
Sport and arts collide in daddy of Fringe plays
'Daddy, Tomorrow Will I Be A Man?' has been described as a compelling tale based on true life events exploring what
success really means and what really matters.
What happens when a self obsessed, international squash player- dreaming only of becoming world champion – falls for someone who desperately wants a child before her body clock expires, and where's the solution when two dreams collide?
James tries to find answers in the form of his beautiful mother, who died 10 years before.
Through his reflections and memories of her and as he endures one of the most brutal training sessions he's ever done, can he find a way to discover whether its dedication to his lifelong craft that matters most and becoming world champion, or bringing a person in to the world?
Sure to be a unique show at the Fringe this year as it is written and performed by a former world champion athlete.
Since childhood James has loved to act, perform and write. He has written two books during his 23 years as a professional squash player, and now featuring original songs with arrangements by musical director Sam Johnson, he bringing his own very personal stage show to the Fringe.
James Willstrop is one of only 23 world no.1 players in the history of men's squash, and is one of England's best ever players. He won three world team championship titles for England, and
became official world no.1 in January, 2012, a position he held for 11 out of 12 months. He was British National Champion four times and was a Commonwealth Gold Medallist in 2018 and 2022.
Sam Johnson is a York-based musical director, orchestrator, and composer with an extensive career spanning theatre, television, and live performance.
Dates and Times: 1-9th August and 18-23rd @ 19.25, 11-16th @ 17.25
Run time: 50 minutes
Ticket prices: £12, £10 concessions
Fringe box office: 0131 2260000
www.edfringe.com
Age guidance: 12+
Like this:
Like
Related
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The National
31 minutes ago
- The National
10 shows I saw in one day at the Edinburgh Fringe
This year, the total number of shows has risen to 3853, accompanied by a staggering 54,474 performances across 265 venues. While not yet up to pre-pandemic scale, the annual rhetoric of the city being overtaken by the Fringe continues, where else on earth could you step out of a show about four people earnestly attempting to 'improve' a ham sandwich with rice and soy sauce, straight into a demonic retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's greatest works, then find yourself in the lobby of a Radisson Blu, deep in conversation with a physicist, before the two of you try to unravel a queer drama where the only person not confused is the director — who is weeping uncontrollably? READ MORE: I tried to go to 10 Fringe shows in one day. Here's what happened Here are the 10 shows I saw in one day, and what I thought about each of them. A Political Breakfast Advertised as a show were comedians who wake up in time join a panel to discuss a range of topics over their morning coffee, I was actively excited for this. The large room I entered was full, and the 40-plus folk were, in true Fringe style, from all over the world. The parallels in politics from all corners of the earth were drawn as we discussed the monarchy to attitudes towards driving instructors. Will Jeremy Corbyn help Nigel Farage become Prime Minister? Is Charles a better King than Elisabeth was Queen? The comedians in attendance (Liz Bains, Kimmie Dee, Matthew Mckew and Jon Hipkiss) were on fire for 9.30am, and Harun Musho'd hosted the discussion incredibly well. For anyone who's scrolling through social media and thinking the country's politics is a complete mess, this will restore some of your faith in all generations. Rating: 4/5 Find out more here. Florence On Monday, this one-woman show starring and written by Honour Santes Barnes opened on George Street. The satirical tragicomic play follows the story of an ambitious young woman willing to use any means necessary to secure her success in the art world. Even if it means taking on a new identity. READ MORE: 'Cathartic': Indigenous Celtic heritage shines in Mairi Campbell's Fringe show This was the show's first performance and the crowd loved it. It will definitely be one of the many stars of the festival, and its exploration of how image, connections, and wealth dictate your way in the world could not be more apt for our times. Barnes, who plays at least 9 characters, gives a masterclass in character embodiment, one so good it rivals James McAvoy in Split. Potentially the best show at this year's Fringe. Rating: 5/5 Find out more here. Dreams of Peace and Freedom A song cycle commemorating Edinburgh-born David Maxwell Fyfe, a prosecuting counsel at the Nuremberg Trials, a human rights lawyer and a key figure in drafting the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). This show is performed by his descendants, Robert and Lily Blackmore, alongside Sue Casson with beautiful vocals. The trio gives the audience a love letter to Edinburgh, as well as to the values of peace, freedom and remembrance. I thoroughly recommend Keir Starmer sees this. The extent of research and detail in this show is extraordinary, and what the team has done on a low-budget is commendable. I hope to see it one day with a full budget. Rating: 3.5/5 Find out more here. Zoe Coombs Marr: The Splash Zone Australian comic Zoe Coombs Marr came to the Monkey Barrell with so much energy for The Splash Zone. The premise of the show is what it means to be "in the splash one" of a comedy show, and who a comedian on stage wants in the audience. It is all rooted in one instance when Marr learned Trump fans were in her audience at one show, and she began to ponder about the relationship between performer and audience. Her crowd work and observational comedy was some of the best I'd seen, and it felt there had ultimately been an important topic explored with applause, T-shirt guns, free pants, and laughter integrating her message. READ MORE: 5 of the best things I've seen at the Edinburgh Fringe so far Marr takes us full-circle with jokes multiple times, displaying incredible wit and energy all throughout the performance. Rating: 5/5 Find out more here. Alvin Liu: Love Letter to a Sandwich Chinese comedian Alvin grew up in the heart of Chinese food culture - where families would cook for hours just to avoid a hug. Now living in London, he's facing the greatest challenge of his life: eating cold sandwiches. Although rooted in a fantastic concept, this show leans on the public a bit too much, with audience members getting the biggest laughs. Liu may be funny, and the concept great, it feels like there is still work to be done on rounding out the rougher edges of this particular show. Rating: 2/5 Find out more here. One Man Poe: The Tell-Tale Heart and The Pit and the Pendulum Flyering on the street, I met performer and director Stephen Smith in his full gothic, classical get-up. I was quickly hooked on the show's premise, and could not have been more wow-ed by this "marathon of the macabre". Smith gives a demonic demonstration of Edgar Allan Poe's works, and the audience could not look away from his haunting eyes all show. At several points, the audience collectively took in breath and after an on-stage change of clothes and make-up refresh, Smith's physical efforts are seen by the sweat pooling on the stage and dripping from his hair in the second half as he plays a prisoner of war. A captivating talent, telling legendary stories. Rating: 5/5 Find out more here. When Billy met Alasdair Alan Bissett, award-winning writer takes on the dual roles of two Scottish cultural giants, speculating what (might've!) happened when Billy Connolly attended the launch for Alasdair Gray's 1981 masterpiece, Lanark. Bissett embodies both with his accents, physicality and delivery, and anyone who appreciates Glasgow for its culture will enjoy this immensely. It's an easy show, comforting, and does not leave anyone behind in its historical exploration of Glasgow or Hollywood. As a young writer, this show left me with immense pride in Scottish culture and enough inspiration to last decades, looking at all three; Connolly, Gray and Bissett. Rating: 5/5 Find out more here. Rebecca Lamb: 0 Advice on How to Hide a Body I mistakenly entered into Lamb's performance, thinking it was a different show but the low ceiling room of the Banshee Room's allowed for a small reprieve from the endless Fringe crowds. Lamb, from Nottingham, is innately funny, and beginning her career but was visibly growing more unsure of what to say as the audience grew. Less insults thrown at different countries, fleshing out parts that did land well, and a hint of preparation would probably go a long way. Rating: 1/5 Find out more here. Time Bends Shown in the Radisson Blu, Time Bends is performed by a four-piece cast and although well-staged, was very hard to follow. I was actively intrigued by the premise: "More than twenty years ago, literature student David met an older man called Michael in the bar of an independent cinema. They spoke for an hour, developed a genuine connection, and never met again. Twenty years later, sitting in the same cinema with his wife, David sees a man that looks very familiar. In that moment, David goes back to the afternoon he could never forget." However, the audience is given very little direction on what is going on and as I tried to make sense of it, I looked around and saw other audience members equally puzzled. At one point, the wife and Michael meet, crossing the boundaries of time, but with little meaning attached to why. I and a fellow audience member attempted to decrypt the meaning, when we then saw the director sobbing in the front row. I think this show was trying to be a profound exploration of queer love but in reality, did not invite the audience in to explore with them. Rating: 0/5 Find out more here.

The National
44 minutes ago
- The National
I tried to go to 10 Edinburgh Fringe shows in 1 day – here's what happened
During my mission, I didn't want to just see and review shows, but observe the city, the energy and how much the public was actually enjoying themselves. This year, the total number of shows has risen to 3853, accompanied by a staggering 54,474 performances across 265 venues. For context, this makes 2025 the second-largest Fringe ever, trailing only the 2019 record of around 4105 shows. While not yet up to pre-pandemic scale, the annual rhetoric of the city being overtaken by the Fringe continues, and so I entered the day wondering; how many shows is too many shows? How it all began AS any good journalist for The National should, I started the day at 9.30am with A Political Breakfast, at the Hot Toddy. Advertised as a show were comedians who wake up in time join a panel to discuss a range of topics over their morning coffee, I was actively excited for this. The large room I entered was full, and the 40-plus folk were, in true Fringe style, from all over the world. The parallels in politics from all corners of the earth were drawn as we discussed the monarchy to attitudes towards driving instructors. Will Jeremy Corbyn help Nigel Farage become Prime Minister? Is Charles a better King than Elizabeth was Queen? The comedians in attendance were on fire for 9.30am, and Harun Musho'd hosted the discussion incredibly well. This was a Free Fringe show. The Free Fringe came into existence in 1996 to try and mitigate what the industry saw as the exploitation of artists by the paid Fringe. "If you see a paid Fringe show, chances are, none of the performers are making any money and they are probably losing loads," Musho'd told the audience at one point in the show where they took five minutes to all plug their individual shows. As he spoke, his fellow comedians nodded. READ MORE: I tried the viral Irn-Bru and espresso drink – here is my verdict Musho'd continued: "That's what happens at most paid Fringe shows, and they are usually screwed by the venues by the way their fee structure is. I think the venues are screwed over on the other end but that's another story. "The only way to make money at the paid Fringe is to be famous in the first place, then have a sold-out run in a big venue. The Free Fringe was designed to do something about that." Artists don't pay for the venue, and the audience is not charged. The whole thing runs on voluntary donations and the fact audience members buy things, such as drink or food, from the venues while they are there. Musho'd added: "The Free Fringe is a non-profit making organisation but is more accurately described as a 'almost goes bust every year' organisation." If A Political Breakfast was a paid Fringe Show, the audience would have been paying about £10-15 each for a ticket, with the average across the Fringe in 2024 at around £12, though prices could sometimes climb as high as £50-60. Musho'd told the audience, don't pay if you don't want to, with another point of the Free Fringe being that the public can see shows before they pay. Musho'd is on the board of trustees for the Fringe Society and he is questioning where the money from the Fringe goes, as according to him, "nobody actually knows". He added: "We need to find out, so I'm actually trying to persuade universities to put up a study about the economics, and the impact [of the Fringe] and where the money goes." Will Edinburgh's visitor levy help see the city see more money from the Fringe? "I think that Edinburgh is unbelievably lucky to have the festival," Kat Brogan, managing director of Mercat Tours, told me after my first show. "It brings everybody here where we can shine, and in this day and age, to have everybody talking and listening and thinking physically together – and they're doing all of that in Edinburgh – it shows us why we were the city of enlightenment. "It's a bit of a scary world out there so the idea that humans can come together and do something really positive, I think that's a huge privilege to host." Having just been in a room where more than 40 folk all discussing politics without any voices being raised or a whiff of tension, I couldn't help but agree. READ MORE: US vice president JD Vance to visit Scotland 'this week' There is also a rhetoric of tourists overrunning the city, however, Brogan tells me that "locals are actually the biggest audience, which is not often reported". Edinburgh locals made up the largest audience segment in 2024, representing 33% of ticket buyers. Combined with visitors from elsewhere in Scotland (15%), local and domestic attendees accounted for nearly half of all Fringe ticket purchases last year. Brogan sees the Fringe as one of the country's greatest adverts for tourists to visit, not just in August, and enjoy Scottish culture – as well as an immense benefit to locals. "The Fringe is a charity, they do work year round to benefit locals, and physically the spread of events is happening, so we just need to keep listening. Ask and listen, they're the experts," she adds, while highlighting Fringe By the Sea as one way the festival is moving out of the concentrated Old Town. Brogan is also on the advisory forum for Edinburgh's Visitor Levy, and is "really excited" about the prospects of it. Councillors in Edinburgh have approved a 5% per night charge, capped at seven nights, which will apply to those staying in hotels, bed and breakfasts, and other forms of accommodation, including holiday lets. "We've got a chance to steer potential decisions and then listen and and take the right path for locals. There's an awful lot of negativity and speculation about something that doesn't actually exist yet," Brogan explains. The advisory forum is meeting in September, where they will be given proposals by the council of what they suggest spending the money on, before members consult and discuss and make recommendations back. She added: "We're the first visitor levy in the UK, there's a lot of people working awfully hard to try and get it right, and I would just urge people to give it a try and get behind and understand the intention, and yes, there's still work to be done, but it's not here yet. "There's still time to make changes and and steer us on the correct course as far as the community and businesses are concerned." Up next ... With the very live concerns of the Free Fringe, the festival acting as an advert for the city, and the visitor levy swirling in my brain, I continued on my quest to see and review 10 shows. Next was Florence, a one-woman show starring and written by Honour Santes Barnes on George Street. The satirical tragicomic play follows the story of an ambitious young woman willing to use any means necessary to secure her success in the art world. Even if it means taking on a new identity. READ MORE: 'Cathartic': Indigenous Celtic heritage shines in Mairi Campbell's Fringe show This was the show's first performance and the crowd loved it. It will definitely be one of the many hits of the festival. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the demographic of the audience (mostly young women) and found that throughout the day, taking in what kind of audience turned up for each show was just as entertaining as the shows themselves. Then, heading back to politics, I ventured to the C-venues on Victoria Terrace. This meant a 20-minute walk up the Mound. It was at this point I realised I had to be much more tactical about my geographical decisions if wanted any chance of seeing 10 shows. With a much-needed coffee, I saw Dreams of Peace and Freedom, a song cycle commemorating Edinburgh-born David Maxwell Fyfe. Fyfe was a prosecuting counsel at the Nuremberg Trials, a human rights lawyer and a key figure in drafting the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Performed by descendants of Maxwell, Robert and Lily Blackmore (above), alongside Sue Casson, the trio gave the audience a love letter to Edinburgh, as well as to the values of peace, freedom and remembrance. Three down, and all quite intense, I needed some comedy to perk me up. A change of pace Australian comic Zoe Coombs Marr (below) came to the Monkey Barrel with so much energy for The Splash Zone. The premise of the show is what it means to be "in the splash one" of a comedy show, and who a comedian on stage wants in the audience. It is all rooted in one instance when Marr learned Trump fans were in her audience at one show, and she began to ponder about the relationship between performer and audience. Her crowd work, full-circle jokes, and observational comedy was some of the best I'd seen, and it felt there had been an important topic explored. "If we get locked in our own zones, we lose all the other stuff and people outside," she said at the end. READ MORE: 'We are sovereign': The people's constitution that could see an independent Scotland "We have to stay engaged, keep looking into each other's eyes, and leaning into the discomfort." Marr is also donating 50% of everything she earns during her run to an aid charity supporting those on the ground in Gaza. Afterwards, I went to Love Letter to a Sandwich by Alvin Liu, a performance of One Man Poe by Stephen Smith, When Billy met Alasdair by Alan Bissett, a very late comedy set by Rebecca Lamb, and an even later show called When Time Bends. You can read all reviews from the day here. I saw 9 shows in one day — and loved it As you have probably figured out by now, I did not manage the 10. I ended the Monday night with nine shows under my belt. I did gain a new sense of love for the city — when I hadn't planned to. Yes, the exploitation of artists must be faced, and questions have to be answered over where the money from the Fringe really goes. There also has to be more work done on shifting further towards the festival's candid grassroots origins rather than the current corporate, profit-driven model, acknowledging when the oversaturation of shows should end, as well as the physical and mental toll on both artists, festival staff and other businesses in the city. READ MORE: See the setlist for AC/DC at Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium this August However, credit must be given on where organisers are making moves to improve aspects, such as providing mental health support for artists, creating networking hubs for peers, collaborators, agents, and producers, as well as the continued ultimate success of the world's largest arts festival. I thought I'd end the day grumbling, frustrated by the tourists clogging the pavements, the lack of space to move, and the ever-climbing festival ticket prices. But where else on earth could you step out of a show about four people earnestly attempting to 'improve' a ham sandwich with rice and soy sauce, straight into a demonic retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's greatest works, then find yourself in the lobby of a Radisson Blu, deep in conversation with a physicist, before the two of you try to unravel a queer drama where the only person not confused is the director — who is weeping uncontrollably?


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Duchess of Edinburgh's emotional outing as she chats with war veteran, 105, who survived three years in Japanese prisoner camp
The Duchess of Edinburgh spoke of her pride today when meeting with a 105-year-old war veteran who survived being torpedoed at sea and over three years in a Japanese prisoner camp. Sophie, 60, listened intently to ex Royal Marine James 'Jim' Wren's stories of sacrifice and heroics to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ (Victory in Japan) Day at his care home in Salisbury, Wiltshire. 'Very nice to meet you, thanks for having me. It's my honour to meet you,' the royal said. Over a cup of tea and cake, the war hero told the Duchess, who is patron of the Java Far East Prisoner of War Club 1942, how his ship was sunk by Japanese torpedoes before he was captured and held in brutal conditions in Sumatra. Jim's survival of the sinking of HMS Repulse in the South China Sea in December 1941, in which 513 perished, alone was nothing short of a miracle. He told Sophie: 'I was having a cup of tea and the alarm went off. The first bomb got right behind me. 'And fortunately it didn't explode. It got down through three decks. That saved my life in a sense.' 'From then onwards it was a case of actions, actions, and it was torpedo after torpedo and they eventually got nine hits.' He clung onto debris before being rescued by HMS Electra and taken to Singapore to defend it against the advancing Japanese. But as they fled Singapore his ship was captured by a Japanese destroyer in February 1942 and spent three and half years in a brutal prisoner of war camp in Sumatra. He told the Duchess: 'It was a possibility we could perish and all those people on board. 'We didn't know where our next meal or drink would be coming from and left to get on with it as best we can. 'They had no idea how to deal with prisoners of war, the Japanese.' Britain suffered more than 90,000 casualties in the war in the Far East of which 30,000 died. More than 12,400 of these perished as prisoners of war. The duchess and Jim then looked through a photo album including a picture of his wife Margaret - and he told the duchess how she spent three years not knowing if he was alive or dead. After a brief chat in front of the media Sophie and Jim then had a private conversation. The nation will pause in memory of the end of World War II in the Far East on Friday as the King and Queen lead the national commemorations for VJ Da Speaking afterwards Jim said: 'It's been a great honour to meet her.' The pair were joined by four generations of his family including daughter Denise Dables, 69, son-in-law Andy Dables, 72, granddaughter Kirsty Dables, 51, and great-granddaughters Freya, 18, and Ellie, 16. A Chinese-registered vessel has previously been detained suspected of looting scrap metal HMS Repulse. Jim has now joined calls for the ship's anchor to be installed at the permanent memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, at Staffordshire. The former marine also found himself getting emotional as he spoke about the 80th anniversary commemorations, coming after last year's D-Day anniversary and VE-Day earlier this year. Echoing the words of many surviving veterans, he said: 'When we got back the government didn't want to know and told us not to talk about it.' The nation will pause in memory of the end of World War II in the Far East on Friday as the King and Queen lead the national commemorations for VJ Day. On Friday, the King will release a recorded address and join the Queen at a Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. It comes after Sophie revealed it was 'emotional' taking on the Duchess of Edinburgh title as it was previously held by her beloved mother-in-law the late Queen Elizabeth II. Speaking during her visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina earlier this year, the duchess said her change in title in 2023 'felt like quite a big moment'. Sophie was formerly the Countess of Wessex, but became the Duchess of Edinburgh after the King handed her husband Edward, Charles' youngest brother, their late father's title on his 59th birthday. This was in keeping with his parents' wishes and in recognition of Edward's commitment to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award youth scheme. Sophie said in an interview with The Mirror: 'First of all it was quite large shoes to fill because not as many of the population alive today will remember but the Queen was Duchess of Edinburgh for the first few years when she and my father-in-law first married. 'For me, it was quite an emotional thing to sort of step into her shoes [as being Duchess of Edinburgh], it felt like quite a big moment.' She explained, however, that in practical terms her and her husband's role is to support the King as it was to support the Queen. In her interview, Sophie also opened up on what it is like being seen as the Royal Family's 'secret weapon'.