Spread the News: Five New York shows at the Edinburgh Fringe

A month before thousands of works of theatre, music and comedy descend on Edinburgh, some of the shows that were created in New York City receive an outing in their hometown. EdFest, produced by Duces Wild, gives Fringe-bound performers the opportunity to run their pieces for a local audience before taking their shows on the road. In the lively, packed halls of Brooklyn Art Haus, I get a sneak peek of five shows visiting Edinburgh this August.

Japanese Grandma Funeral 

Japanese Grandma Funeral is a solo clown show by Kento Morita. Armed with a melodica, a bum bag and numerous other props, Morita attempts to atone for missing his grandmother’s funeral due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. The audience is enlisted to help Morita honour and memorialise his grandmother with a variety of heartwarming and hilarious tasks (which will remain secret for dramatic effect). With 108 possibilities, the show is interactive, iterative, and bound to be different every single time. Morita is delightfully responsive to audience feedback, and the emotional payoff is deeply felt. Morita’s pick n mix comedy bits are laugh-out-loud funny, and it feels like a singular treat to help him memorialise his grandmother. Japanese Grandma Funeral is about doing your best when things are out of your control – and about letting that be enough. Photo: Kelly Ngo

ZOO Playground (Playground 1), 7-30 Aug, 5.45pm

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Ethan & Gigi Present: THE MOVEMENT 

It’s the last meeting before the revolution, and theatre is about to explode. In THE MOVEMENT, Ethan and Gigi assume the personas of two hapless wannabes as they prepare to change the world. As the saying goes, “We can’t have revolution without imagination – and SPECTACLE!” Ethan and Gigi may not make a difference, but they are sure to make you laugh as they give various aspects of American politics and culture the Hamilton treatment. THE MOVEMENT marries the revolutionary with the ridiculous, highlighting Ethan and Gigi’s off-beat chemistry and comedic chops. 

Underbelly Cowgate (Big Belly), 5-30 Aug, 11pm

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Notes from a Narcissistic Negro and other N-Words

Elizabeth June’s solo show is a high-energy memoir about June’s experiences with childhood sexual assault, cancer, and life in general. Grief and hurt are woven into stories of her childhood, but the story does not lack love or levity. The piece is a practice in self-love and self-acceptance that pulls no punches. In particular, June’s work highlights the prevalence of sexual violence in religious spaces, expressing how the people who love us most can also inadvertently put us in harm’s way. This 'one woman reflection' is a heart-wrenching narrative told by someone who was born to perform. 

Paradise in the Vault (The Annexe), 17-22 Aug, 4.45pm

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Channel

This month, Wet Hands presents a 75-minute sonic meditation in a shipping container off of George Square. Using sound and light, the artists allow audiences to switch off from the chaos of the Fringe, settling into a deeply meditative and relaxing environment. The audience is invited to participate by contributing sounds, but it is equally encouraged to just sit back and relax. A bowl of water is the centerpiece of the space, and occasionally certain volumes and frequencies cause little droplets to leap off the surface as the water dances with sound. The effect, reflected on the ceiling, is mesmerising. In this space, it's easy to be carried away from the go-go-go feeling of the Fringe. 75 minutes of meditation during the festival season feels luxurious, and audiences are encouraged to take in all sounds, both from inside and outside of the room. The meaning and feeling of the sounds change as they are layered on top of each other, going in and out of sync like ocean waves. Photo: Alley Scott

Assembly George Square (The Cubicle @ Buccleuch Place), 5-30 Aug, times vary

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The Van Gogh Shogh

Clown show meets paint and sip meets art auction meets karaoke bar in this side-splitting solo show by Donna Oblongata. The audience meets a harried Vincent van Gogh, who tries his best to be understood as an artist and person. A good deal of the show is pure audience interaction, in which Oblongata demonstrates how well she knows her character. Oblongata's performance is infectiously high energy as she invites audience members onstage to paint, drink, and commiserate. The piece is in conversation with other van Gogh-themed experiences, upping the ante not just in its immersion and interactivity, but also in its heartfelt care for this artist.

Assembly @ St Andrew Square (Front Room), 6-30 Aug, 6.25pm