Welcome to our coverage of the Edinburgh Fringe. This year’s Fringe runs from 4th – 28th August 2023.
- 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 […] - Beyond the Summerhall Fringe: ASCUS Art & Science and Some Other Fascinating Folk
Most visitors to the Edinburgh Fringe in August will find themselves seeing a show at Summerhall. Quite of a few of those will know it is also a year round arts and cultural hub and its many events are not just confined to the Fringe weeks. Less will be aware of the over a hundred […] - Solo Theatre Focus at Edfringe: Writer and performer Mitch Hara on Mutant Olive 2.0
“(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 […] - Standup Comedy Focus: A bountiful lunchtime conversation with Louis Katz at Edfringe 2024
Having highly reviewed an impressive Louis Katz‘s debut show at the Free Fringe at the Edinburgh Fringe, Paul Levy caught up with him at the City Restaurant and explored how he makes his comedy, the origin of the show and some of the important material covered in the show. “Fresh off his hit (1M+ views!) […] - Talking about Dead Animals: Dale Robertson and Olivia Woods on a heartwarming new play at Edfringe
“A surreal journey about reconciling with grief through the natural world. Jesse returns to the cottage he grew up in with a photo and cardboard box. The land is just as he left it, and his grandmother is brash as ever, but why did it take him so long to come back? Dead Animals uses […] - Jo Tomalin talks to Buzzcut about live cameras + puppetry in Bark Bark
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 […] - Gregorio of Circo Goyo from Argentina talks about street performing to Jo Tomalin
Gregorio Richter of Circo Goyo is a circus artist and busker from Argentina who performs around the world. Gregorio speaks to Jo Tomalin from the Edinburgh Fringe where he performs his act in the streets. He talks about how and when he started to learn circus skills and why he is called Balloon Man! More […] - Zachary Loram talks about Zac Zac Zoom and eels to Joanna Matthews
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 […] - Did Neurodiversity Take Over the Fringe?: A Response to the Spectator’s Thoughtless Think Piece
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 […] - Exploring a mental health diagnosis with humour and music: Barbara Fernandez talks to Kate Saffin about her first time Edinburgh show Singing, Sagging and Shagging
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. […] - Kate Saffin talks to El Blackwood about creating verbatim show Tending
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 […] - Four Days Away from the Edinburgh Fringe: Paul Levy’s AOMO Journal
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 […] - Kate Saffin talks to Owen Scrivens about improvising dying on a daily basis
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 talk about developing shows and L’Addition with Jo Tomalin
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 […] - Dance and Physical Theatre Focus: Luca Vaccari and Yuxi Jiang on In The Round
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 […] - Kate Saffin talks to the writer and company behind The Expulsion of Exulansis
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. - Kate Saffin talks to Mychelle Colleary about creating her autobiographical show ‘Ambitious Underachiever’
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 […] - In Conversation with Umay Acar-Sümer on Beowulf: The Musical
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 […] - An Invitation to Answer an Important Question: How can the Fringe add the greatest value to the UK creative sector?
This is the critical question being posed at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe at a gathering at Fringe Central on 24th August 2024 10:00 – 14:00 BST. You can register for free here. FringeReview is happy to endorse this important conversation and we strongly recommend you sign up if you are free. This is a Devoted […] - Verbal Knockabout: Matthew Boston and Mark Boyett talk about Plotters by Brian Parks
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 […] - Kate Saffin talks to Will Sebag-Montefiore about his journey to his first solo political satire show at the Fringe.
Will talks to Kate Saffin about his journey to his first solo political satire show at the Fringe: Will Sebag-Montefiore: Will of the People Like many presenting political satire, Will found himself engaged in a major rewrite in the run up to the Fringe… He also talks about how he came to add this style […] - Yolanda Mercy talks about Failure Project and struggling artists to Jo Tomalin
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 […] - Edfringe Storytelling Focus: Sinead O’Brien on No One is Coming and the value of stories
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 Conversation with Comedian and Musician Becky Goodman
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 […] - Fringe Couples: Stephen Smith and Stephanie Van Driesen
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. […] - Free Fringe Storytelling Focus: Evan Quinlan on Beowulf and Grendel
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 […] - In Conversation with New York Theatre and Arts Makers at the Edinburgh Fringe
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 […] - Kate Saffin talks to Slade Wolfe Enterprises about telling Richard’s story through a different lens
For a king who only reigned for 26 months Richard III gets a lot of attention. There is rarely a year without some version of the play to be found in the Edinburgh Fringe programme. After Shakespeare: Richard III by Slade Wolfe Enterprises is not a re-presenting of Shakespeare’s version but a new exploration of […] - Kate Saffin talks to Dr Phil Hammond and Dame Clare Gerada about saving the NHS with evidence based comedy
As someone who had a career spanning 43 years in the NHS, the opportunity to explore Fifty Minutes to Save the NHS with Drs Phil Hammond and Clare Gerada (also Dame Clare) was a real treat. Phil has been a doctor in the public eye for many years with a long career spanning not just […] - Musical Focus at Edfringe: Sean Findlay on The Shakey Shakey Hips
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, […] - Jo Tomalin talks to Hannah Smith and Ralph McCubbin-Howell from Trick of the Light theatre
Jo Tomalin talks to Hannah Smith and Ralph McCubbin-Howell from Trick of the Light theatre company based in New Zealand. They talk about how they work with light and developed prior shows that they have presented at EdFringe. Their latest show – at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024 – is Suitcase Show. “A traveller arrives at […] - Jo Tomalin talks to Gabriela Munoz about Physical Clowning and Julieta
- 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 […] - Cosmologist Julian Mayer on Life, Love and the Cosmos at Edfringe
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, […] - Who is reviewing at the Edinburgh Fringe?
In this regularly updated list, we share all of the sources we can find for show and event reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe… Print Newspaper Financial Times (Paywall) The Guardian The Herald The Independent Jewish news Jewish Chronicle Metro Morning Star Rolling Stone (They review occasionally) The Scotsman Scottish Daily Express Scottish Field The Stage […] - Paul Levy talks to Gareth Watkins and Pete Gomes about The Gentleman of Shallot at Edfringe 2024
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 […] - Interview: Performer Bibi Couceiro talks OCD and her Edfringe solo show.
“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 […] - Kate Saffin talks to Laura Thurlow about ADHD, RSD and performing vulnerability
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 talks to Paul Levy about “Weird Al” Yankovic and Daniel Radcliffe
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’s 2024 Fringe View – 2; Week 1 ends on a high
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 […] - Guest Blog: Erasing the stigma of borderline personality disorder through musical comedy
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 […]
- Edfringe Theatre PREVIEW: Tangram’s collaboration Divine Intervention comes to Summerhall
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 […] - Edfringe Preview: Tiny Little Town at the Edinburgh Fringe
FringeReview Award-winners, Theatre Movement Bazaar, are back at the Fringe with their new musical, Tiny Little Town. The new show from is billed as “a new musical comedy reimagining Ukrainian playwright, Nikolai Gogol’s 19th century satire, “The Government Inspector”. In TINY LITTLE TOWN, a small town in 1970s America is thrown into chaos when its corrupt bureaucrats […] - Physical Theatre – Jo Tomalin’s Choices at EdFringe 2024
Physical theatre is based on physical expression that takes the place of words (or some spoken words) or expresses figures or forms or is applied in stylised movement. Those of us that do physical theatre as a performer or deviser may feel that this is one of the best genres of theatre because of how […] - Recommendations for Youth Theatre and Scottish led shows at Edfringe
Donald Stewart, our Scotland editor, makes a considered selection… Three thousand plus shows, sixty less venues, shorter runs for many shows than normal and question marks over funding to the whole shebang, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is upon us. And so, as we get out the planners, the pencils and the coloured markers to sort […] - Short Plays at the Edinburgh Fringe
Those with a lower attention span, or who simply enjoy the short form in theatre have a few short play-based shows to choose from at this year’s Fringe. Here are a few of our early choices. Low Bar Theatre presents “Four More Short Plays Loosely Linked by the Theme of Crime,” a follow-up to their […] - Matthew Roberts talks to Jo Tomalin about Writing Performing and Producing at EdFringe to PhDing!
Matthew Roberts reflects on how his skills development from writing, performing and producing several Solo Shows at the Edinburgh Fringe since 2014 are applicable to exploring his PhD – Queering the British Holiday. He is in his second year (part-time) studying a PhD Text, Practice as Research at The University of Kent. Since embarking on this […] - Dance! Jo Tomalin’s dance choices for EdFringe 2024
A variety of Dance forms are on offer at this year’s EdFringe at several venues around Edinburgh. For example, dance and choreography may be based on traditional forms, contemporary, experimental or a fusion of forms, reflecting different cultures, stories or moods, and are sometimes interspersed with other theatrical genres such as circus or musical theatre. […] - Comedy picks to help you get the best out of the Edinburgh Fringe
A quick guide to getting the best comedy experience at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe - Pat Silver’s EdFringe A Cappella Picks
SING! Toronto A Cappella Festival Director Pat Silver shares her a cappella choices for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe No instrument – no problem A cappella is back at Edinburgh Fringe – and it is aca-awesome From international touring headliners to young collegiate artists, they have one thing in common – a love of the human […] - Silver Linings: Pat Silver’s Edfringe Music Picks
Sing Toronto Festival Director Pat Silver shares her music and other genre choices for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe What I’m looking forward to seeing at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe I’ve been coming to the Edinburgh Fringe since 1993. We first discovered it on a trip to Scotland and I was hooked. The Fringe was a […] - Neil Frost co-director of theatre company Mad Etiquette talks with Jo Tomalin about Clown and his show The Door playing at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe
- Alex Bird, Co-Director of Tortoise in a Nut Shell talks with Jo Tomalin about their visual theatre charity and how they use research to create shows and their latest piece Concerned Others
- Turan Ali, Stage Storyteller and BBC Drama Producer talks with Jo Tomalin about how he became interested in stories and producing and performing in Queer Folks’ Tales at the Edinburgh Fringe
“Storytellers from a range of backgrounds, ages and cultures share stories of LGBTQ+ lives past, present and future. With a different line-up at every show featuring household names alongside upcoming storytellers and the occasional audience micro-story. Sometimes hilarious, often moving, occasionally shocking and always queer. Hosted year-round by Turan Ali (Producer of BBC comedy/drama), this […] - I’m Not Doing Fringe. Hang On, I’m Doing It: How I Took My Hypnosis Show to Edinburgh Fringe and Had the Time of My Life
Hey there, fellow Fringe-curious! You may or may not know me as the anything-but-typical hypnotist behind Hypnotist Matt Hale – Top Fun: 80s Hypnosis Spectacular. I’ve been performing at Fringe fests for years … but not Edinburgh. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably heard all the wild tales about taking part in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival […] - An Affirming Exploration of Grief. In Conversation with Heather Tiernan About White Butterfly
Playing the final week of Edfringe 2023, White Butterfly is a new theatre piece from Heather Tiernan.” “Grief isn’t a straight line, it’s a never-ending rollercoaster you find yourself on one day. White Butterfly explores grief and how it affects different people through a series of vignettes. From wakes, to therapy, to several years later, […] - Box Tale Soup’s Paperless Fringe
Box Tale Soup’s Noel Byrne tells the tale of getting sell-out houses without the need to fell trees… Is a paperless Fringe really possible, or necessary? If you’re a new company bringing work to the Festival for the first time, of course you want to do everything you can to promote your show, and the […] - Guest Blog: Diagnosis: Bipolar Disorder, and bringing a show to the Fringe
Bipolar Badass is a one-woman show by New York City artist Mari Crawford. It is a dark comedy about her experience getting diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. I didn’t know how my piece would be received by the Fringe audience. Late nights at rehearsal studios in Manhattan and sleep deprived work days filled my time, in […] - Focus on the Widow of a US President Whose Legacy is Revered in Edinburgh
The memory of President Lincoln is widely revered – there is even statue of him in Edinburgh – but the First Lady who supported him through the Civil War is forgotten in Scotland and reviled in America. Mary Lincoln was a woman who suffered repeated personal losses and tragedy and betrayal. And all this was […] - Images from the Fringe 2023
2023 photographs – More Galleries Show Pictures Clearing the Backlog I can’t really believe how quickly the last couple of weeks have gone by as I sit at my computer updating picture galleries, reviewing and sorting photographs to upload. As you may suspect I’m drawn to visually interesting shows and I feel lucky to have […] - Finola Cronin and Megan Kennedy talk with Jo Tomalin about developing their latest production for Junk Ensemble – Dances Like a Bomb – at the Edinburgh Fringe
“Celebrating the strength of mature bodies and challenging the cult of youth, the show is a reclaiming of the ageing body created by dance-theatre innovators Junk Ensemble. Performed by acclaimed actor Mikel Murfi and leading dance artist Finola Cronin (formerly of Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal), the performers are heroic, vulnerable, comedic and completely themselves in […] - Louise Seyffert and Bart Laere (Vagabond Productions) talk to Kate Saffin about their translation of The Chairs by Eugène Ionesco
Vagabond Productions are back with what they describe as a perfect lockdown party, their own translation of The Chairs by Eugène Ionesco (originally in French). Picture an ancient couple, beached in life and marooned in some isolated spot, inviting many imaginary guests. The result – lots of chairs and characters but no inconvenient social distancing. […] - Adrian Minkowicz talks to Jo Tomalin about why he changed his career to Stand-up and how he developed his show Brown Privilege III
Adrian Minkowicz Instagram: adriannminkowicz - Drama, Film and Children’s Shows – Edinburgh Deaf Festival Is For Everyone
The second annual Edinburgh Deaf Festival – part of the Fringe – is underway with more than 60 events for anyone and everyone. The 2023 line-up features drama, comedy, film, exhibitions, entertainment for children and young people plus workshops and other activities. Running until 20 August it’s designed to appeal to hearing as well as deaf audiences. Among those taking […] - The Unabomber – No Eco-Terrorist Monster Just A Frustrated Musical Theatre Star
A subversive satirical musical comedy about the infamous Ted Kaczynski arrives from the USA Set at a parole board hearing, Ted Kaczynski (aka The Unabomber) recounts his life through song in the hope of proving that he never wanted to be a monster, he only wanted to be a star. While he may have spent […] - Alison Skillbeck discusses creating ‘Uncommon Ground’ with Kate Saffin
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 […] - Lara Foot, adapter, writer and director of JM Coetzee’s Life & Times of Michael K presented at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023 talks with Jo Tomalin about directing
“The Baxter (two-time Scotsman Fringe First winners) in collaboration with Tony Award-winning Handspring Puppet Company (of War Horse and Little Amal fame) are at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the Assembly Hall! The UK premiere of JM Coetzee’s Life and Times of Michael K, adapted for the stage by Lara Foot. A Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus (Germany) […] - Florence Poskitt & Adam Souter talk with Jo Tomalin about developing Fladam – their creative partnership during lockdown and their latest show Green Fingers
“A deliciously Dahl-esque treat from madcap duo Fladam (Flo Poskitt and Adam Sowter), about a boy born with gunky, green fingers! Is he really rotten, or just misunderstood? Maybe the answers lie in the mysterious school garden… Featuring live music, puppetry and plenty of humour.” - Ambrose Uren talks with Jo Tomalin about how he began doing Stand-up comedy and developing his show African-ish
“South African comedian, Ambrose Uren, shares his unique story in this stand-up comedy show filled with unexpected twists. His off-grid lifestyle, deep connection to the struggle of goldfish in aquariums and admiration for indigenous fashion choices have him constantly trying to figure out how to navigate his own existence. Come and bare witness to the […] - Prolific playwright Gail Louw talks to Kate Saffin about her work and writing The Mitfords
Gail is an award winning playwright who has her plays performed throughout the world. Gail Louw, an award winning playwright and writer of The Mitfords, talks to Kate Saffin about how she came to playwriting, some of the subjects and topics her work has covered and the work and process of researching and developing The […] - Molly Sedgewick and Dean Osgood talk to Jo Tomalin about how and why they created and perform their show about teachers and teaching The Academy Trust
Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the school gates? Why do people become teachers and then leave so soon? With schools being asked to become multi-academy trusts, the school working world is becoming very different. Come and see the hilarious, unbelievable and simply sublime situations this group of teachers get themselves into in […] - Sci-fi Shows at the Edinburgh Fringe
Science fiction is usually broadly defined in fringe festivals including spectulative fiction and fantasy often in the form of alternative worlds and alternative versions of the future, often in which one form of technology (such as artificial intelligence) has come to dominate our world. For kids shows it is usually about robots and space ships, […] - Five #firsttimefringers as spotted by Kate Saffin
There’s a first time for every Fringe writer, performer, director, producer… and sometimes they are they are all the same person! Those pre Fringe nerves will all be tingling as they get ready for their first show. Will the set/costumes/props last the month? Should we have made more cuts? And the big one, will anyone […] - Artistic Director of Theatre de la Feuille Ata Wong Chun Tat talks with Jo Tomalin about developing his physical theatre company and show Fall and Flow
Théâtre de la Feuille is a physical theatre company based in Hong Kong created and led by Artistic DIrector Ata Wong Chun Tat. Ata trained internationally in physical theatre, martial arts, and Beijing Opera to name a few genres. He talks with Jo Tomalin about how he trains his company in physical theatre before creating […] - Free Fringe Theatre at Edfringe
The free fringe at the Edinburgh Fringe takes two forms. PBH’s (named after founder Peter Buckley-Hill)Free Fringe and The Free Edinburgh Fringe Festival headline offer pay what you can shows across all the main genres. There is history between these two festivals within the Festival which we won’t go into. Suffice to say that they […] - Jo Tomalin’s List of Performance Art and Installation at Edinburgh Fringe 2023
Performance art, according to the Tate means “Artworks that are created through actions performed by the artist or other participants, which may be live or recorded, spontaneous or scripted.” Installation art, according to Wikipedia is “an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that are often site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space.” This year’s Fringe offers several performance art and installation pieces of varying […] - Greg Byron’s Spoken Word Picks for the Edinburgh Fringe 2023
Greg Byron, the legendary “Standup Poet”, offers his well considered choices for poetry and spoken word at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. When I came to Spoken Word fairly late, and was at Assembly in 2018, I was heartened to have a couple of Loud Poets come see me and stay for a brief chat afterwards. […] - Jo Tomalin’s picks for Clown and Mime shows at Edinburgh Fringe 2023
Clowns are playful, happy or sad, with or without a red nose, they may play an instrument, may speak or be silent – clowns have a naiveté about the world and always have quirky characters and individualistic costumes. Mime is traditionally a silent art form but mime characters may make sounds and usually use gestural language to […] - Joe Angella’s Comedy Choices for Edfringe 2023
Here is my no-nonsense list of shows to see in the “comedy” category at Edfringe. As a judge for the Amused Moose Comedy Awards, I see quite a lot of comedy, so these are very much personal favourites mixed with a bit of research into the positive press these folk have garnered. Janey Godley, a […] - Leo Miles’ Musical Theatre Picks for Edinburgh Fringe 2023
If you travelled back as far as Ancient Greece or even more recently to Shakespeare’s time, you could enjoy plays with songs and musical interludes. But you’d have to wait till the 1800s for musical comedies to flourish.To paraphrase theatrical legend Bob Fosse, ‘When the emotion becomes too strong for speech, you sing, when it […] - Jo Tomalin’s Puppetry recommendations for Edfringe 2023
Puppets create imaginative and visual storytelling. Puppeteers bring inanimate objects to life with a variety of puppetry techniques and styles such as glove puppets, rod puppets, shadow puppets and object puppetry. While puppets are thought of as a children’s entertainment they appeal to adults, too. Here are some recommendations to start you on your journey… […] - Sketch comedy picks for the Fringe
Many shows at the Fringe are listed under “sketch shows”. Here we offer some early choices for classic sketch shows that are largely built on … er… sketches. And Now… features “songs, skits and nonsensical moments” and is billed as ” a must-see for anyone who enjoys dumb jokes and wants to experience true nonsense at […] - Kate Saffin’s five solo shows by women
Solo performers probably outnumber every other group at the Fringe if you include theatre, comedy, spoken word and music. The 262 solo theatre shows listed this year offer diverse work across every genre and style, every venue and every imaginable topic (well, possibly not every one but certainly a great range!). Many are new writing, […] - Game shows and games at the Fringe
Gamification is the buzz word of the new ’20s. You’ll find it in business speak, in coaching and education. But the compelling nature of interactive theatre and performances for audiences with a distate for the “fourth wall” means that there’s a ready marketing for the live gameshow format as well as shows based on games. […]
