“We know that anything is possible, and anything can happen, in any space, at any minute.”
WHO: Frank Wiener the Magic Hot Dog (PUPPET)
WHAT: “A whimsical journey alongside Wee Wennie Wiener, an unlikely hot dog hero searching for inner hot dog truth. This multidisciplinary comedic production by the CFACoLab explores identity, diversity and the art of the hot dog through an array of vibrant characters clad in hot-dog-inspired costumes. Each scene, playfully dubbed a “DOG”, features effects, dance and culinary adventures, culminating in an epic finale that celebrates the cultural significance of the hot dog. With puppets, music, dance, visual arts and clever humour, this multidisciplinary comedic production promises a flavourful all-you-can-eat experience!”
WHERE: Forest Theatre at Greenside @ George Street (Venue 236)
WHEN: 13:50 (50 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
I’m a PUPPET. I’m Frank Wiener the Magic Hot Dog Puppet. And Yes, it is my first time at the festival, my first fringe, my first time performing in my very first show. Some of the artists and directors around me have been many times. They are such “know-it-alls”. But some of us in the show are new to all of this. It’s like we’ve been given a golden ticket to a wonderful ride.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is magical. Since it’s beginning, its mission has always been rebellious, entrepreneurial, bold, daring, different. The Fringe is about making theatre and art anywhere and everywhere. Out of just thin air. We suspend belief. We believe in things that we know aren’t real–like puppets and magic hot dogs. We know that anything is possible, and anything can happen, in any space, at any minute. It’s a festival of art that believes art has the power to make the world better.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha (giggling)……….I was born in 2025, so I’ve only heard stories about 2024. You humans are so caught up in the past. I’m only thinking about my future. But I have learned a lot in this past year. I’m part of a theatre company that is collaborative. We like to be messy with the creative ketchup and mustard. We don’t divide ourselves into small groups and give ourselves big titles. We all get into the same sandbox, and we PLAY and make work. Over this past year I’ve learned that collaboration makes everything better, and that our show is always best when all our fingerprints are all over every part of the project. I’ve been taught that I’m more than just the “puppet”. I can be the playwright. I can be the choreographer. I’m terrible at writing music. And they have decided NOT to let me sing in the show. Our group believes that the theatre frame and theatrical space is as much a character of the piece as the characters in the show. And I’ve learned that it’s great to begin with a blank page—to begin with nothing and from there to find everything–the answers to all the most important questions. My company believes the arts exist within a constant world of evolution—appreciating and respecting the forms of the past yet seeking to play and guide art onto new canvases and new possibilities.
And I might seem nice, but I’m Bossy and this puppet likes to be the “puppet-master”. I like to think of myself as the star of the show, the one in charge. So, look at this organ-grinder (ME) and don’t look at the monkey who thinks they are controlling me. I guess I am trying to learn to be humble……….but…I’m Frank Wiener…I’m a Magic Hot Dog…..and I am only one year old.
Tell us about your show.
Our show follows the story of two hot dog heroes, Wee Weenie Wiener (Wee Wee), and She She. They are looking for their inner hot dog truth. They have dreams and they want to BECOME something. They are looking for meaning in the chaotic hot dog world around them. They realize that they are an amalgamation of a bunch of meats that come together into one casing. Their history comes from many places. They have complex histories. They realize that the world is the grill. The world singes them. Yet they also realize that they as hot dogs are pre-cooked, that the heat of the world is what brings out their inner flavor and helps them become.
Our Show is written and produced by our company, the CFACoLab. The CFACoLab is a professional company housed on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas. We are a lucky group of artists endowed by the David and Stephanie Vondrak Endowment for Knowledge in the Arts. Our goal is to push the boundaries of art, to hot dog and wiener around, to make shows, and to have fun. We like it when the ketchup and mustard get all over the place. And we believe that all the condiments are ok, that we should all dress our dogs as we want and as we will.
The CFACoLab has produced several shows. We usually start with a single object and from there develop the world of the show. This year someone suggested a hot dog. Someone else said let’s call it “That Show About the Hot Dog”. And then our group ran with it. It’s a zany romp of a show—a relentless brine of scenes we call “DOGS”.
This show will premiere at Edinburgh. I am soooooooo excited! And later we hope to tour it and serve Hot Dogs many other places. We have a set of performances in Las Vegas in Early November. Viva Las Vegas!
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
I’ve been looking at the Fringe Guide. I’m “Daring to Discover.” I say don’t just go to the big known shows. Yeah, they are fine but so is having someone move your lips and put words in your mouth…….this is the FRINGE, be bold, take a risk, see something different. Go sit with a pint and watch someone make theatre in a small closet of a theatre space. At our first EDfringe our company was so not ready for it. We showed up in Scotland without posters or flyers, all we had was a show and a venue the size of a postage stamp. And it was rough at the beginning. At one of our first shows only a blind woman and her service dog came to see our show. It was one of the best performances we did that festival—and Yes, we counted the dog in our audience count, he had the best time at the show and gave it a very good review.
I’m excited to see many shows at this year’s festival. Shows like: Alasdair Beckett-King: King of Crumbs, Andrew Doherty: Sad Gay Aids Play, Jazz Emu, Norvil and Josephine, Daniel Martinez Flamenco Co., Circa: Wolf, The Land of Beat, Yonder Dance Company, Riverside Theatre Company, Brit Fishel and Dancers, Olivia Raine Atwood, G and J productions: Some MasterChef Sh*t, Tides, and of course Billy Walker’s Joan Collins Blocked me on Twitter and Kate Stewart. I’m also interested in puppet shows, but I’m really highly critical when it comes to other puppets. Did I say I was only one year old?
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