“I love the Fringe. I mean, I also think it’s a complete nightmare and takes years off your life, but I still love it.”
WHO: Lulu Popplewell
WHAT: “Returning from her sell-out debut show, Lulu brings you a new hour of jokes about love, obsession and raccoons, as she tries to answer the question ‘is love just a form of mental illness?’ ‘Playfully funny, thought-provoking and has kindness at its heart’ (Chortle.co.uk). ‘Will soon be one of your favourite comedians’ **** (FunnyWomen.com). **** (BroadwayBaby.com). **** (Mervyn Stutter’s Pick of the Fringe).”
WHERE: Buttercup at Underbelly, George Square (Venue 300)
WHEN: 18:45 (60 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
No! This is my second hour but prior to this I did the traditional comedy progression of three-hander (with Morgan Rees and Jeremy Flynn 2017), to two-hander (with Sophie Duker 2019), to work in progress (what a mess, 2019), to waiting 4 years to return because of a pandemic and then medical difficulties(less traditional), to finally doing my (sold out!) debut at the Pleasance in 2023.
Moreover I’ve been coming to the year as a punter since 2004 and the only year I’ve skipped was 2020 (and everyone did that so it would be weird if I had turned up). I love the Fringe. I mean, I also think it’s a complete nightmare and takes years off your life, but I still love it.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
What I learnt in 2024, when I took a year off and just came up to watch friends’ shows for fortnight, was that people will just assume you’re doing a show. People kept asking me how the show was going. I lied and replied ‘great’ every time. In September people came up to me saying ‘I hear you had a good fringe.’ So what I’ve learnt is that you don’t have to spend all your savings and spend all year carting a show around the UK to get it ready, in order to have a good fringe. Obviously I haven’t absorbed that lesson though, because I’m back with a new show and I have indeed given away all of my savings for the privilege. Please come along so I can try to justify this wilful lack of lesson learning!
Tell us about your show.
I wrote it! Me! It’s been a real labour of love (love) because the show started being created in December and then in February I promptly, and very helpfully, became too ill to write and perform. This was not ideal and has been the case on and off since. So this show has absolutely been the a case of powering through for the love of it, finding time and trying to maximise it etc. And I’m proud of it! I don’t only think it’s good CONSIDERING I’ve been unwell, I think it’s just good! But it does mean that my particular answer to questions about the creative process is ‘find time’ and not some colourful reply about the imagination and focus groups and mask work. It’s directed by the very talented Joz Norris and produced by Impatient.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
Well obviously the aforementioned Joz Norris – and not just because he’s my director. He’s a very talented comedian. Also, since my show features a piano but is very much not musical comedy (I don’t have the skills), for genuinely incredible musical comedy I would recommend Katie Norris (no relation to Joz) and Jake Roche.
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