Tag Archives: EdFringe

EdFringe Talk: Surreally Good

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“The themes of the show are universal and audiences from all over England have enjoyed sitting back and getting ‘Edutained’.”

WHO: Scott Turnbull

WHAT: “Say hello to Scott – the finest “Edutainment Officer” in the business, a leading expert in overhead animation and lo-fi storytelling, a renowned descendent of the Turnbull Family Edutainment programme and a grieving son. The only problem is, he’s gone a little bit freaky-deaky. With the Wilkes Booth Corporation breathing down his neck, our charming yet unreliable narrator is struggling with the pressure of real life. The award-winning show (Best Performance, Newcastle Fringe) is back at Edinburgh Fringe for a second year! ‘Nothing else like it at the festival’ (Scotsman). ‘Weird and wonderfully warm’ (Guardian).”

WHERE: Former Womens Locker Room at Summerhall (Venue 26) 

WHEN: 17:20 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’ve been to Edinburgh a few times – this time I’m returning with a successful show (which isn’t always the case) so I’m in a very lucky place where I can enjoy myself, instead of running around like a headless chicken trying to find a glue gun and a bag of googly eyes for a last-minute costume! This year will be so much fun – watching new stuff and drinking a few beers on the meadows.

I love the meadows – the big green space neighbouring the hustle and bustle of the city! The chatter and hubbub of expectant punters! It’s all very exciting to be visiting the big city again and getting in amongst the best live entertainment on the planet.

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

Wow BIG question: What have I learned? Owls have long skinny legs beneath their feathers!? DON’T put cooked food in the compost bin! The Arts council was founded in 1883!!! I learnt all that today, so to cover 365 days could take a while…

Professionally, I’ve spent the year touring Surreally Good to lots of cool little venues like The Puppet Barge in Little Italy and the Slung Low in Leeds and even some big city theatres – like Lowry and Live Theatre. The themes of the show are universal and audiences from all over England have enjoyed sitting back and getting ‘Edutained’. It’s been a right laugh sharing the show with people across the country and making new pals along the way.

Tell us about your show.

I collaborated with Ed Gaughan – a really talented, funny, supportive nincompoop. He writes and Directs for Milton Jones, Josie Long and Spy Monkey. Together we created Surreally Good as a bit of a greatest hits show – with lots of fun and silly sketches paired together with some sad and quite emotional story telling – “Theatre Darling – where the sacred meets the profane!”

With support from the ACE we’re collaborating on a new show with Beaford Arts and ARC Stockton, which might be coming to a town near you in 2027.

Despite being described as ‘Teessides Silliest Billy’ by The LIST – I will be performing the role of Geordie (Originally played by Daniel Craig) in Live Theatres new production of Our Friends in The North. Next stop – getting cast as James Bond.

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

Pickle Republic at Summerhall looks great! The End of the Fucking World was fantastic last year – a real anarchic, rag-tag knees up with live music, unreliable narrators and nudity. I also enjoyed two very funny clowns from New Zealand (or was it Australia?) who’s name I can’t remember (You’ll have to take my word for it) they were very funny, and naked. Speaking of nudity – I‘ve heard nothing but good things about the wonderful Garry Star and the Sudocrem covered superstar Frankie Monroe. The Farm was meant to be really brilliant too.

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EdFringe Talk: A Queer Little Murder

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“I kept having this tickle in my heart that I wanted to do a show at Fringe.”

WHO: Savannah Hankinson

WHAT: “When a dead body is discovered in a small and incredibly queer town, the audience must decide who committed the murder. Every queer stereotype is a suspect in this whodunnit!”

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

WHEN: 15:40 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It’s my first time performing at the Fringe and my second time attending the festival. I definitely feel like a newbie–my friends from Drama School (at Drama Centre, way back in the day) had all done Edinburgh while at University or even younger than that. As an American, I always felt like the Fringe was something far out of my reach. But I kept having this tickle in my heart that I wanted to do a show at Fringe. So finally, last year, my wonderful girlfriend suggested we take a trip and feel out the Fringe. And wow. My life was changed. I’ve never felt such a strong sense of joy and belonging and I had to come back. So, when I got home from the Fringe, I made a plan and started writing.

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

My motto for the past few years has been “Just do the damn thing”. Collaboration is key. And asking for help is a very brave thing to do. Getting the support of experts is the smartest thing you can do and I’m particularly grateful to be part of the Emerging Rose with Chloé Nelkin Consulting. And next year, I’ll start everything two months earlier.

Tell us about your show.

The play is a one-person murder mystery comedy, where I play six different characters and the audience chooses how the play ends. There are five different endings (based on the five suspects) and I have no idea until halfway through the show how the play will end that day. It’s going to be sheer chaos and mistakes will be made, but that’s what the fringe is for! I was able to workshop the play at Qtopia’s PrideFest in Sydney, Australia in June. And I’ll be doing three preview performances at the Durham Fringe festival leading up to the Edinburgh Fringe. After August, the show will head to New York City for a run at The Tank. The brilliant Tara Elliott is my director and really helped me develop and shape the piece during our rehearsal period. As for the playwright, sound designer, graphic designer, producer, stage manager, etc: that’s all me. I’ve had to learn a lot of new skills during this process and I can’t wait to sleep in September.

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

Everything! From mime to stand-up to musicals, everything at the Fringe is worth seeing! Some of my favorite shows from last year are returning and I’ve already grabbed tickets: Ada & Bron: The Origin of Love, The Horse of Jenin. The comic Alex Edelman is a genius–go see his show! And I’m personally pumped to see Don’t Kill Daisy, a choose your own adventure show coming over from the States.

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EdFringe Talk: In A Bad Way

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“As an anxious person, change can be the absolute worst.”

WHO: Isolde Fenton

WHAT: “Grá is sick. With what, she’s not sure. Blood clots, maybe? Foreign Accent Syndrome, possibly? Bum cancer – most definitely; the ginger one from Desperate Housewives has it, like. In a GP in Dublin, she’s with the Doctor (for the fifth time this month) and she won’t rest until she has a diagnosis. A darkly comedic, touching, fast-paced one woman show about hypochondria.”

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

WHEN: 14:20 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It is my first time coming to Edinburgh ever, even excluding the Fringe! I have always dreamed about going, whether that be as a punter or as a performer. I think as a theatre-maker, being at the Fringe is a bucket list opportunity. I am unbelievably excited to get stuck in, experience everything and meet some cool people from all over the world.

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

My last 12 months have been shaped particularly by change. As an anxious person, change can be the absolute worst. However, I’ve begun to go with it for once, instead of trying to fight it – and in doing so, I have had some of the most enlightening, terrifying and uplifting moments of my life. Change can be good, if you let it be. (Ugh!)

Tell us about your show.

IN A BAD WAY is a one woman show about hypochondria and anxiety. I have written the script, and am performing the role of Grá. Our team met and began collaborating after the show was chosen for Cork Theatre Collective’s SHOW:A Work in Progress Event in November 2024. That is where I met Sinéad Gallagher, the show’s producer.

We premiered at the inaugural Cork Fringe in May 2025, and have been touring it around Ireland since then. Most recently, we performed at Féile na Bealtaine in Dingle. The Edinburgh Fringe is our UK Debut!

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

I will also be performing in Benjamin Reilly’s Mortal Sin at Gilded Balloon Teviot at 12:20pm (with an hour turn around, yeehaw!) It is a gorgeous show about two teenagers in 1960s Ireland. I might be a little biased, but I think it’s absolutely worth seeing.

I am really looking forward to seeing BASIC BALD B*TCH by Emily Glaze; a darkly comic one woman show about alopecia. It sounds like a glitzy, camp and heartfelt story that I think will be a complete highlight of the Fringe.

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EdFringe Talk: The Trials of Magnus Coffinkey

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“We try to not fret too much on the small hurdles that seem to crop up out of nowhere when you least expect them.”

WHO: Angele Galea

WHAT: “A broken fairy tale for broken people. In a whimsical land of broken toys, Magnus Coffinkey must fix a bell atop an impossibly high spire. Success will make his wish come true. The price of failure is a permanently broken heart. Funny, honest and deeply devastating, The Trials of Magnus Coffinkey is a dark fairy tale where the power of storytelling is used to make sense of great personal trauma. Outstanding Theatre Award at Brighton Fringe, 2024. ‘Sublime. Heart-wrenching. Perfect’ ***** (TheReviewsHub.com).”

WHERE: Red Lecture Theatre at Summerhall (Venue 26) 

WHEN: 10:30 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Our first time at the Edinburgh Fringe was as wide eyed visitors in 2008, where we enjoyed the feeling of all the artistic energy buzzing around us. That year we were also developing a musical and we were lucky enough to have enough support to bring that show (Porn – the Musical) to the Fringe the following year. The experience was overwhelming and by 2011, Porn – the Musical had won the award for Best New Musical at the Off-West End Theatre Awards. We felt that anything and everything is possible at the Fringe. We are now very excited to be bringing The Trials of Magnus Coffinkey, after winning the Outstanding Theatre Award at the Brighton Fringe. This time around we have a clearer idea of what to expect but since we’ll be going as producers, the experience will be different. Instead of being looked after, we’ll be the ones doing the looking after. Yikes!

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

Life can throw some pretty unexpected curve balls. You need to have sharp reflexes and think calmly, always keeping your eyes on the bigger picture. We try to not fret too much on the small hurdles that seem to crop up out of nowhere when you least expect them. They’re very much like the annoying gargoyles Magnus Coffinkey meets as he is climbing the tower to reach his goal.

Tell us about your show.

I co-wrote it with my husband Malcolm Galea as an homage to our first pregnancy which ended in miscarriage. The piece is presented as a broken fairy tale for broken people and that pretty much sums it up exactly. It’s dark, quirky, and devastating experience that presents hope in all its glorious fragility. We’ve been working together for over 20 years and produce educational children shows under the brand More or Less Theatre, and socially engaged shows under Give or Take Productions. Malcolm is a multi-award-winning playwright while I work in various media, including playwriting, music composition, and costumes, props and set design. The show was first staged in Malta where we’re based in 2023 before having its UK debut at Brighton Fringe in 2024. In 2025 we staged it again in Brighton’s Lantern Theatre to collect more reviews and so far we have no plans for after Edinburgh. In the UK, we’ve only ever presented the touring version of the play and our dream would be to see it staged with a full set and live music.

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

We are looking forward to watching Come Back Home by Fadi Murad which is powerful and intimate exploration of grief, identity, and the weight of the past. There is a lot of intersections with themes we are portraying but this show weaves together text, video, and sound to unravel how loss shapes ambition and belonging. We’ll also be sure to catch Callum Patrick Hughes’ Day of the Locust. He’s a wonderful storyteller who incorporates music in his shows and has great charisma.

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EdFringe Talk: An Ode to the Casting Director

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“I never thought I could do a one woman show before someone told me that I should.”

WHO: Sophie Fisher

WHAT: “The 2026 OffFEST nominee returns to Edinburgh after a smash-hit debut with five-star sell-out shows, winning a Fringe Theatre Award in 2025. Impressively accoladed solo show written and performed by screen actress Sophie Fisher (The Scotsman’s Rising Stars of Edinburgh Fringe 2025) following her gawky yet determined autobiographical self battling through a minefield of film industry dickheads, gender-role-obsessed boyfriends and insane actors, one audition at a time. ‘Ready for the West End’ ***** (FringeSider.com). ‘Hilarious, heartfelt and completely captivating’ ***** (CorrBlimey.uk). ‘Electric performance, tour-de-force’ ****½ (One4Review.co.uk). ‘On-stage camera work is a masterstroke’ **** (TheatreAndTonic.co.uk).”

WHERE: Studio Four at Assembly George Square Studios (Venue 17) 

WHEN: 12:00 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my second year at Edinburgh Fringe and I am excited to be returning with an understanding of how the Fringe goes! Last year I felt like a total deer in headlights, fighting for my damn life. I can’t wait to now get stuck in and bring audiences our further developed show and connect with even more artists. Fringe is such an incredible place to meet new people – artists, audiences, crew and more. Fringe people are some of the kindest, warmest and most supportive people I have ever met. I’ve already got my tickets booked to also see what everyone else has been up to, what people have been creating and see the hard work coming to life.

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

Since 2025 the biggest lesson has been learning to shut out the noise, the comparison, the reviews and just focusing in on staying in my own lane and enjoying creating stories and shows which mean a lot to me and which I am excited to share. Stories which I think people will resonate with and take something from. I’ve also learnt from my incredible Director, Linda Ludwig, that if I can imagine it, then it is possible. I never thought I could do a one woman show before someone told me that I should. Edinburgh Fringe was never something I thought I was capable of, and here we are returning for our second year. It has broadened my imagination to not pre-judge things as impossible but instead chasing what excites me and making it possible.

Tell us about your show.

An Ode to the Casting Director is a solo show, written by myself and developed with Director, Linda Ludwig. I am self producing this bad boy, as I did last year after a sold out London preview at Seven Dials Playhouse and a run of sold out shows at Gilded Balloon in 2025. We are excited to be returning with Assembly this year before finding out where the show will head to next! Linda and I met in London around 10 years ago in an Acting class, where we discovered that we in fact both lived in Oxfordshire, about 10 mins down the road from each other. Linda is an incredible Screen Director, one of the Sony Future Filmmakers 2025. Alongside her directing partner, James Curle, she has Garnered Awards and Official Selections in OSCAR, BAFTA and BIFA-qualifying festivals internationally, their films have distributed to territories worldwide on leading SVOD platforms, including Disney+ and Amazon Prime. When I got my slot at Fringe last year, she was always going to be my first pick to help me tell this story and I was over the moon when she agreed. I’m thrilled she is returning with me again this year, we can’t wait to show you what we have been working on.

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

I can’t wait to see ‘Jolly Fisherman’ at Underbelly with the incredibly talented Alex Hill. As well as ‘The Distance’ at Summerhall. And then of course at Assembly I’m excited ‘Alone’ is coming back, I missed it last year and am thrilled I have the chance to catch it this year.

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EdFringe Talk: Sitting (In Silence)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“We risk losing brilliant, diverse voices simply because they can’t afford to be here. Festivals like the Fringe should be places where talent, not privilege, determines who gets to tell their story.”

WHO: Kitty Falcon

WHAT: “The meditation retreat is supposed to help them find inner peace. Dad (Patrick O’Donnell, Vikings:Valhalla) is out of place from get-go. He’s loud, rebellious and charming in a way that has everyone rolling their eyes, including his daughter (Kitty Falcon). Inspired by true events, this haunting tragi-comedy will leave you reflecting on the silence that divides us and what healing really means. Could those brief moments of laughter and connection ultimately be what saves us? Winner of Farnham Maltings Emerging Artist Award and Community Award 2025. In partnership with Dad La Soul, Papyrus and Start The Conversation.”

WHERE: Anatomy Lecture Theatre at Summerhall (Venue 26) 

WHEN: 14:45 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No! I’ve been to the Fringe a number of times before, working on street teams with Berk’s Nest and performing at C venues, so it’s a place that already feels really special to me. Every year I leave feeling inspired by the sheer amount of creativity around me. I love taking a chance on shows I’ve never heard of, meeting people from all over the world and celebrating theatre in all its forms. As financial support continues to shrink, it’s becoming harder and harder for emerging artists and independent companies to afford to bring work to Edinburgh. We risk losing brilliant, diverse voices simply because they can’t afford to be here. Festivals like the Fringe should be places where talent, not privilege, determines who gets to tell their story. There’s nowhere quite like it for reminding you why live performance matters.

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

The past year has been a crash course in producing theatre. I’ve learnt about every area of putting on a show, from fundraising and marketing to building the right creative team and turning an idea into a professional production. More than anything, I’ve learnt the importance of community: trusting your collaborators, being loyal to the people around you, asking for help and being brave enough to share your story with purpose. I don’t think I’ve fully absorbed all those lessons yet, but I’m definitely carrying them with me into whatever comes next.

Tell us about your show.

Sitting (In Silence) was written by me, Kitty Falcon, and is produced by Shelley Hasseldine, Angela O’Callaghan, Isabelle Tyner and myself through Terracotta Productions. Terracotta was

co-founded by Philip Ofe and me after we met on the Kiln Theatre’s Listen Local Young Writers Programme. We both wanted to create work that opens up conversations around issues affecting in-need communities through bold, accessible storytelling. Philip’s play, Spontaneous Meets Is Not for the Weak, at The Hope Theatre, will support conversations around young carers, while Sitting (In Silence) has been developed alongside suicide prevention charities and organisations working to improve mental health awareness. That shared purpose is at the heart of everything we make. This production premiered at Brighton Fringe, where it won the Mid Street Lab Community Award and the Farnham Maltings Emerging Artist Award. After Edinburgh, we’re hoping for a London transfer (Soho Theatre would be a dream) and I am also developing the story for television.

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

I’m excited to see Jack Rooke’s Good Grief after watching the magnificent Big Boys. Sarah Roberts’ Scary Movie 7 is guaranteed to be brilliantly chaotic and laugh-out-loud funny. I’d also recommend Heart Beats Strong at the Pleasance. One of my favourite things about the Fringe is discovering work by artists you might not know yet, so make room in your schedule for a few wild-card shows too!

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EdFringe Talk: REDACTED: The Cover-Up of a Cover-Up of a Cover-Up

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“A brilliant concept is worthless if the audience can’t actually receive and experience it.”

WHO: Olivia Zerphy

WHAT: “Fargo meets The Matrix meets The Office in this high-octane, darkly comic thriller. It’s 1973. Marnie Makowski arrives in New Mexico, searching for her missing sister. When a butcher, a pilot, and a priest each reveal fragments of a millennium-spanning conspiracy, Marnie faces a choice: walk away, or uncover the truth. What follows will change everything, for everyone, forever. An adrenaline-fuelled odyssey through America’s most absurd manhunt, with virtuoso physical theatre, acrobatics, and live music from multi award-winning Voloz Collective. Praise for previous work: ***** (BroadwayWorld.com, BroadwayBaby.co.uk). **** ‘Immaculate’ (Scotsman).”

WHERE: King Dome at Pleasance Dome (Venue 23) 

WHEN: 13:55 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our third Edinburgh Fringe as a company, and we keep coming back because we genuinely love it!

We’re incredibly grateful for what the Fringe has done for Voloz. It’s been a huge springboard for our work, leading to UK and international touring opportunities that simply wouldn’t have happened otherwise. There’s nowhere else where you can share your work with audiences from all over the world every single day for an entire month.

As theatre-makers, the repetition provided by the festival is invaluable. Performing the same show every day allows you to discover things you could never find in a rehearsal room. We find we really start to understand the pace of the show, where it can breathe, where we can push the joke, where we need to pick up the pace. The show becomes sharper, richer and more nuanced over the course of the festival. It’s exhausting, but it’s also one of the most exciting creative experiences we know.

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

This is our third show as a company, and every project teaches us something new about how we work together.

The biggest practical lesson is probably to take breaks! Devising can become all-consuming, and it’s so hard to figure out how to step away. This year we’re all taking a full week off right before the Fringe.

Artistically, we’ve learned that audiences love the fragility of a work-in-progress. They laugh when something unexpected happens, and lean into the vulnerability, chaos, and messiness of it – there’s a wonderful sense that anything could happen. As a show becomes tighter and more polished, you inevitably lose a little of that. So once we’ve cleaned everything up, we’ve learned to then go back in and deliberately loosen parts of the show again, creating space for spontaneity so it still feels alive, risky, and funny.

We’re constantly learning and forgetting and relearning to move more and talk less.

Perhaps the biggest lesson is not to fall in love with ideas for their own sake. A brilliant concept is worthless if the audience can’t actually receive and experience it.

We’re also learning to accept that creating original devised theatre simply takes time. Always more time than we think. The work can’t be rushed, and sometimes it is necessary to let go of an idea you’ve spent months developing if it isn’t serving the show anymore.

Tell us about your show.

REDACTED is an original devised production by Voloz Collective. We are an internationally touring physical theatre company founded by alumni of École Jacques Lecoq. The company creates bold, cinematic theatre where movement, live music, comedy and inventive visual storytelling take centre stage.

Like all of our work, REDACTED has been created collaboratively. All four members of Voloz (Emily Wheatman, Sam Rayner, Paul Lofferon, and Olivia Zerphy) work non-hierarchically to write, direct, produce, and perform our shows.

REDACTED has already had a number of work-in-progress performances, London previews and a small UK tour ahead of its Edinburgh run. Those performances have been an essential part of the devising process, allowing us to test ideas in front of audiences and continue refining the work.

Following Edinburgh, we’re planning a wider UK tour in Spring 2027, and we’re excited to continue sharing the production internationally.

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

Spin Cycle by Berserk Theatre is high on our list. It’s a razor-sharp, absurd and heartfelt drama set in a launderette that balances humour with real emotional depth. It’s playing at Underbelly Bristo Square at 2:25pm throughout the Fringe.

We’re also really looking forward to Shantify. Sea shanties, theatre, comedy and live music? Honestly, what’s not to love? It’s at Palais du Variété at Assembly George Square Gardens at 15:05.

Another must-see is The Librarians: A Very Serious Comedy! We were lucky enough to catch a 15-minute excerpt when it was a Charlie Hartill Award finalist, and we were crying with laughter. There’s one gag involving a table that is genuinely worth the price of admission on its own. Its at 15:15 in Pleasance 2!

And finally, Bread and Circuses by Seamus Lavan. It’s a brilliantly silly and sharp collision of Julius Caesar, clowning and the manosphere- a hilarious, unsettling hour from a very talented performer. It’s on at 12:55pm during the Fringe.

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EdFringe Talk: Mythos: Ragnarök

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“I come from a stunts and sports background, so I expect to work hard and I enjoy the grueling elements of the festival.”

WHO: Ed Gamester

WHAT: “The ‘maddest, baddest show of the Fringe’ (Daily Mail) is back and bigger than ever! Join Loki, Thor and the Norse Gods in this five-star groundbreaking blend of mythological storytelling and high-octane wrestling. Back for its fifth consecutive year at the Fringe, this ‘knockout spectacle’ (Telegraph) is a one-of-a-kind theatre experience unlike any other show in the world. A true cult classic of the festival, it sells out fast so move quickly! ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). ***** (LondonTheatre.co.uk). ***** (BingeFringe.com). **** (Telegraph). **** (Daily Mail).”

WHERE: Music Hall at Assembly Rooms (Venue 20) 

WHEN: 21:25 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my fifth year in a row. My Fringe experience has changed a lot, growing from a novice in a 137 seat classroom to a headliner in a 700 seat theatre, but the pressure, risk and workload remain the same – all of which are worthwhile for the opportunity that the Fringe represents. I come from a stunts and sports background, so I expect to work hard and I enjoy the grueling elements of the festival. I’ve never experienced the festival without physical exhaustion and financial disaster looming over me at all times, but I hope to attend as a punter one day – it looks fun!

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

In the last year we’ve been the resident show for a theatre in central Vienna, a headline festival act in a circus tent, and a touring production everywhere from filthy nightclubs to Alexandra Palace. We’ve performed for 100 people and 1000 people. We’ve sold tickets for £100 and tickets for a tenner. If I’ve learned one thing in that time it’s that scale and quality are unrelated. Some of our best work and biggest draws have been under the harshest conditions and some of the ‘top’ venues in the country have treated us the worst and seen the poorest sales.

I’ve seen that reflected in the industry too: I’ve seen brilliance created on a shoestring by tiny teams of passionate artists, while big producers spend £20 million creating flops. It turns out you can’t buy your way into making good art and that never stops being hilarious to witness. The lesson I have learned, therefore, is not to feel any pressure to ‘develop’ my show because what most people mean by ‘develop’ has nothing to do with improving the quality and everything to do with making more money (for them). For clarity, because I mentioned them by name: the team and venue at Ally Pally are absolutely wonderful and I can’t wait to perform there again.

Tell us about your show.

I wrote, produced and directed it myself. We premiered in London in December 2021; by December 2026 we will have performed the show 300 times across 11 countries. We did a UK tour earlier this year, then straight after the Fringe we will be touring Europe for a few months. Before the end of the year the show should have opened in the USA where, with a bit of luck, it will tour for years with an American cast and crew.

Nothing about the show is conventional: there are no producers, no investors and nobody in the company had ever done theatre beforehand. We’ve gone about this entirely our own way as a sort of punk DIY approach to theatre and, in my opinion, that’s one of the things that makes it so vibrant and spectacular. How long the show can carry on with me as the lead is anyone’s guess; it’s hellaciously physical and has taken a toll on my body over the last five years so, sooner or later, I’ll have to step out.

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

I rarely have time to see other shows at the festival, but we performed after Circa Wolf last year and they were excellent. Mario the Maker Magician is also a delight, even if you don’t have kids – his show is a joy to behold! In general I recommend people support international physical performers, not only because it’s rare to see them in this country, but because everything that is challenging about the Fringe – the cost, the risk, the grueling workload – is magnified so many times over for them. I also suggest people look for independently produced work; make sure your ticket money is going to the actual artist and not whoever has sent them up there to sleep in a bathtub for a month. One of the coolest things about the Fringe is that your presence as an audience member means the world to the smaller artists. Even if you take a gamble and don’t particularly enjoy the show, you’ve contributed simply by being there – and that’s special.

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EdFringe Talk: Long Way Home

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“Every year I’d look through the programme to see who was performing and imagine what it would be like to be there as an audience member. So to now be bringing my own show to Edinburgh is a bit of a pinch-me moment.”

WHO: Layla Warren

WHAT: “Layla, an Iranian refugee, escapes war and rebuilds herself in American television. But when her dream begins to fracture, the past she once fled quietly returns. Long Way Home is a solo performance blending humour, storytelling and cultural insight. Tracing the distance between survival and identity. From Tehran to broadcast studios, it asks what must be sacrificed, reshaped or concealed in order to be seen. And how do you find home when it feels like you’ve left it behind? Directed by Sepy Baghaei. Dramaturg – Pilar Alessandra. Sound designer – Pouya Ehsaei.”

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

WHEN: 11:40 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time at the Edinburgh Fringe, and for a long time it felt more like a distant dream than something that would actually happen. Every year I’d look through the programme to see who was performing and imagine what it would be like to be there as an audience member. So to now be bringing my own show to Edinburgh is a bit of a pinch-me moment.

As it’s my first Fringe, I feel like it’s going to be filled with so many firsts. It’ll be my first time in Edinburgh, my first time performing there, and my first time experiencing the Fringe as an audience member.

That’s exciting because I get to see the festival from both sides, as a performer and as someone who loves discovering new storytelling.

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

I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned over the past 12 months has been to just go for it.

It’s easy to wait until you feel completely ready or convince yourself that the timing isn’t right, but if you keep waiting until you’re 100% ready, life will pass you by.

The Edinburgh Fringe started as a passing thought “Wouldn’t that be cool?” and now I’m actually taking a show there. For me, this past year has been about listening to that inner voice and acting on it. Taking an idea, turning it into a script, and now being in rehearsals and preparing for the show.

Confidence doesn’t come before you start, it comes because you start. Sometimes you just have to trust yourself enough to take the first step.

Tell us about your show.

On the surface, the show tells the story of my journey from Tehran to England, and then all the way to Los Angeles in pursuit of my dream of becoming a TV presenter. But at its heart, it’s about more than that. It’s a story about identity, resilience, belonging, and what it really means to find home.

It’s about navigating different cultures, chasing seemingly impossible dreams, and discovering that home isn’t always a place…sometimes it’s the person you become along the way.

Right now, my focus is on giving everything I have to Edinburgh. I’ve learned that if you’re always thinking about your next move, you can’t give your full attention to the moment you’re in.

I want to embrace that: to be present, enjoy the experience, and give this show everything I’ve got.
I’m also incredibly fortunate to have my director, Sepy Baghaei, who has honestly been heaven-sent.

She’s incredibly thoughtful and intentional. She never speaks without carefully considering what she wants to say, and every note she gives is in service of making the show stronger.

She has no ego, and she’s someone you immediately trust. It’s been a gift to collaborate with her.
Because of that, I feel like I owe it to her, to the audience, and to the show itself to be fully present and focused on Edinburgh. I want to give this experience everything I have.

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

I have to admit, I don’t know many people at the Fringe yet…I’m not on social media, I only have an instagram account, and I haven’t posted in years! So as for as modern day society is concerned, I’m a recluse!

But I’m really looking forward to discovering new shows and supporting the talented artists bringing their work to Edinburgh this year.

I’m especially excited to support the other Iranian women at the festival, including Hajar Woodland’s, Hajar, Like Badger, and Sepideh Kaav’s, 1979: Persianility Disorder. At a time when there’s so much attention on Iran, seeing Iranian voices and stories represented at the Fringe feels meaningful, and I’m proud to be a part of that.

I also have to give a huge shout-out to the team at Gilded Balloon. They’ve been extraordinary!
I’ve never worked with a company like this before, and it’s been such a treat. Everything is run efficiently, everyone is responsive, the professionalism is exceptional, but it’s the warmth of the team that has left the biggest impression on me,

I imagine that’s a reflection of Karen and Katy Koren’s leadership. As a female-led company, they’ve clearly created a culture where people genuinely care, and you can feel that in every interaction with the Gilded team.

It goes to show, not only do women get the job done, they do it exceptionally well. I can’t wait to meet everyone from Gilded in Edinburgh and thank them in person.

And as for what I’m hoping to see, a few shows that have caught my eye are Church by Brit Barron, Olivia Xing: Baby of Colour, and The End of the World by Destiny Faith Nelson/ Rhymes with Purple.

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EdFringe Talk: The Lady Doth Protest

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“I found a city that drops all pretense and lets art be messy, brave, and slightly unhinged.”

WHO: Nealy Glenn

WHAT: “A darkly comic, present-day battle of wits, of the sexes, and of Shakespearean bonafides. The Fool, a self-made “scholar,” clings to the Bard for relevance, until a stranger refuses to stay polite and the room tips into an absurd cage match. In 2026, when whose voice is heard is still a question, this show makes the classics feel urgent and hilariously combustible. Fast, physical and sharp. Come for the comedy, stay for the moment you realise you’re part of the argument. When the text is stripped bare, what humanity is left glowing beneath?”

WHERE: Olive Studio at Greenside @ George Street (Venue 236) 

WHEN: 11:20 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Technically yes as a performer, but I came last year with my mom, and it completely recalibrated how I view theatre.

I expected a massive art market. Instead, I found a city that drops all pretense and lets art be messy, brave, and slightly unhinged. I sat in a room with 15 people watching a woman perform a solo show about walking the Camino Real, that show has stuck with me: Her bravery, honesty, and deep desire to tell her story were so moving. Later that week, I saw a Northern Irish play about generational trauma, at Traverse Theatre, that blew me away: the production quality, the acting, the writing.

Experiencing it as a ticket-buyer is thrilling; experiencing it as a producer is a lesson in stamina. You aren’t just putting on a show; you are fighting for space to be seen. And hoping someone will come see your little show. And that is the magic and joy. Everyone is here together as a community. We’ve had so much support from Greenside. It feels like a wonderful little family we are in. And the Fringe Society has been so helpful with resources and classes for producers. It is a 101 class in Producing in Real Time. And the goal is to not take ourselves too seriously—and enjoy the ride. Therefore, we will be out there with our accordion player (Will, who is part of the show) entertaining folks and offering half-price flyers. If you’re going to bring a show across the Atlantic, you might as well have fun!

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

I’ve learned that momentum is something you build with intention, community, and word of mouth.

A year ago, this play was just a discussion between friends over coffee. Twelve months later, we’ve taken it from a reading in Nashville to a sold-out Off-Broadway run at 59E59 in New York, and now to Scotland. Managing the logistics – my producing partner Melle Powers is based in NYC—were forced to figure out how to produce on the fly without second-guessing every move. She was in NYC and I was in Nashville.

The lesson I’m trying to actually absorb is to stop waiting for permission. If the story is strong enough and you feel passionate about the work, the path opens up. You don’t need a massive institution behind you to make art.

Tell us about your show.

The Lady Doth Protest is a darkly comic, present-day battle of the sexes. The play centers on “The Fool,” a self-made scholar who clings to Shakespeare as an authority shield until an unapologetic stranger corners him, triggering a volatile reclamation of voice between two deeply flawed people. Fast, physical, and sharply funny, the production treats the audience as an active presence in the room—their tension and laughter directly steer the scene, all underpinned by an original, continuous live accordion score performed on stage by composer Will Holshouser.

Written by Yale faculty dramaturg Mark Blankenship (from a concept developed alongside myself) and directed by Evan Zes, the production is co-produced by Melle Powers’ Joy Powered Productions and Feminine Productions. Our actors are Liam Craig and Nealy Glenn (myself) we went to NYU Tisch Graduate Acting together. That shared vocabulary allowed us to understand the Shakespearean peice of the production and the comedic mechanics rooted in Commedia Dell’arte that we studied in school together.

In 2026, the battle over intellectual agency is urgent. The play exposes how quickly “civilized” debate degrades into a raw power struggle when tradition is used as a weapon.

Before Edinburgh, we had a sold-out reading in Nashville and a sold-out run at 59E59 Theaters in NYC. Fringe is our international premiere, and from here, we’re taking the show into regional theatres and future festival stops. That is our Goal!

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

Traverse Theatre: I saw so many wonderful shows here last year. It is a writing focused theatre and you can’t go wrong

Greenside Venues — Spend an afternoon exploring whatever is on at Greenside; they consistently anchor some of the grittiest, most exciting indie theatre at the entire festival. Lot’s of new works

Extra Dry: One woman show written by Michelle Renee Johnson she was at 59E59 street with us. Highly recommend. Very funny and sharp! And she is from the South (USA) close to where I am so I very much relate.

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