Edfringe Guest Blog: Henry Churney: Buxton and more

With Edinburgh Fringe getting closer and if you live in the Buxton area then this show on Sunday Night at the Buxton Fringe at the amazing High Peaks Bookshop might be worth a look at. 2 WIP’s in one night Sunday 13th July. See poster for more details. tickets available https://www.tickettailor.com/events/laughforlifecomedycic/1645826 also if wanting tickets […]


Edfringe Guest Blog: Henry: A starting point

Hello. this is my first Edinburgh Fringe blog and I have so much to tell you! First I am a Liverpool (Scouse) Stand-Up Comedian , who now teaches stand -up comedy and I am bringing 2 shows to the fringe 18-23rd My solo show runs 18/19/22 & 23rd – more on this another day on […]


At large fringe festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe, there is a necessary balance to be struck between having a full set and having a cut down “fringe festival” version. Shows have stumbled on preview and review nights because an over-elaborate or hard to handle set slowed down the get in and get out, often […]


In this short podcast, FringeReview editor Paul Levy uses classic characters from the horror genre to explore different types of negative and toxic behaviour at the Edinburgh Fringe. Tongue-in-cheek yet not for the faint-hearted Paul suggests ways to pre-empt and protect against behaviours that can scupper your fringe experience, and even your show.


Solo Theatre Focus: Hassan Govia on “Because”

Reviewed by FringeReview in 2024 as “Groundbreaking Work”, by Tamara Stein, Because poses the question “Why do you hurt yourself?” Here’s the lowdown: “Jade has all the answers, that is until some unexpected news provokes overwhelming questions and resurrects painful memories. Suddenly thrust into an existentialist journey of self-discovery, Jade finds himself at loggerheads with […]


Taking your audio very seriously at the Fringe

“Time and again as a regular reviewer at Fringe Festivals and of fringe theatre, I have witnessed audio flakiness and even meltdown. It can ruin a show and a performance.” Paul Levy Whether it is a radio mic making crunsching noises, or even cutting out, or background music drowning out some important dialogue, whether floor […]


Open Space Technology, as a term, has a strange ring to it. It isn’t really a technology, but it is a way of doing things. First articulated by Harrison Owen, this is an approach to self-organising a social conversation about something that matters, and getting things done. The method forms the basis of one of […]


TAMPA FRINGE: An Interview with Schizo Days

As we approach Tampa Fringe, Noah Alfred Pantano interviewed Al Blackledge about their show Schizo Days ahead of this year’s festival. We discussed their motivations behind writing this piece, their experiences as queer artists, and why people should see the show.  NP: Hello Al! Can you tell us what is your show about?  AB: Schizo Days is […]


FringeReview’s Paul Levy delves into the world of reviewing with some practical advice on making smart decisions about who you let in and who it might be better to not in to review your work. With the rise of online reviewing, and the decline and even degradation of traditional paper media, it is better to […]


Paul Levy, FringeReview Editor , A Cafe, somewhere at the Edinburgh Fringe 20-something. The reviewer sits around the cafe table with the two fringe performers. Names are withheld to protect the innocent and guilty alike. Narcissism is the vein running through the conversation, like dark chocolate lines running through stinky cheddar. Fringe wisdom somehow emerges.  The […]


FringeReview’s Paul Levy was flyered by musical comedy veteran Chris Tavener and sat him down to talk about his solo show that combines music and comedy, Chris Tavener is Faking Cool. “Watch Chris Tavener battle his intrusive thoughts through the medium of witty, satirical songs. Will it work? Not likely… “As heard on BBC 6 […]


Playing the Star Ratings Game at Fringe Festivals: The Theatre Makers’  Ethical Dilemma Shady Fringe Reflections in Pavilion Gardens I’m just sharing some thoughts here in Pavilion Gardens Cafe, a fringe venue, number one here at Brighton Fringe, but also the regular headquarters when the weather allows of Fringe Review. And I’m just reflecting on […]


Verbatim Theatre is a form of documentary theatre in which the script is constructed from the exact words spoken by real people, usually taken from interviews, recordings, or transcripts. The aim is to present authentic voices and lived experiences, often in response to social, political, or historical events. Paul Levy spoke with the creator of […]


Comedy performer Cheryl Roberts met Paul Levy at a Brighton Fringe networking event and chatted about her solo comediy show Get Real with Relationships by Dr Sheryl (nOPhD, DwP). “Are you single (again) and feeling unlucky in love? Are you in a relationship but occasionally consider how to dispose of your partners body? Don’t despair, […]


FringeReview editor, Paul Levy, offers some gritty advice on managing your fringe show reviews A regular at Brighton and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, he delves into the world of reviewing with some practical advice on making smart decisions about who you let in and who it might be better to not in to review your work. […]


Brighton Festival: Our reviews so far

One of the most talked-about productions is TRASHedy, a dynamic two-hander from the German company Follow the Rabbit. With a mix of movement, clowning, and multimedia projection, it dissects global consumerism, ecological collapse, and collective complicity without preaching. FringeReview described it as physical, funny, and “a mirror held up to the audience’s own habits.” Equally […]


Sweetfest runs for two weeks in May in Brighton. UK. Here are FringeReview’s podcast recommendations for cabaret, music, comedy, spoken word and theatre. Browse the programme and book tickets here. SweetFest 2025 runs from 14th May to 1st June. You can also keep up to date on Facebook SweetFest Brighton is a lively annual theatre […]


Richard Dale talks to Paul Levy about his solo theatre piece, Awake, Gay and Writing a Play “Preaching the word to thousands in football stadiums and evangelising undercover in China amidst 30 years of door-knocking, and all the while the sound of sexuality was knocking loudly upon his own door. Escaping from a high-control religious […]


Paul Levy is in conversation with improv performers Summer Tewkesbury and Fillipe Ribeiro about Who Wrote This? “Who Wrote This?” is an improvised comedy show (produced by ‘The Audition Room’ company) where every performance is completely unique. Audience suggestions shape the scenes, creating spontaneous and unexpected stories on the spot. Come and experience a night […]


‘Any Objections?’ is billed as “a playful celebration of defying stereotypes, embracing self expression, and making space for joy and silliness in a messy world.” Scarlett Smith is an electroacoustic harpist and comedian. “Blending live looping harp covers of popular songs, self-produced indie-pop jingles, and fast paced punch lines, she will take you into her […]


Circus as a social and psychological experiment? Paul Levy talked with Lennart Parr about a very unique circus show at the Fringe, InThisTogether. “This is an experiment. We have intentions, but just like you we don’t exactly know what is going to happen.” “InThisTogether is a participative circus show that relies on the audience in […]


Shaolin Clown is a show from acclaimed clown and physical performer Tom Corradini. Paul Levy caught up with him at Brighton’s Pavilion Gardens cafe. Tom Corradini is a clown and playwright engaged in the experimental research of new comic languages with social themes. He has participated in numerous international festivals in Europe and Asia, among […]


Paul Levy was in conversation with Sam Clarke about his solo show Delightfully Dark hosted by the charismatic and shadowy Victor Von Plume. “Prepare for a hilarious and heartwarming journey into the great unknown with “Delightfully Dark,” where laughter meets the afterlife in a cabaret that celebrates the absurdity of death! Whether you’re a fan […]


FringeReview talks to Alexandra Jorgensen about Tales of a Jane Austen Spinster. “When a Jane Austen heroine, unlucky in love, finds herself thrown into the modern world of dating, she must set aside her customs and expectations to brave this new world of courtship. But the unsolicited pictures and lack of chivalry may be all […]


Interview: All about Freezer Cake and Cooking

Freezer Cake is a contemporary play being performed at the Lantern Theatre, Brighton, as part of Brighton Fringe 2025. The production runs from Monday 5 May to Friday 9 May, with evening shows at 5:00 PM from Monday to Thursday and a matinee at 2:00 PM on Friday. It is staged by Fitsnomore Productions. We […]


Interview: The Queen, Shakespeare and Me

The Queen, Shakespeare and Me is “a musical comedy tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II, presented by Carole Shaw. The show is scheduled to run from Thursday, 8 May to Sunday, 11 May 2025, at 7:00 PM each evening, at the Grania Dean Studio within the Lantern Theatre, Brighton. “This affectionate performance offers a […]


“With Ruby and I” is a fast-paced dark comedy about the complexities of friendship, love, sex, and betrayal. Set in a tiny flat high above the city, it follows Mags and Ruby-inseparable friends whose lives revolve around partying, hustling, and each other, until the arrival of Tony threatens to unravel everything. The story asks how […]


Paul Levy, Fringe Review’s Brighton editor found a comfy sofa at the Circus Yard, brand new Circus venue at Brighton Fringe run by Revel Puck Circus. Here’s his podcast as he London Victoria call browses through the programme and recommends a few shows. Here is the information about Revel Puck Circus at Brighton Fringe without […]


“Duty” is a new play by Susanne Crosby being presented at the Lantern Theatre Brighton during Brighton Fringe 2025. “As the First World War unfolds, three friends in rural Sussex feel very different calls to duty; changing their lives forever. “John and his mum Mags run their farm with Joe and Harry’s help: these three […]


A guide for fringe-seeking first-timers Brighton Fringe 2025, running from 2 May to 1 June, marks the festival’s 20th anniversary with over 4,000 performances across 140 venues. As England’s largest open-access arts festival, it continues to champion inclusivity and creativity, welcoming both emerging and established artists This year’s programme features a diverse array of events, […]


Edfringe: A show born in the classrooms of Denny High School

After they returned from the Fringe and the venue The Space on the Mile, I caught up with some of the cast and the director of Get Thee to a Nursery… Disgracefully, I was unable to go and see it, however they still let me in to talk to them about their experiences of a […]


“(Mommy’s a whore, Daddy’s a hitman). Laugh, cry and see God in this award-winning solo show by writer/performer Mitch Hara. Strap yourself in for a heart-wrenching rollercoaster ride you’ll never forget, featuring sex, drugs, disco balls and blackouts. All during an audition for Hamilton Unplugged. Directed by Carlyle King.” That’s the premise for Mitch Haras’s […]


Jo Tomalin talks with members of Buzzcut performing Bark Bark at 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Beckett Gray, Faye James and Gabe Winsor. Buzzcut make live performances with live cameras and have created several projects. “A dog with a bird-killing problem. Two people stitching their relationship together. A house filled with taxidermy animals. When a young […]


This is Zachary Loram’s second Fringe. He got a taste for it in 2022 with Boom Town the Musical, a comedy gay cowboy musical. Now he’s back with his guitar to perform Zac Zac Zoom at The Space Surgeon’s Hall with the support of a Keep It Fringe Award. This is a solo musical show […]


In Conversation with the team behind COVENANT

Tell us a bit about who you are and what you have at the Fringe. We are TPTC, a female and queer-led theatre company who formed during their time at university. Our goal is to create politically-focussed work that has female voices at the core. This year, we’re bringing our new play COVENANT to the […]


The Baader-Meinhoff phenomenon refers to a cognitive bias wherein an observer learns something new and starts seeing it everywhere. For example, I recently noticed a Rowan tree for the first time, and now the world seems to be overrun with scarlet berries and feathery leaves. I imagine if one had just learned the term ‘Neurodiverse’, […]


Kate Saffin talks to the team behind In The Lady Garden

The team behind In The Lady Garden are living, lively, proof that new creatives can emerge, or re-emerge at any age! Writer Babs Horton, Director Deborah Edgington and actor Julia Faulkner talk to Kate Saffin (also a late emerger) about the origins of the play, a match made in Heaven (or possibly Twitter) and how […]


Barbara Fernandez show is described as a ‘cheeky, hilarious, mellifluous romp through one singer’s colourful (and true!) past of cult-loving husbands, vampiric record producers, jailbird exes, shaggable therapists and diverse pharmaceuticals, peppered with lusty vocals delivered in bra-busting style.’ It also reveals that behind much of that cheekiness is years of undiagnosed Borderline Personality Disorder. […]


Photo credit: Anne Crawford El Blackwood is the creator of Tending. A verbatim piece based on over 70 interviews with nurses of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities, Tending immerses you in their day-to-day lives. In our interview she talks about the impetus to create the show, the process of recruiting nurses to interview (there was […]


Is Art in Society too “baroque? Is to too collusive? Is the new Total Arts Movement a new impulse for much needed avant garde art in society? I am taking four days out from the Edinburgh Fringe to bring my own solo show to this artistic inquiry over four days in Nancy in France at […]


In Conversation with Comedian Kelly Bachman

“Patron Saint is an hour of stand-up about spirituality, sexuality, virality and why anyone is funny. More specifically, it’s an hour of stand-up by Kelly Bachman, a comedian and rape survivor who found herself with sudden notoriety after encountering serial predator Harvey Weinstein at a comedy show in New York. Kelly was then asked to […]


Living. Dying. Dead. is an improvised theatre show that has been created to engage audiences on the taboo subjects of death, dying and bereavement. After sharing the show at improv festivals around Europe they brought their first full length (one hour) show to Edinburgh Fringe 2024. Owen talks about his work as a consultant physician […]


Bert and Nasi have developed several original devised shows together. For their latest show L’Addition they worked with director Tim Etchells to create it and they talk to Jo Tomalin about the experience and their work. “Two performers armed with a single scene – a customer orders a drink from a waiter. And then things […]


Physical theatre and dance performers and creators Luca Vaccari and Yuxi Jiang talk about their fringe production In The Round. “A dance theatre production exploring the perpetual cycles that bind our existence. Blending dance, film and verbatim sound derived from live interviews. It weaves inspirations from Tibetan spiritual practice to the vibrancy of Japanese pop […]


The term exulansis is not to be found in any mainstream dictionary. It was coined by John Koenig for his project ‘The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows’—which aims to define emotions we feel but do not yet have a word for – as “the tendency to give up trying to talk about an experience because people […]


A Conversation About Theatre of the Absurd

Earlier in the Fringe Paul Levy was in conversation with Actor Gareth Watkins and Director Pete Gomes about The Gentleman of Shallot at Edfringe 2024. In this conversation, Jules Smekens is added to a fascinating four-way discussion of Theatre of the Absurd at the Edinburgh Fringe and elsewhere. This genre has become rather niche at […]


Focus on Producing: In Conversation with Chris Grady

Chris Grady has been helping producers to develop their skills, experience and expertise for many years. In this wide-ranging conversation with Paul Levy, Chris defines exactly what a producer is, how the role of prodicer is a moving feast in different contexts within the Arts, and how he helps producers to develop their capability.


Mychelle Colleary talks to Kate Saffin about her first experience of developing a solo auto biographical show. Without giving too much away about the content she shares some of the influences, the work in getting this far and the challenges of navigating the Fringe for the first time. Ambitious Underachiever  is an musical one-woman show at […]


Beowulf: The Musical had its premiere at Greyfriar Kirk at Edinburgh Festival Fringe on 15th August. I sat down with its writer and composer, Umay Acar-Sümer, to talk about the source material and why she feels it was ready for a musical adaptation.  What made you decide to write a musical version of Beowulf? I […]


Actors Matthew Boston and Mark Boyett talk about Plotters by Brian Parks from Twilight Theatre Company. Playing in a Brian Parks work is usually a challenge for actors. Words fly up off the pages, into and out of the mouths of performers at breakneck speed. Matthew and Mark discuss the excitement and the exertions involved […]


British actor and writer Yolanda Mercy is presenting her new solo show Failure Project at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. She talks with Jo Tomalin about why she writes and performs and the mental health and other struggles writers experience. “A comedy drama… or “dramedy” about Ade, a successful writer, or so it seems. She […]


Richard’s 2024 Fringe View – 4; Open For Business

As a fringe regular for a decade or so I’ve met many people and made a number or friends. This gives me a familiarity with the Fringe as it changes year on year. Maybe it’s because I’m an observer that tries to be relaxed and in-tune with what’s going on around me. Principally I’m here […]


Storyteller Sinead O’Brien from Wandering Stories brings her acclaimed show No One is Coming to the Scottish Storytelling Centre during the Edinburgh Fringe. “No One Is Coming is a devised, storytelling performance about a mother and a daughter inspired by lived experience and infused with Irish mythology and comedy. This storytelling event is not just […]


In her new one-woman show The Day My Sugar Daddy Dumped Me, Becky Goodman talks and sings about her relationships with older men, particularly married ones. The expanded version of the show includes her experience as a sugar baby for a surprisingly sweet man called Sal, and the surprising connection that made last year’s show […]


In this series of interviews, I sent several questions to couples who are bringing shows to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe together. In this edition, Stephen Smith and Stephanie Van Driesen talk about how to work through annoyance at each other, what they’ve learned working together, and the morning routine that keeps them going. Who are […]


Free Workshops from FringeReview at the Edinburgh Fringe

Free Events for Fringe Performers Use the form below to book Workshop 1 How to hit the ground running at the Edinburgh Fringe A gritty, hands-on session for ensuring you get the most out of every minute at this Fringe. What are the essentials of a successful and satisfying Fringe? What shoukd you do on […]


Fringe Couples: Sarina Freda and Nicholas Webster

In this series of interviews, I sent several questions to couples who are bringing shows to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe together. In this edition, Sarina Freda and Nicholas Webster of no no no please no god no, never mind I’m fine talk about sound design, crystal math, and the TV show we should all be […]


Free Fringe Solo Work Focus: Naomi Wood talks about Gobbess

Billed as a “kaleidoscopic one-creature show merging the circus with storytelling and spoken word”, Gobbess arrives comes to Edfringe with a clutch of positive reviews from Brighton Fringe. Creative force of nature and acclaimed performer, Naomi Wood, discusses the origins of the show and its development towards the Edinburgh fringe and beyond with Paul Levy. […]


Beowulf and Grendfel is a faithfully told version of this legendary tale from Tawnydog Productions. In this interview performer and adapter Evan Quinlan discusses the original “codex”, the original text from which this show at CC Blooms as part of PBH’s Free Fringe has been adapted. This is “the gripping tale of a prince’s struggle […]


A walk down the Royal Mile in Edinburgh during the Fringe

Paul Levy wends his way down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile in August during Edfringe 2024. He hears about shows that find their way into his hand from the many performers in all kinds of costumes flyering their shows to passersby. The noise of the crowds,street performers and a few landmarks on the way…


In Conversation with Action Theatre (Italy)

Action Theatre Italy are a truly international troupe, with two shows at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024. The Italians in England is set in 1572. “Shakespeare is some years away but Commedia dell’Arte’s combination of mask, comedy, wild plots, hilarious improvisation and women performing on stage is taking Europe by storm. Queen Elizabeth I insists on […]


Our pick of Edinburgh Deaf Festival

Edinburgh Deaf Festival is in its third year. It runs from 9th – 18th and here Joanna Matthews shares her picks – all suitable for Deaf and hearing audiences. The festival has it all – stand up comedy, new writing, a walking tour, workshops, exhibitions and dance. Edinburgh holds a unique place in Deaf history […]


FringeReview’s Paul Levy got five diverse theatre and arts makers around the Press Room table at theSpace at Surgeons’ Hall, with one thing in common: They all come from New York. So, what draws them to the world’s largest arts Festival and why is there no longer a New York Fringe? We hear about their […]


Richard’s 2024 Fringe View – 3; Time Out

Richard the photographer from ‘fringefoto’ gives a unique view of the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe After a busy week, I took some ‘time-out’ and caught the bus to Roslyn Chapel with Kate and Jo. On a sunny Tuesday afternoon we arrived early for our timed slot and were allowed in to explore the chapel and look […]


FringeReview’s Nicholas Collett talks to musician and now musical writer and performer Sean Findlay about The Shakey Shakey Hips at Paradise Green at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024. “Hilarious epic 50s rock musical following Shakey Sean (Elvis character) working in an Arbroath egg’n’roll van. A customer asks for a ‘rock’n’roll’. Shakey concedes he doesn’t sell this, […]


A head and shoulders picture of a white man with white hair and glasses wearing a blue velvet jacket

Insight into Edinburgh Deaf Festival

Edinburgh Deaf Festival is entering its third year and Its Executive Producer Philip Gerrard spoke to Joanna Matthews about deaf culture and heritage and why having a Deaf Festival as part of the Fringe is vital for both deaf and hearing audiences. Inclusion and representation are hot topics in theatre, TV and film and although […]


Julian Mayer talks to Paul Levy at Greenside at Riddle’s Court after their sell out show “A Cosmologist’s Guide To Life and Love” In this show “Astrophysicist Dr Julian Mayers asks whether studying the Universe gives us any insight into earthly matters of life, death and love. Down to earth, accessible, funny and ultimately uplifting, […]


Gareth Watkins, writer and performer of The Gentleman of Shallot, “began developing experimental improvised and devised theatre, which led him to study with the MA Theatre Lab at RADA. He has since written two plays: Boy for Life, on the lasting effects of gay conversion ‘therapy’ and The Gentleman of Shalott, his radical reimagining of Tennyson’s poem The Lady of Shalott as […]


Guest blog: GDFB4CP: Enter Jasper, the Flyer Pig

Our guest blogger, Gabey Lucas continues her Edfringe journey… I’m currently writing this in an airport, which themselves are a testament to the triumph of human hubris. Who thought “Ya see that sky up there? That place that God himself has clearly earmarked specifically for birds n’ bats n’ such? That’s human territory now.” Absolute […]


“In a world full of ugliness, desperation and people touching you with dirty hands, OCD became a coping mechanism. This young girl tries to hide her symptoms, for example touching things three times, but it’s in her DNA and to her discomfort the world starts noticing. But, relax. It’s a comedy. Fine, tragi-comedy. A monologue […]


Kuang Lee, Writer and Performer and Kevin Rebultan, Director of Gags playing at the San Francisco Fringe talk to Jo Tomalin about how and why this show developed around the topic of grief. Chinese American, Lee discusses his solo comedy and musical performance about grief and how he developed Gags. “Inspired by his grief counselor’s […]


Poet and storyteller, Laura Thurlow, talks to Kate Saffin about her new show ‘River Time’ (Edfringe 2024 show details below). The title is taken from one of the show’s opening anecdotes.  As a student in Edinburgh with unmanaged ADHD (and later realising also Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria), Laura would often go for a night out on […]


Steve Goodie is a musician and comedian from Nashville, Tennessee.  He has been the host of the internationally renowned music venue The Bluebird  Café in Nashville for 17 years. Steve’s album of Harry Potter parody songs was  a hit on audio entertainment platform SiriusXM, and legendary broadcaster Dr  Demento describes him as “one of our most […]


Richard the photographer from ‘fringefoto’ gives a unique view of the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe This year’s fringe is now well underway as the first weekend comes to a close. I’m just about on top of my photo editing with one more launch show’s pics to finish. Here are a few pictures to give an idea […]


Barbara Fernandez on her unique show at the Edinburgh Fringe Barbara’s show, Barbara Fernandez Singing, Sagging and Shagging, can be booked here At an age when most people contemplate retirement (and at the start of lockdown), I got diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD for short – which may sound like a far right wing […]


Fringe Focus: Children’s Theatre at the Edinburgh Fringe

There’s plenty of famly-friendly theatre at the Fringe each year, though not as much as there used to be. With offerings across most of the genres in the programme for all ages, here are a few of our recommendations. If you are looking for shows particularly suited for teens, you may well find that these […]


Richard’s 2024 View of the Fringe.

Richard the photographer from ‘fringefoto’ gives a unique view of the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe After a long over-night drive from just outside London, I’m here in Edinburgh. Settled into my accommodation, equipment unloaded and sorted out, ready for the pre-festival rush of previews shows. First ‘FringeReview’ reviewers meeting to kick things off. I find these […]


New Writing at Camden Fringe

Camden Fringe champions new writing and even gives it its own section in the fringe programme. Here at FringeReview we are rather partial to new writing, as newness is usually a key quality of “fringe. So here are a few recommendations for enjoyers of the “new”. So, these are a few choices from the 33 […]


Acclaimed Franco-Uruguayan auto-fictional playwright Sergio Blanco returns to Edinburgh afterhis International Festival hit show When you walk over my grave* to direct Divine Invention, hislife-affirming new show, translated from Spanish and performed by his long-time collaborator,multi-award-winning director, Daniel Goldman. Part metatheatrical performance lecture, part auto fictional memoir, Divine Invention is anexploration of love that interweaves […]