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!

Kuan-Wen Huang: Ilha Formosa

Location:   Gilded Balloon Teviot – Lounge (Venue 14)

Dates: Aug 2nd-14th, 16th-27th

Time: 17:40

Price: £12 Concessions £11

Ticket Link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/kuan-wen-huang-ilha-formosa

Hello! Tell us about yourself?

Hello! My name is Kuan-wen.  I am a Taiwanese comedian who lives in South London (Bermondsey to be specific).  I am a Tiger mum escapee, an ex military officer, an obsessive teddy bear hoarder,  a chartered accountant as well as a chartered tax advisor in the UK. 

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

I have always wanted to write a show about my home country Taiwan. 

When I gig around different comedy clubs, most people simply assume I am Chinese so there’s always a lot of explanations at the start of my set I have to do. I think having my first solo show exploring my Taiwanese identity may help reduce this admin in the long run. 

Also, people in the UK do not know much about my home country. I am happy to smuggle in some propaganda in my comedy, but I want to return the idea of Taiwan in its historic context, rather than the ancillary item people happen to mention when they talk about China. That’s why I chose the old name of Taiwan from the European colonial era instead. 

Tell us all about your show!

At first glance, the show is about me, a single gay man who ended up with a bed full of teddy bears in a foreign city. I then introduce my family – my mum and my grandma in particular – to explain why and how I became who I am today.  These are all put into a wider context, using my family’s history to broadly illustrate how Taiwan became what it is today. Different generations of my family each represent a different phase of what being “Taiwanese” means.  Finally, the wars. I revisit my compulsory military services and explain how the current war in Ukraine and the potential invasion of Taiwan by China could change everything. 

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

I follow Laura Ramoso on Instagram and her impressions of her German mum really crack me up.  It’s a pleasant surprise to know she is coming from Toronto to Edinburgh to do the fringe festival so I will be sure to watch her show. 

I will definitely want to see Kieran Hogson. He finally brings a new show to Ed Fringe since 2018. I like all his previous Ed Fringe shows but “75” and “Lance” in particular are two of the richest and most tender comedy shows I’ve ever watched. 

My third choice is Mary O’Connell, who is a really great joke writer and has a cool confident stage persona.  I’ve gigged with her a few times but have not had a chance to watch her full hour. I am saving it for Edinburgh this year.  

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.

I have indeed. I did a four-header show in 2017, a split hour with a French comedian in 2019 and came back as part of AAA Stand Up at Underbelly in 2022.   I also brought my London mixed bill shows to Ed Fringe –  called Comedy Gobbledygook in 2019 and Comedy with an Accent last year. 

I was advised to exercise regularly, to drink lots of water and not partying too much and protect my voice by reducing the amount of shouting when I did my spots.  All of this is very helpful advice.  

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

“My grandma gave birth to nine children in her life – as I like to say, her pu**y has worked harder than any train driver in this country.”

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

I watched Jack Harris’s show “Teaching Teachers How To Teach” at Soho Theatre recently. I heard very good things about this show in Edinburgh last year but it clashed with my other commitments so I wasn’t able to go watch it then.  I’ve gigged with Jack before, who is a very solid comic generally, but that show allows him to be even more creative and run wild with his bunker ideas.  The show is designed as a training/accreditation session for teachers and it has a lot of insightful jokes on the teaching word (Jack Harris himself is a teacher outside comedy).  Apart from the acute observations, there were visual gags, giant props, use of multimedia.  It was a very enjoyable show (and for teachers it has got to be therapeutic) 

Another worthy mention from me is Norwegian comic Viggo Venn’s show “Club Comedian”.  Viggo is blowing up on TV as he just got through to Britain’s Got Talents final this year.  I feel lucky to have watched his show in an intimate room before now. Again, I didn’t get to see it at Ed Fringe last year but managed to see it at The Bill Murray a couple of months later. Viggo is a professionally trained clown.  The show is very silly and it’s the purest form of joy.  I am not an expert in clowning techniques myself, but you could feel the performer’s desire for entertaining the crowd. You can also sense some audience members’ bellies are properly aching when they are laughing. 

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

Three days a week, I will start with an early swim. My knees aren’t good for jogging. so swimming is my default exercise option. 

I used to go out flying before lunchtime since I used to run early afternoon mixed bill shows.  This year is different, so I think I am likely to watch the previous day’s recording to work on the solo show.  I might also factor in some video editing times as I want to update my social media regularly.

By mid-afternoon I should be out watching shows, If I am not doing spots on other mixed bill shows to promote my own show. I tend to watch 30-40 shows during the entire Fringe season myself. 

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

For the comedy lovers – you are the kid in a candy shop. Treat yourself with as many shows you can cram in.  Also, take chances on random shows or comedians you’ve never heard before. 

(It could be me for many this year for example!)

Best thing about performing at the fringe?

The audience mix can be so different.  There might be people from different parts of the UK or further afield from different countries.  I always enjoy observing their different reactions to my jokes and some interactions I have with them during my performance. 

The most challenging thing about performing at the fringe?

A toxic mixture of external noises and inner saboteur. Through posters, published journals, social media, people talk about the review ratings they receive, how they are selling out the whole run, etc.  It’s quite difficult not to be affected.

I tend to remind myself – some people chose to spend their previous time during Ed Fringe at your show and pay to see you perform.  As a performer, you should always remain grateful for that.

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

A spare charger and power banks

A fan or mini electric fan to combat any days where the temperature rises above 30 degree Celsius

A good pair of walking shoes. 

What’s the secret to successful flyering?

I’d say get the sales pitch ready.  Have one succinct summary of the show highlighting the unique elements of the show that the punters won’t get elsewhere. When people do stop, they will give you a few second for that sales pitch and it should be tight tight tight. 

Who would be your ultimate dream audience member?

People who like 90s pop music and cultural references but don’t get themselves too drunk.  They will join in for the fun vibe but they won’t heckle too much to derail the show. 

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

I upload clips of my stand up most frequently on Instagram these days.  There are also clips from my podcast Comedy with an Accent where I interview comedians with strong accents.  It’s @kuanwencomedy on Insta. 

My website http://www.kuanwenhuang.com has information on where I am performing next. 

For obvious reasons (as a Taiwanese myself), I don’t have a TikTok account……

I do have Facebook (@KWDoesComedy) and twitter (@kuanwen_huang) but they don’t get enough attention from me to be honest! 

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

Taiwan might fall