Latest news with #TheOriginofLove
Scotsman
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Meet three comedy couples performing at the Fringe this year
Ada & Bron: The Origin of Love Our comedy critic Jay Richardson meets three couples who are presenting shows together at the Fringe this year. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Ada Player and Bron Waugh Don't be surprised if you see Ada Player and Bron Waugh walking in circles around a park, conversing in silly voices. That's just how they create characters. They met while studying theatre at Bristol University, joined the sketch troupe Bristol Revunions, then moved in together, but only began shooting videos with each other during the Covid lockdown. Since then, they've co-created the Bafta-nominated Channel 4 sitcom pilot Peaked, starring Player as part of a love triangle; won a BBC Comedy Collective bursary and are sharing their absurdist character comedy showcase, Ada & Bron: The Origin of Love, at the Fringe. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The couple's process is usually to 'start with funny voices, build the characters, ask what's the emotional story and then add the jokes' explains Player. Incorporating 17 relationships, their festival debut is 'a bit dark and twisted' but 'done in a really campy, over-the-top manner' Waugh adds. 'Every character says something sincere and different about love in quite a weird way'. Featuring affairs, werewolves, James Bond and dancing robots, it's 'a rollercoaster' Player suggests. 'But it's feelgood, it ends in joy.' Indirectly inspired by Aristophanes' theory of soulmates, via the Mika album of the same name, The Origin of Love also features their Revunions colleague Ed Lyness on piano. And the couple admit to a fascination with awkward 'third wheels'. 'I don't know why that is' Waugh confesses. 'Because we're in an insular bubble as a couple I guess, it adds danger and excitement. Player agrees. 'Because we live this duo dynamic, having a third energy shakes it up, really gives it drama. There's tremblings underneath all of our relationships. Whether that be a third person or just the outside world intruding.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Complementing each other, clown-trained Player 'can go on stage with no safety net and perform with nothing', whereas her film graduate boyfriend likes 'the story set', he doesn't 'ever waste the audience's time.' Waugh smiles. 'I'm more relaxed improvising with Ada though. I check my brain and we can just play in the moment.' Ada & Bron: The Origin of Love, Pleasance Courtyard, 11pm, until 24 August Marnina Schon and Micah O'Konis Couplet: Honey Honey Moon Moon When Marnina Schon and Micah O'Konis' wedding venue was destroyed by wildfire, they quickly began composing. 'There was this sign, 'Welcome to Farnsworth Park', behind it burnt out rubble. That's kind of funny' O'Konis reflects of the awful omen. 'We felt we should process it through a song.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Premiering Our Wedding Venue Burned Down at a firefighters' fundraiser in Los Angeles was 'delicate' Schon admits. Yet 'emotional'. Incorporating the Fringe into their trans-European honeymoon, Couplet, as they call themselves, 'workshopped' their debut and wedding concurrently. 'Which I wouldn't wish on anyone' Schon sighs. Classically trained musicians, they appear to have few boundaries onstage, bitching harmoniously about their couples counsellor. Yet dirty laundry is only aired on a 'lyric by lyric basis' Schon maintains. Writing their show, Honey Honey Moon Moon, 'I was pushing to go deeper, really reveal dark things about ourselves and get into a real fight in front of the audience' O'Konis confesses. 'But we quickly realised that's not fun for us and it's not fun for them.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Schon agrees. 'We don't want the audience to feel they should be getting paid as therapists. Even if we do make an audience member give us therapeutic advice at one point.' Recently described as the 'it couple of the LA Jewish/comedy/music/queer world', violinist Schon, pronouns (she/they), and guitarist O'Konis (they/them), 'unpack our intersectionality' in the song People Think We're Straight. 'The universe handed us a low point with the fire. But we got our happy ending making the wedding our narrative arc,' Schon relates. 'That actually made it a lot easier to explain our identities. Because planning a wedding, you're thinking about how much gender you include in the ceremony.' With Schon the more pessimistic 'performer-writer' with a 'musical theatre background' and O'Konis a more easygoing, 'writer-performer', 'a little bit more indie rock', their voices 'didn't sound so good together' when they began dating nine years ago. 'We didn't have a great blend,' the latter recalls. Yet over time they've prioritised the double act. 'And we've definitely merged.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Couplet: Honey Honey Moon Moon, Assembly Rooms, 6.25pm, until 24 August Joz Norris and Miranda Holms Joz Norris: You Wait. Time Passes. It isn't coincidence that Joz Norris' characters are darker and more intense since he got together with fellow comedy writer Miranda Holms. 'Neither of us are good at small talk' she admits. 'Storytelling, filmmaking, comedy, that's what I'm preoccupied by. I wouldn't find it easy being in a relationship with someone who didn't feel the same, who wouldn't just commit to silly things'. For the committedly experimental Norris, meanwhile, performing is easier 'knowing I'm accepted, liked and appreciated by someone who gets me. 'I've realised monsters, idiots, morons, braggarts and egotistical narcissists are what I find funniest. I can be the most flawed versions of myself and not need affirmation that I'm a nice person.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They met in early 2020, moved in together later that year and have channelled their combined energies into short films, Radio 4 sitcoms, hosting Eggbox, their comedy script showcase, and Norris' Fringe shows. There's some irony in his latest Edinburgh hour, You Wait, Time Passes, focusing on a character obsessing over his magnum opus while neglecting his loved ones. 'He's me if I really pushed the workaholism' Norris observes. 'Driving everybody away while slaving over something he believes is important, but is clearly just a waste of time.' However, it's Holms who confesses to being the 'perfectionist' in their partnership. With 'maybe a more visual, narrative brain … Joz is good at just getting stuff done, deciding that 'this' is the 'thing', this is how it's going to happen, and pushing through. 'We have very opposite ways of approaching comedy but we kind of meet in this happy medium of the two extremes.' Norris agrees. 'We've built a working language together. And being together, it feels like we have more licence to be creatively belligerent with each other'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Holms is credited as script consultant on Norris' show. And he reckons the abiding myth of the 'lone genius' comic is increasingly being challenged. 'I used to know so many whose girlfriends or partners were effectively working on their shows, in constant discussions about them, and they weren't credited at all. But I find it hard to make anything good without her eye, it always elevates it.'
Scotsman
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Rising stars: 12 new comedians to see at the Edinburgh Fringe
Caroline McEvoy: Train Man: Assembly Roxy (RoxyBoxy) at 1:20pm Stand up comedian, host of Chortle Award winning comedy night Comedy Bandits and three time Funny Women Stage Awards nominee, Caroline McEvoy makes her solo debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Train Man - a captivating, hilarious and heartfelt tale of sibling rivalry in post-Troubles Northern Man is a brand new stand up, storytelling hour packed with gut-punch gags and emotional blows as Caroline reckons with her lifelong battle with her autistic younger brother, who loves trains and getting his own way. Ada & Bron: The Origin of Love: Pleasance Courtyard (Attic) at 11pm BAFTA nominated newcomers Ada & Bron invite you to third-wheel an unmissable hour of weirdo soulmates, cursed couples and debauchery. The Origin of Love is an absurd, larger-than-life character comedy for lovers of the strange, stupid and sexy. Wildly inventive and emotionally kaleidoscopic, The Origin of Love plunges headfirst into a surreal mythology of yearning, heartbreak and hope. Told through a patchwork of absurd vignettes, confessional letters and romantic misfires, this genre-defying show examines our messy attempts to connect. Tickets at Rohan Sharma: Mad Dog: Pleasance Courtyard (Below) at 7:10pm British/Indian comedian and reigning Leicester Square New Comedian champion Rohan Sharma presents his hotly-anticipated Edinburgh Fringe debut - a fast-paced and surreal, multimedia stand-up odyssey through his harrowing/comfortable upbringing. Rohan will talk about how he's faced racism/no racism and will criticise/champion Britain and its checkered/flawless history, all from the perspective of a man whose brain has been corroded/nourished by modern society. Come see truth become lies, lies become truth and the dog become mad. Moving between seemingly earnest confession, cultural critique and sheer absurdity, Mad Dog is an ambitious, stupid and densely layered exploration of identity, belonging and spiritual disconnection. Tickets at Su Mi: Underbelly Cowgate (Iron Belly) at 6:40pm Award-winning stand-up and drag performance artist Su Mi presents their debut show: an immersive surreal eccentric comedy extravaganza resurrecting every nostalgic moment left forgotten and healing the inner child through play. Seeking to destroy archaic stereotypes of Asian women and challenge the narrative of comedy. Su Mi promises a gripping and raw social commentary on intersectionality, queerness, racism and mental health and a wild exploration of human existence. Join this reckless, spineless chucklehead on a surreal dystopian punk adventure through face melting and untamed (metaphorical) thrash metal solos to your own self discovery. Tickets at Becky Umbers: Put that Cat Back in the Bag: Assembly Roxy (Snug Bar) at 8:40pm In her debut hour at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, New Zealand's award-winning comedian Becky Umbers dives into the delicate art of keeping your metaphorical cat (inner weirdo) hidden in a bag. A joyous hour of unique storytelling and observational stand up, told with the voice of a kids cartoon and the cheeky adult wit that has quickly made Becky one of the most exciting rising stars on the comedy circuit. With a distinctive take on life and the voice to match, Put That Cat Back in the Bag sees Becky hilariously exploring why we're often encouraged to hide our quirks in an attempt to fit in with our peers. Tickets at Cabbage the Clown: Cinemadrome: Underbelly Buttercup at 9:45pm Minimum wage cinema employee turned multi-award winning tragic fool with over 8 million views online, Cabbage The Clown makes their hotly anticipated Edinburgh Fringe Festival debut with a genre-busting hour of multimedia drag-clowning about queer heartbreak, consumerism and the drudgery of working in a cinema. One-part breathless parody of cinematic history, one-part thoughtful dissection of working class career options and one-part rolling around on the floor covered in popcorn, Cinemadrome marries a buffet of genres in polygamous holy drag matrimony. Tickets at Ted Milligan: United: Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker Three) at 9.45pm Sketch Off Winner 2024 Ted Milligan makes his highly anticipated Edinburgh Fringe debut in United - a joyously funny, character led, live mockumentary which follows a fictional football club and their dedicated fans as they scramble to regain their position in the league. The town of Crubchester has fallen on hard times and Crubchester United F.C. finds itself outside the league. Having been purchased by a 6 year old billionaire who brings in a no-nonsense manager, can they return to their former glory in the 92? Inspired by Sunderland 'Til I Die and Ted Milligan's own journeys around the country supporting Plymouth Argyle, United is a unique narrative comedy hour packed with whip-smart writing and nuanced performances of sharply observed characters. Tickets at The Mayor and his Daughter: A Genuine Appreciation of Comedy: Assembly Roxy (Snug Bar) at 4:10pm Leicester Square Sketch Off Finalists The Mayor and His Daughter (Ciaran Chillingworth and Kit Finnie) make their Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut with their Leicester Comedy Festival Award Nominated, folk-horror, alternative sketch show. The Mayor and his Daughter are in crisis. The soul of their beloved village is in tatters, besieged by the demonic forces of modern Britain. But there's a light in the darkness; when they discover a sacred tome - a box set of Russell Howard's Good News (Series 2). They make it their mission to repair their fractured community with laughter. This timely exploration of Englishness in the current crisis of national identity will make you question the rules of sketch comedy like never before. Tickets at Douglas Widick: Paperclip: Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose (The Penny) at 10:20pm Microsoft Word's writing assistant, Clippy, has seen the future and it is bleak. Determined to prove his usefulness and prevent the impending techno-dystopia brought about by Artificial Intelligence, Clippy travels back in time to warn humanity in a thrilling adventure through the internet. Paperclip is a high energy, interactive and nostalgic musical comedy celebration of retro digital mascots, packed with rock tributes to a time when the internet was a simpler place. Paperclip also features some of the astounding musical improvisation that has already seen Douglas Widick become a celebrated performer in New York. Tickets at Jacob Nussey: Primed: Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker Three) at 7:15pm Award winning comedian Jacob Nussey spills the secrets of Amazon in a hotly tipped debut hour loaded with his trademark sharp jokes and deadpan delivery. Chortle's 'one to watch' 2023 unpacks the absurdities and chaos of warehouse life, exploring preconceptions, job interviews, stealing, and why things could always be worse. Before becoming a comedian, Jacob dropped out of university, was unsuccessful in a series of lengthy job interviews and finally ended up working for Amazon. From mascots to company scandals, Primed unboxes the realities of minimum wage jobs while hilariously and stealthily tackling issues around working class aspiration, workplace incentives and wealth gaps. Tickets at Josh Elton: Away with the Fairies: Hoots @ The Apex (Hoots 4) at 8pm Drawing on a chaotic and deeply funny reservoir of memories, Away With the Fairies is a riotously funny and disarmingly vulnerable exploration of identity, humiliation, and the strange places we find meaning. Blending rapid-fire stand-up, with vivid storytelling, Josh Elton spins comedic yarns that teeter between the absurd and the emotionally resonant, from playground trauma to public humiliation. Woven through with themes of sibling rivalry, mental health, romantic love and fairy curses, the show plays with truth and fiction to reveal a deeper honesty. Tickets at Steffan Alun: Stand Up: Hoots @ The Apex (Hoots 4) at 9:30pm Welsh optimist Steffan Alun finally presents his hilarious debut hour. As seen on BBC Wales, S4C, supporting Elis James on tour and performing slightly less than an hour of stand up at the fringe every year since 2015. Steffan returns to Edinburgh to work through his latest identity crisis with an hour of excellent comedy about sexuality, pop culture and, of course, all the best things about Wales. Steffan Alun: Stand Up is a rich, raucous blend of politics, identity and unapologetic queerness, anchored by a proudly Welsh perspective and a neurodivergent lens. Underneath the self-deprecating storytelling and playful irreverence lies a clear-eyed warning about complacency, and a passionate call to joy, defiance and community in the face of rising intolerance. Tickets at Related topics: EdinburghTicketsMayor
Time Out
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch' is bringing glam-rock glory to Carriageworks this July
Sydney, it's time to put on some makeup and pull the wig down from the shelf – because Hedwig has finally announced plans to head on over to our wicked little town. Following a smash-hit season with Adelaide Festival, GWB Entertainment and Andrew Henry Presents have confirmed that Hedwig and the Angry Inch will unleash its raw energy at Sydney's Carriageworks from July 17. Hailed by Rolling Stone as 'the best rock musical ever' and featuring a razor-sharp catalogue of songs including 'The Origin of Love', 'Midnight Radio' and 'Sugar Daddy', Hedwig and the Angry Inch holds a special place for many queer people and rock music devotees. The world needs the wisdom of John Cameron Mitchell 's cult masterpiece of gender-fuckery more than ever – and an arguably perfect team of local queer talents have come together to create this original Australian production. (I was lucky enough to head over to the country's festival capital for the premiere in February, and it was every bit as gloriously gritty, grungy, hilarious and heart-wrenching as I hoped it would be!) Seann Miley Moore stars as the hedonistic anti-heroine herself, Hedwig. Moore took out the critics' choice award for Best Performance in a Musical in the inaugural Time Out Sydney Arts & Culture Awards with their acclaimed take on the Engineer (or, as Moore describes them, the 'Engin-Queer') in Miss Saigon, and this wild, rock-fuelled role is your chance to see them like you've never seen them before. Along a live rock band, Seann stars opposite acclaimed actor, singer, songwriter Adam Noviello (Jesus Christ Superstar) as Hedwig's devoted yet defiant partner, Yitzhak. Before Sydney takes a taste of Hedwig and the Angry Inch in July, the show will play at Melbourne's Athenaeum from June 13. General public tickets for the Carriageworks season will go on sale at 10am on Tuesday, April 29, at
