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!

Shamilton! The Improvised Hip-Hop Musical

Location:   Assembly George Square Studios – Studio One (Venue 17)

Dates: Jul 31st Aug 1st-25th

Time: 18:20

Price: £14.50 Concessions £13.50

Ticket Link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/shamilton-the-improvised-hip-hop-musical

Hello! Tell us about yourself? 

I’m a performer in Baby Wants Candy, I direct Shamilton and I eat a lot Piemaker Pies.

Tell us all about your show!

Both are fully improvised musicals created from audience suggestions. 

For Baby Wants Candy, it’s a completely improvised West End/Broadway-style musical made up on the spot, and accompanied by a full band. We get titles like “Kanye West Side Story”, “Sweeney Toddler”, “The 40 Year Old Virgin Mary” and other suggestions far too filthy for a respectable viewership such as yours. 

For Shamilton, it’s also a completely improvised musical, but with much more of a hip-hop bend, at follows the general themes of Hamilton but done if the audience-suggested character, real or fictitious, was the central protagonist instead of Alexander Hamilton. So you get to see a hip-hop musical based on Gordon Ramsey, Beyonce, Nicola Sturgeon, Mary Berry… or Shrek. You know…all the greats.

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

Baby Wants Candy: Before we named the show, we were performing and there was a baby crying in the crowd. Someone said “Wow. That baby wants candy” So we called the show “Wow.” No…we called the show “Baby Wants Candy”. And like a half eaten Wine Gum…the name stuck.

Shamilton: Well, we came up with the great name “Shamilton” for a hip hop musical, then Lin Manuel Miranda stole the name of our show and slightly changed it to Hamilton. 

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

Stamptown, Tim Murray in “Witches”, Chris Grace in “Sardines”.

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’ve been to Fringe 16 times so far. I’m going to be arrested for stalking the Fringe at some point soon. 

It can be a slog sometimes, but remember that there is truly nothing in the world like the Fringe.

For new groups- mentally prepare yourself to not sell well. Then if you end up selling like gangbusters, it’s an awesome surprise. And if not, you can say “I knew it.”

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

Wake up in cold sweat worried about sales. Bike to coffee shop to work on shows (we have shows running in multiple places in the US, so that means we’re working around the clock often at Fringe. Yay time zones). Teach a workshop. Check sales. See a show. Duck into Forbidden Planet to keep my nerd cred up. Check sales…hopefully we’re sold out for both shows…if not, flyer. Go to both our shows. Hang out in Assembly Club bar with our cast, band, crew and a bunch of fun randoms. 

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

Go down to Grassmarket and look up at the view of the castle from below. It’s gorgeous and, at least to me, very calming.

Ok, where is your favourite place to eat at the Fringe? 

Mosque Kitchen

Best thing about performing at the fringe?

The people you meet

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

Get a bike!

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

1. Comfortable shoes

2. A great attitude

3. The ability to be in total denial that anything is wrong no matter how much the walls seem to be crumbling and your toilet overflow is dripping down to the bank below your flat (actual incident).

what’s the secret to successful flyering? 

Talk to people. Don’t just throw a flyer in their face.

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

@babywantscandy

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

High-brow. Stupid. (wait…is that three words? One had a hyphen. Do I get one more word? Dammit. Wait…dammit wasn’t the third word. S***. Ahh..forget it.)