theatre company of three women all over 60 making our Edinburgh Fringe debut with our feminist comedy ‘In the Lady Garden’. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we intend to relish and enjoy every single moment. We are tremendously excited about welcoming audiences to our show, seeing lots of other shows and catching up with old friends and making new ones.

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

The biggest thing I have learned is that it is okay to change your mind. Until the end of last year, I assumed the time to take a show to Edinburgh had long passed me by. I wasn’t sure I’d have the energy for starters. As a punter, I have seen thousands of artists vying for a spot on the Royal Mile using every outlandish marketing stunt possible (nothing was off limits), pounding the streets and popping into every bar giving out flyers in the hope of getting an audience. It’s exhausting just thinking about it, notwithstanding all the hilly streets you have to climb in Edinburgh. But all these initial concerns disappeared when our show, to our surprise, was selected as one of the seven Edinburgh National Partnership shows. Knowing we have the support of the Pleasance and Theatre Royal Plymouth has renewed my energy and vigour. The Lady Gardeners are ready to take on the madness and excitement of everything the Fringe encapsulates – even the hilly streets! We can’t wait.

Tell us about your show.

‘In the Lady Garden’ is presented by The Lady Gardeners – writer Babs Horton, director me, Deborah Edgington, and performer Julia Faulkner. The play centres on Alice, who at the age of 69, wonders what her life might have been if she hadn’t been expelled from convent schools and had sex with Keith from the sausage rolls section. Will Alice shake off the shackles of the patriarchy and live out the rest of her life with outrageous abandon? Come and find out! We will be performing at Bunker One at the Pleasance Courtyard between 31 July and 26 August.

We first discussed bringing the play to the stage in 2021. Eighteen months later it had a short run in The Lab at Theatre Royal Plymouth, which sold out immediately and received great feedback. We are therefore extremely thrilled to have the support again from the Theatre Royal Plymouth, and on this occasion, the Pleasance too, as we make our Edinburgh debut. The script has been tweaked a bit since our original production and now, two years later, we are raring to put it in front of new audiences in the Scottish capital. We would love to tour the show afterwards and have already had a few enquiries from programmers, so we’ll see what happens next.

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

There are so many interesting and fabulous sounding shows coming to Edinburgh, it is really hard to choose. But if audiences enjoy ‘In the Lady Garden’ then they will probably enjoy Miriam Margolyes’ show and vice versa. Babs’ daughter, Laura, also has a show on at Summerhall called Lynn Faces, which sounds great and a friend of mine is directing The Cambridge Impronauts at the Gilded Balloon and another friend is directing Macbeth and Treasure Island, both on at The Space. The Lady Gardeners are really looking forward to seeing lots of different shows of all genres during our stay in Edinburgh and soaking up the atmosphere.

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EdFringe Talk: Swamplesque

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“I can’t wait for Edinburgh audiences to experience the delightful mix of campiness, stupidity, and pure magic that Swamplesque is.”

WHO: Trigger Happy

WHAT: “After taking Australia by storm, everyone’s favourite ogre-inspired burlesque and drag parody is finally coming to Edinburgh! Swamplesque is the award-winning, critically acclaimed, burlesque parody show from Far Far Away! This ‘outrageously fun’ (Advertiser, Adelaide) show offers its audience a smörgåsbord of performance styles. ‘Brilliantly executed, side-splittingly funny’ ***** (TheUpsideNews.com). ‘A high quality, raucous and silly fairy tale adventure’ ***** (WeekendNotes.com). ‘The surrealness is unmatched, unlike any burlesque show you’ll probably ever see’ ***** (TheCuriousWriter.net). Winner, Best Cabaret Weekly Award (Adelaide Fringe). Winner, Best Cabaret Weekly Award (Fringe World).”

WHERE: Assembly Hall – Main Hall (Venue 35) 

WHEN: 22:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time in Edinburgh producing a show but my second time as a performer/punter. My first Edinburgh Fringe was in 2022 – I arrived in Edinburgh with 2 performances and left doing 52 shows in 26 days and saw over 40 shows! I was absolutely hooked and knew I wanted to bring Swamplesque, it’s taken 2 years but I am so THRILLED to be bringing the show and I can’t wait for Edinburgh audiences to experience the delightful mix of campiness, stupidity, and pure magic that Swamplesque is.

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

We have just finished a mammoth 15 week tour in Australia and it has taught myself and everyone in the cast exactly what we need to do to keep being successful! Having done so many shows, day after day, it’s hard as performers to keep the show fresh but knowing that we have a new audience in every show – they laugh at different things, the scream and cheer in points of the show other audiences don’t, they are continually keeping us on our toes and pushing us to do our best!
I think the biggest lesson we learnt was keeping our bodies nourished both physically and mentally. We take time before each show to check in on each other, we eat a vegetable every now and then and have the most intense games of Skip-Bo you’ll ever see! We have really bonded with eachother and it’s made the show better, tighter and funnier.

Tell us about your show.

I (Trigger Happy) have been performing my solo ogre act since 2017 and toured all around the world with it – in late 2019 I thought why not create a fringe show with all the different characters from the movie and put out a casting call to the Australian Burlesque community! I got back dozens of applications and narrowed it down to a cast of 8 (5 of which are still in the show today) and we debuted the show in January 2020. Since then, we have performed Swamplesque close to 100 times at different festivals and theaters across Australia.

The creation of the show has always been a collaborative effort, each individual performer chose their music and created an act, then we would piece together the show. It’s been a 50 minute show, a full 2.5 hour theatre show and now runs at a very tight 60 minutes! Over time acts get upgraded, performers change but the essence of the show will always be the same – a special shout out to Bebe Gunn and Henny Spaghetti (who were both in the original show) and still to this day do the same duet on stage that debuted in January 2020.

What’s next for Swamplesque – we hope some really big things! Coming to Edinburgh was on our bucket list and we hope that being exposed to some many industry folk and new audiences will mean we can keep touring this show all around the world!

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

Apricity – Casus Creations. It’s such a stunning piece of contemporary circus, truly a jaw dropping beautiful show!

Batshit – Leah Shelton. Leah is a fellow Brisbane performer, her work is INCREDIBLE. Every time I see her perform I’m left in awe, walking away going what did I just watch – in the BEST POSSIBLE WAY. Truly a master of her craft!

Reuben Kaye. See any of Reuben’s shows – Live and Intimidating or The Kaye Hole, Reuben is an extraordinary performer, one of the quickest wits and is also generally a really lovely person. The perfect storyteller that makes you want to sit up and listen, he’s funny, he can sing and he will probably make fun of you.

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EdFringe Talk: Reels of Regret: Confessions of a Failed Filmmaker

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“A great festival has top tier talent, walkability, and cheap accommodation.”

WHO: Christina Jobe

WHAT: “You know those people who tell you to aim for the moon and you’ll land on the stars? Yeah, those people are a**holes. Filmmaker Christina Jobe’s new stand-up show explains how a strict Conservative Christian upbringing isn’t the best foundation for a career in entertainment. From accidentally going on a date with a septuagenarian, escaping the grasp of a frenzied holistic nutritionist, filming people who are filming porn, with a smattering of opioids along the way, this show explores how what you get is rarely what you want.”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter House – The Penny (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 21:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, I visited with my cousin who attended a conference for physicists. Her husband bailed (probably because of how boring it sounds) so I took his spot. I was smarter than everyone there so I chose not to attend any lectures and just wandered around Edinburgh looking for Harry Potter. I found him, he looked rough to be honest and kept asking if I knew if Hermione was asking about him? Don’t meet your heroes. I ended up walking into an Edinburgh Fringe show to avoid yet another awkward coffee with Harry, and I realized how great the Fringe Festival is.

This is my first time performing at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. I am very excited to be here, a place that launched Emma Thompson, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and the guy on Netflix who got stalked. I think a great festival has top tier talent, walkability, and cheap accommodation. Edinburgh Fringe has 2 out of 3! Pretty good!

I’ve changed my name so Harry doesn’t realize I’m here. There are only so many times where you can be lectured about the differences between hippogriffs and griffins before even butter beer can’t give you the will to live.

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

My 2 cats have learned to come when I call their names. It’s adorable. I don’t know if this is a life lesson, or just a really charming thing that happens now.

Tell us about your show.

Working in Hollywood for over a decade has given me a wealth of ridiculous stories. I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of “making it”, or what is success in a subjective business? I thought I would bring this ridiculousness to Edinburgh so a bunch of foreigners (anyone not Californian) can tell me if I’m the crazy one.

I wrote the show and Ines Worth is producing it. I was connected to Ines through another Edinburgh Fringe performer. She has a record of excellent shows and her support has been invaluable in the process.

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

For me, the best show TO EVER COME TO THE EDINBURGH FRINGE–or any fringe festival in the Western Hemisphere (excluding Toronto)–is How to Mate: The Ted XXX Talk. Please, do yourself a favor and check out the show, it is truly excellent! My friend Lucy is producing it, and she is the coolest person alive!

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