Questions answered by Brian Parks.

Q1: Aside from this Quickie, what is the most desperate marketing tactic you plan on using to get bums in seats this August? 280 chars

We happily don’t do desperate. Our company’s shows over the years have done very well with audiences, including the last year we were in Edinburgh (2024), when we sold out the vast majority of the performances for our play “Plotters.”

Q2: If your show walked into a cocktail bar, what would it order?

I’ve heard our show likes a nice, cold martini. Martinis are made with gin, of course. Not that clear Slavic liquid some people mistakenly pour into the shaker.

Q3: Cancel culture has finally come for your show. What sins has it committed?

We’ll let Cancel Culture decide that for itself, as it sits there beaming with pride about its lack of imagination.

Q4: If all the shows running right now were at a massive Fringe house party, what is your show doing?

Pushing the self-important DJ off the stage, and ushering on a West Coast jazz ensemble.

About the show

The Problem

Date(s): Previews week (Fri 31st July to Thurs 6th Aug) • Week 1 (Fri 7th to Thurs 13th Aug) • Week 2 (Fri 14th to Thur 20th Aug) • Final week(s) (Fri 21st to Mon 31st Aug)

Time(s): Afternoon (Between 12-noon and 6pm)

Ticket type: Paid

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Questions answered by Sarah-Louise Young.

Q1: Aside from this Quickie, what is the most desperate marketing tactic you plan on using to get bums in seats this August? 280 chars

I shall stroll the Assembly Gardens in a crochet beard attempting to start conversations about pogonotrophy.

Q2: If your show walked into a cocktail bar, what would it order?

Everyone to put down their drinks and pick up a paintbrush NOW!

Q3: We all have weird pre-performance rituals. What is yours, and how confused would a normal person be if they walked in on you doing it?

We pick a Bob Ross Oracle Card before each show to provide us with some daily Bob Ross wisdom. Anyone walking in might think we were summoning spirits, but they’re welcome to join us and find out whether today’s show is inspired by a happy tree or a friendly squirrel.

Q4: How will the audience remember you the morning after?

As a warm buttery feeling in their hearts and with a sudden desire to make Bob Ross’ face out of biscuits.

About the show

The Bob Ross Effect

Date(s): Previews week (Fri 31st July to Thurs 6th Aug) • Week 1 (Fri 7th to Thurs 13th Aug) • Week 2 (Fri 14th to Thur 20th Aug) • Final week(s) (Fri 21st to Mon 31st Aug) • Weekend(s)

Time(s): Afternoon (Between 12-noon and 6pm)

Ticket type: Paid

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Questions answered by Emery Schaffer + Kate Stamoulis.

Q1: Aside from this Quickie, what is the most desperate marketing tactic you plan on using to get bums in seats this August? 280 chars

Running around in a bear costume! If you see a mysterious woman dressed as a grizzly bear on the Mile, in the Meadows, at the pub…it’s us. And we want you to come see our show!

Q2: If your show walked into a cocktail bar, what would it order?

A shot of a tequila and a punch to the face— one to get the job done, and one random act of violence for no reason.

Q3: If you brought this show home for the holidays, how would your parents react to them?

They’d probably say: “What??? Are you sure??? What ever happened to that nice Shakespeare play you dated last summer??? They were so uncomplicated!”

Q4: If all the shows running right now were at a massive Fringe house party, what is your show doing?

We’d be lurking in the corner waiting for someone to come talk to us, but we’re WAY too shy to start a conversation ourselves. But we really want you to talk to us. Seriously. Save us from ourselves. Please.

About the show

BearGirl

Date(s): Previews week (Fri 31st July to Thurs 6th Aug) • Week 1 (Fri 7th to Thurs 13th Aug) • Week 2 (Fri 14th to Thur 20th Aug) • Final week(s) (Fri 21st to Mon 31st Aug)

Time(s): Afternoon (Between 12-noon and 6pm)

Ticket type: Paid

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Questions answered by Em Stroud.

Q1: Aside from this Quickie, what is the most desperate marketing tactic you plan on using to get bums in seats this August? 280 chars

I will shamelessly sing on the Royal Mile to encourage people to see my 47 year old self at her first solo show in Edinburgh. The singing will respond to the weather and what nationalities I meet.

Q2: All shows will have their tough days. What sophisticated self-care strategies will you employ to survive?

As i am (ahem) a grown up this year I am staying a bit out town at a place with a garden and a view..the sad thing was as I booked this I got v excited! So that. Plus sleep a thibg my 25 year old fringe self did not know!

Q3: If your show suddenly developed a massive ego and became the biggest diva in the 2026 Fringe, what absurd, hyper-specific item would be mandatory on its dressing room rider?

The Spacehoppers would demand their own dresing room and Jack and Matilda would only eat food stuff that is Orange. Fanta and Wotsits and cheese only. Plus the baby abd dolls would demand higher rates of pay. Toy Story gone wrong.

Q4: If all the shows running right now were at a massive Fringe house party, what is your show doing?

My show would have a split personality – half of it would be dancing on tables living tbeir best life singing Pinks Get The Party started. The other half would be making sure everyone was ok and do they need some water. So it would be confused!

About the show

Em Stroud Navigating Life

Date(s): Previews week (Fri 31st July to Thurs 6th Aug) • Week 1 (Fri 7th to Thurs 13th Aug) • Week 2 (Fri 14th to Thur 20th Aug) • Final week(s) (Fri 21st to Mon 31st Aug)

Time(s): Afternoon (Between 12-noon and 6pm)

Ticket type: Paid

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Questions answered by Sapphire McIntosh.

Q1: Aside from this Quickie, what is the most desperate marketing tactic you plan on using to get bums in seats this August? 280 chars

Twerking on bistro square with my flyers wedged between my bum cheeks.

Q2: The Fringe is horribly expensive. How are you financing this run? Did you remortgage your house, sell your granny, or start an illicit side hustle?

I live in a purpose built housing coop. We essentially run the place and own the land, we collectively have two meetings a month and discuss the runnings of the place including rent as it stands my rent is exceptionally low but you pay for it in other ways. Your mental health.

Q3: All shows will have their tough days. What sophisticated self-care strategies will you employ to survive?

I’ve been playing football since I was seven and I’m a gym girlie so I’ll be doing that, hopefully find a sauna and steam room in Edinburgh and also might try and pick up some football games whilst I’m up there too.

Q4: If all the shows running right now were at a massive Fringe house party, what is your show doing?

Probably DJing, I’m a music snob! And love music, I’d play a few tunes and then make a rum punch and start dancing like nobodies watching.

About the show

Squeaky Bum Time

Date(s): Previews week (Fri 31st July to Thurs 6th Aug) • Week 1 (Fri 7th to Thurs 13th Aug) • Week 2 (Fri 14th to Thur 20th Aug) • Final week(s) (Fri 21st to Mon 31st Aug)

Time(s): Afternoon (Between 12-noon and 6pm)

Ticket type: Paid

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Questions answered by Adam Flood.

Q1: Aside from this Quickie, what is the most desperate marketing tactic you plan on using to get bums in seats this August? 280 chars

Depriving people of some of their senses. I’ve been picked to host the decade long running cult show Comedy In The Dark, where the audience are plunged into pitch black darkness- whilst their senses are altered I will try and Derren-Brown my show into their psyche.

Q2: If your show walked into a cocktail bar, what would it order?

My show is set in race – so it would order a water cos it’s coming up, hard.

Q3: We all have weird pre-performance rituals. What is yours, and how confused would a normal person be if they walked in on you doing it?

I like to lunge and press myself flat against a wall near the stage. No idea when I started doing this or why, but whenever I don’t do it I feel rubbish.

Q4: If all the shows running right now were at a massive Fringe house party, what is your show doing?

My show is a comedy rave – standup performed over big beats. So the show at a jouse party is naturally gonna be DJing some big club bangers.

About the show

Adam Flood: Life and Death of the Party

Date(s): Previews week (Fri 31st July to Thurs 6th Aug) • Week 1 (Fri 7th to Thurs 13th Aug) • Week 2 (Fri 14th to Thur 20th Aug) • Final week(s) (Fri 21st to Mon 31st Aug)

Time(s): Late (After 10pm)

Ticket type: Paid

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Questions answered by Austin Jennings Boykin.

Q1: Aside from this Quickie, what is the most desperate marketing tactic you plan on using to get bums in seats this August? 280 chars

I do full-frontal in a show about gay sex work…. it’s all pretty desperate from where I sit. But damn, those gigantic signs we bought were expensive.

Q2: The Fringe is horribly expensive. How are you financing this run? Did you remortgage your house, sell your granny, or start an illicit side hustle?

I already had an illicit side hustle before I ever thought about fringe. So yeah, it’s been stressful, but I’d been laying the groundwork for years.

Q3: We all have weird pre-performance rituals. What is yours, and how confused would a normal person be if they walked in on you doing it?

I pace back and forth, text my director to come backstage, and manically vent to him about how I don’t even know what this play is about anymore or why we’re doing it or why we do anything and maybe my entire career as an actor has been one big accident and I just want my cat.

Q4: How will the audience remember you the morning after?

A performer with a great show… and even better pecs.

About the show

A Gay Masseur’s Guide to Happy Endings

Date(s): Week 1 (Fri 7th to Thurs 13th Aug) • Week 2 (Fri 14th to Thur 20th Aug) • Final week(s) (Fri 21st to Mon 31st Aug)

Time(s): Late (After 10pm)

Ticket type: Paid

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Questions answered by Brad Beideman.

Q1: Aside from this Quickie, what is the most desperate marketing tactic you plan on using to get bums in seats this August? 280 chars

I don’t think you can call them that anymore. Wait, we’re from America, does bums mean something different over there? Whoa.

Q2: If your show walked into a cocktail bar, what would it order?

It would order shots for the whole bar and then leave discretely without paying.

Q3: Cancel culture has finally come for your show. What sins has it committed?

The Italian community would come after us for doing such an irreverent take on one of their beloved tales. We would have to apologize to prominent Italian figures such as Mario and his son(?) Luigi. But luckily we don’t have to worry about that because they mad chill.

Q4: The Fringe is horribly expensive. How are you financing this run? Did you remortgage your house, sell your granny, or start an illicit side hustle?

We are saving money by having an actor play Pinocchio instead of hiring the real Pinocchio. He’s notoriously expensive and also hates us.

About the show

Big Tobacco’s Pinocchio

Date(s): Week 1 (Fri 7th to Thurs 13th Aug) • Week 2 (Fri 14th to Thur 20th Aug) • Final week(s) (Fri 21st to Mon 31st Aug) • Weekend(s)

Time(s): Evening (Between 6pm and 10pm)

Ticket type: Paid

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Questions answered by Callum Grant.

Q1: Aside from this Quickie, what is the most desperate marketing tactic you plan on using to get bums in seats this August? 280 chars

Promising people the chance to finally shoot God in the face while dancing with a dinosaur…

Q2: The Fringe is horribly expensive. How are you financing this run? Did you remortgage your house, sell your granny, or start an illicit side hustle?

Stole everyone’s spiritual data and sold it to the highest bidder.

Q3: All shows will have their tough days. What sophisticated self-care strategies will you employ to survive?

Screaming into a pillow while battling audiences in our slo-mo pillow fight.

Q4: We all have weird pre-performance rituals. What is yours, and how confused would a normal person be if they walked in on you doing it?

I summon the power of the clown gods from the ultimate source at the beginning of the universe across space and time… then I have a coffee.

About the show

Broken Planet Show

Date(s): Week 2 (Fri 14th to Thur 20th Aug) • Final week(s) (Fri 21st to Mon 31st Aug)

Time(s): Afternoon (Between 12-noon and 6pm)

Ticket type: Paid

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Questions answered by Meg Millane.

Q1: Aside from this Quickie, what is the most desperate marketing tactic you plan on using to get bums in seats this August? 280 chars

Flyering on the streets of Scotland in a wedding gown

Q2: If your show walked into a cocktail bar, what would it order?

A bottle of the finest CHAMPAGNE!!!!

Q3: All shows will have their tough days. What sophisticated self-care strategies will you employ to survive?

Step 1 – find the closest pub. Step 2 – drink. Step 3 – repeat step 2.

Q4: If all the shows running right now were at a massive Fringe house party, what is your show doing?

My show is dancing on the tables and passing out penis straws to the rest of the party goers…pretty much treating it like my own personal bachelorette party aka hen do.

About the show

Bride To Be

Date(s): Week 1 (Fri 7th to Thurs 13th Aug) • Week 2 (Fri 14th to Thur 20th Aug)

Time(s): Evening (Between 6pm and 10pm)

Ticket type: Paid

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