It is festival season and that means that in the next month there is so many great comedy festivals to look forward to! This month we are looking at some of the great shows that you can see at the Edinburgh Fringe. So take note because we are going to give you all the information you need for just a handful of some of the great shows happening this year!

Salma Hindy and Danielle Deluty: Parallel

Location:   Just The Tonic At The Caves – Just Out Of The Box (Venue 88)

Dates: Aug 3rd -13th, 15th-20th, 22nd-27th

Time: 15:20

Price: £8

Ticket Link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/salma-hindy-and-danielle-deluty-parallel

Hello! Tell us about yourself?

SH: I am a stand up comedian, TV writer and actor living in New York City. I was born and raised in a Suburb of Toronto, Canada called Mississauga. I grew up in a Muslim bubble (courtesy of my Imam father). We weren’t allowed to listen to music, celebrate birthdays or interact with infidels (white people) growing up. I was very self righteous and outwardly practicing. I judged all my friends and I wore the hijab for 22 years (I actually started comedy with it). I also have my Masters in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Toronto. I would say I only really started living life once I left my family last year. And it’s been the happiest yet saddest year of my life. My friends like to say that I’ve lived many lives in one. And I’m only just beginning.

DD: I was raised in a Modern Orthodox Jewish community in New Jersey. I was a Republican Zionist musical theater enthusiast teenager in secondary school. And if you don’t know what those words are, it means I was objectively cool and had a lot of sex. Through some plot twists I’m now a loud and proud secular hippie dippie astrology-adjacent shrooms tripping bass playing tap dancing failed lawyer birth doula comedian. Pretty much your classic All American Girl.

How did you come up with the name of your show that you’re taking to the fringe?

SH: We kept describing the show (and just our friendships really) to everyone we knew and saying isn’t it crazy we live such Parallel lives? And then our PR Person said “that’s what it should be called. Parallel.” And we were like oh…duh.

DD: Parallel is a literal description of our lives. We’ve had parallel experiences growing up in totally different religions, it’s uncanny. We see a juicy kind of irony in being raised to hate each other’s communities, only to find each other and identify such parallel emotional journeys in religion. 

Tell us all about your show!

SH: Parallel is kind of a massive therapy trauma response to our families and just overall disheartening neglectful indoctrinated childhoods. In it, we recount our individual stories that are somehow EXACTLY the same even though we come from different religions that historically ~hate each other~. We also reclaim our inner children’s love for the arts and give you one hell of a performance.

DD: Parallel is a coming out show, publicly sharing our spiritual orientations: we’re not religious baby! Sure, we’re hot and funny now, but we weren’t always. We assigned a religion at birth and molded into self-righteous teen virgins. We reveal what it felt like to be forced into a religious lifestyle that explicitly disregards our humanity as women. And how we managed to leave in the name of self respect. It is a comedy, though. Our families have said some wack stuff in the name of religion and we’re not censoring any of it.  

What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at the fringe?

SH: Matt Goldich – What If This Is The Best I Can Do? 

DD: Maggie Crane – Side by Side. Maggie is a singular kind of performer, oozing charisma. Any opportunity to see her perform is a treat. Ricky Sim – Coming Out to Dead People. Ricky’s story is so moving, and he radiates warmth as a performer.

Have you done the fringe before? What are the key pieces of advice you have been given or would give to new groups or people performing at the fringe.

SH: Uhhh probably that no one knows what they’re doing the first time?! And to speak to some experienced people, hire some experienced people, prepare to be broke but also prepare to go on an adventure of a fKN LIFETIME baby let’s GOOO. 

DD: This is my first time at the fringe as a performer! But as a patron a few years ago, I remember enjoying the heck out of Under The Stairs on Merchant Street. The place had an incredibly relaxing energy, and I certainly plan to go back.

Favourite one liner you have done in a show and why?

SH: When I used to wear the hijab (Islamic head covering) I used to say “People always ask me if I’m hot in that. The answer is yes. But I’m hotter without it!!!” And then I would tag it with another killer line: When people tell me I’m pretty, I say “YOU FOOL, YOU HAVEN’T EVEN SEEN ME IN MY FINAL FORM.” Very very sad to have had to retire that joke. 

DD: My Jewish mother doesn’t like my Holocaust jokes because she thinks “people will think you’re obsessed with Hitler.” So let me just say for the record, I am not obsessed with Hitler. He was obsessed with me. I find it equal parts cathartic and stomach-churning to talk about Adolph Hitler like he’s a f****** from Tinder. 

What have been some of the most unique and different comedy shows you have seen this year and why?

SH: Sex Job DEFINITELY. Directed by Matt Gehring and performed by the incredible Lana Kwederis. Just really brought the audience into the unfair restrictions that sex workers currently face and how men once again will try to control and stop women from making money/gaining power. Truly truly was entertained and deeply moved by it.

DD: Sex Job has been one of the most unique shows on my radar. Usually sex work is the butt of a joke, or talked about with utter disrespect. In Sex Job, Lane does what so few comedic shows do: she centers the lived experience of an actual sex worker. She demystifies a historically taboo line of work by contextualizing it personally. All while cleverly making us giggle at the arbitrary notions of sexual shame.  

Talk us through your daily routine for a day at the Fringe

SH: Wake up in the morning, DON’T check my phone or if any of my 16 crushes in Egypt have texted me throughout the night. DON’T check if the guy I lost my virginity to in September is still watching my story right now. Journal right off the top, go for a run, do yoga. Then meet Danielle, flyer before our show, perform!!! Debrief about our show, go out and watch more shows, meet people, sleeeeeep.

DD: This is aspirational. Wake up, morning pages, yoga practice, coffee and breakfast, flyer, lunch, perform, flyer for the next day, fill the rest of the day seeing as many shows as I can, enjoy the company of some fun people, get my ass to bed and go to sleep!

What is the best way to enjoy yourself at the fringe?

SH: Hmm probably throwing my phone in the garbage and just going all in. Utilizing every single somatic tool my therapist taught me when things get overwhelming (regulate that nervous system). Trying to stay grounded in the present as much as possible while exuding love and warmth to the people we meet. 

DD: Commit to fully immersing yourself in the experience! Exude genuine friendliness, and be open to see anything!  

Best thing about performing at the fringe?

SH: That I’m going to be SOOOO busy being the main character, I won’t even THINK about all the men ignoring me right now. 

DD: I’m so used to performing in the US, and the comedic sensibilities in my home country. It’s going to be humbling to get a feel for what the folks on this side of the pond laugh at. 

The most challenging thing about performing at the fringe?

SH: Performing everyday, self-financing, really trying to bring out an audience for our shows when we have smolllll humble fanbases. 

DD: We’re doing a full run for our show. It takes a lot of mental, physical and emotional stamina to perform every day for a month. Actually I’d like to revise my answer. I have a (self-diagnosed) gluten sensitivity. I bet there’s gonna be so much delicious gluten everywhere and it’s going to be a massive spiritual challenge not to indulge. I hate being the person in the group who’s like “sorry I can’t eat a slice of pie, the wheat makes it hurt when I poo.” That’s never fun.   

What would be your top three items every performer must take to the fringe?

SH: A one-time film camera to document things along the way, favorite water bottle, comfiest hoodie.  

DD: Favorite pen, favorite jumper, favorite vibrator.

What’s the secret to successful flyering?

SH: I think maybe flyering for another person is easier than trying to sell yourself. For instance, I can sell Danielle in our show by saying “Come watch this Jewish goddess talk about how she used to be a teen republican who raised money for AIPAC and is now a pro Palestine queen.” 

DD: I suspect teaming up with other folks to help promote each other’s shows will be fruitful. Kind of like a woke-mob approach to flyering. 

Who would be your ultimate dream audience member?

SH: WOW ummmmmm Ali Wong?!?! Would love if she finally discovered me and we became best friends. Probably also Amal Clooney. I’ve just had the biggest crush on her for so long and I want to make her laugh. 

DD: Iris Apfel, geriatric fashion ICON. It would be such a rush to see such a vivacious powerhouse in the audience. Also I think she’d have invaluable feedback on our performance wardrobe. 

If people want to find out more about you where can they follow you on social media?

SH: @salma.hindy on IG and tiktok, @salooma911 on twitter

DD: @ femaleintern on IG and twitter; @femaleintern_ tiktok

And Finally in three words – Why should people come and see the show?

SH: Destroy the patriarchy.

DD: Jihad, tapdance, comedy