Audio Interviews

How do you develop an effective media strategy for your Edfringe show? Alan Gordon and Michelle Mangan from the Edinburgh Fringe Media Office work at the Edfringe media coal face throughout the year. Here they share their wisdom and advice in an indispensible interview for Fringe show makers. Listen to our interview with Alan Gordon […]

Paul Levy talks to award-winning Baba Brinkman about Baba Brinkman’s Rap Guide to Consciousness and catches up with him about his journey since he last saw Baba at the Fringe ten years ago. New shows and a journey into the realm of consciousness… “Fringe First winner and “peer-reviewed rapper” Baba Brinkman (Rap Guide to Evolution, Rap […]

How do you create a successful solo Fringe show based on a real historical character? Paul Levy talks to Dominic Allen about A Common Man: The Bridge That Tom Built. Dominic tells us how the show was created and what the legendary man himself might think of it. “Dominic Allen (Belt Up Theatre’s Outland) brings […]

Paul Levy talks to Philip Hutchinson from Lucky Dog Theatre Productions. Philip, along with his professional partner Tony Carpenter, brought their much acclaimed Hats off to Laurel and Hardy back to the Edinburgh Fringe 2017 for just a couple of sell-out nights. When should you play a full run? When is it better to be […]

Paul Levy talks to performer Sam Wright about solo theatre piece Crazy Horse: A Dream of Thunder, from Intelligentsia Productions and directed by Nicholas Collett. How was the piece born, made, and then realised so well on stage? The play comes to the Fringe with strong critical acclaim: FringGuru hailed it as  ‘a striking, stripped-down, thoughtful piece […]

Paul Levy talks to Geoff White and Glen Wilkinson about The Secret Life of Your Mobile Phone. What does your phone get up to behind your back? Why does the battery go flat even when you’re not using it? What’s it telling spies, governments & shadowy corporations? “The Secret Life of Your Mobile Phone is […]

          Solo LGBT Comedy comes to the Fringe as Paul Levy talks to writer, director, producer and performer Gavino di Vino about Auntie. “Nollywood meets Hyacinth Bouquet via the fictional pan-African nation of Kengeria. Auntie vocalises her disdain for tracksuits and chicken shops, which are far from her Ey! Ey! glossy […]

A Comedy Origins Story Exploring Imperfection: Paul Levy talks to Marijn de Vries and Bannie Cheff about The Guardians of Imperfection. One has Multiple Sclerosis, the other Cerebral Palsy. Both have a trilogy in their heads and this is the first of three. Bannie and Marijn talk to Paul Levy about how The Guardians of Imperfection […]

Mentalist and motivator, Phil Ainsworth talks to Paul Levy about bringing a show to the Fringe that could leave audience members more motivated! He also chats about how he made the show, MoMentum: A Motivational Mind Reading Experience,  and how mentalism in performance can be respectful, entertaining and affecting, without manipulating or humiliating audiences. “Experience […]

The One Star Review: Performer and theatre maker Gavin Robertson talks to FringeReview editor Paul Levy about the Star System at the Fringe. What happens if you get a one-star review? What do reviews really mean at the Fringe? A conversation about how we deal with criticism of our work at the Fringe.   Listen […]

Devised Dance & Physical Theatre: Jo Tomalin talks to Salah El Brogy, Kenny Ho and Yuyu Rau about Border Tales from Protein. The show is conceived and directed by Luca Silvestrini., Artistic Director of Protein Dance Company. Listen to our interview with Salah El Brogy, Kenny Ho and Yuyu Rau about Border Tales  

  Comedy & Character: Jo Tomalin talks to Jayde Adams about her background and developing material for Jayde Adams is Jayded Listen to our interview with Jayde adams

Physical Acting: Jo Tomalin talks to Andrew Buckland and Toni Morkel, actors from South Africa about their background and work in Tobacco Listen to our interview with actors from South Africa, Andrew Buckland and Toni Morkel, talk about their background and work in Tobacco

Paul Levy talks to writer and performer Julie Shavers and producer and performer Dan O’Brien from Black Rocking Chair Productions about Mary Go Nowhere. How did Julie write the piece? How was it realised on stage? “Mary is on the edge of a breakdown trying to keep her foul-mouthed three-year-old in preschool. Drought. Flies. Earthquakes. Apocalypse? […]

Paul Levy talks to writer and performer, Matt Greenhough about #Vile: The Untimely Demise of a Manufactured Pop Star, a solo theatre piece from Wound Up Theatre. “Satirical pitch-black comedy chronicling the social media-induced breakdown and homecoming of a D-list celebrity. Wound Up Theatre present a one-man show exploring despair, ego, existential loneliness, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter […]

Physical Theatre, Puppetry and Family Shows: Jo Tomalin talks to Ditto Theatre Company members Polly Mycroft-Brown, Mathieu Clay, Sophie Hatton, Rob Linwood, Rhea Locker-Marsh and Gemma Owen-Jones about Ingo’s War Listen to our interview with Ditto Theatre Company about Ingo’s War

Dance & Physical Storytelling: Jo Tomalin talks to Pragati Bhatia, the choreographer, and actors Janina Blohm-Sievers, Jake McGarry and Reza Nasseri, about The Phoenix and the Crow Listen to our interview with the choreographer and actors about The Phoenix and the Crow

  Jo Tomalin talks to Alyona Ageeva, Anna Gerzhan and Konstantin Konstantinos from Russia’s PosleSlov Physical Theatre Company about the choreography and meaning of their show On This Side of Time Listen to our interview with Alyona Ageeva, Anna Gerzhan and Konstantin Konstantinos from PosleSlov Physical Theatre Company    

Political Comedy exploring the Trump Presidency through the prism of Hollywood Blockbusters comes to the Fringe.  Paul Levy talks to David Sheeran about I am Donut. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Skyfall and Love Actually: three films President Trump will encourage the Prime Minister to stream during his state visit to the UK […]

  The Number Shop: Jo Tomalin talks to artist Alessandro Di Massimo and performance artist Joe Coghill about their work and participation in the Edinburgh Arts Festival. The Number Shop is a combination of Art Studios and a Gallery in Edinburgh. Listen to our interview with artists Alessandro Di Massimo and Joe Coghill about their […]

Bulgarian Folklore: Jo Tomalin talks to Miro Kokenov about The Burning Gadulka and how he hopes to tour it beyond the Edinburgh Fringe. The play for one actor is directed by Milena Aneva, written in Bulgarian by Rayko Baychev and translated into English by Angela Rodel. Following a series of failures at music festivals, a Bulgarian […]

Manual Cinema: Jo Tomalin talks to Drew Dir and Sarah Fornace, directors, designers and puppeteers of Lula del Ray by Manual Cinema from Chicago. Manual Cinema creates and performs live cinematic shadow puppet shows. From the company that brought you Ada/Ava (total sell-out Edinburgh 2016), hit of the Fringe and critically acclaimed Manual Cinema return […]

Physical Theatre and Comedy: Jo Tomalin talks to Trygve Wakenshaw about the show Trygve Wakenshaw & Barnie Duncan: Different Party. Their style of comedic physical theatre is a blend of physical acting, slapstick and mime, with fascinating reactions to office life, expressed through their naive and all knowing characters who work in an office. They seem to […]

Paul Valenti talks about his new solo comedy-clown show at the Fringe, The Long Miserable Journey to Happiness. How do you step free, positively and creatively from a fifteen year comedy partnership? The answer: You take the friendship and the wisdom with you and transform it. “Fringe 2011’s Best Newcomer nominee Paul Valenti is back, […]

              Michelle Yim, from Grist to the Mill Productions did the early research and Ross Ericson penned the script to this solo theatre piece at the Fringe. Paul Levy talks to Michelle Yim about The Empress and Me. “The amazing true story of the Princess Der Ling who, as […]

                A Solo Theatre Exploration of The Merchant of Venice lies at the heart of this piece by the writer of The Unknown Solider from Grist to the Mill Productions.  Paul Levy talks to writer and performer, Ross Ericson about Gratiano. “Bassanio has been murdered and, under suspicion, […]

Le Petit Monde: Jo Tomalin talks to Tania Czajka about her bi-lingual puppet show The Wonderful World of Lapin! Tania has just arrived from Paris for a very special occasion: The World’s Tastiest Carrot competition! In her leather trunk, she carries her very own garden, from which a whole world is revealed… A world of […]

Puppet State Theatre: Jo Tomalin talks to Richard Medrington about Leaf by Niggle, a one person storytelling show, based on JRR Tolkien’s short story. In 1939 Tolkien was despairing of ever bringing his great work The Lord of the Rings to a conclusion. One morning he woke up with the tale of Niggle, a struggling […]

              Writer and director Jack Jackman talks to Paul Levy about iDENTiTY, which is one of a growing number of shows at the Fringe exploring the impact of the digital realm on our lives. Jack shares his experiences of writing the piece and then turning it into a unique […]

Jo Tomalin talks to Paul Waggott from Trick of the Light, a theatre company from New Zealand, about their latest show The Road That Wasn’t There. This is a story about a girl who followed a map off the edge of the world… In New Zealand there are some 56,000 kilometres of paper roads – […]

          Paul Levy talks to James Haddrell from Greenwich Theatre. Greenwich Theatre, regulars at the Fringe, are bringing and supporting eight shows this year. James discusses his style of directing and reflects on the process of theatre-making and his role as artistic and executive director at Greenwich Theatre. Listen to our […]

              This is an interview about Immersive Audience-Involved Theatre: Paul Levy talks to director Bryn Mitchell and performer Ashley Gillies about A Clock Face Exhibition. “A near-immersive theatre show encompassing and delving into the lives of six recovering addicts. A Clockface Exhibition is a piece of new writing by […]

          Paul Levy talks to Tony Cronin and Julia McLivane about Spirit of the Dane, and what we find in the text of a Shakespeare play when we really look. “Tony Cronin’s hillarious new comedy brings Hamlet – the character – and Lady Macbeth – the character – together and they […]

              In a chat with Cassandra Hercules (Outreach director) and Serin Ibrahim (Artistic director) about Under My Thumb from Culture Clash Theatre and Greenwich Theatre. This is a conversation about the process of devising work that reaches into the heart of deep and important questions about society. “In a dystopian […]

Arab Arts Focus: Dance Double Bill – Jo Tomalin talks to Egyptian Choreographer Shaymaa Shoukry about her two pieces in the show. She talks about her inspiration for creating new contemporary dance works, her background as a dancer and her substantial training in Cairo. Listen to our interview with Egyptian Choreographer Shaymaa Shoukry about her work […]

              Rob Gaetano has created a solo theatre piece that explores dementia, a subject he’s experienced directly through a member of his family.  Paul Levy talks to Rob  about My Pet, My Love – how and why he wrote it, the process of working with a director, and the […]

            Peter Michael Marino gets the audience involved and collaborating in his new show, Show Up. Here Peter chats about his love of the fourth-wall-less show and how he makes his work at the Fringe. Listen to our interview with Peter Michael Marino about Show Up  

              Like Blood from a Cheap Cigar is a relationship play. In this interview, co-writers and performers Genevieve Joy and Joseph Reitman talk about how the play came into being and the process of realisation of the play on stage with an insight intoo the rehearsal process. This is […]

            In a fascinating interview about immersive, improvised, site-specific theatre: Paul Levy talks to Tim Williams and Ali Flores about Joe’s NYC Bar. “An interactive, improvisational immersive theatre experience, in which the audience is transported to a bar in New York City. Fresh from a sell-out Off-Broadway run, Joe’s returns […]

            A hit show at Brighton Fringe, Paul Levy talks to Ella Dorman-Gajic and Niamh Brangwyn from Rhythm Theatre Company about Did I Choose These Shoes? “Thought-provoking but with a humorous tone, this spoken word and physical theatre piece explores what it means to be a girl growing up today and […]

Cirk La Putyka: Jo Tomalin talks to Anna Schmidtmajerová about Batacchio, a Czech Contemporary Circus show inspired by the lavish extravaganzas of the 1800s. “Award-winning contemporary circus company mixes breathtaking acrobatics, original music, magic tricks and unexpected illusions in a fantastical journey to the spectacular comedies of the 19th century. Batacchio fluctuates between real and […]

Paul levy talks to Alon Nashman, Artistic Director, writer and performer from Theaturtle  about Kafka and Son, a show that was a hit at Prague Fringe as well as elsewhere. “Winner of Outstanding Production at the Prague, Canada, Germany, and South African Theatre Awards, and a five-star, sell-out hit on four continents. At age 36, […]

              Exploring Communication through Theatre: Paul Levy talks to Jean Ann Douglass and Eric John Meyer from  Human Head about Obfuscation.  A play that began its performance life in a specially designed box crate, the piece now comes to the Fringe in a conference room. “In an age of […]

Paul Levy talks to Barry Church-Woods about Civil Disobedience at the Fringe, who are here in 2017 with 14 shows across a range of genres. Barry talks about this year’s programme and the ethos underlying it. Listen to our interview with Barry Church-Woods about Civil Disobedience at the Fringe  

Paul Levy talks to Gavin Robertson about Slooshy Wordshow, a show offering the live poetry of Gavin Roberston, delivered via Greg Byron, a character he has created. How can poetry be delivered via character acting? How do you make a show like this so easily accessible to both a spoken word and a theatre audience? […]

              Paul Levy talks to Christel Bartelse about All KIDding Aside, a solo theatre piece brought to the Fringe after her success in 2015 at the Fringe with ONEymoon. How did this piece of theatre get made, and what was the process of research that underpinned it? “From four time […]

          Happily Never After is The Maydays improv show returning to the Fringe. “Award-winning improvisers The Maydays present this skin-prickling tale full of black comedy and haunting music, inspired by the warped imaginations of Tim Burton, Lemony Snicket and the Brothers Grimm. Starting with your suggestion, The Maydays take you on […]

            Paul Levy talks to writer, comedian and History teacher Andy Thomas about Des Kapital’s Never Mind the Cossacks, a comedy and music piece that was a hit at Brighton Fringe 2017. “Communist crooner Des Kapital (Gulag’s Got Talent, The Ex-Soviet Republic Factor) is glasnost all over to present the history […]

              Non-verbal Theatre: Paul Levy talks to Raymond Wan and Eva Chau from Artocrite Theater (Hong Kong)about The Venerable Bird’s Eye View, a movement piece, inspired by a poem  “Three actors are transformed into birds and trapped within a cage – the human world. In this new life they […]

Paul Levy talks to Guy Masterson from Theatre Tours International. Guy is up at the Fringe with three shows this year – Frank Carson – A Rebel Without a Pause, Michael Brandon – Off-Ramps and Under Milk Wood. Guy pauses and reflects as the start of Edinburgh Fringe 2017, discussing his work, past, present and future as well as […]

Fast-Paced Iconic Film-based Comedy Theatre: Paul Levy talks to Chris Davis about One-Man Apocalypse Now. How do you take an iconic movie that is hours long and turn it successfully into a quickfire solo comedy show? Chris shares the secret of his new show at the Fringe. “Imagine Apocalypse Now performed by one actor in […]

            Creating Entertaining Theatre: Paul Levy talks to John Hinton about Ensonglopedia of Science. John is fascinated with science, and loves to write songs and play characters such as Marie Curie, Albery Einstein and Charles Darwin, to name but a few. Here he creating theatre that’s entertaining and educational for […]

            Solo Comedy and Comedy Chat Shows: Paul Levy talks to writer and performer Rosie Wilby about The Conscious Uncoupling and The Breakup Monologues. Rosie is back at the Fringe with two shows, one a hit from last year and a new one, in chat show format. The Conscious Uncoupling […]

Paul Levy talks to Andrew Allen about Cacophony. “Hear me roar! In a world full of sound and fury, and bells and whistles, one woman is ready to listen. Cutting through the confusion and finding meaning in the madness, this vital and dynamic show proves that we can say exactly what we want when we […]

Paul Levy talks with Colin Alexander and David Leeson about Chamberlain Peace in our Time. “In the last two years, Searchlight Theatre have cast their beam on Noel Coward and most recently on Laurel and Hardy. Both productions received rave reviews and played to full houses. Now a British Prime Minister, who is often regarded […]

In an interesting  and honest conversation about how a comedian makes his stand-up comedy a success at the Fringe and on tour, Paul Levy talks to Sid Singh about A Singh in the North! “You probably don’t know who Sid Singh is, but he’s really funny. Sid manages to showcase hilarious, well-crafted jokes that also […]

An acclaimed theatre piece that explores stardom, Paul Levy talks to writer and performer, Joanne Hartstone about The Girl Who Jumped Off The Hollywood Sign. Joanne shares the process of creating successful solo theatre work and ponders the nature of stardom. “An actress climbs the 50-foot ‘H’. She has only ever wanted one thing: to […]

Jo Tomalin talks to actor Claira Watson Parr about the Big Bite-Size Lunch Hour Izzy’s Manifestos. “It’s time to think outside the box, go crazy, go skydiving or just go to a different pub this Friday. Running at something is better than just running away, right? Or maybe it’s both? Especially when you start referring to […]

Paul Levy talks to David Calvitto about Enterprise. This year the actor arrives at the Fringe in director mode and shares his approach to directing this piece of absurdist comedy theatre. “With their corporation on the brink of collapse, four panicking businessmen have one desperate night to save their futures. Emergency proposals, email hacking, animal […]

The Fringe Directorial Debut: Paul Levy talks to Stefania Bochicchio about The Principle of Uncertainty. In a frank interview, Stefania talks about stepping into the director’s shoes after working in promotion at the Fringe. She draws upon past experience and a love of the script. “Dr Laura Bailey knows how to explain to everyone counter-intuitive double […]

Tim McArthur is a character comedy actor who invites us to his fringe show, Sister Mary’s Playtime. “Join Sister Mary McArthur as she battles the blues with her unique comedy and variety. No pulpit. No psalms. No prayers. She’s not that kind of nun! She’s the songs, show business and show tunes kind, with some […]

Paul Levy talks to Tim Wilcock about musical comedy satire show The Two Moronnies: Trumped Up. A show that plays regionally in Scotland, Tim talks about how this free show was made, how they create their material and how it has to change as the political world changes around them. “Enjoy some sophisticated wit and word […]

              Paul Levy talks to Mikelangelo about Mikelangelo: Cave – Waits – Cohen. “Acclaimed crooner Mikelangelo (Black Sea Gentlemen, La Clique) takes on three great poets of rock’n’roll: Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen, in a show filled with beauty, power and humour. From the Sydney Opera House […]

              Bill Nolden has performed with White Room Theatre for a few years now. Here, with the help of FringeReview’s Paul Levy, he unpacks the secret of their success, with packed houses year after year. What is the allure of short plays? What is the skill in writing so […]

          Roger Kay, owner and director at the Rialto Theatre in Brighton is looking for shows at the Edinburgh Fringe – productions to possibly invite to his venue based in Brighton which also plays host to Brighton Fringe, one of the world’s largest arts festivals. In this interview Roger provides insight […]

              Edinburgh Fringe 2017 Paul Levy talks to DIY Comedy Chef George Egg about his new show, George Egg: DIY Chef which plays at the Gilded Balloon at Edinburgh Fringe 2017. But this is more than just an interview about a new show at the Fringe. George talks about […]

Edinburgh Fringe and Brighton Fringe 2017 Tanushka Marah, founder and director of Windmill Young Actors, won an Outstanding Theatre Award at Brighton Fringe 2017 for their production of Agamemnon. In this interview, Tanushka, a veteran of the Edinburgh Fringe, talks about how to make youth theatre a creative and critical success, providing priceless advice for […]