Tag Archives: EdFringe

EdFringe Talk: Lights Up! The Improvised Musical

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“There’s no one else in Germany doing what we do, so one of the ways we’ve been moving forward has been by reaching out to our musical improv heroes for guidance.”

WHO: Tina Marie Serra

WHAT: “It’s Lights Up! on this Fringe debut: a completely improvised musical comedy! Unforgettable characters sing, dance, rap, and harmonise their way through action-packed stories in an exuberant joyride that audiences have described as pure magic on stage. It’s a jubilant, electric adventure that’s brand new every night – because it’s made up on the spot from your suggestions! Berlin’s Kaleidoscope is a tour-de-force of musical talent and comedic storytelling that’s making waves and blowing up the genre of improvised musicals. Become part of the show that’s touched hearts and sold out theatres wherever it goes!”

WHERE: theSpace on the Mile – Space 1 (Venue 39) 

WHEN: 20:45 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, this is our first time at the Edinburgh Fringe–both as performers and punters!

Edinburgh Fringe has long been a goal for all of us individually, but we didn’t think it was an option this year. The company was in its very first weeks when we decided to apply; we had done exactly one show (a musical about land sharks, of all the things), but we sent it to some venues, not thinking we’d hear anything. But theSpace came back to us just a few days later and said they’d love to have us and our collective jaws hit the floor. It didn’t feel real; it still doesn’t. But we said yes and got to work.

We’re really excited to be sharing our show with a new audience! But we’re also really, really excited to spend three weeks in the maelstrom of creativity–seeing our idols live for the first time, supporting our friends’ shows, being inspired by the incredible talent on display, and swapping ideas and stories with friends, both old and new.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

We’re still a very new company–we’ll only be eleven months old at Fringe! So our whole journey towards the Festival has been filled with so much learning. How do we improvise musical numbers, how do we collectively tell a story, how do we move, how do we begin and end shows, how do we dance/rap/harmonize, how do we communicate those choices to each other, and how do we make it look scripted?

There’s no one else in Germany doing what we do, so one of the ways we’ve been moving forward has been by reaching out to our musical improv heroes for guidance. We’ve talked to Dylan Emery of Showstoppers, Alan Kliffer of Asylum NYC, Hollie Ann James of The Impromptunes, and Scott Passarella from Off Book. They’ve all been incredibly generous with their time, their wisdom, and their encouragement. We feel so lucky that people this phenomenal have been willing to share their experience and advice with us; one day we’ll pay it forward by doing the same for the people coming up behind us.

Tell us about your show.

Happily! We are Kaleidoscope, a musical theater/comedy company based in Berlin, and we perform an improvised, Broadway-style musical called Lights Up!. We start with an audience suggestion of a location and then we’re off on an adventure. Our musical director improvises all the music on his keyboard, and the performers on stage improvise everything else–the lyrics, the melodies, the harmonies, the raps, the dancing, and of course, the stories!

The company came together in September 2022 with the goal of combining the best musical theater and improv talent in Berlin and putting on the type of show that didn’t exist in Germany yet. We all knew we wanted to put on the best improvised musical in town, but I don’t think any of us were prepared for the response we got. We sold out our very first show, and then our second, and then our third, and the venues kept getting bigger but the shows kept selling out. Whatever we were doing was resonating with Berlin audiences in a way we’d never imagined.

I think it’s because everything we do comes from a deep love for both musicals as a genre and improv as an art form; our joy on stage is glaringly apparent and I think there’s nothing more fun for an audience to watch than a performer who is deeply, hopelessly in love with their art.

I also think that audiences keep coming back because we’re not afraid to tackle big problems or go to hard places. I believe all art burns life for fuel, but life is particularly immediate in improv, and you can see it in our shows. Our characters are complicated and flawed, and the issues and heartbreaks they deal with are very real. We put our whole selves into our stories–all of the amazing, beautiful, hard things that make us artists–but we wrap it up in a melodic hook that’ll still be stuck in your head the next morning.

After Edinburgh, we’ll be back in Berlin with a few dates already lined up in other German cities. We’re hoping to tour Germany/continental Europe, get a residency in a London theater, and down the line–a West End run!

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

Oh my goodness, there are SO MANY incredible shows to see if you love what we do!

First, you’ve absolutely got to get your tickets, yesterday, for Showstopper! The Improvised Musical. The stuff they can do will absolutely blow your mind and they’ve been a huge inspiration to us, and we’re so excited to finally see them live (already got our tickets!)

Then of course there’s Baby Wants Candy doing an improvised musical and their spin-off show Shamilton, an improvised hip hop musical about a famous person the audience suggests. They’re the biggest musical improv group to come out of the US and we’ve heard such incredible things that we bought our tickets weeks ago.

More improvised hip hop: it’s MC Hammersmith in Straight Outta Brompton! I’ve had the pleasure of meeting the man behind MC Hammersmith, Will Naameh, a few times in person and he is fiendishly talented and another one we absolutely can’t wait to see live.

We are really excited to see Men With Coconuts and The Totally Improvised Musical–two more shows doing musical improv and we can’t wait to see their takes on this wild art form that we love and share!

For pure improv, we’re really excited for Austentatious doing an improvised Jane Austen novel. I saw them once in Brighton, long before I started doing improv; some of the stuff they did in that show lives rent-free in my brain and I use it to inspire my own improv. I’m also super pumped for St Doctor’s Hospital, they do an improvised medical drama. I saw them perform at the Edinburgh Improv Fest back in March and they were phenomenal.

I met the people behind Spontaneous Potter when I was visiting Edinburgh on holiday, and again at the Edinburgh improv festival, so I can’t wait to see them do an improvised Harry Potter fan fiction. Likewise I’m really looking forward to Absolute Improv, because Paul Connolly, one of the performers behind it, is one of the loveliest (and funniest) humans I’ve ever met. He’s also in Spontaneous Potter!

Outside of improv, we’re going to see Frankenstein from the Berlin Open Theater to support our fellow Berliners (and also our friend Izzy Rousmaniere, who’s in it!) and Serious Nonsense (for Terribly Grown-Up People), by Ben Macpherson, whom I met at the Robin Hood Improv Festival in Nottingham and who is a phenomenal performer.

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! FIND US ON FACEBOOK! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: BUTCHERED

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“Blood, sweat and tears went into making this show what it is today and it’s an absolute monster. Sometimes it feels like it could eat us, it’s so immense.”

WHO: Nic Lawton

WHAT: “Welcome to the kitchen where dreams come to die. Master Sausage only knows one thing. Eat, sleep, sausage, repeat. But when a fresh-faced Apprentice arrives, sinister questions rear their heads. Is there more to life than this? What does it mean to be happy? And what’s in those sausages anyway? Featuring dynamic physical theatre, a pitch-black comedic script and a killer soundtrack, Expial Atrocious’ absurdist thriller demands to be seen and heard… Have you got the guts? ***** (Everything-Theatre.co.uk). ***** (FringeBiscuit.com). Nominated for an OffFest award at VAULT Festival 2023.”

WHERE: Underbelly, Cowgate – Iron Belly (Venue 61) 

WHEN: 17:10 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

We performed at the Fringe for the first time last year with an earlier version of BUTCHERED and let me tell you, it was the single most greatest experience we’d ever had as artists and as people. The festival gave us a taste of what it was like to be a successful touring company, and we have been hungry for more ever since. We performed at Greenside @ Nicholson Square and had a wonderful time networking with other artists and companies, and found that through the support and immaculate vibes of the festival, we solidified who we were as a company. We make gutsy absurdist horror theatre. And we do it well.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Some big things we’ve learned from last year is to be confident and passionate about your work. It’s infectious when you get excited about what you’re doing, what your work means to you and how cool it would be if other people saw it.

We’ve learned to be fearless in our theatrical processes but also in the admin side. Send those emails, ask for that feedback, shoot your shot for a spot in a big theatre’s upcoming programme.
Be present and engaging online and in person. Listen to and support others. Sharing really is caring, whether that’s in the form of a retweet on a poster or giving out a piece of advice.

If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Opportunities are everywhere if you look for them. Ask that theatre to go for a coffee with you, offer out that incredibly niche workshop to your local creative venue, shout from the rooftops about the kind of support you need to help you breathe life into your artistic visions.

And finally, go big and monstrous or go home. We’ve learned to take risks, apply for every opportunity and reach out to likeminded artists and organisations along the way. Take some big scary steps and see what happens. You may be surprised.

Tell us about your show.

We are Expial Atrocious – a West Midlands-based theatre company who are carving our way into the horror theatre scene. Co-founded in the back of a Wetherspoons in Worcester by theatrical soulmates, Nic Lawton and Ez Holland, we aim to find new and unusual methods of storytelling and present the familiar in unfamiliar ways. With the weird, wonderful and wicked at the heart of our practice, we are inspired by creating dynamic visuals, immersive soundscapes and shows that make you say “what the f*ck?”

Our horrible little show BUTCHERED was written, produced, choreographed, composed and is performed by us. Blood, sweat and tears went into making this show what it is today and it’s an absolute monster. Sometimes it feels like it could eat us, it’s so immense. From the day of its conception in February 2022 to right now, BUTCHERED is our favourite thing we’ve ever made and we hope to keep thrilling audiences with it for many years to come. It’s loud, it’s demanding, it’s about two underground sausage-makers and the guts it takes to be a human…

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

Go and see things that will shock you. Take risks on lesser known artists and companies because you may surprise yourself and find your new favourite show. And if you like the work we make, here are some of our recommendations:

We’re beyond excited to see @KitschTheatre return to the Fringe with their blood-thirsty comedy, Attachment: The Leech Show. It was the funniest show we saw last year and cannot wait to howl all over again! 14th-19th @ 17:15, Ivy Studio, Greenside Infirmary Street.

Our good friends @_blackbright are bringing their post-apocalyptic kitchen-sink drama, The Hunger, to the Fringe and we can’t wait to be immersed in the horror of it all… 2nd-28th (not 15th) @ 13:10, Studio Four, Assembly George Square Gardens.

Also cannot WAIT to see the incredible @alistairhallyes in his haunting rural thriller, Declan. 15th-27th @ 14:35, Belly Laugh, Underbelly Cowgate. And The Society for New Cuisine @SFNCplay is a dark fable we cannot wait to sink our teeth into. 3rd-27th (not 14th) @ 18:40, Iron Belly, Underbelly Cowgate. Massive shoutout to the rest of our Underbelly Buddies who we cannot wait to see at the Fringe! Big butchered love gang, see you on the road x

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! FIND US ON FACEBOOK! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: Laufey Haralds: Pip

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“I’ve slowly been learning that there are things in life that matter more than performing. Like family, friends, love and stability.”

WHO: Laufey Haraldsdóttir

WHAT: “Pip is a whimsical hour of stand-up from Icelandic comedian Laufey Haralds. ‘A joy to watch’ (Scotsman). After living in the UK for over 5 years, Laufey realized that her nickname, Pip, had taken on a personality of its own. Turns out she had a few lessons to learn from that version of herself. Ghosts, curses, and a conversation with a mugger all come up as she recounts tales of her alter ego. As seen on Channel Hopping with Jon Richardson and Icelandic television. ‘Batshit crazy, but still good clean fun’ (Elektra Fence).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose – Snug (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 16:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my 3rd time as a participant, but my 5th time coming to Edinburgh during the festival. Since my first brief visit in 2017 the festival has taken root in my brain like a little parasite who obsessively whispers to me that it’s a good idea to spend copious amounts of my time and money on doing this festival. And I listen, because the parasite has a point, this festival is unlike anything in the world and I’m lucky I’ve gotten to experience it multiple times.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Over the last few years I’ve slowly been learning that there are things in life that matter more than performing. Like family, friends, love and stability. I’m still unsure how exactly to apply that lesson to my life, so until I do I’ll just keep trying to make people laugh whenever I get the chance.

Tell us about your show.

The show is about my experience as an Icelander living in the UK. My show is standup comedy so I wrote the show, I’m performing the show and I’m producing it myself. Doing it all by myself has its ups and downs, I’ve got less people I can disappoint but I imagine I’ll be sick of the whole company by the end of the run. I performed the show at Reykjavík Fringe and Gothenburg Fringe last year, two lovely festivals that I’ll hopefully get to perform at again.

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

My biggest recommendation is always to take a chance on a show you know nothing about. I love to go to a venue’s box office and ask for a ticket to whatever show is next on, I’ve seen some weird and wonderful performances that way. That being said, it’s also a good idea to take people’s recommendations, so here are mine:

My favourites at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe were the comedy duo Crizards, their show about cowboys was hilarious so I’m sure this year’s This Means War will be just as funny.
I’m a big fan of musical comedy and I think Matty Hutson is one of the best musical comedians around.

If you fancy seeing more Icelandic people you can catch THEM by Spindrift Theatre, a theatre piece about masculinity, performed by women.

If you want standup you can’t go wrong with Liz Guterbock: Geriatric Millennial.

If you want a guaranteed good time and to leave with a song stuck in your head go for Dizney in Drag: Once Upon a Parody.

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! FIND US ON FACEBOOK! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: Scott Murphy: About a Buoy

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“I’ve lived in Edinburgh for about 8 years now – working the festival as a summer job in-between studying. It’s so exciting to finally be part of it as a performer.”

WHO: Tom Whiston

WHAT: “Everyone’s favourite sailing instructor is back, and ready to rock the boat (but only if everyone’s wearing a buoyancy aid, and comfortable getting splashed… but only a little bit). Join Scott Murphy – ‘Hilarious’ **** (FourthWallMedia.wordpress.com); ‘Fun, dark and playful’ **** (GutterCulture.com) – as he takes you on a wild sailboat adventure about one man’s love for his buoys. A new show from celebrated Scotland-based character comedian and clown, Tom Whiston – 2021 Brighton Fringe sell-out; 2022 Glasgow Comedy Festival; Stamptown.”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose – Snug (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 17:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first time as a performer here! I’ve lived in Edinburgh for about 8 years now – working the festival as a summer job in-between studying. It’s so exciting to finally be part of it as a performer.

Edinburgh is so great because people are willing to try things they normally wouldn’t. A punter is more likely to hear a bizarre one-line pitch from a flyerer and go ‘Hmm.. that actually sounds fun!’ here than anywhere else in the world. And whats more, in Edinburgh, the weirdos can actually find the other weirdos who love them.

Obviously the balance of work and play is vastly different as a producer/performer, as a venue worker, and as a regular punter

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I think 2022 taught me that I need to be able to pace myself over the festival. It’s way too easy to find yourself working three jobs, drinking every night AND trying to see every single show that you possibly can. It’s a lesson I’ve definitely learned, but we’ll see if it sticks this year…

Tell us about your show.

The show follows hapless kiwi sailing instructor Scott Murphy as he discovers a new love (of Buoys) under the direction of a dark new figure in his life. It’s a very thinly veiled metaphor for my own complicated experiences with queer relationships at a young age, specifically being groomed by an older man, that’s trying to pluck something really bright, silly and hopeful from something quite serious.

I’ve been performing as this character for years, and in trying to find the new journey for Scott, I realised there were a lot of aspects to him that were an idealised version of my own life. I meandered for a while, but eventually came to the conclusion that if I was ever going to make a show about this experience of mine, this is the character, and now is the time.

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

There are so so many great Scotland-based comedians doing shows at the festival – David McIver’s show will be fantastic, as will Krystal Evans. Pete Carson and Cobin Millage are doing a duo-show which is going to be hilarious.

Outside of Scotland there is too much to recommend, but Lorna Rose Treen is doing her debut hour at the Pleasance, and that is the number one not-to-be-missed show going on this year.

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! FIND US ON FACEBOOK! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: Wage Against the Machine

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“The sheer scale of the festival is like no other festival I have performed in the presence is undeniable all over the city.”

WHO: Matt Harvey

WHAT: “Sex shops, Robodebt, and roller coasters! ‘Unfailingly funny’ **** (Artshub.co.uk). ‘Bursting at the seams with extraordinary stories’ (TheatreThoughtsAus.online). A fast-paced hour of stand-up and storytelling, set in the surprisingly angry world of customer service. From illegal government debt, wage theft and breaking a 100-year-old roller-coaster saving the lives of 18 people – all in a day’s work when you earn minimum wage.”

WHERE: PBH’s Free Fringe @ Canons’ Gait – Lower (Venue 78) 

WHEN: 20:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my second time in Edinburgh. I was fortunate enough to be able to do it last year and despite the increased cost of living/travel I have made sure I included EdFringe as one of my destinations this year as it was not only an extremely unique experience, the sheer scale of the festival is like no other festival I have performed in the presence is undeniable all over the city, but it is a chance to perform alongside some of the biggest names in the industry and meet a lot of performers who I might otherwise never encounter.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

2022 was a year of big lessons, especially as a travelling performer. The cost-of-living crisis was just beginning but learning to navigate the costs while on the road has helped me a lot.

But also being in the mixing pot of Ed Fringe has shown me how far my work can travel as the wide variety of audiences from all over Europe that come and tell you that your work would do well their is extremely comforting and humbling. It has taught me to think wider and be prepared to adapt a little the work I bring as the ability to travel a cultural or pop-cultural reference has potentially limited milage.

Tell us about your show.

The show is a fully one man show, written, performed, and produced by me. Edinburgh is often down the road for me, I have generally taken on many local and a few international festivals before even considering bringing it to Edinburgh, though the show I did last year (I Got Bit By A Monkey Once) has toured past Edinburgh – going to the US in 2023. So likely this will serve as a great testing ground for international traveling with this particular show.

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

It does depend on who will be there this year.

But I can recommend Laura Davis: Well Don’t Just Stand There Dancing – saw this in the 2022 Melbourne International Comedy Festival and it’s an incredible show. We have themes that cross over so it’d make a great paring.

Andrew O’Neill – Geburah – Haven’t seen this show in particular but based on last year’s showing Andrew’s work and mine will line up nicely.

The Gargle: Live – This is a great podcast that covers the news in a hilarious way. Only a few shows so get in quick.

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! FIND US ON FACEBOOK! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: How to Find a Husband in 37 Years or Longer

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“My process definitely lines up with that old artist’s adage. This is awesome. This is tricky. This is shit. I am shit. This might be ok. This is awesome!”

WHO: JJ Pyle

WHAT: “JJ Pyle finds herself accidentally, unfortunately, home for Christmas and stuck in this little truck with her dad in Indiana, where everything is surrounded by cornfields. In an unconscious search for acceptance and emancipation, a tale is told through their conversation and memories revealing criminal activity, dysfunctional family cycles, heartbreak and hope (and, if we’re honest, obsession and lust)… a coming of (middle) age story. ‘…an absolute master of storytelling. Sneaky even… we are not only charmed and entranced, but we also understand a little more about ourselves…’ (NoHoArtsDistrict.com).”

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

WHEN: VARIES (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my first Edinburgh Fringe. It has been a bucket list thing for me for years! My first Fringe experience was in 2009 in NYC. It was the first time I performed in New York and we were assigned the Cherry Lane Theatre, which is one of the oldest, iconic, cute AF, small theaters in the West Village. It was a super lucky draw. I was mesmerized with the city… this neighborhood… and this little theatre. I was playing Matchgirl in Paul Hoan Zeidler’s, Time’s Scream and Hurry. Matchgirl, a nurse by trade, was giving a seminar at an adult entertainment expo about how to get into the business of being a dominatrix.

This role is what started my addiction to solo theatre. We had done two runs in Los Angeles and doing this play in the Fringe Festival is what moved me to New York. What I love about festivals is the energy of a community getting together in a place to perform, seeing each other’s shows, talking about each other’s shows, hearing about everyone’s process and experiences and just the general buzz in the air of art in process and progress.

Producing a show in a festival is the best and the worst, debilitating and self-satisfying, experience at the same time. My process definitely lines up with that old artist’s adage. This is awesome. This is tricky. This is shit. I am shit. This might be ok. This is awesome! It’s so much work and it drains you physically, emotionally, financially, but it also builds confidence and street cred and just all around makes you feel productive and purposeful. Punter? I did have to look that up as how it relates to theatre (I’ve been watching too much Ted Lasso. lol) “a member os an audience or crowd”, Yes, this is the best part, the reward in a way, when it’s time to sit back, take a break and watch and see what I can learn from someone else.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Trust my gut. Listen to people. Ask for thoughts and notes, from everyone, colleagues, friends, audience, mentors… But don’t feel obligated to take every note. Early in my process, I felt I needed to correct everything anyone had a question or comment about, but later in my process, and this past year of workshopping the whole show, I realized it’s my story and there are things that are important for me to say even if someone else doesn’t think it needs to be there. That may be the thing that resonates for the next person.

Everyone feels something different based on their own mind and heart, and my experience and my performance will hit each person differently, and that’s ok. Also I was really lucky to find a director, a stage manager, and a projection designer who all went above and beyond and each helped my vision come to life from the get-go. I learned as the process went along if I bring in someone and I’m not feeling it right away, it’s ok to part ways on a gut feeling. I kept trying with some people and maybe spent too much time and money to get somewhere, when I knew it wasn’t working right away and should have said, thank-you…next, sooner than I did.

Tell us about your show.

How to Find a Husband in 37 Years or Longer is more about how I’ve managed not to find a husband in longer than 37 years… And my father is the main character. It was sorta by accident and writing this play that I realized the blatant family patterns that have been staring me in the face, that I’m dating aspects of my father AND I’m on the same life trajectory as him. Although he’s had 4 ex-wives, that he talks about throughout the show.

Sometimes the same can actually be the opposite (wink-wink). And my father’s words are recorded straight from his mouth, unbeknownst to him, on-a-whim, not knowing I was going to write a play about it. That being said, I wrote it. I produced it, with the help of a group that I co-founded called Solo Heroes. I met Ivy Eisenberg in a class at The Primary Stage’s Einhorn School of Performing Arts. Comedian, Judy Gold was our teacher. We reached a point where we needed a bigger audience than just our classmates, in order to try out our new writing. So we found rehearsal space, performance space, we took submissions and cast other artists who were writing shows, we invited, we posted, etc. etc. And we started making solo theatre.

We would have nights of 5-6 performers trying out 15-20 minute excerpts from shows in development. It’s inspiring and rewarding to see finished shows that are touring and off-broadway after working with them in our humble little showcase. We finally did a 3 day workshop of the whole show, How to Find a Husband in September 2022, made changes based on audience notes and tapes and took that to LA and tried it out again at Whitefire Theatre’s Solofest (where we won a Best of Fest) and then we cut again to a 60 minute version for Edinburgh. We will try out this version for four shows at 59E59 in NYC in July in their East to Edinburgh Festival, before we land in Edinburgh at theSpaceUK, Surgeon’s Hall, Haldane Theatre in August.

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

I love solo theatre because it takes such courage to get up there all by yourself and tell your story (or someone else’s story as if it were your own) in front of strangers. I love watching other people’s journeys and I always learn something and feel compassion towards humanity. It’s often hard to “get audience” in the beginning stages of solo development because it’s just you. I find it important to support other solo artists.

So I will start start there, seeing my fellow performer’s shows. I was introduced to a community of solo performers when I was doing my show in LA at the Whitefire’s Solofest because Lisa and Cindy (listed below) came to my show. I had never met them before that. Lisa started a FaceBook group so we could all share information about our producing paths. It has been very helpful and encouraging. Laser even interviewed me on #10MinuteFringe, an Interview segment about Fringe shows. Many of these shows explore love, sex, relationships, gender, identity, and generally how to fit in (or not) in this big bad (or not) world. Some of my favorite themes to watch and learn from. And a friend, Lia Romero, who I am in a theatre company (InViolet) in NYC wrote and immersive Yoga show which I am definitely getting to right away.

Hollywoodn’t is by Lisa Verlo at The Gilded Saloon @rocknrollinmom
Cat Sh!t Crazy is by Cindy D’Andrea at theSpace Triplex- Studio
Yoga with Jillian – Pleasance Courtyard by Lia Romero With Michael Biacosino
Breakup Addict by Paige Wilhide at Gilded Balloon Teviot @paigetostage
A Shark Ate my Penis by Laser the Transboy/ Rhymes with Purple @shartatemyp
Rise by Diana Marco at theSpaceUk at Surgeon’s Hall @dianavarco
Too Big for Her Britches by Lisa Pezik at theSpace Triplex- Studio @lisapezik
Wendy, My Darling by April Wish at theSpaceUK at Surgeon’s Hall @girlthatgrewup

This list goes on and on… but I’m starting here. Hope to see you there!

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! FIND US ON FACEBOOK! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: Junk Monkey

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“I limped away with empty pockets and plans to beg, borrow, or steal my way back the next year.”

WHO: Olivia McLeod

WHAT: “Olivia just met the love of her life on a train. If only she can find her again. And if only her own stupid boyfriend would stop calling her. In a shameless account of 12 hours of sheer desperation, this is a new solo show about missed connections, crushing obsession, and the power of a single day. She’s not insane. She’s just in love. Properly, this time. For sure. ‘Brilliantly comedic’ **** (ThreeWeeks). **** ‘A talented newcomer’ (MaygansReel.com). ‘Joyfully off-kilter’ **** (FringeBiscuit.co.uk). ‘Powerfully relatable’ **** (TheatrePeople.com.au).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose – Coorie (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 17:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This year I will be two-Fringe-years-old, and I’m not sure if I’m on the edge of a professional breakthrough or financial meltdown. For legal reasons, that was a joke…

I adored my first Fringe. It mentally and physically pushed me to my limit, but I made the most fantastic friends. The support between artists absolutely blew me to bits, and the opportunities are just phenomenal. I limped away with empty pockets and plans to beg, borrow, or steal my way back the next year.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

My main Edinburgh lesson: Use the &@#$&! out of Twitter. I made my best friends at the Fringe through smashing Twitter threads every nights in the months before I left, and the people I continuously connected with online ended up being real-life legends.

My main life lesson: You should feel inspired and supported after chatting with your creative friends. If you feel icky, lazy, or sad after hanging out with them, they may not be the right friends for you. Creative life is hard, and the friends you make are the way to get through.

Tell us about your show.

My solo show Junk Monkey is about being absolutely obsessed with someone – we’re talking ruin-your-life-to-be-with-them obsessed. It’s a show for the obsessives, the romantic addicts, and the oversharers. I wrote it, I’m performing in it, and I’ll also be producing it!

I’d love to say I have a company behind me, but really the show will be made by myself, with a sprinkling of the goodwill and thoughts of my astonishing peers. I’m constantly sending the script out to people I trust. I’ll be doing hands-on work with the wonderful Charlotte Tilley and Lou Wall in July!

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

You should see:

Almost Adult by Charlotte Tilley – Funny and incisive coming-of-age tale about sexual harassment in the workplace. Charlotte also created the FemiFringe Podcast which is absolutely worth checking out, she is the absolute best.

Lou Wall Vs. The Internet by Lou Wall – Insanely talented musical comedy about career jealousy. Cannot recommend either of these enough.

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! FIND US ON FACEBOOK! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: Rosalie Minnitt: Clementine

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“Though I wish I had picked a slightly cheaper, less [potentially] soul-destroying hobby, like bouldering? there’s nothing quite like the Edinburgh Fringe festival.”

WHO: Rosalie Minnitt

WHAT: “Lady Clementine has until her 27th birthday to find The One. When her latest beau goes missing, she embarks on a hilariously unhinged quest to solve the mystery of her ill fortune. But with neither sense nor sensibility, will our romantic heroine find love in time? Set roughly “in the past”, this is a story about sickly sisters, self-love and Sylvanian Families. Bonnets at the ready, ladies, for the debut character comedy show of the (Scorpio) season. ‘Bridgerton-meets-Gen-Z-Jane-Austen-on-Adderall’ ***** (FringeBiscuit.com). ‘Cheeks ached from laughing’ ***** (Voice Magazine). ‘A comedy star in the making’ ***** (RachelReviewed.com).”

WHERE: Underbelly, Cowgate – Delhi Belly (Venue 61) 

WHEN: 14:25 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my fourth fringe but it’s the first time I’ve ever done a full show for the month on my own which is as obnoxious as it is terrifying. I remember seeing my favourite ever show in Delhi Belly in 2017 so when I got the venue offer through it felt quite serendipitous. Although it doesn’t take much for me to see proof of universal intervention – when I was younger I saw a cloud that looked a bit [not at all] like Napoleon’s hat and decided it was a sure sign from the heavens to study history at university – a famously lucrative career path.

Though I wish I had picked a slightly cheaper, less [potentially] soul-destroying hobby, like bouldering? there’s nothing quite like the Edinburgh Fringe festival. It’s such a specific microcosm where the laws of society don’t work in quite the same way – the audience is judge, jury and executioner and when people talk to you about doing ‘your debut year’, you’re treated like a slightly foolhardy, ill-prepared young prince heading into battle before you’re quite ready. Except your troops consist of just you and the only weapons at your disposal are your supposed ‘wit’, blind faith and the ability to fill the void where the audience should have laughed with lots of pints drunk in quick succession.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I learned SO MUCH. Doing a ten day work-in-progress run of the show last year taught me some unbelievably valuable lessons about my writing, my performance style, but most importantly, that people become a slightly different version of themselves in Edinburgh. It’s such a special festival, filled with some of the best artists I’ve ever met but, when people have so much riding of their run, both financially and creatively, the pressure can manifest in strange and unexpected ways. All that to say, last year taught me to remain grounded and kind, no matter what’s happening in my day.

It also helped me develop as a performer – especially because I hadn’t really been on stage much during the pandemic years. I learnt how to work the room a bit more, feed off the audience’s energy and, crucially, pick myself up after a tough show. It also made me realise just how important it is to have a really strong community up there – it’s such a rollercoaster and having genuine, kind people you can trust and depend on makes such a huge difference.

Tell us about your show.

I conjured this bizarre character in a kind of lockdown stupor and performed it for the first time last year in April. I’ve been working on it ever since, and taken it to festivals across the UK – tweaking bits each time. I’ve worked with some absolutely brilliant creatives who have helped me bring the whole show to life, none more so than my wonderful director and Clementine world-building in-chief, Tristan Robinson. Most of the show is a joint fever dream/ stream of consciousness that we’ve cobbled together over dms and feverish days trapped in poorly ventilated rehearsal rooms. We’re thrilled and surprised, in equal measure, that people even understand it.

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

I have SO many recommendations and gorgeous friends bringing their shows up to Fringe this year. I can’t wait to see @dominicmcgovern’s split bill, Tied for Second at Just The Tonic. I did my first ever comedy show with Dom, he’s such a brilliant comic and this hour of mischief promises to be nothing short of excellent. I’m also super excited to see Maria Telnikoff’s ‘My Dad Wear’s a Dress’. Maria is a wonderful creative and the show is all about navigating a world in which all the dads she knows are men. Abbie Russell is also bringing her character comedy show GUSH up to the fringe. Abbie is one of the most hilarious, witty people I’ve had the joy of meeting and I can’t wait catch her show. Ted Hill is bringing his show, Ted Hill Tries and Fails to Fix Climate Change. He’s a super talented comic and a power point whizz. I saw a twenty minute preview of his show last week and, if that’s anything to go by, this show will be a must-see. Kathy Maniura’s Objectified is also one to watch – she’s effortlessly hysterical both on and off-stage. I can’t wait.

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! FIND US ON FACEBOOK! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: Alexander Bennett: I Can’t Stand the Man, Myself

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“Do go and see shows, and do buy a new boho bag from the leathermaker, but give yourself time to catch your breath.”

WHO: Alexander Bennett

WHAT: “Do you have a critical inner voice? Join Alexander as he interrogates his own, tries to kill it, then comes for yours. A show about hating yourself and, amongst other things, choosing not to. ‘Passionate and praiseworthy dark observational comedy’ (Skinny). ‘Courageous and thought-provoking’ (Scotsman). ‘His sharp interpretations of the world around him add a sinister spin to the everyday – Unique and hilarious’ (TheReviewsHub.com). ‘A producer and performer of some refreshingly different material’ (Chortle.co.uk). Creator of Hell To Play, Dan Vs Food and the Born Yesterday podcast.”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose – Coorie (Venue 24) 

WHEN: 21:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is not my first rodeo, in fact I have many experiences of the rodeo, and I both fear and respect it. What makes a great rodeo? Pacing yourself! Either as a performer or a punter you need to pace yourself, if you keep drinking, eating badly and seeing relentless shows back to back you’ll burn out. Eat something healthy, go for a walk away from the fringe, make sure your horse’s saddle is attached correctly. Do go and see shows, and do buy a new boho bag from the leathermaker, but give yourself time to catch your breath. If you’re a punter, bear in mind how much every performer you see has put on the line to show you their work. If you’re a performer, bear in mind people have chosen to give you their time at the biggest arts festival in the world.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I think for me the major thing that has changed in my thinking is that I needed to reduce the number of projects I was working on and focus on giving the projects I went ahead with enough time, effort and, frankly, money to get them the attention I have been looking for. That and don’t lose your voice shouting in busy bars all the time. You need to be able to speak.

Tell us about your show.

So my show is a stand up show, developed by me over a few years, and it’s about realising how self-destructive self-hatred is, why it’s important and my battle against it. I have been working as a comedian for many years, but this is my first show on a big platform with PR backing and all the bells and whistles. There are no bells or whistles in the show.

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

Well, go and see the brilliant Sian Docksey (19:10 Pleasance Dome) as she is fantastic and I directed that show. ACMS (23:55 Monkey Barrell, various dates) is always the best compilation of absolute nonsense and genius. I’d go see Andrew O’Neill, Lulu Popplewell, Alison Spittle, Garrett Millerick, Pierre Novellie and How To Radiate Sexual Allure

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! FIND US ON FACEBOOK! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!

EdFringe Talk: The TUNEabomber

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

” A musical comedy about an American terrorist may sound like a hard sell, but I think what we’ve made is a lot of fun.”

WHO: Michael Wysong

WHAT: “Set at a parole board hearing, Ted Kaczynski (aka The Unabomber) recounts his life through song in the hope of proving that he never wanted to be a monster, he only wanted to be a star. While he may have spent years sending explosives, this is one performance Ted can’t bomb. Written and performed by John Lampe and Michael Wysong, this new musical comedy dares to ask the question no one needed an answer to: What if this notorious eco-terrorist was the next Bob Fosse?”

WHERE: C ARTS | C venues | C aquila – temple (Venue 21) 

WHEN: 16:55 (75 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Not only is this our first time to Fringe, it’s also our first time in Scotland, and our first time performing outside of the US! We couldn’t be more excited. The Festivals I’ve participated in or attended in the past have been small local festivals, so I can’t wait to experience everything Edinburgh Fringe has to offer.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

2022 has really taught me to bet on myself. I attended a masterclass with legendary director/choreographer Susan Stroman in New York, and she looked at all of us at one point and said “If you’re waiting for a call, it’s not coming.” She was encouraging all of us to get out there and make our own opportunities. I really took that to heart. And that’s part of the reason we’re self-producing this show at Fringe.

Tell us about your show.

Our show is a two-man musical comedy about a real-life American terrorist, Ted Kaczynski, better known by his FBI designation: the Unabomber. This show started as a text from my best friend and collaborator, John Lampe. He said, “what if we wrote a musical about Ted Kaczynski called the TUNEabomber.” A musical comedy about an American terrorist may sound like a hard sell, but I think what we’ve made is a lot of fun. Before his death (just two weeks ago!), Kaczynski had been in prison for almost 30 years. Our show imagines a parole board hearing where he has decided to debut his cabaret act with the help of his lawyer/pianist.

Not only have we written it, but John and I play Ted and the Accompanist, respectively. We’ve done a few workshops of the show in the US, but we’ve just added an amazing director/choreographer named Liz Power who has really helped bring the piece together in a new way. I think what Edinburgh audiences will see is going to be something very fun and incredibly unique. After that, who knows? We hope there’s a life for this show after the festival, so we’re open to whatever that could mean!

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

Oh I have an entire list! First up, everyone should see Benjamin Scheuer’s new piece “A Mountain For Elodie.” Ben is an incredible songwriter and storyteller. His show “The Lion” played in New York a few years ago and blew my mind. It’s part of the reason I became a writer myself.

Next up, folks should check out Mike Birbiglia’s “The Old Man and the Pool.” He’s fresh off a run of this show in America and it’s a wonderful time. Thoughtful, heartwarming, but most importantly: FUNNY!

Kelly McCaughin’s Catholic Guilt promises to be a fantastic time. The show looks absolutely hilarious, and she’s one-of-a-kind funny.

Lastly, Batsu! is going to be wild fun. Amazing comedians competing to avoid punishment? What could be better?

LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! FIND US ON FACEBOOK! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!

INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!