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!

The City for Incurable Women

Location:   Upstairs at Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)

Dates:  Jul 30th -11th, 13th-25th

Time: 13:35

Price: £13 Concessions £12

Ticket Link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-city-for-incurable-women

Hello! Tell us about yourself?

Hiya! We are fish in a dress – Christina, Charlie and Helena –  a London and Berlin based theatre collective formed in 2024. We make new work from a queer-feminist perspective.

The name ‘fish in a dress’ was inspired by the image of a smocked mackerel Charlie painted when they were a kid. When they’re not painting fish, Charlie can be found voice-acting as Amicia in Plague Tale; Christina has directed at Schaubühne Berlin and is a Complicité associate artist; and Helena is completing her PhD at King’s College London.

Tell us all about your show!

Paris, 1880s. In a psychiatric hospital, female patients performed ‘hysteria’ for the public. The doctors went to extraordinary lengths to prove their theories about the four stages of madness. Today, in the 21st century, the storyteller Kae, begins to explore this history, trace the echoes to today, feeling them linger in their own body  and perhaps gets a little too caught in the story.

International theatre-collective, fish in a dress, follows the thread of the history of hysteria as the audience becomes complicit in an outrageous tale of medical misogyny.

(Warning: hysteria cure not included)

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

Christina: Right now I am especially eager to see Bury the Hatchet and Count Dykula but I am sure there will be so much more I don’t even know of, yet.

Helena: Among others, Bloomsbury Bell. I can always be tempted by one-woman historical shows!

Charlie: Gosh there’s so many. There’s a lot of really fantastic looking one-person shows that I want to check out, like House Party by Chakira Alin. I will also be dashing from our show to catch DYKE Systems Ltd by Fag Packet – I do not want to miss that.

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.

Christina: It is our first time as a company! Frankly, my first time in Edinburgh at all – so I am a bit useless with handing out advice… but will happily take some!

Helena: I’ve been a visitor at Fringe, but never had work performed. Key piece of advice I have been given is: DO IT! Do Fringe, see shows, make new friends. Revel in a cloudburst of creativity.

Charlie: This is my first time performing at fringe! I’ve been given a lot of advice from other actors, with strict instructions to do proper vocal and physical warm ups so I don’t implode after the first week… but everyone has also assured me that we will have the best time – so I’m very excited about that!

If this is your first time – what are you looking forward to?
Christina: The buzz.

Helena: I can’t wait to see as many shows as possible. There is such an electric atmosphere at Fringe – and this year I get to be part of it!

Charlie: I am really looking forward to playing the show 26 times! I have so much fun performing this piece, and I’m really excited to explore it with so many audience members.

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

Christina: We will get up in the morning, doing a bit of yoga together, I make everybody porridge and then realistically we grab some flyers, some snacks and set off to the Pleasance! On the way convince as many people as possible to come round, then settle in the Courtyard (hoping for sun here), taking a breath before it is our turn to get in, have a quick fit up, have our audience in, play, get out (as fast as we can), catch another breath in the Courtyard (I am very optimistic weatherwise here) and then set off to find some lunch, find some new audience members, watch, watch, watch and chat, chat, chat. In the evening someone (okay, we all know it will be Charlie) will make some dinner, then off to see more shows, have a pint, fall into bed.

A plan I made for special occasions is a movie night with our sound designer Bella: Introducing her to Spinal Tab as she introduces me to Hot Fuzz.

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

Christina: Charlie’s Parmigiana! Sorry, am aware that is not quite the question, but well, if you want some – make friends with them or work with them yourself!

Helena: Charlie’s homemade pancakes. I will eat them no matter the time of day or night.

Charlie: Okay at this point we may as well open a side hustle pop up stand with pancakes and parmigiana. I’m going to be wandering the market stalls, looking for dumplings.

Best thing about performing at the fringe?

Charlie: Being immersed in a city that becomes completely dedicated to performance.

What is the hardest part about performing at the Fringe?

Helena: Stamina. Luckily, I am a writer so there are fewer physical demands.

Do you bring anything special from home to make it feel more special whilst you are away?

Christina: I will bring my little hand sewn fish in a dress pouch Charlie made me for my birthday. It will serve as an emergency snack pouch.

Helena: My “fun folder”. A folder full of fun, nerdy ideas for future shows.

Charlie: A lemon (my co-star and best friend)

[Lemon can neither confirm nor deny the earlier statement]

What are your best hacks to save money whilst at the Fringe?

Christina: Well I would love to know these myself! Already see myself buying thousands of tickets! But frankly, that is part of the reason to go, so…

Helena: I’m also wondering about this. My current plan is to live on porridge for the month and spend money on tickets!

Charlie: Walking everywhere – that counts as my physical warm up – right?

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

Christina: Tape, scissors, and a vodka-spray bottle – the ultimate hack for costume care.

Helena: Lemon, honey, throat lozenges. For vocal care and/or nourishment!

What’s the secret to successful flyering?

Charlie: Desperation

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

Christina: They should follow our Instagram account @fishinadress!

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

Helena: Queer feminist madness!

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