Alison Skillbeck is no stranger to the Edinburgh Fringe. She is a writer and actor with several critically acclaimed plays under her belt Are There More of You?, The Power Behind The Crone and Mrs Roosevelt Flies to London. In this interview she talks to Kate Saffin about the isolation of lockdown, how important the […]


Czech Cirk La Putyka on tour: Lenka Capova and Ethan Law talk to Jo Tomalin about the company from Prague and their new show Runners

“Award-winning contemporary circus company returns with an extraordinary show looking at the hectic pace of today’s world. In a unique set design featuring a giant treadmill, four performers and two musicians mix dance, running, cyr-wheel acrobatics and original live music, while running almost a whole marathon. This UK debut for Runners marks the company’s fourth […]


Sarah-Louise Young is a theatre maker with 26 years’ experience at her 17th Fringe with her 40th production and the 13th show she has created. Which is nicely serendipitous because it’s also the first show she has made telling a very personal story. We found what we thought would be a quiet corner of Summerhall… […]


Actor, Samara Neely Cohen talked to Kate during Edfringe 2022 about 9 Circles, 9 Circles by Bill Cain asks how can a soldier be trained to be a cold-blooded killing machine while clinging on to the threads of humanity? A Dantesque descent into the conundrums, contradictions and hypocrisies of war through the eyes of a […]


Sarah talks about her journey to embracing the chronic pain she has lived with since her teens and how she developed Pain and I. She describes it as a bold exploration into chronic pain experience, featuring playful choreography, experimental dance, intimate autobiographical text, and original classical music composition by Alicia Jane Turner. In addition to […]


Fourth Wall’s musical show Fruit Flies Like a Banana comes in two flavours for their first Edfringe: one for children and a longer one for adults (not that there is anything unsuitable for children in the longer version, it is just framed differently). It’s a show that combines extraordinary physical acrobats with virtuoso musical skill […]


“How do you live your best ho life? Have you accidentally become your parents? These are the questions NYC-based comedian Ann Chun (SF Chronicle, Timeout) explores in her solo show about an immigrant coping with the dissolution of her parents’ marriage in Thailand, while learning how to be a fuccboi in America. Ann’s immersive storytelling […]


Emilienne Flagothier creates contemporary dance, directs non-theatrical text theatre and performs in street theatre, a solo show and more. At the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe she directs a new show called We Should Be Dancing, based on observations of children playing, working with her collective from Brussels.


“Triple Fringe First and Olivier winning Fishamble, in association with Fringe First winning Sunday’s Child, return to Summerhall with the 2019 hit show Mustard by Eva O’Connor. A darkly comic play about heartbreak, madness and how condiments are the ultimate coping mechanism. When the man of her dreams, a professional cyclist, leaves E, she plummets […]


“Pluto and Vector have been dating for almost a year now, but as they hike up the mountain where the Greek god Prometheus was bound as punishment, their relationship hits its breaking point. The myth of Prometheus looms large over the mountain’s cold peak as Pluto and Vector confront their differences, their fears about their […]


Scottish Pakistani actor, writer and stand-up comedian talks about how she started writing and performing with Jo Tomalin. Lubna presents Tickbox – her latest theatre/comedy/storytelling show at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021. “Tickbox is a semi-autobiographical, one-woman play, in Scots-English and Urdu. Describing a Pakistani woman’s journey from a middle-class life in Pakistan to Govan in […]


              Paul Levy talks to director Matt Owen and co-producer Kate Chalmers from Pound of Flesh Theatre about Fires Our Shoes Have Made. “Excalibur, equipped. School, skipped. Six months ago, when they lost their mum, their names shot past the sun and echoed through the stars. Today they become […]


              Paul Levy talks to Jacqueline Haigh about Goddess. “A peek behind the velvet curtain! Hilarious one-woman sitcom based on Jacqueline Haigh’s true experiences working as a receptionist in a tantric massage parlour. Fringe hit 2018! Directed by award-winning Alan Short (co-director Watership Down, Netflix/BBC) ‘Well written and conveyed… […]


A Strategy Play: Paul Levy talks to Elliot Hughes about Standard: Elite

              Paul Levy talks to Elliot Hughes from Hidden Track about award-winning theatre game Standard: Elite. “There are two types of ticket. Everyone gets a Standard ticket. You have to earn an Elite ticket. Together, we’re going to tell a story… of a girl from Lowground spun from spiderweb and […]


Producing for the First Time at the Fringe: Jo Tomalin talks to Jacob Standbridge about producing Sidekick

Jo Tomalin talks to Jacob Standbridge cast member and producer, who offers advice to first time producers at the Fringe, from his experience in Sidekick, a new musical. “It’s the final year of university for Tom, but he’s afraid he’ll never be good enough to become a superhero. When Lily mysteriously arrives with powers stronger than […]


              Paul Levy talks to Cristina Lark about satirical theatre piece Rich Bitch – How to Make Money with the Power of Your Mind. “GFH builds on the runaway success of Gabby’s last Edinburgh show and offers a new series of life hacks on today’s dating and partying scene. From […]


Ensemble is a group of dancers who get together to create, for friendship and to challenge themselves, for the past six years. Jo Tomalin talks to Robbie Synge and Lucy Boyes, choreographers and co-Directors of Ensemble, a dance production working with people of different ages. “Ensemble is a joyous expression of togetherness involving five performers […]


Choreographing collaboratively with dancers is an organic way to create new work. Jo Tomalin talks to award-winning choreographer from Hong Kong, Victor Fung, Artistic Director and Choreographer of Victor Fung Dance, and dancers from his company about From the Top. “From the Top is a witty contemporary dance work that explores the power relations between […]


Growing up in a small town in Wales, Youth Theatre offered an introduction to acting. Jo Tomalin talks to Ryan Lane about how this interest grew, led to training with Philippe Gaulier, and how he found inspiration to create and perform his new solo show Ryan Lane Will Be There Now in a Minute. “A show for […]


              Paul Levy talks to  award-winning author and political campaigner Jennifer Nadel about Medea Speaks. “Medea Speaks is a rallying cry to take the conversation begun by #MeToo further. Franca Rame’s acclaimed interpretation of Medea is co-directed by award-winning author and political campaigner Jennifer Nadel and Myles O’Gorman from […]


              Paul Levy talks to Lucy Farrett about her solo character comedy show Lucy Farrett: Lois. “Lois: your new favourite action hero. She fights the man, steals from the rich and eats yummy punks for breakfast. She’ll avenge the death of your mother, your brother, even your good-for-nothin’ goldfish, […]


              Paul Levy talks to storyteller Turan Ali, here at his first Edfringe, about Don’t Frighten the Straights! “International slut and mouthy, old, ethnic poof, Turan Ali tells outrageously funny true gay stories from around the queer world, some heard on Radio 4. Jaw-droppingly hilarious sluttery from this BBC comedy […]


Creating a dance piece that is simple and complex at the same time is an interesting concept. Jo Tomalin talks to Chiara Bersani, an italian dancer and choreographer, with a disability, about her career and new solo show Seeking Unicorns. “A fragile and abandoned symbol is made manifest by an extraordinary artist. The unicorn is […]


Jo Tomalin talks with physical theatre performer Tom Bailey who is also Artistic Director of award-winning theatre company, Mechanimal. His company is interested in devising physical theatre projects exploring the relationship between human and non-human species. After last year’s successful physical theatre show ‘Zugunruhe’ a sound-theatre project exploring both human migration and bird migration, Bailey […]


Making creative theatre for very small audiences in a caravan depends on the size of the caravan. Jo Tomalin talks to Emma Brierley, about developing and performing immersive visual theatre, including puppetry, poetry and storytelling and touring Swallow the Sea Caravan Theatre. “From the absurd to the moving, magical, funny and intriguing. Swallow the Sea […]


              Paul Levy talks to Chelsea Mountney and Rich Foyster about immersive theatre piece  Anti Depressed? the latest piece from Pop Heart Productions and Happenings Theatre Company. Their aim is to open up the conversation abour mental health. Award-winning Happenings Theatre Company and sell-out Pop Heart Productions present their new collaboration. […]


Having formed their company Clownfish just over a year ago they have created their first show for the Edinburgh Fringe. Jo Tomalin talks to actors and directors Jess Clough-MacRae and Jonathan Tilley about their company and Sir david and His Animals. “The magic of David Attenborough live on stage! A blue whale swims through the […]


Jo Tomalin talks to Rhum & Clay’s Artistic Directors, Matthew Wells and Julian Spooner, about their physical theatre company, how they choose topics for their devised shows and how they developed and adapted The War of the Worlds from Orson Wells’ 1938 radio broadcast adaptation of H.G. Well’s sci-fi novel of the same name. “‘No-one […]


          Benjamin Alborough from Percals about Cream Tea and Incest and Ricky Riddlegang and the Riddle Gang. Cream Tea and Incest “Romance! Adventure! Murder! Aristocrat Eddie Spangler and valet Jeffrey must learn the meaning of these words and more in this new knockabout Edwardian comedy. Delight in their capers, mix-ups, and […]


  Raised Voices is a registered charity that  provide creatives writing and performance workshops for homeless people in Edinburgh. Founder Blair Christie talks to Kate Saffin about the regular workshops they run and the shows that they create each year: for the Fringe and at Christmas. The shows are written by and performed by those […]


From Japan, Masashi Kadoya and Keisuke Hamaguchi (wearing glasses) talk to Jo Tomalin on the busy and famous Mile at the Edinburgh Festival, about mime and physical theatre in Zeroko’s Teatime. “The teatime show by mime and clowning comedy duo Zeroko from Tokyo. The heart-warming performance represents the breathing sigh of after-teatime relief.” Listen to our […]


Storyteller and stand up comedian Matthew Fong has performed around the world and is a regular on the UK circuit. Jo Tomalin talks to Matthew Fong about developing his comedy, making a living in this career and BBC British-Born Chinese playing at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. “BBC is the debut show from british born chinese comedian […]


Roya the Destroya, Phax Said Cheik Ahamada and Hello Shelly are three of the six international hip hop/breakin’ street theatre performers performing in one show.  Jo Tomalin talks to  them about their specific acts and how they came together to perform in FrontX. “FrontX shows a range of international street artists who combine exceptional energy and […]


Trick of the Light Theatre, from New Zealand, is known for their storytelling and innovative use of shadow and object puppetry. Jo Tomalin talks to Ralph McCubbin Howell and Hannah Smith about the techniques used in their latest show, Troll. “It’s 1998. Otto is 12 but online he’s 13 and he’s pretty sure he gets […]


              Sketch Comedy at the Fringe: Paul Levy, joined by FringeReview’s comedy reviewer Joe Angella, talk to Dan Robinson about Sketch You Up! “Comedy sketches that are observational and familiar but with a contemporary Sketch You Up! twist. Think Catherine Tate meets Little Britain and you’re almost there! Let […]


Jo Tomalin talks to Louise Hunter and Robin MacPherson about their new series of discussions and events at the Fringe this year. Already with a strong list of interesting talks (from AI to slavery, and much in between) with renowned speakers, they hope to develop EduMod in the future. Listen to our interview with Louise Hunter […]


Using memories and life events to create a humourous show:  Jo Tomalin talks with writer and performer Rohan Candappa about spoken word, developing humor and One Starts in a Barber’s. One Starts in a Bar. Being made redundant after several years  years in a job was a source for material that touched a nerve with […]


Following the international success of Testosterone, exploring the culturally and socially different world a transperson has to learn to navigate, Kit talks about his new play, Passengers, described as: ‘A dark comedy about the epic battles and alliances within the psyche and the beautiful power of the mind to protect itself from pain. Max wants […]


The Female Role Model Project: Kate Saffin talks to the creator, Tjasa Ferme

Tjasa Ferme talks about this ground breaking mix of theatre and multi-media exploring the science of the brain. She describes how the idea emerged and developed into an interactive experience as much as a ‘show’ using live neuroscientific monitoring and recording which the audience see and hear as video and soundscape. And volunteers from the […]


A Solo Meditation on Love and Morality for Us All: Paul Levy talks to Brian Joseph and Daria Roland about Normaler Than Everyone

              Paul Levy talks to Brian Joseph and Daria Roland about Normaler Than Everyone. “A solo musical featuring multi-instrumentalist and award-winning polymath Brian Joseph. Through his songs, writings and photographs, made while his wife was going through cancer treatment, Joseph presents a funny, moving and altogether original portrait of […]


It runs in the family: Kate Saffin talks to Joan Lawrence and Christian Gittings about Gilbert & Sullivan

Sometimes things just run in families and it was quite by chance that I learned that Joan Lawrence who sang with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company from 1956 to 1962, would be watching her grandson, Christian Gittins, perform in Coily Dart’s Gilbert and Sullivan’s Improbable New Musical: Less Miserable The Spaces. Here they talk about […]


The Silent Clown, Chaplin and A Goofy Testament to the Power of a Childlike Imagination: Paul Levy talks to Alex Curtis about (Chalk) A SIlent Comedy

              Paul Levy talks to Alex Curtis about (Chalk) A Silent Comedy. “If everything you drew became real, where would your imagination take you? A charismatic clown discovers magic chalk that makes everything he draws come to life in this fantastical one-man show guaranteed to delight audiences of all […]


Ariadna is a new production brought to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe by Alyona Ageeva Physical Theatre PosleSlov, based in Russia. The company explores physical theatre and expression of themes and abstract physical storytelling through outstanding movement quality. Jo Tomalin talks to eight members of the cast and creative team, including Alyona Ageeva, artistic director, Constantine, creative director, […]


Gig Theatre is a genre of theatre that is increasing in popularity. Jo Tomalin talks with Niall, a co-producer of Pound of Flesh Theatre Company’s contemporary spoken word play Fires Our Shoes Have Made at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. Niall is in his last year studying Drama at Warwick University and the rest of the […]


Lifelong teacher and author Dr. Emma Kell talks with Jo Tomalin about how data published in her latest book How to Survive in Teaching: Without Imploding, exploding or walking away is included in TEACH, a new solo play about the challenges a teacher faces, written and performed by Matthew Roberts, at this year’s Edinburgh Festival […]


Georgina Russell, actor and new graduate from Manchester University talks with Jo Tomalin about her training in devising, what devising is and how to start devising. Georgina and a friend from Manchester devised this show – Life Between Yes and No – using creative ideas such as instruments to express feelings and emotion and how to express […]


Helen Tennison directs different genres of theatre – from solo shows to Shakespeare in the UK and  internationally. Jo Tomalin talks to her about her approach to directing, and how she collaborates on her latest project, directing Matthew Roberts in TEACH, at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe: Listen to our interview with Helen Tennison about directing […]


Kate Saffin talks to Jeremy Nicholas about… talking (in public)

Jeremy describes himself as the 11th most famous Jeremy at the BBC and has many years experience as a broadcaster and as an international speaker. Last year he shared some of his most colourful moments at the BBC. This year it’s stories of public speaking. He describes the show as for anyone who ever listens […]


              Paul Levy talks to performer and improviser Justin Brett about Showstopper! – The Improvised Musical. The company are back at the fringe again with their ever-popular improv musical comedy show. But what is the true craft of improvising a musical night after night? “Justin Brett (cast member) trained at […]


Ronan Dempsey wrote and performs the physical theatre new writing solo piece The Words Are There for his company NTH Degree Productions. He talks with Jo Tomalin about devising the show and reactions from audiences. “Mick awaits Trish. He stands in his little seaside flat in oh-so-dreamy Bettystown, Ireland: like that little town in Murder […]


Tara Lacey of Peppered Wit Productions directs, produces and acts in The Wasp at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe. She talks about how and why she started producing plays for the company and what skills she needs to be able to produce. “A gripping electric thriller, exploring the far-reaching, unexpected and devastating effect childhood bullying can […]


              Paul Levy talks to actors Nicholas Collett, Patrick Miller and writer and director Hyun-suk Cha about Black and White Tea Room – Counsellor from Group: Theatre Hooam as part of the Korean Season presented by AtoBiz Ltd. This was a fascinating conversation about translation, transposition and transfer of a theatre […]


              Gavin Robertson about Stand-Up Poet. Gavin Robertson is veteran live poet on tour Greg Byron. But Greg Byron Gavin Robertson? We called it an ‘Excellent show’. “Sardonic, comic, whimsical, sometimes just poignant or cathartic, but always ‘keeps you constantly engaged’ (Kansas City Star) delivering verses on life, the universe […]


              Listen to our interview with Christina Gulick about CLAW: The Confederation of Lady Arm Wrestlers. “Are you ready for some serious competition?! Welcome to the stage, the phenomenal, the whimsical, the international movement of Ladies Arm Wrestling currently sweeping the globe! Over-the-top characters, ringmasters, referees, musical intros, lights, […]


              Paul Levy talks to Brett Johnson, standup comedian and storyteller about Brett Johnson Poly-Theist. “Brett was a 21-year-old, married, monogamous Evangelical. Then he became the opposite. After sell outs across the US, stand-up Brett Johnson’s show about (non)monogamy, God and KFC hits the Fringe. ‘A uniquely poignant story, […]


              Two accomplished comedy writers and performers are at the Fringe with the Scottish Play in a Cafe: Paul Levy talks to Tim FitzHigham and Thom Tuck about Tim FitzHigham and Thom Tuck in Macbeth. “413 years ago Macbeth was first performed. 2019 sees the definitive production by multi-award […]


What happens when the glass slipper doesn’t fit? Kate Saffin talks to Michelle Madson and Lizzie Shakespeare about Bait: Kill the Princess

Described as a ‘savagely playful subversion of identity’ talk about the stereotypes of princesses that all little girls face and their different experience of growing up with those stereotypes. They discuss how the work developed as they explored whether you can kill the princess or whether she will always reappear in a slightly different guise. […]


Fourteen years of breakfast and short plays: Kate Saffin talks to Claira Watson-Parr and Billy Knowelden of the Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show

It isn’t always easy becoming a Fringe institution. Claira and Billy reveal some of the work behind creating and growing such a rare and valuable plant (with a total of 15 short plays across a rotating programme of three menus I reckon I can mix a few metaphors). This year sees the company take a […]


              Paul Levy talks to Carmina Bernhardt from Stolen Cactus about R’n’J – The Untold Story of Shakespeare’s Roz and Jules. “Juliet is double pregnant, Rosaline decides she does indeed want Romeo dick, but Romeo is definitely dead. Join Roz and Jules on an epic Thelma and Louise-style multimedia tragicomedy […]


              Paul Levy talks to Tamsin Shasha and Maisy Taylor about Everything I See I Swallow. “Everything I See I Swallow is a provocative examination of a mother/daughter relationship, set against a backdrop of shifting attitudes to empowerment, feminism and sexuality. In a world where #MeToo and #TimesUp have […]


              How do you make simple, accessible, quality children’s Theatre? Theatre that children love to watch and engage with? Paul Levy talks to Natasha Granger and Jack Faires from acclaimed theatre company Fideri Fidera about Ogg ’n’ Ugg ’n’ Dogg. “Hail Ogg ‘n’ Ugg! Heroes! And ta so much […]