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!

Summer of Harold

Location:  Assembly Checkpoint – Assembly Checkpoint (Venue 322)

Dates: Aug 1st-6th, 8th-13th, 15th-20th, 22nd-26th

Time: 13:50

Price: £13.00 Concessions £12.00

Ticket Link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/summer-of-harold

Hello! Tell us about yourself? 

I’m Hilary Bell, a playwright from Sydney. I’m also a wildlife rescue volunteer, a devout fan (and writer) of musical theatre, and I have never been able to tell my left from my right.

Tell us all about your show!

‘Summer of Harold’ is a trio of short plays, thematically linked, about people whose lives take a dramatic turn because of a physical object. This object is one with which they have an intense relationship, while to anyone else it’s completely unremarkable. The title piece is about two Australian backpackers, who on their gap year in London find themselves working as Harold Pinter’s housekeepers. The second piece, ‘Enfant Terrible’, is about an embittered ceramist consumed with envy at his rival’s success. And the third, ‘Lookout’, is set in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, where two old friends meet for the last time.

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

‘Summer of Harold’ refers to the summer of ’84 when Janet and her friend Alison, looking for work in London, land jobs as housekeepers to Harold Pinter and Lady Antonia Fraser. It’s based on the true adventures of Margaret Woodward, who shared it with me and gave me her blessing to turn it into a play.  

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

I’m excited about seeing the other shows presented by House of Oz, in particular ‘Plenty of Fish in the Sea’, ‘Of the Land on Which We Meet’ and also ‘Lien’. ‘Dance Floor Therapy’ looks like big fun.

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. 

We have not done Fringe before and we’re a small team so we know it’s going to be a big learning curve. We are eager to learn, while feeling confident in knowing that we have a beautiful, playful and funny show to share with audiences. Having your best work to offer is the number one tip.

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

We’ll find out when we get there! Our show is at lunchtime, 13.50, so that’ll be the centre piece of our day. Before and after that, we’ll be flyering. We’re keen to see all the House of Oz shows, get amongst the festival and see loads of theatre. We’ll head to Summerhall, the Traverse, and the international festival too. 

Top tips for travelling around the Fringe and getting to shows on time? 

So again, it’s our first Fringe but as regular theatre-goers we know this means getting to the venue with time to spare, to sit down with a cup of tea, relax and chat to fellow theatre-loving strangers,  and then enjoy the show – no-one wants to be sweating and thirsty, let alone late! 

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

I’m on Facebook, and I have a webpage: hilarybell.org

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

Laughs, tears!