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!
JULIUS CAESAR VARIETY SHOW
Location: Summerhall – Red Lecture Theatre (Venue 26)
Dates: Aug 6th-16th, 18th-23rd, 25th-31st
Time: 16:45
Price: £17 Concessions £14.50
Ticket Link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/julius-caesar-variety-show
Hello! Tell us all about your show!
JULIUS CAESAR VARIETY SHOW is a Black actor, a woman actor, and a straight white male actor who audition for a part in Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar as an anti-immigration riot is happening outside of the theatre. These three auditionees attempt to impress a revered director set on reinventing the play in unorthodox styles – and as the audition unfolds, the actors’ identities are called into the audition room and exploited for better performances.
What begins as an audition quickly transforms into a battleground. As the director, aided by an ever-present accompanist, pushes the actors to their limits, questions of identity, authorship, and representation come sharply into focus. Performers and audiences alike must confront how their lived experience shapes not only their interpretation of the roles, but also the meaning of the play itself.
I wrote this play because in 2023, I was directing a play with an all Black cast that opened on the eve of an anti-immigration riot in Dublin. It was really shocking for all of us, and we noticed just how vulnerable we all fest in that moment amidst the absurdity of theatre people trying to navigate a riot. I drew from that experience and my experiences as an artist of color throughout my career to write something that interrogates what true inclusion looks like in our industries, especially when the far-right is on an upward trend in a global way.
I really hope Edi Fringe audiences receive the play in a way that makes them laugh and alos reflect on the ways in which art and the world resonate off of each other, and also, what part we have in our workplaces in not replicating the ideals we’re seeing just outside our own doors.
What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at the fringe?
So many things! The King of all Birds, Roots in Every Room, Ham Sandwiches and Discipline, The Pigeon Factory, Pink Rabbit, Notes from a Narcissistic Negro and Other N Words, Temi Wilkey: Lover Girl, and of course, my first love, Stamptown!!!!
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 done the Dublin Fringe and the Camden Fringe before, but never the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! This is such a dream come true to be premiering our show at Summerhall Arts! I’ve gotten a lot of advice from folks about stamina during the festival. A full month is a lot of time to be performing and putting your show up and down and also networking and seeing a lot of shows! What a workout! The biggest advice that I’ve been given is to remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. I’m constantly reminded that I should see as much as I’m able to and to broaden my horizons, while also giving myself time to explore the city of Edinburgh and recharge where necessary.
If this is your first time – what are you looking forward to?
This is my first time bringing a show to the Edi Fringe but not my first time attending. I did a whirlwind one day round trip and saw six shows last year. I think the best part of the whole day was going to see puppet show that I knew nothing about, and I truly had a bit of an existential crisis afterwards. That experience really inspired me to want to bring something to this festival. So I’m looking forward to doing that kind of theatrical discovery while I’m there!
Talk us through your daily routine for a day at the Fringe
Because I’m the writer and director, I get the luxurious opportunity to have a bit of removal from the main routine of the fringe. I guess in my case, I will probably wake up, see at least two shows, panic eat my lunch, set up the show, watch my show (eek!), and then take the show down, then see two more shows, have a pint, go to bed.
Best thing about performing at the fringe?
I think it’s a really unique opportunity to get to do a show in a place purely dedicated to experimentation and trying new things. It allows you to get audiences that you wouldn’t normally get, and with a play like JULIUS CAESAR VARIETY SHOW, our goal is to speak to audiences who do not have the same experiences as us and to create a real dialogue!
Do you bring anything special from home to make it feel more special whilst you are away?
My satin sleep scarf and my satin scrunchies!
What are your best hacks to save money whilst at the Fringe?
Chips, ramen, and using my two legs to get around.
If people want to find out more about you where can they follow you on social media?
My instagram is @makingjoynesbitt and my show’s instagram is @juliuscaesar.varietyshow
And Finally in three words – Why should people come and see the show?
Shakespeare is everywhere!
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