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 Trials of Magnus Coffinkey
Location: Summerhall – Red Lecture Theatre (Venue 26)
Dates: Aug 6th-16th, 18th-23rd, 25th-31st
Time: 10:30
Price: £17 Concessions £14.50
Ticket Link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-trials-of-magnus-coffinkey
Hello! Tell us all about your show!
MG: The Trials of Magnus Coffinkey is a broken fairy tale for broken people. On the outside it’s a dark and whimsical story about someone who must fix a bell atop an impossibly high tower. However, it has a devastating undercurrent.
AG: We wrote it together in an attempt to process a personal tragedy that affects many couples and no one can really prepare you for. The show won the FringeReview Outstanding Theatre Award at Brighton Fringe in 2024 and we’re really looking forward to be bringing it to Edinburgh and sharing our story with more people.
What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at the fringe?
MG: We’ve already booked for Adam Riches: The Captain and Sam Ward’s As Far As We Know. Both shows are at our venue and we read great things about them. However since they have an early timeslot as well, we had to be sure to book during our days off (17th, 24th).
AG: We’re also fans of Kristen Schaal, Gianmarco Soresi and Reuben Kaye so we’re excited to be seeing them. We’re also really looking forward to those handful of shows we’ve never heard of and will inevitably end up obsessing over. I love the fringe for 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.
AG: Our first time at the fringe was in 2009 when we staged a show called Porn – the Musical which Malcolm wrote and I codirected. I was heavily pregnant with our first child at the time so it was what we Maltese call a ġennata (sheer madness).
MG: I would definitely stress the importance of taking your best work – especially if you’re based overseas like us. There are only so many times you get to take a show to the Edinburgh Fringe, so make it count.
AG: It’s important to pace yourself so your physical and mental strength can last for the full month. Also surround yourself with a support system that will help you negotiate the ups and downs. That’s one of the very first things we learned when we did Porn.
MG: Definitely. Even though the show went on to win the Offie for Best New Musical a year later, during our Fringe run, there was the occasional negative review or unruly audience that made us want to go home. It was incredibly comforting to have each other and a supportive team with us.
Talk us through your daily routine for a day at the Fringe
MG: Our show is scheduled for 10:30am so we’re in for a month of relatively early wake-up calls. In 2017 we had also staged an early show, so we imagine we’ll have a similar routine. The days will start by travelling to the venue and meeting the team over breakfast before moving in.
AG: The rest of the day will be spent mostly out and about flyering and seeing shows. We love meeting fellow artists and immersing ourselves in the projects and stories they worked so hard to perfect. Some of our dearest friends are people we met in past editions of the festival.
MG: At the end of the day, we’ll do our grocery shopping and prepare lunches for the next day. However we also need to allow for a degree of flexibility to deal with any unexpected issues that can (and usually do) pop up.
AG: This year in particular will be a bit different since one of our actors will be accompanied by her newborn baby. We’re looking forward to that and being on standby to give assistance.
MG: And cuddles.
AG: Especially cuddles.
Ok, where is your favourite place to eat at the Fringe?
AG: We generally try to have packed lunches as much as possible but we also enjoy snacking on festival food from hub venues. It’s a great way of mingling with other artists.
MG: The Mosque Kitchen is also a reliable place for a hearty budget-friendly meal. Also we always end up going to an all you can eat Chinese buffet for some reason. Every time we end up barely able to move and solemnly swearing to never do it again. Then, the next time we go to the Fringe, we do it again.
AG: This time we definitely won’t be going.
MG: No…
Best thing about performing at the fringe?
MG: Before taking a show to Edinburgh we build it up slowly at other festivals. If it doesn’t perform well we pull the plug on it at an earlier stage, so finally getting to the fringe feels really rewarding.
AG: We love getting to showcase our work to people we admire and being immersed in such an atmosphere of ideas and creativity. We were once told that at the Fringe you’ll find your tribe – and you really do.
MG: We also really enjoy having the opportunity to collaborate with some of our favourite young Maltese theatre-makers on an international forum. Our cast, director and producer do fantastic work back home and we’re honoured to be able to showcase their talent at the fringe.
Do you bring anything special from home to make it feel more special whilst you are away?
MG: Yes! Our teenage sons will be joining us for the latter part of the festival and that’s a huge relief. When they were younger I’d often have to do without seeing them for the whole month. Instead of taking them to the beach every day (during August in Malta it’s basically mandatory), I’d have to settle for video calls. We still managed to play hide and seek though. They’d take it in turns hiding the tablet while the other one has to look for daddy.
AG: With the show being so heavily inspired by our first pregnancy, having them join us at the end completes the circle like a warm hug.
What are your best hacks to save money whilst at the Fringe?
AG: By shopping at the end of the day just before the shops close, you can get food at discounted rates. Also carrying a thermos of coffee around can easily save you £10 a day. When you’re there for a month, these little savings really add up.
MG: Find out who else is going and team up to save resources. By sharing things like washing machines, printers and taxis, you can also make life easier.
If people want to find out more about you where can they follow you on social media?
https://www.instagram.com/thetrialsofmagnuscoffinkey/
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